• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Imagine this: a scenic road trip from Edinburgh to explore St Andrews with stops along the way to discover viewpoints, villages, incredible nature, and cultural gems. Sounds like a dream? No, it’s possible on a Withlocals day trip with a local host leading the way!

Destination

Edinburgh, Scotland

Category

Day Trips

Duration

10 hours

Transport mode

Car

Available languages

English

Included

• Private guide
• A/C car
• Guest pick up and drop off
• CO2 neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset
• Pick-up Included

Excluded

• Tickets for Kingbarns distillery tour & tasting; entrance Falkland Palace; entrance secret bunker on guests expenses (optional)
• Lunch (on guest expenses)

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 7 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   You will be picked up anywhere in Edinburgh. Your local host will contact you regarding the exact pickup point.

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Convenient Pick-up & Drop Off

   On the day of your day trip, your local host will pick you up from your accommodation or an agreed location. Once the day trip comes to an end, they’ll drop you off at your accommodation

4. Scenic Trip

   This full-day trip is arranged for you, so all you have to do is enjoy the sights as your host takes you through while telling you incredible stories and insight

5. Only You & Your Host!

   Forget about cramped touristy buses, on this private day trip, you’ll have all of your host’s attention. Get the chance to speak 1-1 and get all of your questions answered for a personal experience that will make this trip more memorable

6. What’s in Store for You

   Check out from viewpoints, nature, and cultural gems such as St Andrews, Falkland Village and Kingsbarns distillery plus other stops your local host has prepared for you along the way

7. Optional Lunch

   Along the way, your local host will recommend you typical and local places where you can stop to have lunch and catch a break. Lunch is not included in the price

8. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Robin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

12 December 2024

Monica was a fantastic tour guide! Very accommodating to customize our tour so that we could see everything we wanted on our day. I will definitely use her again when I return to the area. Wonderful Tour!

Thomas🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Neil)

30 September 2024

Unsere Gruppe hatte einen tollen Tag mit Neil in St. Andrews und den Fischerdörfern. Super Tür zu Tür -Service vom Hotel in Edinburgh mit tollen Infos und immer wieder überraschenden neuen ImpressionenEin toller Tag in Five

Tara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

21 September 2024

Neil was incredibly knowledgeable and kind. He was able to answer every question we had on the tour. He even took us to spots that we requested that were not on the original itinerary. Neil also gave us many tips for things to do in Edinburgh as well. Thank you Neil!!Thank you Neil!!

Sally🇺🇸 United States

(About local Justin)

26 June 2024

We did the full day tour to St. Andrews from Edinburgh & it did not disappoint! The vehicle was comfortable (4 of us plus guide) & the itinerary was more than we expected. Justin's knowledge of history & story-telling was top-notch. We walked a lot which we love but keep that in mind. We visited Culross, St Andrews (town, ruins & golf course), Anstruther fishing village (where we had award winning fish & chips and did a little shopping), & the Kingsbarns distillery tour. Great Day

cynthia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

13 September 2023

We had the delightful pleasure of having Alec as our guide in Edinburg and St Andrew’s. He provided fascinating historical antidotes and pointed out many stunning sites. He possesses a generous spirit, and it was evident throughout our 10 hours with him that he genuinely enjoys sharing his knowledge and expertise in Scottish history!!10

Josie🇺🇸 United States

(About local David)

3 September 2023

He tailored our tour to our specific requests. He was very informative, friendly and personable. We had such an amazing day with Dave! Highly recommend!! Great Day with Dave!

Stephanie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ross)

5 May 2023

Ross was amazing! He designed a creative,fun, informative tour that will be unforgettable…he’s smart and enjoyable to be with.

Tamara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Justin)

1 October 2022

Justin is wonderful- so nice and amazingly knowledgeable. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a tour guide. His attention to detail is top notch and he kept us right on schedule!!!Knowledgeable and friendly

Gene🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

26 August 2022

Neil did a great job on our day tour to St. Andrews and Falkland. Stopping at small towns along the way and reliving history made for an enriching experience. And we got to visit the Pro shop at St. Andrews Old Course! Thanks for great narration along the way -especially about Single Malts, our mutual passion.Neil - knowledgeable and efficient

tammy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

23 July 2022

Absolutely wonderful day with Neil! I would recommend him as a guide to anyone. Trip to st andrews

Marcia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

22 July 2022

Our group of 3 enjoyed our trip to St Andrew's with Neil. His extensive knowledge of whiskey was enlightening. He tailored the trip to our interests and gave great advice on where to eat. His information about whiskey allowed us to enjoy our whiskey journey. St Andrew's

Kenneth 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

7 May 2022

Neil communicated effortlessly with me prior to my touching down at the airport. My flight was delayed a hour and the first friendly face I saw in the arrival hall was Neil ! He assisted us with luggage and had a well appointed van ready for our tour. We had a fantastic tour of Edinburgh prior to leaving for our rented flat in St Andrews. Neil was fantastic in keeping the three of us in our party alert and engaged throughout the tour. He has a great wealth of information and it was awesome to get his insights. Neil was accommodating to my wife’s need to stop at a grocery store to get our flat stocked for our visit ! 5 stars are hardly enough. Book Neil if you want a connoisseur of Scottish life and a well rounded gentleman Stress Free beginnings !

