Edinburgh: History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
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Overview
Immerse yourself in the sights and stories of Edinburgh's atmospheric Old Town on this small-group walking tour. Unlike most tours of the Old Town, the maximum group size is just 15 people so you won't be elbow to elbow with other visitors as you explore the area, from the Royal Mile to Greyfriars Kirkyard, and Princes Street Gardens.
- Check off plenty of Edinburgh's highlights on a walking tour
- Enjoy the relaxed pace and laid-back atmosphere of a small-group tour
- Hear stories of the people and events that shaped Scottish history
- See top attractions as well as some hidden gems
What's Included
- This tour includes an expert local guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Statue of Sir James Young Simpson132 Princes St., Edinburgh EH2 3AA, UK
Your guide will be standing in front of the Statue of Sir James Young Simpson, next to the entrance of Princes St Gardens. Walk to the West End of Princes St to find this location.
End point
- Heart of Midlothian Mosaic197 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, UK
Tour finishes on or near the High Street section of the Royal Mile
Itinerary
1
Royal Mile
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Greyfriars
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Grassmarket
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
St Giles' Cathedral
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Edinburgh Old Town
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
6
Princes Street and Gardens
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Wheelchairs and Strollers can be used on this tour, but the Old Town is hilly and has cobblestones
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 236 reviews
Erika_O, May 2026
This was a great way to kick off our trip to Edinburgh! We got a great lay of the land and learned a ton in our two hour tour. Highly recommend!
Nathaniel_K, May 2026
Our guide Shanna was great - informative, funny, easy to understand, really knows what she’s doing and clearly enjoys doing it. In addition to being an excellent guide, she had very recently studied Scottish history at the graduate level and was very knowledgeable in answering follow-up questions!
martinlockhartp, May 2026
Guide Toni was extremely knowledgeable about the historical information presented and was enthusiastic about sharing that knowledge. In fact, perhaps a budding teacher of history? Took care to ask if everyone was following presented information/had questions or was able to navigate the varied walking surfaces and inclines.
We enjoyed the castle and tour enhanced the experience greatly.
Shane_J, May 2026
We both learned a great deal from Chris and loved the walk through this lovely city. Would highly recommend
Justin_B, May 2026
A well paced and engaging walking tour. Our guide, Shanna, took on board our particular interests and, as we were just a party of four,(two others did not arrive), we had a very bespoke tour. As a mediaevalist, she was in her element, but, it should be said, she thrilled us with the many ups and downs of Jacobite history as well as tales of canine fidelity. After two hours, we were left wanting yet more!
Todd_M, May 2026
We had a really wonderful experience on our first morning in Edinburgh. Our tour guide, Shanna, was warm and friendly. She gave us a tremendous amount of Scottish history, and a strong foundational understanding of Edinburgh that prepared us for the rest of our stay. It was the perfect introduction to a city that immediately became one of our favorites.
Deborah_S, May 2026
Shanna was fabulous! Knowledgeable, informative, and personable. Communicated well and managed the group through busy areas clearly and safely. Great tour!
Mary_B, Apr 2026
Fun, informative with lively and enthusiastic young student guide. We saw a lot, and heard many interesting stories. We got ideas of places we want to visit
Jeffrey_P, Apr 2026
Chris and his apprentice, also Chris, gave us a wonderful tour of the city. They made the tour fun and enlightening. I would rate this tour an A+!
Ricki_S, Mar 2026
Tour was great. A highlight of our trip. I just didn’t like the political comments and negative comments about author JK Rowling. Sometimes the tour guide needs to know his audience… when we say we are from Florida USA, that’s a big hint.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Ricki_S, thanks for your great review of the tour.
I'm sorry if it seemed like your guide entered into a cultural/political debate about JK Rowling. She has done a heck of a lot for tourism in Edinburgh and Scotland, which local tour guides are very grateful for!
On our tours we do talk about historical figures (past and present) and we do try to discuss those people in a balanced way, while reflecting how these figures are viewed by the people of Edinburgh and Scotland.
Wishing you a safe return to Florida!
Best,
Chris Walker
Owner/Guide
Local Eyes Tours
Alexander_K, Feb 2026
Our tour guide Shanna was amazing. She presented history, culture of Scotland very well and entertained us with the stories of the lives of Edinburgh inhabitants. We loved her attention to the details whether those are secret "security" steps in an ancient home or graveyard legends or Harry Potter hotspots. Beautiful! Well done!
