Recently Viewed
Private Old Edinburgh Tour - Walk in the footsteps of Royals and Rogues!
5.0
202 Ratings
Edinburgh
Step into the past on a private Old Edinburgh Tour. Walk in the footsteps of Royals and Rogues, from Mary, Queen of Scots to Bonnie Prince Charlie. Discover the city's rich history with a local guide dressed in a kilt and explore iconic landmarks with archive images.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Greyfriars Kirkyard - Your tour starts just inside the main gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard. You’ll find out about Edinburgh’s famous ‘wee dug’; Greyfriars Bobby. There are a number of versions of his story. We’ll let you make your own mind up!
- Grassmarket - Candlemaker Row and the Grassmarket will be next on your route. You’ll find out about one of Scotland’s most significant weddings and how it affected Edinburgh. You’ll follow the route of the pre-wedding party.
-
Royal Mile - Your tour will take in a number of locations along Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. We’ll see where Mary, Queen of Scots spent part of her childhood, we’ll visit a charming little courtyard (with a royal link) and we’ll discover the very strange story of Deacon William Brodie and his hanging.
We get to cover a brief history of St Giles before visiting the site of the old Mercat Cross. You’ll learn about the significance of this location in the story of Prince Charles Edward Stewart (‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’) before we visit an atmospheric Old Town close. The stories here will be rather memorable… - Cowgate - The Cowgate is often ignored by other tours, but we’ll make the most of it when we discover what life was like for Edinburgh’s Victorian poor.
-
University of Edinburgh - We’ll visit two stops which belong to the famous University of Edinburgh. Burke and Hare, the infamous Irish murderers, came to where we make our penultimate stop. You’ll find out how this pair worked, why they were able to murder so many people…and finally what happened to them.
We may even look at the ‘traditional’ Highland outfit your guide will be wearing.
Your final stop takes place near to Old College (or, if it’s open to us, inside Old College). This is possibly one of the most fascinating places on our tour. It looks incredible now…but the story we share is even more explosive. Literally!
What's Included
- Local guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Join us at Historic Edinburgh Tours for a captivating walkabout through the time-honoured lanes of the Old Town. You’ll have the chance to traverse the same pathways where some of Scotland’s most renowned (and notorious) figures once resided and strolled. From Mary, Queen of Scots to Bonnie Prince Charlie, Deacon Brodie and beyond, this is a can’t-miss chance to uncover Edinburgh’s prolific past.
Your local guide, Robert, will be donned in a traditional kilt for your exclusive tour. Carrying a book filled with archival images, Robert will highlight the city’s distinctive landmarks whilst shedding light on its fascinating history. With our collection of old photographs, you’ll witness the transformation of Edinburgh throughout the ages - and even draw comparison with its modern-day image. An absolute must-see for history enthusiasts and visitors alike!
Location
Greyfriars Kirkyard
Candlemaker Row
Just inside the main entrance, next to the grave of Greyfriars Bobby (the pink headstone which you see as soon as you enter the Kirkyard). Greyfriars Kirkyard, Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QQ
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(202 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Lawriter58
Jun 14, 2024
An outstanding guide - Robert was a dream tour guide. He understands that great stories bring history alive, and he has no shortage of great stories. He gave us a great sense of Edinburgh’s history, got us oriented, gave us some good advice, and even explained the culture of the kilt. Can’t recommend him enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kjkwit
Jun 4, 2024
The absolute best tour ever! - Robert (Forrest) was just the best! He tailored the tour to our odd questions and rather unique preferences, going far above our expectations! I cannot recommend his services highly enough.
Even though we toured in the pouring rain, we enjoyed our first two-hour tour so much, the family decided on the spot to book the only other two openings he had for the week! Overall, we spent six hours with him, and rain or shine, we would have happily booked six more!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherinewm1246wj
Jun 4, 2024
A highlight of the Edinburgh experience! - I couldn’t recommend Robert’s private tours enough. My family and I originally booked a 2 hour walking tour and we ended up scheduling an additional 2 tours on our trip! 6 hours of Edinburgh’s history flew by with Robert’s thorough and engaging story-telling abilities. I feel as though we only scratched the surface, meaning I must come back for more. I guarantee your tour with Robert will become a highlight of your own Edinburgh experience. Thank you again for making this trip unforgettable, Robert!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Glendass2640xv
May 27, 2024
Brilliant engaging and interesting tour - Brilliant tour around Edinburgh with a very engaging tour guide. He managed to keep 31 children and 5 adults interested and silent which is unheard of. Would definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Running1962
May 18, 2024
Excellent tour of central Edinburgh - This was a great tour lead. The knowledgeable and amusing Robert. Covered a good amount of central Edinburgh at a good pace.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
944francaw
May 18, 2024
super exciting! - Fantastic tour, great exciting and super interesting story. Robert is fantastic! Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q7682ecannw
May 13, 2024
History Done Right! - Our Old Town walking tour with Robert was a highlight of our trip. We both love history and appreciated that Robert was knowledgeable, interesting- and has a great sense of humor. The history he shared was enhanced with props and visuals. Also liked that he pointed out some great photo ops. Highly
recommend this tour!! Definitely time well spent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margo_s
Apr 30, 2024
Wonderful! - Robert was super accommodating and had wonderful stories to share. What a great guide and lovely, personable fellow! You will love your private and personalized walking tour! Thanks, Robert!! 💜🏴💜
Review provided by Viator
Lga5844fg
Apr 16, 2024
Fantastic tour - Robert took our class on a walking Mary, Queen of Scots tour. The children throughly enjoyed it. Robert was very knowledgable and enthusiastic about the topic. Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K3422oxelainem
Apr 6, 2024
Schools Old Edinburgh Tour - I did an Old Edinburgh tour with my 28 Primary 4 pupils recently. Robert was excellent and had them captivated throughout. They were historians looking at clues from the past and used old maps and photographs to discover the differences between Old Edinburgh and today. As an experienced primary teacher Robert knew how to hold their attention and his stories kept them entertained throughout. I would highly recommend this tour for any class studying the history of Edinburgh. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator
