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Tours/Edinburgh/Edinburgh Private Walking Tour

Edinburgh Private Walking Tour

5.0(95)Edinburgh2h 30min
VIATOR5.0(63)TRIPADVISOR5.0(32)
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
+4 photos
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
Edinburgh Private Walking Tour

At a glance

Duration
2h 30min
Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Rating
5.0 / 5 · 95 reviews
Languages
EN
Group
Private
Cancellation
Free cancellation
Confirmation
Within 24h
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Iconic Tours
Meeting point
We meet at the main steps to St Giles Cathedral which is on the Royal Mile just across the street from Royal Mile Whiskies.

Description

Explore Scotland’s ancient capital and see a side to the city many visitors miss on this private 2.5-hour Edinburgh walking tour. Follow a private guide through the streets and alleyways to discover UNESCO–listed attractions and hidden gems. Stroll from the Old Town to the Royal Mile and take in key sites of interest such as the Grass market and Victoria Street. Hear tales from Edinburgh’s dim and distant past, and hear how historic events shaped the city we see today.

Tour Options

Private tour
  • Don't just be another face in the crowd of a large group tour, have your own intimate experience seeing the sights of Edinburgh with a local guide who will open your eyes to the best of Edinburgh.

Itinerary

St Giles' Cathedral
15 min

See the outside of the building and hear about the interesting characters from it's past, how they shaped the most read book of all time and how that influenced the witch trials.

Royal Mile
20 min

See some of the highlights of Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile on foot with your guide stopping to tell you about the must know facts, funny history and quirky stories. We will also point out the places locals like to eat and drink if you want such info.

Grassmarket
Pass by

Pass the end of the Grassmarket while heading up to Victoria Street, where Diagon Alley in Harry Potter is based on.

Advocate's Close
5 min

Get some amazing views from Old Town to New Town, find out about the man who revived Scottish culture lost after the Jacobite rebellion and what happened when a chamber pot was emptied from a great height.

Deacon Brodie's Tavern
5 min

Find out about the wild life of the man who led a respectable life by day and a less than moral life at night and how he inspired the Curious Case of Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde.

15 min

See this stunning local street, learn about where the locals shop and eat.

What's included

Included
Professional guide
Not included
Gratuities

Traveller Ratings

5.0
95 reviews
5
93
4
2
3
0
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Tours leave from the main entrance of St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile. You will recognize your guide from the name badge around their neck
  • Please arrive at least five minutes early
  • Please dress for the Edinburgh weather, which can be very irregular

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund

Frequently asked questions

How long does Edinburgh Private Walking Tour take?

Edinburgh Private Walking Tour lasts about 2h 30min. The itinerary has 6 stops.

Can I cancel Edinburgh Private Walking Tour for free?

Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is We meet at the main steps to St Giles Cathedral which is on the Royal Mile just across the street from Royal Mile Whiskies. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.

What languages is Edinburgh Private Walking Tour offered in?

The experience is available in EN.

Is this a private or a group tour?

It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Will my booking be confirmed immediately?

Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.

Reviews(95)

J
Jill_R
July 21, 2026
Deep dive into Edinburgh history

The tour was heavy on history and Kieran was super knowledgeable and great at explaining it all. Not as much walking as one might expect of a walking tour!

Operator response

Dear Jill, Thank you for your review! We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the historical side of the tour and that you found Kieran to be super knowledgeable. He has a real passion for Edinburgh's history, and we're delighted he was able to bring it to life for you while delivering the tour as outlined in the itinerary you booked. Our historical walking tours typically cover around 2–3 km. Edinburgh is a city with fascinating stories every few paces, so we like to take the time to share those stories and help our guests gain a deeper understanding of our incredible history, rather than simply covering as much ground as possible. We're also always happy to customise our tours to suit individual preferences. After your booking, we reached out to see if there was anything we could do to tailor the experience for you, but unfortunately we didn't receive a reply, so we delivered our standard tour. Had we known you were hoping for a longer walk, we would have been more than happy to adapt the route to include more walking. Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you back to Edinburgh for another adventure in the future!

D
Dipa_C
June 22, 2026
Edinburgh historic tour

We toured Edinburgh with Adrian the evening we arrived. He was fun to talk to and full of interesting facts about Edinburgh and its history. The tour was a great way to get our bearings in a new city and to hit the very busy highlights of Edinburgh without feeling overwhelmed. Highly recommend.

