Private Tour

Medical and Surgical History of Edinburgh - Private Walking Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

Let an Edinburgh doctor take you on a deep and fascinating trip into our medical and surgical history!

On this three to four hour tour, we'll be circumnavigating the Old Town, visiting the sites and buildings where our medical history was forged, and learning how Edinburgh transformed from a sleepy outpost into a world-renowned powerhouse of medical training and research. We'll hear of student drudgery and drunkeness, of lightning-fast surgeons, and of the women who battled tirelessly to be the first to study medicine here. Not to mention scandals, feuds, and famous former Edinburgh medics such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Darwin, and the man who became Dr Frankenstein!

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Because of the distance (approx 2.5 miles), we would not recommend the tour for persons with chronic and/or painful musculoskeletal health conditions.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

All guiding and commentary is inclusive.

We take a refreshment cafe stop, but food and drink is not inclusive.

What To Expect

Royal Mile

We'll begin the tour walking down Edinburgh's oldest street, finding out about the origins of Edinburgh Medicine and Surgery, and seeing the alleyway where our College of Physicians began.

45 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Just off the Cowgate we'll locate Robertson's Close, site of 'The Little House', our first teaching hospital, before exploring the complex of its successor, the first Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Medical and Surgical History of Edinburgh - Private Walking Tour

Reviews

5.00

19 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Dr. Grigor is amazing, a...
Ashley C,
Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Dr. Grigor is amazing, a very warm and knowledgeable tour guide. The tour was excellently paced, and we had great chat about healthcare and history.
The Experience of a Lifetime!
Connie P,
Oct 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Words will not be chosen lightly… To say our experience exceeded our expectations is a terrible injustice. We learned so much meaningful and profound information we had never heard of before. The entire time was filled with wonderful & surprising insights into the history of healthcare. But it wasn’t just the information- the delivery was superbly entertaining so the time passed magically through the walk. This experience is one of a lifetime - DONT MISS IT!
Excellent Edinburgh medical and social history.
Ian M,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Quite a lot of information to take in…we absolutely loved it, and Grigor clearly enjoys sharing his knowledge of the stories and evolution of medicine and medical education in Edinburgh. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the social history of medicine, as it played out across the centuries in Edinburgh.
Great walk around edinburgh and finding out how medical education evolved
Camper79697,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Moray Grigor was excellent in explaining the evolution of medicine particularly the differing stances of the physicians and the surgeons. Great to finish on the upbeat of women forcing themselves into the teaching halls despite fellow male students throwing food at them and putting a sheep in with them for the final exam!
Wonderful experience
Lawrence C,
Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Fantastic…organized informative interesting. A historical journey from medicine through the ages to the immense contributions of Scottish physicians.
Excellent knowledgeable and interesting
lawrencecE632MT,
Sep 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very well done. Dr. Gregor was very knowledgeable and presented the information in an educational and interesting way. Whether or not you have a medical background, this tour is highly recommended if you want to learn about the history of Edinburgh and the many contributions of Scotland to medical advancement.
Interesting and excellent!
juliegJ3965MB,
Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour is EXCELLENT! Dr. Grigor was extremely knowledgeable and a wonderful historian. Our group thoroughly enjoyed our walk through time and learning about the evolution of medicine and surgical procedures in Edinburgh. Highly recommended.
Excellent Tour!
michaelwP6171LJ,
Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Dr, Grigor was outstanding! This tour exceeded all expectations and would emphatically recommend it to anyone. Whether you’re in the medical field or one who loves history, this is a must do! Mike W
Top-Notch Edinburgh Medical History Tour!
W1227ORpaulg,
Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely fantastic tour! Dr. Grigor is extraordinarily knowledgeable and an incredible tour guide. We went to the Royal College of Surgeons museum after the tour and we knew everything already from the tour!
What a wonderful tour of...
todd b,
Aug 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
What a wonderful tour of the history of medicine in Edinburgh. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. History is truly surrounding you on this experience. If it matters, we did not tour a medical history museum.