Edinburgh Private Walking Tour: Enjoy a Unique Guide Experience and Personalised Itinerary
5.0
216 Ratings
Edinburgh
Experience a unique and personalized private walking tour of Edinburgh with our knowledgeable guides. Explore the city's cultural, historical, and architectural aspects at your own pace.
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Edinburgh Guided Tour - The starting point of the tour (if not your hotel) is the splendid Usher Hall, a wonderful Concert Hall gifted to the city by Stuart Usher’s great-great-uncle. We do not normally go inside.
  • Edinburgh Castle - Gusts will see the majestic Edinburgh Castle (exterior only) and your guide will talk you through its tumultuous history and the lives of the many Scottish Kings and Queens who lived there. If you wish to see inside the castle this can be arranged but there will be an extra charge (
    19 per head) for admission.
  • Edinburgh Old Town - Walk with our accredited guide throughout the many ‘closes’ and ‘wynds’ of Edinburgh’s Old Town and see the buildings associated with many seminal moments in Scottish history.
  • Royal Mile - Walk with our accredited guide throughout the many ‘closes’ and ‘wynds’ of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in the ‘Old Town’ and see the buildings associated with many seminal moments in Scottish history.
  • St Giles’ Cathedral - Guests can visit inside the cathedral which is the ‘mother church’ of Presbyterianism. Stunning architecture and amazing internal detail.
  • New Town - On the full-day tour, see the splendid 18th-century architecture of this Unesco Designated World Heritage Site that boasts the largest continuous expanse of Georgian-era buildings in the world
  • Palace of Holyroodhouse - On the full-day tour, guests will see and hear about this Palace which is the official Scottish residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. You would not normally go inside but this can be arranged (admission
    17 per head).
  • National Galleries of Scotland: National - Normally visited if weather inclement but it is the client’s choice whether or not to go in and see the splendid array of ‘old masters’.
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off if requested
What's Not Included
  • Cost of food and drinks
Additional Information

Experience the unique perspective of our specially chosen guides (Stuart Usher, his son Richard, or Professional Historians Dr Alison Duncan or David Forsyth) on this private guided stroll. Your group, limited to a maximum of 12 individuals, will be the sole attendees of the expedition. Coming from a family with rich historical ties to Edinburgh (his great-great Uncle, Andrew Usher, bestowed the splendid Usher Hall upon the city where the excursion typically begins), Stuart Usher possesses an unrivalled understanding of its cultural, historical and architectural facets.

Tours can be reserved for the morning duration (9.30am to 1.00pm), afternoon occasion (2.00pm to 5.30pm) or the complete day (9.30am to 4.30pm)

Customization of the trip based on your preferences is an option, for instance if you have an inclination towards certain aspects of Edinburgh, and a tailored starting location (such as your hotel) that lies within the city boundary can be arranged for your convenience.

  • Wheelchair possible but there are hills and steps
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Location
The Usher Hall
Lothian Road
Please meet your guide outside the central entrance of the Usher Hall.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(216 Ratings)
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Aosully
Jun 17, 2024
The Highlight of Our Time in Edinburgh! - The highlight of our time in Edinburgh. Our guide was so friendly and knowledgable. I high recommend doing this tour at the start of your time in Edinburgh, it was fascinating - a great way to become acquainted with Old Town Edinburgh and learn about it's history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathy
Jun 15, 2024
Wonderful in depth education about Scotland - Alistair was a wonderful guide. His depth is history and knowledge about us country is impressive. We did the full day tour with him and enjoyed every minute ( even the torrential downpour). He was able to modify direction as we went along and was delightful to be with for the day. I highly recommend him for your time in Edinburgh.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherineav2017
Jun 12, 2024
Fabulous walk around Edinburgh. - Stuart was our guide and he gave us so much history about the area. We wished our tour lasted longer. He also included history on some of the pubs in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beatriz_n
Jun 9, 2024
Beautiful Edinburgh! - Thank you Stuart for a wonderful experience! Your knowledge of history made our tour very enjoyable! I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Kvfallon5
Jun 9, 2024
Edinburgh - Our guide was great and customized our tour to what we wanted . He was very knowledgeable and a fabulous historian. We had a great overview of Edinburgh
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark_o
Jun 9, 2024
In depth tour surrounding Royal Mile - Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the historical aspects of Scotland and its architectural components. Was primarily concentrated around Royal Mile so we did not see as many featured locations as we would have liked.
Review provided by Viator
Kathy_f
Jun 6, 2024
Edinburgh with a guide! - Craig was knowledgeable, not pedagogical. We would highly recommend a tour with him in Edinburgh. Terrific tour, even in the rain!
Review provided by Viator
Guido_p
Jun 4, 2024
Great tour, greatest tour guide! - Dr Duncan gave an amazing tour! We had the best time in Edinburgh with her. She catered to our interests perfectly.
Review provided by Viator
771crisk
Jun 4, 2024
Great informative walking tour! - Stuart was so knowledgeable and we learned so much! He had rich details of the lives of the many historical figures. And had a very beautiful day in Edinburgh!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul_b
May 30, 2024
Great time - We recently enjoyed a private walking tour in Edinburgh, and it was an exceptional experience! Our tour guide was incredibly friendly and informative, making the exploration of this historic city both engaging and educational. . We visited iconic landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and St. Giles' Cathedral, and the guide’s captivating stories about figures like Mary, Queen of Scots and Sir Walter Scott brought the city’s past to life. What made the tour truly special was the personalized attention. Our guide was attentive to our interests, allowing us to explore areas at our own pace and delve deeper into topics that intrigued us. This flexibility, combined with the guide's enthusiasm and local insights, made the tour feel tailored just for us. Additionally, we ventured into some lesser-known spots, uncovering hidden gems that we would have missed on our own. The guide’s recommendations for dining and further sightseeing were also invaluable, enriching our overall stay in Edinburgh. In summary, we had a fantastic time on our private walking tour. The combination of a friendly, knowledgeable guide and the tailored. Highly recommended for anyone looking to explore Edinburgh in depth.
Review provided by Viator
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June 2024
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