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Private Old Edinburgh Tour - Walk in the footsteps of Royals and Rogues!

5.0 Excellent 242 reviews
|
2h
|
English
Free cancellation · up to 24 hours before Private tour Instant confirmation Live guide

Ratings & Reviews

5.0
242 reviews
5
240
4
1
3
1
2
0
1
0
Ratings collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor

Overview

Guidekin summary

Follow royal and rogue stories through the Old Town on a private tour for your party, visiting streets where the featured figures lived and walked. A local guide is included; priced per group, the walk requires moderate fitness. 4.99 from 242 reviews at €131 per group/vehicle for 2h.

From the guide

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!

Tour options

The operator sells this tour in 4 versions. Prices are the operator's current list for two travellers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date and party.

Private Tour for 1 person

from €101 per group
Guide: English

Duration: 2 hours

Private Tour for 2 people

from €131 per group
Guide: English

Duration: 2 hours

Private Tour for 3-5 people

from €167 per group
Guide: English

Duration: 2 hours

Private Tour for 6-10 people

from €190 per group
Guide: English

Duration: 2 hours

Schedule & Availability

Runs daily
Departures: 10:00, 14:00
Available year-round

This tour runs daily, departing at 10:00, 14:00. It runs year-round. These are the operator’s scheduled departures, not a live seat count: availability is confirmed at checkout. Schedule last checked October 1, 2026.

What's Included

Local guide

What's Not Included

Gratuities

Itinerary

Greyfriars Stop 1
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!
15 min
Grassmarket Stop 2
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.
25 min
Royal Mile Stop 3
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...
40 min
The Cowgate is often ignored by other tours, but we'll make the most of it wh... Stop 4
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.
10 min
University of Edinburgh Stop 5
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!
30 min

Departure & Return

Start point

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

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End point

We usually end this tour on South Bridge, ten minutes from our starting point at Greyfriars.

Additional Information

  • 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.

1+ daysFull refund
0-1 daysNo refund

Compared with other Walking Tours

TourPriceDurationRatingGroup
This tour · #3 of 33€131 per group2h4.99 (242)private
Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour€242h4.97 (1669)shared
The Mountebank Comedy Walk of Edinburgh€312h4.96 (2008)shared
Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile Walking Tour - Ticket Included€632h 15m4.92 (2702)shared

Ranked #3 of 33 in Walking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €4 to €114, median €31; typical length 2h. 9 of 33 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 33 Walking Tours

From € 131 per group