Private Walk: Edinburgh Old Town and New Town
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Edinburgh at your own pace on this private walking tour of the Old Town and New Town. In the company of just your party and a guide who has lived in Edinburgh all their life, you'll enjoy an intimate experience of the Scottish capital while seeing some of its most important landmarks and learning all about its rich culture and history.
- Discover Edinburgh's Old and New towns on foot: Guided walking tour
- Private tour, exclusively for your party: A more intimate experience
- Hassle-free pickup from your Edinburgh accommodations
- Learn about Edinburgh's history and culture from your guide
What's Included
- Start guided walk from your accommodation if you are living centrally
- Professional award winning guide
- Small private group
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
If your accommodation (hotel, b&b, Airbnb etc) is situated in central Edinburgh we will start the walk from there. If this is not possible, we will advise you of the meeting point.
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 01/03/2026 - 05/16/2027
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Itinerary
Edinburgh Old Town (Pass By)
New Town (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Adaptable to allow wheelchair accessibility
- 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
Reviews
5.0
based on 74 reviews
Susan_M, Nov 2025
This is one of the best tours I’ve ever been on. My husband and I learned an immense amount in just four hours. The tour operator/guide was so knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with. He made it very comfortable and fun.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Susan,
Thank you very much for your review of our day together.
We packed in as much as possible of Edinburgh. I loved hearing about your home life and walking exploits too.
You and Rich had come a long way and were seeing a lot in your first time to Scotland. Did you make it to Plockton/Skye?
Thanks again and hopefully we will meet again when you come back.
Jason_M, Sep 2025
A very friendly and personalized 4 hour walking tour sampling history, architecture and culture of New Town and Old Town. Gerry, the tour guide is a very friendly and knowledgeable local, who makes the city come to life with his understanding of history as well as current events. 100% recommend.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you very much for your kind review of our day together. Although Edinburgh wasn't new to all your group we managed to see some new things of interest and put them into a historical context.
Say hi to Antoinette and Dennis for me.
Enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland and Haste ye back.....
Mary_M, Sep 2025
Jerry, our guide, weaves historical facts into stories that are so interesting and memorable. Jerry knows so much about the city, not because he’s learned it from a book or school, but because he’s lived it as a member of the community.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hi Mary
Thank you for your very generous review of our day together in Edinburgh. We got through so much.
I hope your trip to Inverness and Skye has gone well and that we see you all again very soon.
fishy, Aug 2025
Enjoyable walking tour with Gerry. Informative historical context and pace was tailored to meet our needs. It was good to get an understanding of the city for our visit.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi L & J.
Thank you so much for this review.
I'm glad we managed to get the pace right for you and that we didn't overload you with too much information.
Enjoy the rest of your time in Edinburgh on this trip and we would be delighted to show you more of our city when you return
Sarah_W, Aug 2025
This tour is highly recommended to be able to see the best of each part of the city. Gerry was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. We can’t say enough of how amazing he was and this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Sarah and Matt,
Thank you for this very kind review. We had a great day out, had the weather with us all the way and learned a lot from each other.
I hope the trip to Islay went well and that you continue to have fun all the way to London and then home.
Should you come back to Edinburgh in the future, make sure we do this again.
Catherine_G, Jun 2025
We had the absolute pleasure of exploring old Edinburgh with Gerry Dorian of Edinburgh Walks, and the 4 hour walk was as beautiful and captivating as the people of Scotland. Firstly, Gerry is an engaging professional. He spoke with me via messages almost a year before our trip, and did not blink an eye at the questions we had. Moreover, he provided us with such good information, I practically had my entire trip at the ready when we arrived. But, the walk was simply perfect. Gerry not only blending history and historical literatures with landmarks, access to places of unique historical context, but weaved in lore and recent fan film to create a perfectly tailored experience for us. What stood out beyond his depth of knowledge was his compassion and true nature of care and concern whilst curating a perfectly tailored experience. We could not recommend him more.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi C & G,
Thank you for this great review. Time just flew when we were out and we lucky to get a good look at what the medieval Old Town holds.
I enjoyed our conversations about your homelife and working, but also your connections with Scotland. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip around the country.
Onwards to the Georgian splendour of the New Town.....
Kevin_W, Jun 2025
Gerry is great! He was very knowledgeable and personal. He took us to hidden gems and gave us the history on the biggest hits too. He answered all of our questions, both simple and niche. He also had excellent recommendations for additional stops and food and drinks for after our tour. I'd highly recommend him if you're looking to explore Edinburgh!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hi guys,
Thank you for this very kind review of our day together. I hope you managed to explore more of the city after I left you, paid a visit to Adam Smith and discovered Stockbridge over Sunday.
