4 Edinburgh Tea Tours Worth the Airfare

1.Edinburgh Afternoon Tea Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,275 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60Our pick

Spend about 90 minutes touring Edinburgh aboard a vintage red Routemaster bus while eating sandwiches, scones, petit fours, cupcakes, and drinking tea or coffee. The route passes the Scott Monument, Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Holyroodhouse, and more. This is a dining experience, not a fully narrated sightseeing tour.

“Enjoyed chatting with some Scots sitting near me. Food was ok, there is no tour as such— just riding around Edinburgh. Music was good, acoustics for microphone was awful so couldn’t understand anything that was said. Staff was pleasant and worked hard. Enjoyed the experience and we laughed a lot but there is room for improvement”

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2.Edinburgh: Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 699 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $57Best value

Board a vintage Routemaster at Waterloo Place for 90 minutes of tea, sandwiches, scones, cakes, and Edinburgh sights. Staff such as Helen, Jimmy, Mark, and Steven add friendly service, music, humor, and occasional city facts. Choose standard afternoon tea or a gin cocktail served in a teapot. Seats are allocated, with paid upgrades for upper-deck and front-row views.

“Loved this and staff were friendly and great sense of humour.”

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3.Afternoon Tea with Castle Views in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $67Top rated

Meet at 145 Princes Street at 3 pm for a 90-minute afternoon tea overlooking Edinburgh Castle. Choose premium tea or coffee with classic or savory Scottish treats while guides such as Noam, Maya, or Lucas share stories about tea, Scottish society, and tea-room traditions. Groups are limited to 14 people.

“My daughter, aunt and I met Maya, our tour guide and had a lovely afternoon tea experience. Maya’s knowledge on the history of tea was extensive. She was funny and delightful. We all enjoyed this experience and recommend it to other travelers.”

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4.Delightful Scottish Afternoon Tea Experience in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $114

Meet Karly for a two-hour Scottish afternoon tea near Leven Street in Edinburgh. This small-group experience includes two open sandwich montaditos, savoury finger food, cakes, tray bakes, seasonal fruit, fizz or non-alcoholic fizz, and tea or coffee. Karly brings her background as a history teacher and food and drink guide to a friendly setting away from the usual tourist route.

“We had a lovely few hours and our host was wonderful and her shop has a fun vibe. The only reason I didn’t rate it a five was the cost vs the food received. I have spent less on high teas in London with considerably more impressive food options.”

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