Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling & Dunfermline Abbey Day Trip from Edinburgh
Description
Follow in the footsteps of Scotland's kings on a day trip through the nation's most dramatic history: the Forth Bridge, Dunfermline Abbey, Stirling Castle, the battlefield of Bannockburn and Rosslyn Chapel, with an expert guide.
We begin with a photo stop at the Victorian marvel of the Forth Bridge and visit Dunfermline Abbey, the final resting place of Robert the Bruce, with entrance included. Then comes the great castle at Stirling and the site of Scotland's greatest victory.
At Bannockburn you stand on the battlefield where Robert the Bruce routed the English in 1314, bringing de facto independence to Scotland, and hear how it still shapes the country today.
The day finishes at the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, made famous by The Da Vinci Code, with its intricate carvings, symbolic stonework and centuries of unanswered questions about the Holy Grail and the Knights Templar.
Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat, all year
Departs 9am, back at 5.30pm (8 hours 30 minutes).
Language: English
The whole tour is guided in English.
Departure: 1 Parliament Square
Check in inside Caffè Nero, 192 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. The tour departs from 1 Parliament Square, beside St Giles' Cathedral. Open in Google Maps.
From £59
Concession (child 3-15, senior 60+, student with valid ID): from £57. Prices vary by season.
Detailed route
Departure from the Royal Mile at 9 am. We cross the Forth into the historic Kingdom of Fife, once home to Scottish kings and queens.
After Dunfermline Abbey we travel to Stirling, the "Gateway to the Highlands", and the battlefield of Bannockburn.
We end at Rosslyn Chapel before arriving at the drop-off point in St Andrew Square at around 5.30 pm.
Departure from Edinburgh (9 am)
Forth Bridge
As we travel through rolling countryside you will hear tales of ancient battles and royal intrigue. Look out for the iconic Forth Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Scotland's greatest engineering achievements.
Dunfermline Abbey
The former capital of Scotland and birthplace of monarchs including James I and Charles I, as well as Andrew Carnegie. Explore the Abbey Church, the Abbey and Palace and the monks' refectory. Robert the Bruce is laid to rest in the nave. Entrance is included.
Stirling
A stop just outside Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most historically important castles in Scotland (entry is an optional extra), with views of the Wallace Monument and the Ochil Hills. Prefer something different? Visit the new gin distillery or wander the medieval old town.
Bannockburn
The battlefield where Robert the Bruce routed the English in 1314. Discover the events that led to the victory and its impact on Scotland today. Time permitting, we stop to see the statue of the Bruce on horseback.
Rosslyn Chapel
Built in the 15th century and owned by the same family ever since, this chapel is filled with intricate carvings, stained glass and a mysterious crypt. Its present state owes much to Queen Victoria, who ordered its restoration. Take time to explore Roslin Glen and the ruins of Rosslyn Castle nearby.
Drop-off at St Andrew Square (5.30 pm)
The order of the stops may change because of traffic, weather or opening times.
What’s included
What does the price include?
- Fully guided tour
- Transport
- Entrance to Dunfermline Abbey
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Optional tickets
- Entrance to Stirling Castle (£20), bought on the Stirling Castle website. We email you the link and your entry time the day before the tour.
- Entrance to Rosslyn Chapel (£9.50), paid on arrival. Spaces are reserved in advance.
Good to know
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check-in
Check-in inside Caffè Nero, 192 High Street, closes at 8.45 am.
Drop-off
Return to 22 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 1AY.
Minimum age
The tour is strictly for ages 3 and above.
Dunfermline Abbey on Mondays
From 1 October to 31 March the interior of Dunfermline Abbey is closed on Mondays. On those days we visit the exterior of the Abbey.
Dress for Scotland
The weather changes fast: bring a waterproof jacket, warm layers, sunglasses and shoes for short walks on rough or uneven ground.
Cash and cards
Most attractions and cafés take cards, but it is worth carrying some cash.
What our guests say
City Explorers has a 5.0 rating on Google from 27,096 reviews. Here is a selection of real reviews, updated every week. Tap any review to read it in full.
-
Dan was such a great guide, would definitely recommend for others and future self when visiting Edinburgh again. Lots of good humor and theatrical expressions!
