The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour: A Dramatic Romp through Old and New Town's Historic Pubs
4.5
415 Ratings
Edinburgh
Join the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour for a hilarious and engaging romp through the historic pubs of Edinburgh's Old and New Town. Experience a dramatic script performed by professional actors and discover the lesser-known literary characters that have shaped the city's tavern life. A must-see cultural attraction since 1996!
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Edinburgh Old Town - The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour is is a brilliant and witty dramatic romp through the wynds, courtyards and pubs of Edinburgh’s Old and new Town.
What's Included
  • Professional actors
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic Beverages
Additional Information

Join the adventurous pair, Clart (synonym for dirt!) and our polished-intellectual Mcbrain, as they guide you on an amusing and smart theatrical journey through the back alleys, squares, and pubs of historical and modern Edinburgh. A hilarious battle of brains featuring three centuries of excellent literature and vibrant personalities.
The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour presents a theatrical script acted out by two professional actors, it goes beyond mere tour guides reciting from books. The tour extends past the familiar Scottish literary figures such as Burns, Scott, and Stevenson, and ventures into the lives of the most flamboyant, literary personalities who have contributed to the humour and wit that define the unique pub culture of The Old and New Town.

This acclaimed Tour was the first literary tour introduced in Edinburgh in 1996! It has since entertained over 500,000 happy visitors on a captivating literary exploration through Edinburgh. It is esteemed by many as a trailblazer and often featured as a ‘Must-visit’ cultural landmark in travel guides globally.

Location
Beehive Inn
Grassmarket
Look out for our Ticketing person wearing bright vest. The tour starts up the stairs at The Beehive on the top floor. Feel free to purchase a drink at the bar beforehand and bring it upstairs with you to enjoy the first scene!
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.5
(415 Ratings)
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Freedom46982285203
Jun 6, 2024
A good night out - Riley and Dougal were great guides. They were very informative but also entertaining. There were plenty of opportunities to get a drink while on the walk and bathroom breaks. It made me want to read more Scottish authors.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper35630642739
Jun 5, 2024
great way to spend an evening - Very fun and informative tour with a few stops at famous pubs along the way. Riley and Dougal were highly funny, friendly, and engaging guides! You get two or three chances to get drinks and plenty of time to sip them during the performance, but if you choose to skip the drinks you will still find the tour itself altogether well worth the money and time!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lara_d
Jun 3, 2024
Amazing Tour! - The tour offered a new and interesting perspective on some of Scotland's most famous authors. It was great fun!
Review provided by Viator
Leanne_f
May 27, 2024
Very entertaining walking tour! - The actors did a terrific job. They really brought the literary history, and the history of Edinburgh itself, to life!
Review provided by Viator
Jeff_p
May 6, 2024
The Course courtesan and the Sublime Storyteller - Dougal and Blair! They created characters used to dramatically convey some of the key features of Scots poets and authors. A most vibrant, educational and spirited discussion designed to draw the audience right into 17th and 18th (particularly) Scottish mindset. With stops to refresh the pint glass!
Review provided by Viator
David_s
Apr 7, 2024
Tremendous - Holy smokes! What a fantastic time filled with poetry, history and laughs. This is the tour you want to take!
Review provided by Viator
281ylvad
Apr 1, 2024
Recommend! - Recommend! Had a great evening with Hazel and Paul. They taught us a lot about Scottish literature, at the same time as they kept us entertained. It was a perfect mix between acting parts and information parts. Overall, very happy with the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connector39098136133
Mar 30, 2024
A literary play tour, genious! - Great tour, bringing the element of acting really enhanced the tour and made it easier to understand and learn about Edinburghs literary scene. Hazel and Paul were such sweet guides and definitely recommend their tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
113dinahb
Dec 23, 2023
A fun run through Edinburgh’s literary history - Great fun with very congenial and energetic hosts. The content is suitable for even the somewhat unliterary-minded but still highly entertaining for those who already know something about the theme.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_l
May 25, 2024
Scottish literary tour - The actors were very good. We expected this to be more of a pub crawl, where we would sit and listen to the actors discuss Scottish writers, etc. Instead, we spent about 15 minutes in the first pub, not enough time to finish our drink. Rest of the time was spent standing for the performance at 2 outdoor sites.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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