Private Walking Tour: Edinburgh Highlights, including entry to Edinburgh Castle

Recommended by 92% of travelers

Edinburgh, Scotland

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

4 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Led by your Blue Badge guide, explore Edinburgh’s historic streets on a private walking tour. Skip the long lines at Edinburgh Castle and walk the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament. Discover hidden closes and courtyard parks while learning about the city’s vivid history.

Forget the rush of large tour groups and explore at a pace that suits you
Value-focused tour includes skip-the-line admission to Edinburgh Castle
Check off Edinburgh's highlights, as well as hidden gems that most visitors miss
Climb Arthur’s Seat for panoramic city views you won't get anywhere else

What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges
Blue Badge guide
Guaranteed to skip the long lines
Local guide
Private tour
Professional guide

Food and drinks
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

The Hub, Edinburgh EH1, UK
Tour departs from The Hub, your Guide will be waiting outside holding a sign with the lead customers name.

End point

Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, UK

Itinerary

The Hub

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Edinburgh Castle

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Grassmarket

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Greyfriars

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Greyfriars Bobby

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Elephant House

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Royal Mile

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Deacon Brodie's Tavern

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Lady Stair's Close

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St Giles' Cathedral

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Mercat Cross

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Edinburgh City Chambers

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

John Knox House Museum

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Canongate Kirk

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Scottish Parliament

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Palace of Holyroodhouse

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Arthur's Seat

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Stroller accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
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

4.7

based on 13 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Best Way To Get Introduced To Edinburgh

Jason_W, Apr 2026

This tour was the perfect way to see all the highlights of Edinburgh. Sarah was a fantastic guide and was a wealth of knowledge. She also suggested many vegan restaurants for us and fun shopping areas. Book this today, you won’t be disappointed. Make sure to get Sarah if you can, she was absolutely amazing!!!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Jason, thank you. Sarah clearly looked after you well, the restaurant recommendations alongside history are exactly what make a private tour special. Thank you for trusting us with your time in Edinburgh! Mark Let me show you London

Perfect Day in Edinburgh!

Courtney_G, Mar 2026

Sarah was such a wonderful tour guide! She was so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly! We thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with her seeing all the amazing sites that Edinburgh has to offer. Because it was a private tour, she was able to tailor the experience to everything we wanted to see, even adding in some coveted stops along the way. We had a fabulous day, and would highly recommend this tour and guide!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

What a lovely review, Courtney! Sarah's ability to weave in those extra stops whilst keeping the tour flowing seamlessly is brilliant. We're thrilled she tailored the day perfectly to what you wanted to see and made your Edinburgh experience so fabulous! Mark Let me show you London

Unfortunately the day we...

William_F, Sep 2025

Unfortunately the day we arrived it was cold and rainy. Our guide however, did not let that stop her from being wonderful. We aborted the tour after seeing the castle, but she was completely willing to find alternative activities. Wish the weather would have been better but would recommend this tour for sure

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you, William. Having grown up in Scotland, unfortunately, I'm well aware how unpredictable the weather can be! However, it sounds like your guide handled it perfectly by staying positive and offering alternative activities when needed. That flexibility and willingness to adapt is exactly what we hope for when conditions don't cooperate. We're glad she made the best of the situation and that you'd still recommend the tour despite the weather. We'd love to welcome you back on a brighter day soon! Mark Let me show you London

This was a private tour. ...

James_H, Sep 2025

This was a private tour. Sarah provided lots of inside information. She was professional, and certified. She made the tour personal.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you James! Sarah's ability to share that insider knowledge while keeping everything personal is exactly what makes private tours so valuable. Her professional expertise combined with that personal touch can really transform how you experience Edinburgh, we're delighted she made your visit so special. Mark Let me show you London

Personalized Tour w/Knowledgeable Guide

Scott_S, Jul 2025

Very personalized tour with experienced local guide. Izabela was incredible! She met us on time, gave us options along the way and went out of her way to make our tour memorable. We could not recommend this tour more.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you, Scott, it's a joy to read about your time with Izabela in Edinburgh! Her talent for personalising the experience and giving you choices along the way really shows what makes a great guide special. We're thrilled she went above and beyond to create those memorable moments - that's exactly the kind of experience we hope every guest has! Mark Let me show you London

Private guide is the way to go!

