Private Tour
Private Old Edinburgh Tour - Walk in the footsteps of Royals and Rogues!
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Welcome to Historic Edinburgh Tours! We will take you on a fascinating journey through the historic streets of the Old Town. You'll get to explore the very places where some of Scotland's most famous (and infamous) characters once walked and lived. From Mary, Queen of Scots to Bonnie Prince Charlie, Deacon Brodie and more, this is an unmissable opportunity to discover Edinburgh's rich history.
Robert, your local guide, will come dressed in a kilt for your private tour. He will also carry a book of archive images. Robert will show you the city's iconic landmarks while sharing fascinating insights into its past. With our archive images, you'll be able to see how Edinburgh has changed over the years - and even compare it to its present-day counterpart. This is an experience not to be missed for history buffs and tourists alike!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Local guide
Gratuities
What To Expect
Greyfriars
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.
Options
Private Tour for 6-10 people
Duration: 2 hours
Private Tour for 2 people
Duration: 2 hours
Private Tour for 1 person
Duration: 2 hours
Private Tour for 3-5 people
Duration: 2 hours
Reviews
226 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great guide!
laurie w,
Sep 29, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert is an awesome guide. Very knowledgeable, lots of fun. He was able to customize the tour to our interests! His knowledge of Edinburgh history is unsurpassed
Very informative and engaging tour
Meander20021986544,
Sep 16, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert is knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Edinburgh and provides both interesting and engaging tours.
Great guide and tour
Wanderer31074133072,
Sep 10, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert was a fantastic guide. This was a very informative tour and a great way to see a few sites off the main path. Great value and certainly worth it.
Great walk around the...
Carolyn E,
Aug 28, 2025
- Viator
5.00Great walk around the city. Our guide Robert started by asking about our visit and our interests and tailored our tour to match. He also accommodated our pace and told us great historical facts and stories.
Great tour with Robert
Dani A,
Aug 19, 2025
- Viator
5.00Robert was great with explanations customized to our needs. The tour was very interesting with some great tips. Highly recommended!
Fun and informative
Corrie W,
Jul 27, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert was a fabulous guide. He was entertaining, funny and very informative. You could tell that he was a teacher- he even brought props. We learned so much about old Edinburgh and Scottish history. I highly recommend this tour to everyone. It was a great way to start our vacation!
Terry4423,
Jul 25, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00This really was a 5 star experience and an absolute joy. I would recommend it (and specifically Robert) to anyone thinking of doing a walking tour of Edinburgh. Robert is a brilliant , incredibly knowledgeable and engaging guide. Because it's a private tour he was able to ask what we we were looking for out of the tour and respond to that in a great way. We live 30 minutes from Edinburgh and will definitely back for more. Our visitors weren't that bothered about going into Edinburgh as they'd visited before and 'knew the city' . Their comment after the tour was ' we now realise we didn't know the city!'
By living we learn........
Stay57865414343,
Jul 25, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert made History come to life whilst walking around Edinburgh. His enthusiasm is contagious, knowledge is endless. He makes the tour relevant to your careers too. Its entertaining learning, with poems and stories and a few funny props. 5* Robert....thank you. Naomi and Steve
Private tour
timothykT4752PU,
Jul 3, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00Robert was a great guide and the tour was phenomenal. Tailored the tour to us, including little things like tieing it into our jobs and family history, and knew the history!! Highly recommend!!
Incredible school trip
laurenj1232023,
May 26, 2025
- Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing time on a school trip with our P5’s with Robert on our Old Edinburgh tour to link in with our history topic about Mary Queen of Scots. From the beginning, the children were hooked as Robert made everything come alive and his passion and depth of knowledge shone through. The children were absolutely captivated by the whole experience and it was an amazing way for them to learn more about key aspects of history. We would 100% recommend Robert and will definitely be back next year!
Related Experiences
Operated by Historic Edinburgh Tours