• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Welcome to Edinburgh! Want to know the best places to eat? Cool events in town? Which places to go to and which to avoid? Or simply get some help to navigate the city? Book this private tour with a local and get the perfect introduction to Edinburgh to start your city trip on the right foot.

Destination

Edinburgh, Scotland

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

1.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Dansk, Svenska, Español

Included

• Private guide
• Local Tips and Tricks
• City Orientation
• CO2 Neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset

Excluded

• Entrance for attractions not included

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 12 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

   Meet at Outside the main entrance Burgers and Beers Grillhouse - Edinburgh to start your journey

   View on Maps

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. City Highlights

   See St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, and more landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots of the city so you can get the perfect introduction to what makes Edinburgh so special

4. Local Hot Spots

   Along the way, your host will point out hangout spots and hidden gems that only the locals know about and will help you get acquainted with the city in the most local way possible

5. Food Recommendations

   Receive tailored recommendations according to your taste and where to go and what to eat while visiting Edinburgh. Avoid tourist traps thanks to your local host!

6. City Orientation

   Learn how to navigate the city, and get the answers to your Edinburgh questions that will help you in the following days making your time in the city much easier

7. 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

sven

(About local Laura)

10 February 2025

Wir haben die Schnellstart Tour durch Edinburgh gebucht. Es war toll wie Laura uns die schöne Geschichte von Edinburgh erzählt hat und durch die Stadt geführt hat. Wir können Laura zu 100% weiterempfehlen Es war super mit Laura

cbgs2w9mpg

(About local Alice)

3 January 2025

Alice showed us all the interesting sites while weaving in Scottish history and folklore. She gave us excellent suggestions on things to see, places to eat. Her stories were so theatrical you thought you were watching a play unfold.She was also very kind and lovely.The Deacon Brodie 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

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!!!

Liz🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alec)

2 September 2024

We only had an hour and a half tour booked with Alec, which he extended an extra 15 minutes......yet the wealth of information that was intriguing, enlightening, and comical in that brief time was so extensive and interesting that I wrote probably my longest ever Facebook post describing our experience. If you have only a short time, Alec will give you a jam packed experience. We were only there for one day as a cruise ship port, but Alec showed us such a taste of Edinburgh's rich history and colored past that it is the one port we want to return to and spend a week....and when we do we'll book Alec again and do a much longer tour!Nonstop stories and oddities...fantastic!

Jeff 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

21 August 2024

We had the privilege of taking a tour of Edinburgh with Monica in July. We enjoyed it very much. She is a very knowledgeable and quick to answer any questions we had about the Edinburgh. We would definitely meet Monica again for a future tour and maybe tour another area of beautiful Edinburgh. Thank you for great recommendations as well! We tried the Cullen Skink it was delicious!!

Isabelle

(About local Alec)

29 July 2024

Une visite que nous regrettons de na pas avoir choisie plus longue tant le temps est passé rapidement avec les commentaires intéressants d'Alec (qui s'adapte vraiment à la demande et aux centres d'intérêt de ses touristes) et à son humour. Un très agréable momentUne agréable visite d'Edimbourg

Paul🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alice)

24 July 2024

Alice was punctual, informative and entertaining. A great storyteller and very knowledgable. Thank you!Great experience

melanie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Russell)

17 July 2024

Russell was absolutely fantastic! His knowledge of Edunburgh, and overall Scottish, history was exactly what we were looking for. He also pointed out important architectural landmarks and had a deep knowledge of them and their eras. Plus he was an overall pleasant person. Thank you Russell for enhancing our trip!Fantastic!

Laura🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

9 July 2024

We did the kick start to Edinburgh tour. The tour was an excellent introduction to Edinburgh. Svend-Erik is an engaged storyteller and his passion for his adopted city of Edinburgh shown through. This tour is light on walking but rich with history and details of Edinburgh. A storyteller’s intro to Edinburgh

Yuliya🇺🇸 United States

(About local Russell)

22 June 2024

Had a great time with Russell. He was very flexible and showed us some key places and taught us a bit of history. Had a lot of recommendations for as well. It was an enjoyable overview of the town. Would definitely recommend him to my friends. Great overview of Edinburgh.