Scott_H, Oct 2025
We took this tour the afternoon of our first day in Edinburgh. It was a wonderful introduction to the city, giving us the necessary understanding of the city’s history to enrich our own exploring as we continued our own sightseeing. Given that we hadn’t slept we were worried we weren’t up for the tour, but no worries our tour guide Madge was informative and entertaining, and was the perfect way to start our holiday.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your kind review, and it is lovely to hear you enjoyed your tour with Madge! Our History Lovers tour is certainly a great introduction to Edinburgh. Kind regards, Jess at Local Eyes.
Carolyn_B, Sep 2025
Madge runs a great tour! We were a large group, but she made sure to gather us around her and speak loud enough for all to hear, while still being aware of others trying to get around us. Her stories brought history to life and provided great context and appreciation for the sights around us. The two hours went by quickly and were an excellent way to spend our first jet lagged arrival day in Edinburgh. Thank you Madge!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
It is lovely to hear you enjoyed your tour with Madge! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Kind regards, Jess at Local Eyes.
Kate_R, Sep 2025
My guide was Andrew and he was fun and informative. He answered any questions and was great at telling stories of Edinburgh as we walked. We saw some of the key stops of Edinburgh and got some insights into the history of the city. Also gave some great tips for stops to visit after the tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
It is lovely to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Andrew. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Kind regards, Jess at Local Eyes.
Danielle_L, Sep 2025
Shanna was amazing! She was an excellent storyteller and I learned a lot about the history of the old town. Would recommend to anyone
Response from Host, Dec 2025
It is lovely to hear you enjoyed you tour with Shanna! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Kind regards, Jess at Local Eyes.
Peter_J, Sep 2025
Kieran was knowledgeable and entertaining. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Solicitous of people’s comfort.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your kind review, and it is great to hear you enjoyed your tour with Kieran. Kind regards, Jess at Local Eyes.
Whittney_S, Sep 2025
Kieran was great! We had a fabulous time. He was funny and knowledgeable. Interesting information and great views.
Tanja_S, Sep 2025
Our tour guide Zander was great! He nicely balanced humour with facts and kept us all engaged. The tour was really enjoyable and laid back such that anyone of any age could easily do it without being tired or strained. A great way to see some hidden gems in Edinburgh.
Jana_K, Sep 2025
My guide was Madge and she was so animated, friendly, and knowledgeable, it really made all the history she was telling us even more enjoyable to listen to. She had stories for everything, connected to folks, gave recommendations as we went, and welcomed questions. It really helped me feel like I understood more of Edinburgh and walked away with lots of fun facts.
Gary_S, Aug 2025
Our guide, Zander, was very personable as well as knowledgeable about Edinburgh & Scotland history. Quite enjoyable & gave us a great overview for our first visit.
Derek_G, Aug 2025
Pleasant and knowledgeable guide with a fund of stories, albeit a little lacking on the history of the old town.
IreneMarie_O, Aug 2025
Great trip, Shanna was amazing, we had an interesting and fun walk around the city. We were told many secrets ond funny details.
Lisa_M, Jul 2025
We really lived this Tour! Zander was so full of information, he was able to answer any question that was asked! This is a definite must-do Tour! Thanks, Zander!
Shona_O, Jul 2025
It was great, Kiaren definitely knows his stuff very informative and knowledgeable and took time to explain everything
Kenneth_H, Jul 2025
Fantastic tour. Very interesting. Zander, our guide, was very skilled at telling us captivating stories about all different eras of Edinburgh’s history. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting. Even if you’ve been to Edinburgh before, as I had, you will hear something new.
Catie_G, Jul 2025
The tour was enjoyable, with lots of stories that involved what we were looking at in our surroundings as well as tying in other locations in the area. The pace was manageable and everything flowed from one thing to another. Kieran was really great, he knows his stuff and led well. It was a surprisingly hot and sunny day and he found lots of shady spots for us to stand in. We learned a lot and had a great time!
SanjeevPandey, Jun 2025
Excellent information and humorous tour. Full of witty historical gossip. Fair amount of walking so wear good shoes.
Gretchen_R, Jun 2025
Great tour! Very informative and gave a good overview of the city. Kieran was excellent and knowledgeable!
Lisa_C, Jun 2025
Great tour. Good historical information. The guide was very personable and seemed genuinely interested in making sure the tour group enjoyed their experience.
Zachary_M, Jun 2025
Kieran did a great job and you can tell he had a passion for the city. Very welcoming and very knowledgeable.
From $24.57
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Edinburgh: History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour
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