Read more -
I learned a lot from this tour. It was interesting and fun but Colan made it more even fun and light. He also was funny which made it more delightful.
Read more -
We had an amazing tour with Kenny! He was very friendly, knowledgeable and very funny! Would go on another tour with him any day :)
Read more -
SJ was our tour guide last night, she was a great storyteller who was really animated and entertaining! We would highly recommend!
Read more -
Great experience with our guide Coben. Funny, interesting and we got a different view on the City of Edinburgh.
Read more -
Wonderful insights, stories and navigation. Got us to all the highlights and more but routed to avoid/minimize the interaction with other tours. Some of the side bar stories were the best.
Read more -
Cobin is amazingly good with a hint of fun story teller! He made a boring history particularly very very very interesting and easy to remember! Highly and exceptionally recommended!! If you don’t, you’ll miss half the adventure of your life!!
Read more -
Cobin was a great tour guide!! Lovely humor and a lot of fun facts. Would definitely recommend to friends and family:)
Read more -
I had fun listening to the stories our guide shared. He was totally entertaining, built the atmosphere and hooked us into the experience.
Read more -
Rory was a very cool and charming tour Guide. The storys were very nice and for us from germany very good understandble. And it was nice to learn so much about the dark history of scotland and edinburgh
Read more -
Dr Rory can tell a story! I couldn't believe how quickly the tour ended. When I looked at my watch and hour and a half had passed! Get a tour, get it with Rory !
Read more -
Griem was a fantastic tour guide ! He was very helpful, showed a great amount of knowledge about the city, and I loved his sense of humour:))
Read more -
Great tour, got all the major sights and lots of history. Kenny, our guide, was very knowledgeable and eloquent he made the tour very interesting and fun at the same time.
Read more -
I highly recommend this tour! Rory’s gory stories were amazing, you can really tell he loves the job and makes the tour feel very special!
Read more -
Had a wonderful tour through Edinburgh. Cobin is a very funny guy with great knowledge about the city and entertaining storytelling
Read more -
Cobin was an awesome guide. We got a lot of interesting information on our tour. He was clever and very engaging. He paced the tour so we could all follow along and he was very careful that we were all with him and safe. Thanks Cobin for an interesting morning!
Read more -
Cobin was very entertaining and informative. The pacing and humor of the tour was well balanced and enjoyable
Read more -
Graeme was a fantastic tour guide with many interesting stories and so much knowledge. Highly recommend this tour and guide
Read more -
Our guide was Kenny. He was very knowledgeable and informative and had a really good sense of humour! Fantastic tour. Highly recommend
Read more -
Kenny was entertaining and knowledgeable. He was happy to answer all of our questions and gave us a brilliant tour
Read more -
Absolute riveting. Our tour guide Dan was a gem and a really fantastic storyteller. He has great knowledge and even had some extra facts. Highly recommend.
Read more -
We had a great experience with Cobin! He was very friendly and made the tour really enjoyable. We had a wonderful time. Highly recommend!
Read more -
Excellent tour. Cobin was a very fun and engaging guide, with some interesting anecdotes and a strong storytelling
Read more -
Fantastic tour hosted by Glen. Very impressed with the information and interaction given, it made the whole experience very interesting and pleasant! Thanks Glen!
Read more -
Great experience, Dan was really knowledgable and full of energy and showed us all the places with their stories
Read more -
Graeme's tour was FAB! We saw so much more than we expected, lots of great stories. Thanks so much!
Read more -
He’s a charming gentleman with a great sense of humor and interesting stories about the city of Edinburgh. I highly recommend! It was a very fun tour!
Read more -
Kenny did a wonderful job of blending, history, modern recommendations and gorgeous views all while not allowing any of us to get separated. Big highlight!
Read more -
We had Stuart as our tour guide, he was great! Very knowledgeable, very funny and kept us intrigued the whole time!
Read more -
Graham was an absolute delight. His tour gave us not only a great sense of Edinburgh as a city, but the history and stories that led to it being what it is now. You can tell that he loves what he does, and it was a privilege to meet Edinburgh through his eyes
Read more
Selected real reviews from Google · Updated November 2026