Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Explore Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile with a professional historian or other specialist guide, and gain insight into the famous writers and inventors who have called the city home. Hear tales of Scotland's national bard—Robert Burns—and discover top landmarks such as St. Giles’ Cathedral, Grassmarket, and Greyfriars Kirkyard. Get the chance to ask questions in a small-group setting and find out what makes this ancient city tick.
- Get a more intimate insight into Edinburgh by exploring on foot
- Photograph the city at your leisure en route
- Start and end at handy central meeting points in Edinburgh
- Ideal for first-time visitors to Ediburgh seeking an interesting overview
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Small group (maximum 12 participants)
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- The Usher HallLothian Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2EA, UK
Your guide will be waiting for you outside the central entrance of the Usher Hall (there are 3 entrances and he will be outside the middle one).
End point
- E. Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh EH2 2EJ, UK
The ending point is at the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens.
Itinerary
1
Usher Hall
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Edinburgh Castle
35 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Grassmarket
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Milne’s Court
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Jolly Judge
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Writers' Museum
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Riddle's Court
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Deacon Brodie's Tavern
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
St Giles' Cathedral
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
10
Edinburgh City Chambers
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Edinburgh Waverley Station
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
12
Scott Monument
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children under 12 are free
- Stroller accessible
- Children 12-16 pay 75%
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 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 1,602 reviews
Sonal_S, Mar 2026
Craig was excellent. He gave a very thorough and insightful history of Edinburgh that both informative and engaging. My kids loved it! Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dear Sanal
Many thanks for your great 5 Star Review of your Tour with our very gifted and excellent Guide, Craig Goodman! Delighted that your kids aso enjoyed it so much.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
mredd1125, Mar 2026
Great way to see Edinburgh sights, hear stories and learn some history! Great pace of the tour, fun and interesting conversation with guide, doesn't feel rushed and takes care with every place visited.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dear Maura
Fulsome thanks unto thee for thine most marvellous Review of your Tour with our Master Guide, Steuart Watkins! We are delighted with all the superatives you accorded to our Tour. Please do visit us again some sweet day.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Mark_M, Mar 2026
We had a great tour with Fiona. She shared a lot of insight on the history of Scotland in a very fun and informative way, which was easy to follow and understand. We would highly recommend a tour with Fiona!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dear Mark
Thank you so much for your top-notch Review of your Tour with our superb Guide, Fiona! We are delighted that you enjoyed your Tour with her so much. We also thank you again for your high recommendation.
Best wishes
Stuart Usher.
Meredith_S, Mar 2026
Excellent tour. The guide was knowledgeable, flexible, and adaptable to what the group was interested in and needed.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Dear Meredith
Thank you so much for your great Review of our Tour with our Alastair Sim! We are delighted that you enjoyed the Tour so much.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Jigna_P, Dec 2025
We toured with Craig and it was a fantastic morning. He is a wealth of knowledge and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour with him!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Dear Jigna
Thank you for your great Review and we are delighted that your both enjoyed the Tour so much with our great Guide, Craig Goodman.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Alissa_C, Dec 2025
Fiona was fantastic! She gave a great tour and appropriate amounts of history without it being too overwhelming. She asked what our interests were at the start of the tour and tailored the conversation to that. The tour packs a lot in to 3 hours and the time flew because she was so engaging!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Dear Alissa
Thank you very much indeed for your wonderful Review! Great that you enyoyed the Tour so much with our fantastic and engaging Fiona! When one is enjoying oneself the time does indeed fly past. We would love to see you again in Edinburgh when you next visit.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Feraena_B, Nov 2025
I really enjoyed our tour guided by Fiona. She shared a lot about Edinburgh in a really engaging way. She's also very conscious of our comfort - when the weather turned awful, she took us to the National Museum so we could still learn about the city while staying warm!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Feraen
Thanks a million for your dazzling Review of your Tour with our Fiona, very much appreciated! Edinburgh is renowned for its treacherous and often awful weather. Great that she took you to the museum where you could learn more about the history of Scotland in comfort! Many thanks again.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Maria_M, Nov 2025
The tour was the best three hours spent in Scotland. Our guide (and professional historian!), Dr Alison, told us lots of fascinating stories, and most importantly she made the tour feel like an acquaintance with Edinburgh. Also she adapted to us: asked us what we already know and what we are most interested about.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Maria
Thank you very much indeed for your most glowing Review of your Tour with our stellar Guide, Dr Alison Duncan! We are particularly delighted with your statement that you rated our Tour with Alison as the best three hours that you spent in Scotland. There is no praise higher than that. Thanks a million again!