Mickey🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

2 May 2022

Monica provided us with a thoroughly enjoyable trip through the beautiful Scottish countryside and the birthplace of golf at St. Andrews. We booked the tour on a Sunday when the Old Course is closed for play and open to the public to walk and explore. As an avid golfer it was such a thrill to have Monica take our picture on the historic Swilcan Bridge. It’s was very exciting to see the preparations being made for the upcoming 150th British Open. My wife Margie enjoys beaches and Monica went out of her way to incorporate that into our tour. All in all it was a wonderful and relaxing day. Monica was extremely personable and knowledgeable in all phases of Scottish culture. We appreciated the way she tailored the tour to our specific needs and interests. We highly recommend this tour!Wonerful Day!

Bryce🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

25 March 2022

Monica was a great guide. We spent two days with her: the first on a trip to St. Andrews and the second to some castle viewing and more scenic spots in the highlands. She did a great job filling us in on local and national history, taking us to quaint, local spots for lunch, and generally making out experience memorable and fun. My only quibble is that she is a tad loosey, goosey on time: things seemed to always be being moved around, adjusted, etc. so we often seemed to be driving more than necessary. I felt a tighter timeline would have helped this type-A personality a bit more. Otherwise, Monica is fantastic and really made our Scottish trip one to remember for a lifetime. A Delight!

Wanda🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

9 September 2021

Monica was a delight. She was aware of our priorities and was prepared and professional. Monica delivered a beautiful experience. The beautiful sunshine reflected the joy. She was also flexible with her schedule. Monica is a terrific ambassador. We were sorry when our tour ended as it must. Roger and Wanda MarandaPersonal Connection

miranda

(About local Monica)

24 February 2025

Konrad

(About local Alec)

16 February 2025

We definitely recommend a private tour with Alec for the first moment you arrive in Edinburgh. We enjoyed the whole tour from the first moment and it was a great start to our long weekend. It was very informative and interesting. It was lovely to hear all the stories from Alec. Awesome way to know the city

andrewmackay48

(About local Monica)

16 February 2025

I visited for my first time, we took a tour of the castle, stopped in a fantastic little pub, walked through greyfriar etc. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip and Monica was supper friendly and made my trip a memorable one by making a few amendments by request. Including a picture with the grave of he who shall not be named for my daughter. Fantastic experience

Alan🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Alec)

9 February 2025

Very informative and thought provoking tour with Alec. Lots of history (naturally) laced with plenty of good humour. Real privilege getting to see the Thistle Chapel in St Giles Cathedral.Edinburgh Old Town Tales

Charles🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

8 February 2025

Exploring the Edinburgh castle with Alec was a wonderful experience and was a highlight of out trip. He is super knowledgable, attentive and has a very warm personality. My wife and I are looking forward coming back to Edinburgh and have Alec show us more of the wonders of the city. The perfect guide

Victoria

(About local Scott)

4 February 2025

I would highly recommend this experience! Scott is a wonderful guide-he is very attentive and knowledgeable, and made our first trip to the Highlands special.Highlands

Maria🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

2 February 2025

We had an absolutely fabulous tour of Edinburgh with Alec. We saw all of the key sights in the old town which is beautiful. Alec was extremely knowledgeable and was full of stories which were enlightening and funny! Alec was a pleasure to spend our afternoon with and we would highly recommend him as a tour guide. Thank you so much.Cannot recommend Alec enough

Johanna

(About local Alec)

1 February 2025

Alec met us in front of the Royal Mile Whiskies right on time and took us on a very interesting and entertaining historic tour through Edinburgh. He was very knowledgeable and a good storyteller, with many details that only locals know. We had three lovely hours with this guide, although our expectation was that we would have a food tour with ten different samples of local food and some culinary explanation. So, a great experience, although not what we expected.History tour

Mike

(About local Scott)

20 January 2025

Incredible private tour of the Highlands! Excellent communications beforehand between louis and Scott. Asked in advance what we would like to experience is their website and was given advice based upon the weather forecast. On time pick up and drop off at our accommodations! Very comfortable transportation for our family of five. Scott wad knowledgeable, safe, friendly, and easy to get on with. The weather was a bit dodgy and Scott was super flexible and made sure we saw everything and had ample time to relax and explore. We did the glen or tour and visited Doune Castle. The Geography was breathtakingly beautiful and majestic and exceeded our expectations for awe and natural beauty. We enjoyed the small towns we stopped in and the food recommendations. We felt like we were traveling with a family member and would highly recommend this this tour.Castles