Kristin_L, Nov 2024

Kristine was an awesome blue-badge guide. She honed in on what we wanted to do in our time with her. She was spot-on with timing in getting into Edinburgh Castle to beat crowds. She showed us nooks and crannies of various alleyways and streets of the main street area, esp the anecdotal facts on Harry Potter inspiration. Definitely recommend.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience Kirstin! It’s fantastic to hear how the tour was tailored to your interests and made the most of your time. From well-timed entry into Edinburgh Castle to uncovering hidden gems and stories around the city, this is exactly what we aim to deliver with our private tours. We’re delighted it all came together for a memorable day. Mark Let me show you London

A wonderful learning experience

Celine_S, Sep 2024

David was the kindest most knowledgeable, pleasant and deeply interesting guide. We not only discovered some of the most historical highlights of the beautiful mystical city of Edinburgh, but history was brought to life and put in the most pertinent prospectives. Furthermore, David was kind enough to wait for us patiently as we were running late. The tour was seamlessly adapted; yet we were able to discover quite a lot nonetheless, yet we know we only scraped the top, and are eager to discover the rest. Curiosity is the foundation of travelling, travelling plants the seeds of more curiosity, and the journey shall continue . Thank you so very much for a wonderful experience .

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for such a thoughtful and beautifully written review! We're thrilled to hear how David's flexibility and passion for history made your tour of Edinburgh so memorable. You've eloquently described the experience better than any advertisement could. We absolutely agree about the essence of travel—how curiosity feeds our desire to explore, and how each new discovery leaves us wanting more. So, until we can welcome you back on the next chapter of your journey, happy travels! Mark Let me show you London

Wonderful!!!

MICHELLE_M, Aug 2024

Great walking tour with Isabela! Loved it and learned a lot! She’s very knowledgeable- we had a private tour, very worth it!

Response from Host, Aug 2024

We're delighted you had such a wonderful time. Edinburgh has so much to see, but it's guides like Isa that truly bring it to life! We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Scotland. Mark Let me show you London

Not worth it

Stephen_W, Sep 2023

Didn't stop at advertised locations, despite request to talk about the medieval history of the history guide shared mostly personal stories. We could have achieved the same result on our own without guide.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We apologise you couldn’t see some of the stops on your itinerary. Due to a change in guidelines, all tourist guides in Edinburgh have unfortunately been prevented from taking guests to some of the places on our described route. We expect this to be a temporary change, but if it is permanent the itinerary will be amended. Regarding the story telling on the tour, we are firm believers that history is brought to life through stories. Stories ignite creativity and enthusiasm, our guides work as narrators, unveiling unexpected discoveries and painting a vivid picture for our guests through their words, rather than delivering lectures on facts and figures alone. We’re sorry if this wasn’t the type of tour that you expected, but it is an experience that has been enjoyed by many other guests. Let me show you London

Get this guide.

Michael_K, May 2023

Federica was so knowledgeable and engaging. Easily adapted her itinerary to our interests. Highly recommended. Very personable.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for your kind words. It's wonderful to know that Federica adapted the itinerary to match your interests and that you enjoyed your tour. We greatly appreciate your recommendation! LetmeshowyouLondon.com

Great walking tour!

Kari_A, Nov 2022

Our family had a great walking tour with Federica. We saw all the highlights along the Royal Mile and nearby. She was great with the kids too! Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Thank you very much, we are glad you had a good time in Edinburgh and enjoyed the tour with Federica. Let me show you London

June was wonderful, we...

Jackie_C, Sep 2022

June was wonderful, we really enjoyed all the stories and history. We also saw places we wouldn’t have found on our own! Definitely recommend a tour if you have a chance.