Best wishes
Stuart U
Caroline_S, Nov 2025
An absolutely fascinating tour, learnt so much about Edinburgh's place in history and the people who shaped it. We were lucky enough to be guided by a son of Edinburgh, thank you.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Caroline
Thank you so much for your great Review of your Tour with me! I also enjoyed both your companies very much indeed and hope to meet you both again on your next visit to our fair city.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Laura_B, Oct 2025
Lots of fun. Fiona was a great tour guide. She had a fun sense of humor and obviously loves her job. She told us a lot of history and took us on a really good sightseeing tour of Edinburgh.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Laura
Thank you very much for your marvellous Review of your Tour with our knowledgeable and humorous Guide, Fiona!
Best wishes
Stuart U
Daniel_M, Oct 2025
This tour was one of the best of our cruise. I was able to see the home of one of my ancestor's home. (Jenny Geddes). What a thrill! Lots of great stories.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Daniel
Many, many thanks for your great 5 Star Review of your Tour with me! Your ancestor, Jenny Geddes, must have been of a fiery nature. Her actions in St Giles Cathedral on that fateful day in 1637 was the spark which ingnited the English Civil War! I am delighted that I showed you her house in Jackson's Close. Please visit again some day!?
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Gary_D, Oct 2025
Alistair's knowledge of Edinburgh and stories about the past history were phenomenal! This is a must do during your visit and provides a great background in the Old Town history.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Gary
Many, many thanks for you superb Review of your Tour with our phenominal Guide Alastair! Your note stating that our Tour is a 'Must Do' Tour for all Tourists visiting our ancient city is also very much welcomed.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Laura_B, Oct 2025
Allison did a great job of sharing her endless knowledge of the area. Her expertise and anecdotal stories really gave us a true picture of the life and times of Edinburgh.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Laura
Many thanks for your great Review of your Tour with our Alison! We are delighted that you enjoyed your Tour with her so much.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Joanna_R, Oct 2025
Very informative
Guide was personable and approachable
Highly recommend as an overview on city’s history
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Joanna
Great thanks for your great Review of your Tour with me; very much appreciated! I really did enjoy your company on Wednesday morning's Tour and the companies of all the other tourists on the Tour as well.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Emogene_S, Oct 2025
This was absolutely AMAZING!!!! We had such an amazing time!!!! We got to ask as many questions as we wanted and focused on topics we were most interested in learning. This tour was better than I could’ve imagined. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Emogene
Thank you so much for your stellar 5 Star Review with our AMAZING Guide, Alastair Sim! Delighted that you enjoyed your Tour with Alastair so very much. Your high recommendation is also very much appreciated by us.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Filiz_I, Oct 2025
Our guide Stuart Usher was an astonishing guide with wide knowledge and enthusiasm. His great uncle Andrew Usher is an important guy in Edinburgh’s history and it was a privilege to have Stuart as a guide coming with strong roots to the city.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Filiz
Thank you very much indeed for your superb Review of your Tour with me, very much appreciated! The whole group that morning were such a pleasant and homogeneous bunch of people. I really did enjoy both your and everyone else's excellent company that day.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Jessica_B, Oct 2025
Thoroughly interesting and well-presented tour given by Mr. Usher himself. Witty, thoughtful, and a gifted story-teller, Mr. Usher walks the 3 hours around the uneven terrain that is Edinburgh without missing a beat.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Jessica
Thank you so much for your marvellous and thoughtful Review! We all had a good time yesterday. The whole group were very pleasant. They all took a keen interest in the history of the city which is most gratifying for me!
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Diana_M, Oct 2025
Our guide, Stuart Usher, was extremely knowledgeable and related interesting facts and history. He also had a great sense of humor.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Diana
A million thanks for your stellar 5 Star Review of your Tour with me! The group you were in was a most congenial and engaging group and I thoroughly enjoyed all your companies.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Beth_R, Sep 2025
Fiona was a great tour guide. She told interesting stories and had a ton of knowledge above Edinburgh, its history, and lore. The tour is 3 hours with a great deal of walking so wear comfortable shoes. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Beth
Thank you very much for your glowing Review of your Tour with our Fiona! We are delighted that you enjoyed the Tour so much. As you say, decent shoes are a prerequisit for the Old Town of Edinburgh. High Heel shoe wearers will be severely punished by the ancient cobbled streets of the Old Town!
Best wishes
Stuart U.
