Scotland · HISTORICAL TOURS IN EDINBURGH
The 13 best historical tours in Edinburgh you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there and work down.
A 2-hour guided walk through Edinburgh’s UNESCO Old Town, with stops at St Giles, Mercat Cross, key closes, and castle views.
“Kofe was great. Very engaging and informative. Explained as we we went along. Knew his stuff, as it should be. Would definitely recommend!”
Small-group Old Town walk plus underground vaults in Edinburgh’s South Bridge area, with relaxed storytelling and Kirk and kirkyard stops.
“Saturn/Frederick was excellent! Knowledgeable, entertaining and a pleasure to follow around Edinburgh. We heard well rehearsed stories and anecdotes of Scottish history as we walked around the city and saw what was left of the tales. It was a very easy pace so would be accessible for mixed age groups but the shallow winding staircase made it not suitable for those with physical challenges. It's mostly outdoors so dress appropriately! Thoroughly enjoyed it, would recommend!”
Small-group Edinburgh vaults walk under South Bridge with multi-sensory storytelling, low-light chambers, and a short museum stop, about 75 minutes.
“Dont expect too much. Guide Steph was excellent, however was expecting more from the tour considering the fab reviews”
A 2-hour guided walk through Edinburgh Old Town, covering centuries of legends and sights, ending at Greyfriars Kirkyard. Small groups.
“Urs war super, unterhaltsam, gut auf die Gruppe acht gegeben. Weiß absolut Bescheid! Keine absolute mainstream Geschichte, achtet auf Details.”
A small-group walk down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with real cases, executions, and gritty justice, from the Old Tollbooth to Canongate Kirk.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our walk around Edinburgh with Kieran who was great, he was very informative about the dark history of Edinburgh and took us to some interesting places, made much more interesting at night. Highly recommend this tour, thank you Kieran 😊”
A 75-minute Edinburgh walk focused on witch trials and haunted sites, led by a funny storyteller, from St Giles to Grassmarket.
“The guide we had was really good! She was fun and included people into the tour itself. Would definitely recommend if youre into witches :)”
Small-group Old Town walking tour with beer tastings included. Learn Edinburgh brewing history, visit 3 pubs, and tour key landmarks.
“This tour was not well planned. The guide was knowledgable but not the friendliest. I wouldn’t recommend.”
A 2-hour small-group walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town, hitting the Royal Mile, Greyfriars, Grassmarket, and St Giles with story-led history.
“Pleasant and knowledgeable guide with a fund of stories, albeit a little lacking on the history of the old town.”
Edinburgh’s Anatomist escape room: a 1829 body-snatching mystery where you solve puzzles in an hour to find Dr Malcolm’s journal.
St Andrews, Fife coast walks, and historic abbeys from Edinburgh, with Queensferry Bridge views, cathedral ruins, and optional castle entry.
“This is a great trip exploring the quaint town of St.Andrews, Dunfermline Abbey and the Kingdom of Fife….Perry was a fantastic guide and extremely knowledgeable….Real family fun !!!! Cannot wait to come back and explore more of Scotland!!!”
A 2-hour Edinburgh whisky tasting at the historic Waverley Bar with storytelling, 4 single malts, and take-home notes for $49.38.
“Great information and insight into the Whisky world. John was fabulous at delivering the facts in a very interesting way including stories and history.”
Royal Mile whisky masterclass in a historic cellar with four drams, Scotch history, and proper nosing and tasting techniques for $45.52.
“The guide was very good and informative but whisky just not my thing. We are glad we did this but also glad we did the less expensive one.”
Follow an audio walk through Edinburgh’s witchcraft sites, with offline VoiceMap guidance, sensible storytelling, and a finish up at Castlehill.
“I had a great time with the narrated tour by Kat. The facts were interesting but not overly dry and "textbook"-focused. Focused more on the storytelling aspect, which I really liked.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
