Edinburgh Historical Tour and Museum Experience

Join us for a private tour of Edinburgh Old Town to discover the fascinating history of the city.
Understand how Edinburgh developed from a medieval burgh to an international hub.

Learn about royal history at Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse

We'll talk about the Scottish Reformation in St. Giles Cathedral

Visit Greyfriars Graveyard, Grassmarket and the closes of the Royal Mile. Listen to the stories of murderers, executions, and bodysnatchers.

Visit the National Museum of Scotland and its highlights, including Viking chess pieces and Pictish carved stones.

Find out about Edinburgh cultural scene, from writers and books to the Fringe Festival.

Meeting Point

The Scotch Whisky Experience

354 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE, UK

We will meet travelers outside of the Scotch Whisky Experience on Castlehill. This is a red sandstone building, very close to the castle esplanade.

What's included:

• Local Tour Guide
• Guided Tour of the National Museum Highlights

What to expect:

Duration: 3 hours

Edinburgh Castle Esplanade

Castle Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG

The Castle Esplanade will be our first stop. From here, we will enjoy stunning views of the city and see where the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place. We'll talk about the history of one of Edinburgh's oldest buildings. As we recall the fascinating stories of kings, queens, battles and sieges, we'll delve into the secrets of the castle.

20 minutes

Victoria street

Victoria St, Edinburgh

From the Castle Esplanade, we will walk down hill towards Victoria Street, the most picturesque and colorful street of Edinburgh.

10 minutes

Grassmarket

21 Grassmarket, Old Town, Edinburgh, EH1 2HS

At the end of Victoria Street we will enter the Grassmarket, a large plaza famous for its pubs and its dark past.

15 minutes

Greyfriars Bobby

Edinburgh, EH1 2QE

From the Grassmarket, we will walk up Candlemarker Row. At the end of the street we will find Edinburgh's most famous and loyal dog, Bobby! We'll also see the dog statue located just outside of the graveyard.

10 minutes

Greyfriars

26A Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, EH1 2QQ

Behind Bobby, we will find the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard. This historic graveyard we will understand what the Mortsafes are, and learn about the connection between the Scottish Covenants and the George Mackenzie Mausoleum.

15 minutes

National Museum of Scotland

Chambers Street, , Edinburgh, EH1 1JF

We'll enter the National Museum of Scotland and walk through the Grand Gallery: we'll explore some of the museum's highlights in the Scottish and international collections. There will be time for coffee and a rest.

20 minutes

St Giles' Cathedral

High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1RE

After the National Museum of Scotland we will head towards the Royal Mile via Cowgate. We will explain where the name Royal Mile comes from and explore its historical highlights. The first stop will be St. Giles Cathedral. We'll talk about the architecture of the most important church in Scotland, and discover the history of the Presbyterian religion. We will also walk to West Parliament Square to talk about the Act of Union.

20 minutes

Mercat Cross

Mercat Cross, Edinburgh

Behind St. Giles Cathedral we will find the Mercat Cross, once the site of public announcements and punishments. We will also explain why the unicorn appears at the top of this structure.

5 minutes

Royal Mile

High St., , Edinburgh, EH1 2PB

As we walk down the Royal Mile we will explore some of the 'closes' and understand what these narrow, dark, alleyways were used for. We'll recall the stories of those who once lived here.

15 minutes

John Knox House Museum

43-45 High Street, , Edinburgh, EH1 1SR

On the Royal Mile, we will stop outside of John Knox House and also see where one of the city gates used to stand.

10 minutes

Canongate Kirk

153 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8BN

We'll stop at the Canongate Tolbooth and explain why, in this part of the city, we find representations of a golden stag’s head with a cross between its antlers.

10 minutes

The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh, EH99 1SP

A few minutes down the road from Canongate, we will see the Scottish Parliament. This modern building is very controversial, let's see what you think of its quirky architecture!

10 minutes

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DX

We will then move to our final stop. the Palace of Holyroodhouse. We'll look at the Palace from the main gate, and discuss its history and architecture.

15 minutes