- Most Popular!
- 3 Hours
- Walking Tour
The tour focuses on the historical, cultural, and architectural heritage of Edinburgh.
Quick Details
Our private Edinburgh tours allow your group to have an experienced and educated guide all to yourselves.
- Start your holiday with us and let us give you inside knowledge on what to see, where to go, and things to do.
- The Private tour normally focuses on the historical, cultural, and architectural heritage of Edinburgh, but we can also tweak it to suit your particular interests. Please let us know.
- The normal starting point for our tours is outside the central entrance of the Usher Hall in Lothian Road, but we can meet you at your city-centre hotel if you wish.
- There can be up to 12 people in the group. If you have a larger group, please contact us and we will give you a quotation.
- Your guide normally stops at a cafe half-way through the Tour, so you can have refreshments. But you can request a stop whenever, and as often, as you wish. On the Full-Day Private Tour, we can also book lunch at a convenient restaurant (cost not included).
- The Private tour is possible for those of limited mobility and/or wheelchair users and your guide will ensure that you are comfortable with the terrain.
Explore our Private Tours in Edinburgh!
Your guide will explore the ancient burgh of Edinburgh with you. Join our Edinburgh history tour designed for the more discerning wanderer, taking you from the early 11th century, to the time of the founding of Holyrood Abbey in 1128 and St. Giles Kirk in 1130, and then onward. Your guide will illustrate how Edinburgh followed the usual pre-requisites for a medieval city, boasting a castle, burgh and abbey. Learn how it progressively encapsulated the ensuing centuries of turmoil in this eclectic array of timber-framed houses, monuments and markers to the good, the bad and downright ugly.
Saunter by churches, pubs, museums, gardens, shops and more! The topsy-turvy nature of the Royal Mile & Old Town is simply NOT to be missed in its exciting and chaotic array. Learn about the real-life character who inspired “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”, stop by the congenially quaint coffee-house which once served as a retreat for many a budding-writers. One of which was J. K. Rowling, who enjoyed astonishing success with the Harry Potter series, and another was Alexander McCall Smith, author of bestsellers like “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency”. Then see and visit the High Kirk of St. Giles, now widely known as St. Giles Cathedral (and find out who was responsible for its name-change). Meander down the Castlehill and Lawnmarket, observe the change in street levels from the Royal Mile to the Grassmarket, the High Street of the Royal Mile, and see the ogeedomed turrets and elegant chimneys of Edinburgh’s school for “Fatherless Bairns”.
Finally, the verdant expanse of Princes Street Gardens delineating the separation of Old & New Towns and its wonderfully varied selection of attractions. Find out what life was really like in the Medieval Old Town, from the roofed red-clay pantiles of John Knox’s House to the chapel where the Knights of the Order of the Thistle undergo their investiture ceremonies. Step back in time, in the company of writers, philosophers, body-snatchers, witches (and a faithful Skye terrier as well) and let your guide “make history come alive!” Join our private tours in Edinburgh for an exclusive look at these intriguing destinations!
Full-Day Private Tours in Edinburgh
In your Full-Day Private Tour, you will see all of the attractions detailed above but see even more of Edinburgh’s ‘New Town’. Don’t be fooled by the name; construction was started in the 1700s!
You will see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament building (sometimes known simply as ‘Holyrood’), then go up Calton Hill and witness the entire city unfold before you. Afterwards, you will descend into the New Town proper, and learn more about its remarkable architecture, history and people.
You will not go inside the Palace unless you inform us in advance (tickets cost £18 per adult). Similarly, if you wish to go inside Edinburgh Castle during the Edinburgh history tour, please inform us in advance (tickets cost £19.50 per adult).
If you wish to stop for lunch during the Full-Day Private Tour, please let us know and we will book a convenient restaurant.