Rebekah

(About local Scott)

17 January 2025

Highly recommended! Gorgeous locations and great conversation. We had the best day with Scott! If you want a day trip to St Andrews, you can't go wrong with this tour.St Andrews

Debbie

(About local Scott)

14 January 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed this private tour with louis' associate Scott! He was extremely knowledgeable about history and geology of Scotland and was terrific conversationalist. He went above and beyond for us and we highly recommend this business.History tour

Melonie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

12 January 2025

Our time in Edinburgh was really special thanks to Alec. In our short time together, he shared many of Edinburgh’s hidden gems and interesting historical stories. We would never have learned all of the neat things he shared roaming Edinburgh on our own. We can’t say enough great things about Alec and his fun, energetic personality. We will be back to tour with Alec again!Edinburgh with a pro!

Kristen

(About local Scott)

10 January 2025

Scott was our tour guide for a day trip to the Highlands. He arrived promptly, had a very clean and comfortable SUV and most importantly he was a great host for the day. He had a great knowledge about a lot of topics beyond, and helped us see Stirling castle, a great waterfall and the Highlands ( we went to Glencoe) lunch at the bakery in Callander was delicious and easy as well. Easy to talk to, the day flew by. Would definitely hire him for other tours if we return to Edinburgh!Highland tour

Mary🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

3 January 2025

Don’t hesitate if you are thinking of booking the city kickstarter tour. ALEC personalized our tour and it met our needs perfectly. I highly recommend both him and this tour on your arrival to Edinburgh. My granddaughter and myself are thankful to have done this. Thank you again, Alec. Local knowledge helps to plan your trip

Allie

(About local Scott)

1 January 2025

Our highland day trip with Scott was phenomenal. He customised the day to fit our needs/interests, and asked if we would like to stop or skip certain activities along the way. We stopped at Deanston distillery for a 1hour tasting/tour and it was wonderful! Because of this, we needed to rearrange our day, and Scott walked us through all our options. He was professional, communicative, knowledgeable and very friendly. The entire drive was comfortable and safe, and we stopped at Mhor bakery ( definitely recommended). The weather was a bit rainy/cloudy/cold given the time of year, but Scott helped us make the most of it- and he took some lovely photos of us throughout the day. If your looking for a great trip out of Edinburgh, look no further!Distillery tour

Stuart🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

25 December 2024

The tour with Alec was great. In addition to a cutting witty humor, Alec was full of interesting facts only a local would know. His intimate connection and love for his city was evident and made for a lovely tour experience. Absolutely worth it. Excellent Experience

Simon🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

15 December 2024

We took a 90 minute tour with Alec which was a great introduction to the city Alec has an amazing depth of knowledge relating to the history of the city and he was happy to share this with us. I would highly recommend him and will certainly book him again on my return.Wonderful Edinburgh

Pascal🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

14 December 2024

Starting off, Alec is simply amazing and a well of information! We had a blast walking the Royal Mile, looking at lots of details and getting funny and interesting insights into things to see in Edinburgh. Would not have wanted to miss it for the world and would him straight away for next time. As a matter of fact - we will for when we get back to visit the Highlands 🤩Alex is a MUST-BOOK when in Edinburgh!!!

Kristin

(About local Scott)

8 December 2024

Scott was so knowledgeable about the history of Scotland. He also put us right at ease with his sense of humour like. We communicated the about an itinerary based on our interest. Everything we did was so unique. It felt like a once in a lifetime experience. We can't wait to come back to Scotland to see more!Countryside tour

Tammi

(About local Scott)

23 November 2024

We just completed a whirlwind trip through several countries and took several tours. Without question this was our favourite tour of all. Scott is a great conversationalist, thoughtful host and superb at imparting his knowledge of history. It was if he knew our family for a long time as we shared many great laughs. He's also a great photographer and caught many good family photos of us along the way. We highly recommend this full day 5- star experience.Day trip

lynda🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

25 October 2024

1

Alec was an amazing historian and story teller. He exposed us to areas and stories we would most definitely have missed. The city tour was diversified and Alec was accommodating, adapting the tour to our mobility concerns. 10+++Fantastic Edinburgh city tour

Mark🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

25 October 2024

William

(About local Scott)

24 October 2024

Scott was an excellent guide and was clearly extremely knowledgeable. We loved his consistent flow of facts throughout the comfortable ride. He was friendly, professional, calm. Flexible. We saw several beautiful sights in the Highlands paired with an informative historical narrative. He also even gave us a whole or restaurant recommendations once we were back in the city. We are lucky we had him as a guide and you would be too.Highland review

6y5ywzrcby

(About local Monica)

22 October 2024

My husband and I had an amazing tour with Monica in late September. She was very personable and we felt like old friends fairly quickly. Her knowledge of the City and history was perfect. She gave wonderful recommendations for things to do and places to eat/drink for the rest of our stay, and they all turned out to be perfect. One of her pub recommendations was so good that we went there a few times over the course of the week. We’d absolutely recommend Monica for anyone looking for a good walking tour.We had a wonderful tour with Monica!

