Private Edinburgh driving tour

Edinburgh, Scotland

7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Cover more sights in less time during a private driving tour of Edinburgh, during which you’ll receive the undivided attention of your guide. Opting for a private tour means that you’ll enjoy the flexibility to create your own sightseeing schedule, while letting someone else drive gives you more time to focus on the scenery.

Enjoy a personalised introduction to Edinburgh during a driving tour
Relish the flexibility to customize your itinerary
Benefit from the undivided attention of a guide
Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off are included

What's Included

Bottled water
Air-conditioned vehicle
Private transportation

Lunch
Coffee and/or Tea
Alcoholic Beverages

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We will pick up from any hotel, BnB, Airbnb in the Edinburgh area.

Operating hours
.9:00 am

Itinerary

St Giles' Cathedral

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Advocate's Close

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Royal Mile

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

White Horse Close

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Edinburgh Castle

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Palace of Holyroodhouse

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Royal Yacht Britannia

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Rosslyn Chapel

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Greyfriars Kirk

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Leith

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Stockbridge

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dean Village

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cramond Village

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
Vehicle and child seats are supplied. There will also be room for a folding wheelchair if required.
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.6

based on 7 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Outstanding, engaging, comprehensive tour!

Charles_O, Jul 2024

We had an absolute blast while getting a comprehensive yet entertaining tour of Edinburgh and surrounding areas with Scott, whom we recommend in the highest regard! We were very satisfied with the day, which just flew by, seeing many sites but being ery informed of these and associated histories. All of the major highlights of Edinburgh and surroundings are included in this incredible experience.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Dear Charles O, Many thank for taking the time to write a review for your wonderful Edinburgh driving tour with Scott. Scott is a wealth of knowledge and had a wonderful sense of humour, in his company time does fly when you arrive having such a good time. We hope you can come tour withbus again. Many thanks, Will

Wonderful Day in Edinburgh

Jacqueline_S, Sep 2019

We were in Edinburgh last week for one day on a British Isles Cruise. We had prearranged for a private driving tour for the 6 people in our party prior to leaving. We were notified via email that our driver/guide Chris of Monarch Tours Viator Tour operated through local Monarch Tours) would be at the end of the pier just as we docked. A few days before arrival we again received this email assurance. Chris could not have been nicer, more professional, or friendly. He was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to hear about any points of interest we'd like knitted into his ideas for a day in Edinburgh. He took us to all the highlights that he felt we should see with commentary and explanations all along the way, answered questions in detail. One in our party wanted to find a St. Andrews golf shirt and Chris took the time to research this while we were in Edinburgh Castle with a castle dedicated guide. He went out of his way to accommodate our needs, was always very detailed about where he'd meet us if we were in a place that he did not come in to with us. We were looking to have lunch in a typical put and he took us to one that was excellent and reasonable -- no tourist trap. He joined us and we thoroughly enjoyed his obvious enthusiasm for his country. He explained typical Scottish foods and we tried haggis there........ which he also explained just how it is made and how to enjoy it. I could more about this excursion -- I would definitely book this rather than take a shore excursion through the ship with 40 people on a bus........ and for more money per person. This was so personal, it was just perfect.

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Dear Jevelin, Thank you for taking the time to write a review of your tour with Chris. He thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all and showing you the best of Edinburgh as well as making sure you go to eat away from the tourist traps and get a better understanding of Scottish cuisine. We hope you manage to come visit Scotland again. Will

A bad guide makes a difference

Eduardo_S, Jul 2026

We had a bad guide in an excellent city. More concerned about the time to finish than showing the beauty of the city.

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Response from Host, Jul 2026

Dear Eduardo, Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We're genuinely sorry that the tour did not meet your expectations, especially as we always aim to provide every guest with an enjoyable experience. We would however like to provide some additional context for future readers. Your tour was booked at very short notice by a third party. After accepting the booking, we were contacted to ask whether the tour could be conducted in Spanish. Unfortunately, we do not offer Spanish-language tours, and we suggested that the booking be cancelled so you could find a Spanish-speaking guide. We were assured that an English-language tour would be perfectly acceptable, so we proceeded on that basis. Despite the late booking, Adrian made every effort to give you as much of Edinburgh as possible. In addition to covering all of the locations on our standard itinerary—including the Old Town, the Royal Mile, Grassmarket, Victoria Street, the New Town, Dean Village and Stockbridge—he also included a guided walk through the Old Town, drove you up Calton Hill, around Arthur's Seat, and added a visit to Holyrood Palace. These were all extra additions beyond what is normally included. The main disappointment appeared to be your request to enter Edinburgh Castle to purchase official St Andrews Old Course golf merchandise. Unfortunately, this had never been communicated to us before the tour and is not part of our usual itinerary. As Castle tickets often sell out well in advance, none were available on the day. We understand that your travel agent may have led you to expect that you would be able to freely enter the castle, but sadly it was not something we could arrange at such short notice. Adrian nevertheless went out of his way to take you to other golf shops in an attempt to help, even though this was also outside the planned tour. Finally, at your last requested stop, the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is located immediately beside where your cruise ship was docked, Adrian offered to wait for up to an hour and drive you the short distance back afterwards, or alternatively suggested the three- to four-minute walk if you preferred. When you chose to leave without a word to Adrian, your wife kindly thanked Adrian for the tour and said goodbye, so he understood that you had decided to walk back, although he was still happy to wait had you wished. He was in no way concerned about finish times and was willing to give you extra time for the short drive back had you requested it. We always strive to go above and beyond for our guests, and we genuinely believe we did so on this occasion. While we completely understand that you would have preferred a tour in Spanish and that you were angry we were unable to accommodate one of your many unexpected requests to enter Edinburgh Castle, we do feel that a two-star review does not fairly reflect the effort Adrian put into making your day as enjoyable as possible. His consistent record of five-star reviews reflects the care and enthusiasm he brings to every tour, and this tour was no exception. We wish you all the best with your future travels and hope that, when booking private tours in the future, you, or your agent, are able to choose one that fully matches your language and specific itinerary requirements from the outset and any extra requests are communicated in advance.