Edinburgh Royal Mile History Walking Tour

If you like your history a little deeper and more unusual, these new walking tours of the Royal Mile may be perfect!
Building on more than six years of unbroken five star reviews for his private touring, your guide Dr Moray Grigor will be delighted to welcome you into the rich and strange history of Scotland’s capital, as he brings you traditional tales of the Royal Mile and the events and characters which shaped it.

In this central section of the Royal Mile (Tuesday tour), we’ll be hearing of jailbreaks, civil wars, Jacobites, disappearing wigs, smelly deluges, Gaelic poets, hero firemasters, and Edinburgh’s greatest society beauty – not to mention three of Edinburgh’s ‘gifts’ to the world!

Hear the sounds of Scots and Gaelic poetry and song (with translation), and tales that will stir the imagination and bring our history to life.

Experience the care, attention and warm Edinburgh welcome that brought six years of unbroken five stars!

Meeting Point

Statue of Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott

Queensberry Memorial to Walter Scott, W Parliament Sq, Edinburgh EH1 1RN, UK

This is a large statue on a plinth, near to the main (West) door of St. Giles' Cathedral.

What's included:

• Full guiding services

What to expect:

Duration: 2 hours

Heart of Midlothian

197 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PW

This Edinburgh icon, a heart-shaped pattern of cobblestones, marks the door site of our ancient jail; here we'll hear of famous inmates and daring escapes.

10 minutes

St Giles' Cathedral

High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1RE

Outside St. Giles, we'll hear the story of the thrown stool that ignited a civil war, as well as hearing of the Church's own fascinating history. (No internal visit to the Cathedral in the tour)

10 minutes

Advocate's Close

1 Advocates Close, Edinburgh, EH1 1PQ

Closes are the alleyways of Edinburgh's Old Town, and we'll be exploring the picturesque Advocate's Close as well as many others as we discover our Tales of the Royal Mile.

5 minutes

Edinburgh City Chambers

45-329 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PN

In this handsome complex we'll hear stories of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was imprisoned on the site, as well as pioneer geologist Hugh Miller, who worked here. We'll hear the story of the building's origins, and it's early teething troubles!

10 minutes

Mercat Cross

Mercat Cross, Edinburgh

Here at Edinburgh's ancient centre where proclamations were made, we'll share stories of Bonnie Prince Charlie's time in the city, and meet the 'Caddies' - the street porters whose base this was.

10 minutes

Adam Smith Statue

Parliament Square, Edinburgh

Father of Economics Adam Smith lived in the Royal Mile, and is celebrated by this statue, where we'll hear stories of him and his great friend David Hume, leading lights of Edinburgh's 'golden age'.

5 minutes

Tron Kirk

122 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS

We'll view from outside this handsome church, dating back to the reign of King Charles I, and hear stories of its role as Edinburgh's great Hogmanay celebration spot. Next door in Hunter Square we'll hear a tale from the restoration of King Charles II, starring a famous Edinburgh lady we met earlier on the tour!

5 minutes