AlanSandy_C, Sep 2025
We lucked out and our small group had only 2 couples, so it was very personalized. Craig was a wonder guide with tons of information. He made the experience fun, and we saw so many fantastic things.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Alan
Many thanks indeed for your wonderful Review with our wonder Guide Craig Goodman! We restrict our Group Tours to a maximum of 12 per Guide. This makes for a quality and personalised Tour, as you found. Please visit again some sweet day.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
blockbox78misc, Sep 2025
Had a super experience on this walking tour with David. A historian and former museum curator, he was bursting with background and stories for all the sites we visited. The 3 hours flew by (it was clear he had enough material for another 3). Engaging and humorous. Culture, architecture, history - got it all, as well as a deeper appreciation for Edinburgh.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear blockbo
Great thanks for your most glowing Review of your Tour with our Super Guide David Forsyth! Learning more of the history of Edinburgh from such an engaging, knowlegeable and humorous man like David is the cherry on the top, as you found. Thank you again.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Carole_S, Sep 2025
Dr Alison Duncan gave 4 of us a tour and we really enjoyed her commentary despite all of the rain. It was our first day arriving in Edinburgh and it was a great start to our vacation.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Carole
Thank you so much for your lovely 5 Star Review of your Tour with Dr Alison Duncan! Glad that you did not let the rain spoil your Tour with her. She is a 5 Star Guide.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Dale_M, Sep 2025
Stuart was very knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor. Good walking tour that wasn't too strenuous for an older family member.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Dale
Thanks a million for your great Review of your Tour with me last Monday, very much appreciated! A bit of humour along the way always makes a Tour more enjoyable!
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Rebecca_W, Sep 2025
The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable. I learned a lot about Scottish history. This tour is a great way to see the little known highlights not covered in tour books.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Rebecca.
Thank you very much for your wonderful Review of your Tour with our great historian Douglas Graham! We are delighted that you enjoyed the Tour so much.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Laura_T, Sep 2025
Our tour guide was absolutely amazing. His experience in government and his driving curiosity made our tour well informed and fascinating. I highly recommend this company over others.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Laura
Thanks a million for your great Review of your Tour with our Alastair Sim! He is a great Tour Guide and we are delighted that you had such a good and informative Tour with him.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Jeffrey_C, Sep 2025
minimal elevation gain and loss, maximal amount of historical tidbits.
Tour started on the west side of the castle hill and proceeded through the Grassmarket up to the Royal Mile and St. Giles
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Jeffrey
Thank you very much indeed ofr your great Review of your Tour of the Old Town of Edinburgh with me! I am delighted that you enjoyed the Tour and it's consequent tidbits of the history of the city.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Wendy_F, Sep 2025
An entertaining and informative tour with Douglas! A fun and fascinating walk through Edinburgh. There was no question that Douglas didn't know the answer to. We learned all about Edinburgh through stories and fun facts. Definitely recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Wendy
Great thanks to you for your marvellous Review! We are delighted that you so thoroughly enjoyed your Tour with our Douglas Graham! Edinburgh had some extraordinary figures in its past, both good and bad and a few fun facts about them simply adds to the enjoyment. Learning and fun at the same time is a happy combination!
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Terry_O, Sep 2025
There is a lot of walking some stairs, but the guide is very good about working around things if somebody has a problem
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Terry
Thank you for your great Review! The Old Town of Edinburgh is smewhat hilly but our Guides always avoid the steepest steps which are invariably short cuts.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
Lonnie_B, Sep 2025
David did a wonderful job.
He was informative and very entertaining.
I would definitely recommend this tour and David.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Lonnie
Great thanks to you for your marvellous Review of your Tour with our great Guide, David Forsyth! We also thank you again for your high recommendations of our Tour and David himself.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
kevin_B, Sep 2025
David has a deep knowledge and love of Scottish history. Tour was great and a terrific introduction to the city
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear kevin
We are delighted that you enjoyed your Tour with our David Forsyth so much! Many, many thanks.
Best wishes
Stuart U.
From $47.10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Royal Mile and Old Town Walking Tour
1,602
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$47.10
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Canongate Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Castle (Roslin Castle) Tours & Tickets
- Forth Bridge Tours & Tickets
- Stockbridge Market Tours & Tickets
- Loch Lomond Tours & Tickets
- Edinburgh Old Town Tours & Tickets
- Isle of Islay Tours & Tickets
- Alnwick Castle Tours & Tickets
- Nelson Monument Tours & Tickets
- Gladstone’s Land Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Chapel Tours & Tickets
- Arthur's Seat Tours & Tickets
- Royal Scottish Academy Tours & Tickets
- Princes Street Tours & Tickets
- Scottish National Portrait Gallery Tours & Tickets
- Greyfriars Kirk Tours & Tickets
- Leith Tours & Tickets