Private Tour
On the Trail of Mary Queen of Scots Private Tour in a Minivan from Edinburgh
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Our fantastic private guided Mary Queen of Scots tour is a fantastic way to explore many of the locations that were connected to Mary, including her birth, departure to France, return and reign and time in Scotland.
Mary Stuart was a devout Catholic and held claim to the English throne. She was considered a great danger to Protestant Queen Elizabeth I of England. Elizabeth ultimately hanged Mary for treason after almost 19 years under house arrest.
Your friendly and knowledgeable driver guide will take you on a journey of discovery exploring many sights within easy reach of Edinburgh onboard your private Mercedes Minivan. Hear the stories that make these locations famous in Scottish history. You will also see many other sights along the way.
Our vehicles are the perfect size to squeeze down the country lanes that many of the locations are found whilst still being spacious and comfortable for up to 6 guests.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What‘s Included
Professional local guide
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Bottled water for each guest
Transport by private air-conditioned minivan
Live commentary on board
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Stirling Castle
Mary spent a considerable amount of time at Stirling Castle throughout her life. She was crowned in the chapel at Stirling Castle when just 6 days old and returned to the crown palace many times in her adult life.
Falkland Palace & Garden
Arguably one of the most impressive preserved 16th century buildings in the world, Falkland Palace was a royal retreat. Mary spent her downtime here and played tennis at what is now the world’s oldest tennis court.
Options
On the Trail of Mary Queen of Scots Private Tour in a Minivan from Edinburgh
Pickup included
Reviews
13 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Thank Michael for a beautify day in Belfast 23rd September
O2301CVpaula,
Sep 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide is a gentleman called Michael. Michael drove us in his black bus around historical sites and gave us interesting, informative and educating piece on the troubles, profiles, personalities, especially the young people who died during the troubles. The walls, gates and barricades as well as the unseen works that Community Groups and individuals are putting in to move on as best as possible. I am grateful for PEACE. Many thanks. From Paul Akinsooto, Extern Intensive Family Support Services (Extern IFSS, Drogheda, Ireland)
Incredible tour!
I7088LEluzm,
Oct 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This experience was so amazing! Our driver Laura did an incredible job, she made this a very memorable trip for us and I’m very thankful for her. She took us to see castle and tell us more about the history. She really was so wonderful and we are truly blessed to have had her as our tour. I highly recommend this tour, if I ever come back to visit I’ll definitely hire them again!
Mary Queen of Scots 🫶🏼
K504DRlauram,
Oct 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The BEST day I have ever had. A birthday present from my husband 🥰 Laura was amazing from start to finish. She was so knowledgable and answered any questions we had. She was so friendly, we got on so well. She booked us some lunch pert way through the tour, which was a lovely touch. I’m a HUGE Mary Queen of Scots fan and I couldn’t have asked for a better guide to show me round Mary’s favourite places, where she was born, where she was crowned queen, spent time doing her favourite things, it was just amazing. If I were to come back for another tour, I would want Laura to be my guide, she was brilliant. From start to finish it couldn’t have been more perfect. Thanks again for the best day ❤️
Entertaining and informative
S522NGrobertd,
Sep 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really enjoyed our day with Alan. Learned lots about Mary Queen of Scots and toured 4 castles. The van was very comfy, Alan was a great racontuer and scenery was lovely, even though the sun was hiding.
Best tour and Guide!
Thomas H,
May 16, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00We loved our tour. Our guide Laura Mac was the best guide we had this entire trip through Scotland. She was knowledgeable, with a sparkling personality. She adjusted the tour to our “must see” locations. Suggested a great place for lunch and kept us on track for timing without feeling rushed. (they had purchased admission tickets in advance for the castles). Other people on our cruise ship were not able to get into a few castles as they were unaware it is highly suggested to get them in advance. She also had a few special surprises for us at the end of the tour! If I could rate here higher I would.
Best day of our vacation!
ShelleyTO,
Sep 10, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My daughter, sister and I booked this tour because my daughter loves history, and Mary Queen of Scots is her favorite historical figure. Our trip to the UK was her graduation present. We spent the day with our guide and driver Calais. He was funny, knowledgeable and a great conversationalist. He made my daughter feel special. It was wonderful to relax and now worry about finding the train or understanding a bus schedule. Calais picked us up and dropped us off at our Air BNB. Because it was just the three of us, we were able to adapt the schedule to our liking. A private tour is a splurge, but it was worth every penny, especially when you have an awesome guide. Highly recommend!
Rich History, Beautiful Scenery and a Brilliant Guide!
julieoI2773BF,
Jul 13, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Calais was an amazing guide - personable, knowledgeable and fun! We were fully satisfied with the day’s itinerary. Calais was flexible and allowed us to switch up the final stop. The convenience of being picked up and dropped off at our hotel was one of the big reasons we chose this tour over other company, and it was a huge luxury. The transportation was comfortable and he even had cold water ready for us. We had a spectacular day, and I highly recommend Experienced Tours!
Fabulous tour!
KimL562,
Jun 30, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked the Mary Queen of Scots Private tour for our cruise ship stop in Edinburgh. We wanted to see as much as we could during our 9 hours in port. Our guide Andy was right on time. When we got in the vehicle, he asked us what we were hoping to see on our day tour. Andy adapted the tour to fit our requests and provided us with a fabulous day in the Scottish countryside. We saw lots of beautiful scenery, castles, bridges and even popped into the Highlands to see some real Highland cows. Andy with Experienced Tours provided us with an unforgettable day in Scotland!
Loved it. Would go again.
Ana D,
Jun 18, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We enjoyed this tour so much. Alexander was so knowledgable and friendly, he answered all our questions, took photos for us, organised lunch, and gave us solid advice on where to go for dinner. We would absolutely love to do more tours next time as this experience just made us want to go back. This is how tours should be done.
A very memorable tour. Highly recommend.
Alvcpa,
Aug 14, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I splurged on the Mary Queen of Scots Private tour for my birthday. What a special treat! I had the pleasure of enjoying this trip privately on my own with my guide Hazel who was very friendly and informative throughout the entire day. It was really nice to have her all to myself I recommend her and the Experience Tours organization highly.
Related Experiences
Operated by Experienced Tours