The next time you come back to Edinburgh - because you will come back - please get in touch again.
Safe onwards travel.....
briana_w, Apr 2025
Gerry was phenomenal! He was flexible on time and meeting place since we did a private tour. Great communication. He was incredibly knowledgeable as we made our way through a 4 hour tour. I appreciated the personal recommendations based on our interests. For someone who’s never been to Edinburgh, this was a great way to get your bearings in a new city.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hi Briana and Ian.
Thank you for this very welcome review. It is very kind of you. We struck lucky with reasonable weather - though a bit cooler than you are used to. And we saw a lot of the city in our time together. I hope the Castle & Palace visit went well and that you enjoyed your stay in the Stockbridge area of the city. Lastly, hopefully you had a safe and pleasant drive south and are now en route to your family in the USA.
It was a pleasure to meet you both.
Joel_F, Nov 2024
My wife and I spent our first morning in Edinburgh having Gerry give us a guided walking tour.
Gerry was a delightful and extremely knowledgable guide and gave us a very informative and enjoyable tour of both Old Town and New Town. We felt that this was was a great way to start our trip to Edinburgh and would recommend him highly.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Hi Joel and S,
Thank you so much for this very positive review. It means so much to us.
We had a nice day to visit the New Town and Old Town, see many places of interest and even stop for a drink. Hopefully you got a look at Edinburgh Castle and that your onward journey north has been interesting. Please keep us in mind should you head back this way and have a safe and relaxing journey back to you home and family.
J_p, Nov 2024
Excellent walk through Edinburgh Old and New towns with Gerry. He showed us all the main sites. Gave local tips and most of all was pleasant with excellent communication before the tour. We did this on our first day to get a sense of the city. It really helped.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Hi JP,
It was really nice to meet you and your family on your trip to Scotland. We had a good walk around many of the sites in the city that I believe pleased all ages and interests. And we even got you to your lunch reservation on time....
Hopefully you have had a great time in St. Andrews and in the Scottish Highlands and that you come back again to see some more.
Thank you for this lovely review.
Michael_O, Oct 2024
I had an awesome time on our tour of Edinburgh. Gerry is quite the experienced guide, knowledgeable, fun, and was also accommodating of my foot injury. He does a a particularly great job tying in historical events and figures to the various sites around the city. I learned a great deal from him about Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoyed all parts of the tour. Thank you so much!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Hi Mike,
Thank you for this review. I'm glad you enjoyed your day.
Your injury didn't really cause too much of a problem on the day and we got round a lot of places. And the whisky tutorial should stand you in good stead for the future!
Have a safe onward journey.
Abdulaziz_A, Jul 2024
Gerry was a wonderful tour guide. Very informative tour guide who gives you the full picture and history of whatever landmark you happen to be visiting. He is accommodating and helpful and very flexible on the walk tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Abdulaziz,
I hope you and your wife had an enjoyable stay in Edinburgh and thereafter in Aviemore. We had a great day together, I really enjoyed both of you talking about your homelife and family. It was really interesting and I learned a lot.
I would be so happy to hear from you both again if you ever make it back to Edinburgh.
Thanks a lot for this very kind review.
Meg_S, Jun 2024
Our tour guide Gerry was fantastic! He was so personable. His knowledge of the history of Edinburgh was insightful. My husband and I learned so much while having such a wonderful time. I would highly recommend trying to secure Gerry as your guide! Thank you for a great day!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Hi Meg,
Thank you both for this review. We are so happy that you enjoyed your day in the city seeing both the New Town and Old Town. For our time together, we got through a lot and even managed to put the world to rights ..... a bit. I really enjoyed the day too.
Have a safe onward journey and who knows, I'll maybe bump into you in MA someday....
MaryAnn_C, Jun 2024
Gerry was a great guide because he was so knowledgeable regarding history, architecture, little known facts abd places, etc. It really makes a difference to have a tour guide who is originally from the city. We had great discussions and a very enjoyable walk.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Hi Mary-Ann
Thank you for this very kind review. I enjoyed the day with you and Tom. We were blessed with some decent weather and saw a lot of this city. We even managed to fit in a whisky tasting.
I hope you have fun on your onward journey and that we see you and your family again real soon.
Stuart_B, Apr 2024
An amazing and educational tour of Edinburgh. Gerry had so much interesting insights and facts about the history of the town. He was able to customize the tour to our liking as well.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Stuart,
Thank you for your very kind review. Say Hi to A and E from us and remember to get in touch if another visit is on the cards. Hopefully the rest of your trip to Edinburgh went well and your subsequent visits to London and Oxford go well.
