The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour
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Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Embark on a quick and fun ride through Edinburgh's rich literary history. This literature-themed pub crawl through Edinburgh's Old and New Towns is led by a couple of actors who will bring such figures as Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson to vivid life as you journey in and out of Edinburgh's most atmospheric pubs, courtyards, and hidden alleyways.
- Literary-themed walking tour of Edinburgh's Old and New Towns
- Learn about the writers associated with Edinburgh
- Be entertained by your engaging actor guides
- Visit pubs and hidden spots you wouldn't find alone
What's Included
- By professional actors
- Alcoholic Beverages
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Beehive Inn18-20 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU, UK
Look out for our Ticketing person wearing bright vest. The tour starts up the stairs at The Beehive on the top floor. Feel free to purchase a drink at the bar beforehand and bring it upstairs with you to enjoy the first scene!
End point
- Milnes Bar35 Hanover St, Edinburgh EH2 2PJ, UK
The end point of the tour varies depending on group size and weather etc but generally we aim to finish up in The West-End in "The New Town". Please drop us an email if you need to know in advance or speak with our actors on the night.
Operating hours.7:30 pm
Itinerary
1
Edinburgh Old Town
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 485 reviews
Mike_O, Oct 2025
This tour came highly recommended by friends of ours. I had almost no knowledge of Scottish literature while my wife had a little. As it turns out it wasn’t necessary. Dougal and Emma were excellent performers. They were funny, informative and had great chemistry. Plus, you’re in pubs! I highly recommend this tour no matter what your Scottish literary knowledge may be.
bruce, Sep 2025
Delightfull evening which combined both pub visits and literary performances by a pair of talented and knowledgeable actors.
Pieternella_P, Sep 2025
Great tour, Emma and Doughal don’t just tell you about Scottish literary greats, they recite their work, explain and share fun facts. Not too serious but super interesting. Great for solo travellers.
Megan_D, Sep 2025
This is a fun experience for people that love literary history. There is some walking as you have to walk to the different pubs, but it is very manageable.
Steve_S, Sep 2025
We booked this Tour based on recommendations from some friends. We now highly recommend it for you. We had a great time on this tour. Our two tour guides/actors Mike and Blain did a wonderful job in their reciting and acting out Scottish literature. They did a good job keeping it to two hours. There is some walking involved so please e aware of that. We had a great time!!
JoAnn_M, Sep 2025
Paul and Emma are knowledgeable and wonderfully entertaining. If you want to know a little more of the literary characters of Edinburgh while experiencing some local pubs, take this tour! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
David_G, Sep 2025
Entertaining and one of a kind interactive review of influential writers and poets of Scotland, as well as a few sights and pubs along the way, led by two talented actors passionate on the subjects. Emma and her acting partner did a fantastic job!
Leonard_S, Jul 2025
It’s okay, and the actors offer a dramatic, humorous and entertaining overview of Scottish literary highlights. But it’s also a bit misleading. The pub side of the tour has nothing to do with the literary side. Essentially you stop at a pub, the guides tell those who want a beer to go in, everyone else waits outside, and then you move on to a neutral space where the actors regale you with a few minutes of literary history. Some may enjoy it, but had we known better we would have avoided it.
Norbert_N, Jul 2025
Phantastic introduction to famous Scottish writers done very vividly by 2 actors. Burns, Stevenson, Scott and others. Poems are said and even sung.
Lakshmi_I, Jul 2025
We booked this experience on the evening we arrived in Edinburgh. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about Scottish authors and poets while strolling through different pubs that were very interesting. David and Dougal were amazing guides and actors. They made it so much fun. Amazing to hear the poems they recited and played different roles. Surely, recommend it. Bring an umbrella or a little rain jacket in case it starts raining.
Deborah_S, Jul 2025
Fantastic! Please clone Mike and Hazel. The historical presentation by both were great. The energy between these two actors was special.
Dale_T, Jun 2025
The wife and I enjoyed this tour very much the tour guided made this tour fun to attend. The way they passed on info about the spaces and buildings that they showed us.