Operator response

Dear Dipa, We are glad you enjoyed your tour with Adrian so much. He is a great guide that can really bribg Edinburgh to life and we glad you got to learn about our great city as you got your bearings. We hope you can come tour with us again. Will

J
John_A
June 15, 2026
Royal Mile Walking Tour

Keiren was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history of Edinburgh. Great tour.

Operator response

Dear John, Many thanks for the review. We are glad you enjoyed the tour so much with Kieran, he is a great guide and everyone loves his tours.

C
Corey_R
April 18, 2026
Wonderful for families!

Kieran was THE BEST tour guide for our private Edinburgh walking tour. Our family of 8 from ages 4 - 72 was engaged the whole time. He was funny, informative, and caring! We wish we would have booked a longer tour because it was so great!

Operator response

Dear Carey_R, Thanl you for taking the time to write a review for your tour with Kieran. Kieran is amazing with people of all ages and he can engage everyone seemlessly. If you come bavk again we would love to have you with Kieran for longer. Kind regards from Edinburgh, Will

B
Benjamin_A
November 25, 2025
We had an exceptional...

We had an exceptional experience with David! He worked to ensure the tour was targeted to the things we wanted to see and spent ample time at each stop explaining the history and significance with our two teenage boys. I would highly recommend a tour!

Operator response

Dear Benjamin, Many thanks for taking the time to write a review of your tour with David. He is a very talented guide who can easily include everyone into a tour and helps everyone understand our great city. We hope you can come tour with us again some day. Will

R
Rodney_H
October 17, 2025
Highly recommend this tour

well worth booking. Very informative and interesting. Our guide Kieran really knows his history and took us to places we would have never found on our own!

Operator response

Dear Rodney, We are glad you enjoyed your tour with Kieran, he is a great guide who loves to get people off the beaten path so we are really happy you appreciated that. We hope you can come tour with us again. Will

J
janetmcelhanon
October 7, 2025
Great tour of Edinburgh with David, sights most tourists don't see!

Toured new town with local sights. David our guide was very knowledgeable about the area history, and architecture. Visited Charlotte Square, Dean Village, St Bernard's well, Saint Stephen Street, Circus Lane and Stockbridge ending at the train station.

Operator response

Many thanks for taking the time to write a review for your private tour of Dean Village, Stockbridge and Edinburgh New Town with David. David is an excellent guide, he has a huge knowledge of history and architecture and here at Iconic Tours we love to combine all these elements with story-telling to create wonderful memories of our tours from a local point of view. Many thanks again, Will

K
Kim_K
October 2, 2025
Kierin was knowledgeable....

Kierin was knowledgeable. Entertaining, and full of love for his country. This was an enjoyable experience.

Operator response

Dear Kim, Many thanks for taking the time to write a review. Keiran is a great guide who loves Edinburgh and Scotland dearly, he is an amazing story teller and a wonderful historian and we sre glad you enjoyed the tour so much. Kind regards Will

P
Paul_F
September 25, 2025
Edinburgh Old Town Tour

Shanna provided us with a customized tour of Old Town that was informative and entertaining. Her knowledge of Edinburgh history - both of the royal families and its famous and infamous citizens made for a wonderful to both Edinburgh and Scotland ad well. Shanna and this tour are highly recommended!

Operator response

Dear Paul F, Many thanks for taking the time to write a review of your private Edinburgh Old Town walking tour with Shanna. Edinburgh is an amazing city and Shanna is a great story teller and historian and everyone loves her tours. Here at iconic Tours we are always about making each tour suit the private group booked on with us and we are glad you all enjoyed the different aspects of the tour so much. Many thanks Will

P
Patti_S
September 25, 2025
Exceptional walking tour.

Shawna was a great tour guide very knowledgeable. We learned a great deal. Edinburgh has a lot to offer. Make sure you wear a comfy shoes for the tour.

Operator response

Dear Patti S, We sre delighted you enjoyed your tour with Shanna so much. She is an amazing guide with a huge knowledge of all things Edinburgh and Scotland. We totally agree, comfy shoes are a must if you come to visit, with all the steps and cobbles it's best to be kind to your feet.

$0/ person
5.0(95)
Duration2h 30min
LanguagesEN
ConfirmationWithin 24h
Check availability on Viator →
Booking on the official Viator website
Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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