Thanks again.
David_S, Aug 2023
Great tour guide and great tour. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the city. My wife and kids all had a great time too.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Hi David,
Thank you for this review. I enjoyed meeting you and your family and we had a great day around the city. I hope I found all the places of interest for the kids and we found some really quiet places to go. Even in this very busy city.
I look forward to you all returning soon.
adamritzer, Aug 2023
What an amazing tour, I highly recommend to all visiting Edinburgh! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. He answered all questions and provided a wealth of knowledge about sights and history
It’s a not to miss tour or guide!
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you so much for this review. We had a great day together and I hope you managed to sort out your next day's itinerary. The weather held up for us, which helps and although the city is very busy at the moment we found some places to get away from it all. Have a safe onward journey and enjoy the rest of your vacation.
Hanling_C, Jul 2023
Gerry is absolutely incredible. He gave us such an informative tour of Old and New Town, as well as restaurant recommendations and potential itineraries for the remainder of our stay.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Hi Hanling,
Thank you for your very kind review. We had a great day out and the city didn't seem too busy. I hope you enjoyed your afternoon tea and your trip to the Highlands later.
It was also a surprise to meet you on the Royal Mile two days after our day out together. Maybe you were re-tracing some of our steps and doing a bit of shopping in the sunshine.
Hopefully we will meet again soon when you come back.
Athena_K, Jul 2023
Used bookstores in Stockbridge highlights of the day; Gerry is very helpful, knowledgeable, pointing out things of historic, cultural interests
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Hi Athena,
Thank you for this kind review.
We had a really interesting day, when the weather was mostly on our side.
I'm so glad that the Stockbridge bookstores worked out for you. I know this was an important part of your trip. Enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland and have a safe journey back. And maybe we will meet again.....
Denise_K, May 2023
Gerry was the best tour guide ever
Felt like walking around the city with a very educated old Friend.
His humor is wonderful, his nature is very pleasant and his perceptions are spot on.
Highly recommend this tour and most importantly Gerry.
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Denise,
Thank you for your lovely review. We had fun, saw a lot and the weather really held up for us. I loved our conversation about The Bronx and NYC and I hope the rest of your vacation goes well. I'm sure you will be back in Edinburgh soon enough and you have a reason to return at least until the next university semester is over.
Lisa_P, May 2023
Having Gerry give us a tour of Edinburgh was like knowing a friend who lives there show us around. Gerry LOVES his city and it shows. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history and architecture of his city. We learned so much! He is friendly, charming and engaging. Highly recommend it especially for first time visitors (like we were) who need to get their bearings.
Response from Host, May 2023
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for this marvellous review. It means so much.
I'm so sorry the weather on our day together was so cold and wet. But you Washingtonians sure know how to withstand the rougher elements thrown at you. I'm sure you'll be glad to know we have now got through the wet/cold stuff and Spring has finally definitely sprung.
Take care and I may take you up on your kind offer in the future.......
jane_f, Mar 2023
Gerrard, our tour guide brought the history of Edinburgh alive, it was the best tour I've been on. When we return to Edinburgh, I'll book him again.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Jane,
Thank you for this very kind review. The weather was great when we were out and we packed in a lot. I hope all went well with your other bookings and that all four of you will come back soon. There is so much more to see and do....
Thanks.
annita_v, Nov 2022
We started our city trip with a private tour and we've got Gerry as our guide.
He is the best private guide we have ever had!!
Before the tour he asked about our interests, helped us with reservations, provided tips about attractions and must seen.
During the tour he kept the attention of everyone. He spoke very clearly and told a lot of interesting stories about the History of Scotland, Edinburgh, Harry Potter...
He responds to the interests of the group and made the tour personal.
We are absolutely fans!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Hi Annita,
Thank you for this review, I'm glad you enjoyed our day out together along with your family. The weather wasn't the best but we saw a lot and I hope you managed to keep to your tight schedule over the weekend - you really had a lot planned.
And lastly, I hope you enjoyed afternoon tea at the Palm Court. Was it the best?
I look forward to meeting you when you decide to come back to Edinburgh.
MaryAnn_C, Sep 2022
Gerry was fantastic. Saw so many interesting sights around Edinburgh that we would have never seen in other tours.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Hi Mary Ann,
You both were great fun to be with. I hope that you managed to see everything you wanted in Edinburgh and that the rest of your vacation is going well. Thank you for this very kind review.
Karen_T, May 2022
Gerry was amazing! First, before we ever met he asked what we would like to see. W asked to see many things, including work done by my mother's cousin a key architect in the rebuilding of New Town. He did it! One the pictures you will see me next to the sign for Desmond's group!
