Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
There's no tour like it in Edinburgh! A walking tour specifically around the history of the coffee trade in Scotland.
Begin your journey at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, originally opened in 1688 and once frequented by Enlightenment thinkers like Adam Smith and David Hume. Sip a freshly brewed cup from Edinburgh roaster Common Coffee as you explore the role of coffee houses in Scotland’s intellectual and social history.
From there, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of key historic sites tied to Edinburgh’s early coffee culture, revealing how coffee arrived in Scotland and how it helped shape conversation, commerce, and community in the capital.
Your tour ends with a second coffee at The Lost Close, an atmospheric underground vault hidden beneath the city and sealed for nearly 200 years after the Great Fire of 1824
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Access to The Lost Close, unique underground venue
Experienced Local Guide
Coffee and/or Tea
The Lost Close
We have exclusive access to a hidden, underground space, which was once a coffee house dating back to the 18th century, used by prosecutors and pirates alike. For the second half of our tour, we'll be exploring a series of underground rooms, where we'll drink coffee and finish our tour. There are also toilets and water available here.
Old Town
The Old Town of Edinburgh has a rich history of coffee houses, we'll visit a few of the locations on a walk. For the first half of the tour, we will be outside exploring the closes and wynds, the narrow alleys of Edinbuurgh's Historic Old Town. Most of the ancient coffee houses have long since perished, through fire or changing business, and we'll be hunting these down on our adventure.
75 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Danielle P,
Aug 29, 2025
- Viator
I loved this tour!! It was very fun and the guide was sooo funny!! I learned so much about the history of coffee while laughing all along the way!! I would definitely recommend this tour! Great job and thanks for all the laughs!
Liv H,
Jul 24, 2025
- Viator
The tour guide was knowledgeable and engaging. The tour itself just helped to open my eyes to the beauty and history of Edinburgh.
Barbara Y,
Jun 26, 2025
- Viator
An absolutely delightful tour with premium coffee. Our guide James was knowledgeable, funny and very engaging. The stories shared by James and his associate Dan were rich in Edinburgh history with ties to the wonderful elixir of coffee. The tour of The Lost Close was very cool. We highly recommend this tour.
Jonas P,
Jun 14, 2025
- Viator
Sara was extremely knowledgeable and really engaging, we loved this tour and would really recommend anyone to come along and try it!!
Nima P,
Apr 26, 2025
- Viator
This tour is about the history of coffee in Scotland. It is very detailed and fascinating. The guide, James, was very funny and easy to get along with. We did have coffee at the beginning and middle of the tour, which was delicious. Bring your sense of humor and your camera!
Operated by The Lost Close - Events & Experiences