Amy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

8 June 2024

Laura was so fun to have as a tour guide. She tells history like she’s sharing a story of something that just happened . She’s full of knowledge, historical facts and little tidbits that kept us laughing and amused. She’s worth every penny, I just wish we could have taken her around all day.Laura has all the scoop

Dr Bruce🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

16 May 2024

dr.annemarie.keller

(About local Laura)

11 May 2024

for the limited time we had in Edinburgh, we got from Laura an excellent introduction to the Highlights of the city 😀👍👌Introduction to Edinburgh

Heike🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alice)

6 May 2024

Alice was brilliant and very kind. We had the pleasure of spending one and a half hour with Alice, touring Edinburgh. She has a lot of knowledge about the history of Edinburgh and Scotland. Alice had us gripped up from the very beginning with her enthusiasm and vivid details! We can highly recommend Alice as a guide for an authentic and well-timed experience of Edinburgh's myths, ghosts and legends. Thank you Alice for such a great experience! Fantastic guide and story teller.

Lucia🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Laura)

6 April 2024

We could not recommend Laura enough - Laura’s family have been in Edinburgh for many, many generations, and we knew from the outset that we were in authentic and knowledgable hands. She was engaging, funny, and full of amazing historical facts that we have been repeating since we left, and she made us fall in love with the city and all its wonders. The 1h30 flew past and honestly we would repeat the tour so many times. Do not hesitate to pick Laura! Incredible Laura!

scott

(About local Alice)

16 January 2024

For my partners Birthday I arranged a private tour of Edinburgh with Alice. Alice is a great tour guide and told some very interesting stories about Edinburgh. Alice is very passionate about Edinburgh and we really enjoyed listening to the history of the city. Thank you so much for a wonderful 2 hour guide. Private tour of Edinburgh

Sujit🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

19 December 2023

We had a great informative and lively experience with AliceShe has a very expressive and fun way of sharing her stories and cave trulyenjoyed our timewith her. Highly recommend her!simply awesome?

SASIDHARAN🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Alice)

29 November 2023

Alice was brilliant and very kind. To start with, she accepted our request to postpone the time by half an hour without any fuss! The one and half hours were simply brilliant and Deacon Brodie story is going to stay with me forever! Alice had a special talent in storytelling and finally we were least surprised when she told us that she was a performing artist. Thank you so much for your time, Alice. We will find you in our next visit too! Experiencing the Royal mile.

Cara🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Laura)

3 October 2023

Laura provided my family and I with a great little tour of some main areas in Edinburgh. She told us engaging stories and got us very excited to explore the city further. Thank you Laura!!Great Introduction to Edinburgh

Dianne🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

17 September 2023

Alice had us gripped from the very beginning Such enthusiasm and vivid detail!What A Storyteller!

Alex🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Monica)

31 July 2023

Our family recently had the pleasure of exploring Edinburgh with Monica, and we couldn't be happier with the experience! From the very start, she made us feel welcomed setting the tone for a memorable adventure. She effortlessly engaged us with captivating stories and fascinating historical facts. Monica’s depth of knowledge about Edinburgh's history, architecture, and culture was surely impressive, and she shared it all with passion and enthusiasm.

Grant🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

9 July 2023

Svend-Erik is a one-of-a-kind tour guide, with a vibrant, fun personality. I would gladly take any tour that he offers again.Great personality

Larry🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Laura)

2 June 2023

I would recommend this tour with Laura at the outset of your time in Edinburgh as it helped shape the rest of our stay in very positive ways. Laura was not only very knowledgable and sharing she was also a great resource to bounce ideas off of and to get tips on where to go and how long to allow for the visits. She definitely made our experience in the city both better and more memorable.Great Grounding to start a visit

Alexander🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

23 May 2023

All of my family (besides me!) are skeptical of guided tours, but Alice immediately won them over. My father, a former college history professor, raved about Alice's ability to convey stories in an entertaining and accessible way. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Alice was a delight

christiani.julie🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alice)

7 March 2023

We had a very nice tour with Alice and enjoyed every story. It was way more than just a kickstart to us. We are now going to explore the city and look for all the recommended sites and places. The 90 minutes were perfect for me and my 13-year-old. Highly recommended

xxxxxx

(About local Laura)

23 September 2022

Laura was great and it was the perfect introduction to Edinburgh. Her knowledge was the right amount to absorb and our walk took in a few hidden gems! Would highly recommend.Perfect intro to Edinburgh

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

30 August 2022

Alice was very friendly and knowledgeable. She is a gifted story teller and kept our interest throughout the tour. We could have spent more time with her but felt she gave us a good overview and ideas for further exploration.Alice was great!