Birgitta🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alec)

13 October 2024

My daughter and I had a lovely time with Alec despite the not so welcoming weather (rain and hail). He had answers to all our questions and was pleasant to listen to. He was very knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. We highly recommend him.Fun and knowledgeable tour

Larry

(About local Alec)

12 October 2024

Alec was a friendly and knowledgeable guide. He was flexible when it came to what we were interested in eating. Highly recommend you spend some time with Alec in Edinburgh.Great fun

Allison

(About local Scott)

12 October 2024

This was such a wonderful experience!!! We only had a few days in Edinburgh but really wanted to experience the Highlands. This was a perfect way to have exposure to this beautiful side off Scotland in a short amount of time. Scott was an amazing tour guide. So Knowledgeable, kind, and entertaining! I highly recommend this tour. It was gorgeous and so much fun!Edinburgh

Megan

(About local Scott)

10 October 2024

Scott was a fabulous tour guide! He was very knowledgeable about a variety of subjects and could carry on a conversation during the entire day. You could tell he is passionate about Scotland and sharing with visitors. This tour was magical with the snow covered hills and mountains and fog in the valleys. We were lucky when the clouds broke enough to see the peaks. So glad we booked this tour!Winter your

Liza

(About local Alec)

7 October 2024

We booked Alec for a food tasting tour around Edinburgh old town on a busy Saturday. Alec was extremely friendly, polite, approachable and knowledgable. It was great to hear tales of bygone era as well as from Alec’s own childhood in the town. Many of the historical sites we visited we may have just walked on past and not fully appreciated but Alec really brought the history to life. I wouldn’t recommend eating anything prior to your tour as we were well fed (the Greggs lorne sausage being a highlight). Thanks Alec for sharing your knowledge and for being a top tour guide. A brilliant experience

Erin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

6 October 2024

Alec was a delight. Witty, professional and knowledgeable- couldn’t ask for anything more from a tour. We had the best time learning about Edinburgh from him. Absolutely book Alec. Exceptional guide & tour!

Neha

(About local Scott)

5 October 2024

We did our tour with Scott and it was such a wonderful experience! We had limited time in Edinburgh wanted to feel like we could actually see the Highlands and Scott was so flexible in working with us to experience so many different places! It was also so comfortable getting around in his van, and even with the weather being gloomy and rainy, we still had a magical time due to his vast knowledge of the region and dedication to picking unique spots that we could still enjoy! Thank you Scott for such a wonderful day!Edinburgh/ Highlands

Jen

(About local Scott)

3 October 2024

We did a tour with Scott and had a fantastic day seeing the gorgeous views. There were a lot of Stops but nothing felt rushed. This was our favourite part of our trip and would recommend it to anyone on the fence DO it!Countryside tour

Mathilde🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

3 October 2024

This was probably the highlight of our weekend in Edinburgh! Alec is a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable about history and his city, it was a real pleasure to discover Edinburgh with him. He also gave us great tips on other things to do and discover in our own time, and recommended some other good food places to try. One thing to clarify, before booking the tour I saw other reviews mentioning the fact that the title of the tour "The 10 tastings of Edinburgh" was misleading as there were less than 10 dishes. This was true in our case, so maybe the title and the description of the tour should be amended to reflect that better. We tried 6 different dishes in total, and those were all delicious and a true discovery! I would definitely recommend the tour to other people, especially if you are lucky enough to get Alec as a guide, but with the caveat that you will most likely not get the 10 dishes as advertised in the title. However, it's still a tour that is 100% worth your time!! Great tour, great food, great guide!!

Teresa

(About local Scott)

30 September 2024

Scott was an amazing guide! He knows plenty of details and historic facts about the places. He was incredible, my family and I decided to make this tour on new years day and I am so grateful because Scott helped us to adapt the route so we can make the best of the time taking in to account everything was closed. I highly recommend this tour, it gave us such a special perspective of the Highlands; we were very very lucky! And the scenery just wow! When we get back to Scotland we'll be doing more tours with you!Scenery tour

Mona🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

29 September 2024

Alec was a few minutes late but all was forgiven when it was because the King was in town (and last minute road closure) as his procession went right past the meeting point! Alec was a informative, intelligent, articulate and funny- a good time was had by the 3 of us!Excellent time!