Jennifer_C, May 2025
Really nice way to learn more about Scottish literature in a relaxed atmosphere. We enjoyed the actors and a chance to see more of Edinburgh. The drinks were well priced at pubs we visited. Plus, Lots of laughter.
Melisa_J, May 2025
Fun experience! Great way to check out a few pubs, hear about some Scottish authors, and have a few laughs. Paul and Emma were great!
N_K, May 2025
highly recommended! great acting, plenty of laughs. Lots of
stops along the walk to explore local pubs and for toilet breaks.
Theresa_A, May 2025
Don’t hesitate to book The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour — it’s an absolute must for anyone visiting the city! Hazel and Mike were outrageous in the best way possible, delivering a wildly entertaining performance as they battled over their differing viewpoints on Scotland’s rich literary history. Their wit, chemistry, and theatrical flair brought the stories to life and had us laughing from start to finish.
The two-hour duration is perfect — just enough time to dive into the world of Scottish literature while exploring a few historic pubs along the way. And don’t worry, purchasing a beverage at the bars is completely optional.
Whether you’re a literature buff or just looking for a fun and unique way to spend an evening in Edinburgh, this tour delivers on all fronts. Highly recommended!
Denise_G, May 2025
We enjoyed this tour. Dave and Dugal did an excellent job in entertaining us. The poems and quotes they have memorized are fantastic. They did a wonderful job of playing off each other.
peter_b, Mar 2025
Great tour for those interested in Scottish literature, but it took a lot of focus to here through the Scottish accents.
Richard_O, Oct 2024
Lack of a contingency plan for a rainy night rendered this performance unbalanced and off-kilter. A bit disappointing.
Bessie_D, Sep 2024
Loved hearing about the history of the literary figures in the history of Scotland. The title was a bit deceiving in that I thought we would be touring some of the pubs in the area.
Barbara_D, Sep 2024
Interesting and entertaining! History, literature, poetry and more. Actors cleverly portrayed Edinburghs colorful history.
Maggie_R, Sep 2024
Incredibly fun, would recommend for any theater/lit lovers. Songs, poetry and a great deal of history in a great environment, what's not to love
Robert_F, Jun 2024
The actors were great. They interacted with our audience and enjoyed a drink with afterwards They worked very well together and were well-versed about the literary icons of Scotland. We even went back to the Writers Museum the next day to get more.
Lara_D, Jun 2024
The tour offered a new and interesting perspective on some of Scotland's most famous authors. It was great fun!
Leanne_F, May 2024
The actors did a terrific job. They really brought the literary history, and the history of Edinburgh itself, to life!
Lisa_L, May 2024
The actors were very good. We expected this to be more of a pub crawl, where we would sit and listen to the actors discuss Scottish writers, etc. Instead, we spent about 15 minutes in the first pub, not enough time to finish our drink. Rest of the time was spent standing for the performance at 2 outdoor sites.
Jeff_P, May 2024
Dougal and Blair! They created characters used to dramatically convey some of the key features of Scots poets and authors. A most vibrant, educational and spirited discussion designed to draw the audience right into 17th and 18th (particularly) Scottish mindset. With stops to refresh the pint glass!
David_S, Apr 2024
Holy smokes! What a fantastic time filled with poetry, history and laughs. This is the tour you want to take!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
David! Thank you very much for the awesome review. We are delighted that you enjoyed the tour! Our actors were glad to hear your feedback and thank you for coming. Happy travels!
Romina_P, Aug 2023
I had so much fun with these two outstanding performers telling us the stories of distinguished figures from Edinburgh literature (side A and side B, like the good cop and the bad cop)! They are very good at teaching some historical facts while entertaining their audience, and hold a really nice rapport with people, such a friendly interaction. Thank you! I'll definitely recommend you to my friends and come back :)
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you very much Romina for the fabulous review. Our actors were glad to hear you had such an memorable time. We hope to see you again!
Karen_W, Jul 2023
Dave and Mike were fantastic guides/actors. They used poetry and expression to make a truly memorable tour. A great mix of history, culture and literature. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Thank you very much Karen! We have worked very hard on the structure of the tour and are glad Mike and Dave delivered.
Happy travels!
From $33.63
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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