Gerry picked us up first thing in the morning at Hillary's (our B&B) and off we went to Calton Hill where we enjoyed amazing views while Gerry got us oriented to the city and it's history.
Everywhere we walked, Gerri paid attention to match our pace and make sure we were safe (e.g. crossing streets where traffic goes the opposite way :) ).
He showed us Harry Potter spots, we walked new and old town, had a pint, and so much more! Such an amazing city and history! An amazing day!
Learned so very very much and had the BEST time!
We even learned a few new words (you'll have to join Gerry to learn those)
Highly recommend you book this walking trip....be sure to ask for Gerry as your tour guide!
PS we ran into Gerry the next day walking along a river checking out the amazing birds! Small world!
Thanks Gerry for making our trip so very special!
Response from Host, May 2022
Hi Karen,
I am delighted to hear from you again and thank you for your very welcome review.
It was a little blustery on top of Calton Hill though the views are worth it. But we managed to find most places you wanted to see - and as you say, we also managed a quick lunchtime pint too.
The next day when I was out with new clients it was Kevin's hat I first recognised on the Water of Leith path. And there you both were, watching the local wildlife. I couldn't believe it.
I hope the rest of your visit to Edinburgh was fun and that the restaurant recommendations worked out fine.
Thanks again, and hopefully we will meet again when you return.
G.
Jason_H, Apr 2022
This was a great walking tour with a very insightful guide. Gerry is very personable and knowledgeable. The pace of the tour was not rushed and able to see many unique places in Edinburgh. Communications was great from the start and even recommend some place to book dinner reservations during our stay. Highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hi Jason
Thank you for your kind review.
The weather was rather cool - to say the least - but at least the sun came out and it stayed dry. I hope you and Melissa had an enjoyable time in Edinburgh and my dinner recommendations held up to scrutiny. Please get in touch if/when you make it back this way. You were a both a delight to be with.
G
Kristine_B, Apr 2022
Gerry is a fantastic guide and I only wish we’d had time for a second day of touring with him! He made a perfect route that took us to all the places we wanted to see and shared the history of Edinburgh mixed with some of the fun stuff - Harry Potter inspirations and an Outlander filming spot.
Couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Thanks.
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hi Kristine.
Thank you for this great review of our day together. It was so much fun and full of laughs. I also learned a lot.
I hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay in Edinburgh and that You, Britt & Michael make it back soon. As you know there is still so much more to see.
I really do hope we get to meet again soon, have safe and happy travels.
G.
Heather_J, Apr 2022
The satisfaction with our Private Walk of Edinburgh Old Town and New Town was the result of our outstanding tour guide Gerry. He is extremely knowledgeable of history. But what makes the experience so outstanding is his attitude and enthusiasm. He sought information about our family in order to customize the tour to our interests. Gerry was personable and seemed genuinely interested in making our experience the best it could be.
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hi Heather.
Thank you very much for your kind review. I hope the whole family enjoyed their time in Edinburgh and that the onward adventures to Paris went well too. The whole trip will bring back happy memories in years to come I'm sure.
Ricardo_S, Mar 2022
I booked this tour for myself and my mother as we were visiting Scotland.
I think any touring experience starts with the tour guide and Gerry was beyond wonderful.
Not only did we get to learn a lot about the history of Scotland and Edinburgh but also about Gerry.
He made the experience extremely engaging by asking us questions and I really appreciated that. We got to see a lot and it never felt rushed.
I cannot recommend Gerry enough! If you’re in Edinburgh for the first time I can’t think of no better introduction.
Gerry, thank you again for everything and I hope to see you whenever I’m in Edinburg again my friend.
Response from Host, Mar 2022
Hi Ricardo,
Thank you for your very kind review. I really enjoyed showing you and your mother around my home city. I would be happy to welcome you both back anytime soon.
Lynn_M, Nov 2021
Gerry is a native Edinburgh resident and knows everything about the area. We had four kids and came in on a late train, and he customized the tour to accommodate. He took us to some Harry Potter highlights, an overview of the castle, and helped us find a good restaurant to try haggis (even the kids liked it). He dealt with the kids needing bathroom stops and food. He has a friendly personality and did great with our family of eight.
Response from Host, Nov 2021
Hi Lynn,
Thank you very much for your kind review.
It was a joy to meet you all, what a great family x 2! The kids were very well behaved and a joy to show around. We started in the near dark and the flashlights certainly helped when we were looking for some of the sights. And now you have tasted haggis too!
I hope your second day in Edinburgh was fun and that you made it to Spain without a hitch.
Come back anytime and keep in touch.
Gerry
From $318.27
per group (up to 8)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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