Gene🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

25 August 2022

Laura was a fine guide of Old Town. Anyone can read a map; Laura’s value is her knowledge and stories. She made stone buildings more relevant and history a good backdrop for Edinburgh. Thank you Laura for keeping our pace.Entertaining Laura

Debby🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alice)

20 August 2022

Alice was a fantastic guide. She pointed out many must visit spots and shared so many fascinating, entertaining stories about the city. What a great story teller! We feel like we learned more in the two hrs we spent with Alice then any other tour during our stay in Scotland. Alice gave us wonderful recommendations. So glad she was the first person we met upon arrival. Alice set the tone for a dream trip to Edinburgh! Thank you! A great introduction to the city@

Robert🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Svend-Erik)

17 August 2022

Erik ‘The Viling

chuck🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

14 August 2022

Thank you for sharing your stories of Edinburgh with us Alice! We enjoyed every one of them. Edinburgh is steeped in history and it’s so easy to walk right by (or over) an important landmark and not even know it. We learned so much in this short 1.5 hour tour - the time truly flew by! We all agreed (even my 12-year-old girls) that spending more time with you would have been great. Thank you again and to all reading - don’t hesitate. Just book with Alice. Cheer'sA Simply Amazing Day in Edinburgh

ben🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alice)

12 July 2022

If you’re in Edinburgh and want a brief and charming introduction to the Old Town, just book a tour with Alice. She’s a wonderful story teller and knows how to pace a tour !Go ask Alice !

Elisabete🇵🇹 Portugal

(About local Alice)

11 July 2022

Alice , was a wonderful guide and showed us another look of Edinburgh. We had such a nice time and had the opportunity to learn so many stories about the city. Thank you for the experience ❤️Loved our tour

Pam🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

11 July 2022

Alice was warm and friendly - and full of interesting stories and great tips. Perfect way to start our time in Edinburgh!Wonderful

Beverly🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

9 July 2022

Alice tells stories that you just want to keep going! Her knowledge and enthusiastic delivery brings history to life. Plus I now know where to go for fish & frites and whatever else I might need. I feel like I have a fairly good grasp on the layout of Edinburg. Thank you so much Alice! What a great time. Such great stories1

Rebecca🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

6 July 2022

We love taking a walking tour upon arrival in a new city, and the tour with Laura was everything we had hoped for. She was an extremely knowledgable and personable guide who made the walking tour fun - even when it briefly rained. We would recommend her to any of our friends!Great way to be introduced to Edinburgh!

Laura🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

30 June 2022

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Laura. We found it amusing that I am Laura and so is my traveling companion. The 3 Lauras took off on our walking tour of Edinburgh. Laura was lovely, and a wonderful tour guide. She shared so much history and information with us in just 90 minutes. We learned so much and thought it was a great way to start our visit. Edinburgh is one of the most gorgeous cities I’ve ever seen, and the locals are so warm and friendly. Highly recommend booking a tour with Laura!Wonderful start to our visit to Edinburgh

Margot🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

28 April 2022

I highly recommend Laura, as your tour guide! She was at the meeting place, ahead of time. She was very pleasant in appearance and was friendly, cheerful, and warm. She possessed mastery of the history of Edinburgh. She was articulate and easy to understand. She welcomed our questions. We had only four persons in our tour, which was ideal. We covered a lot of ground and a lot of history. Laura was very fit so she could easily transverse. I was sorry, when the tour ended, because it was so interesting: Laura packed a lot of history into our brief 1.5 hours!Excellent Tour Guide: Edinburgh, Scotland

Erik🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Svend-Erik)

26 April 2022

Very entertaining tour incl. interesting and funny stories - we all appreciated the time with Svend-Erik - thanks again for accepting us. All the best - Erik

Unknown

(About local Svend-Erik)

23 April 2022

Svend Erik was very inspiring and captivating. Inspired

Daphne🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Laura)

22 April 2022

We loved the tour with Laura. A very friendly lady, with a good voice and beautiful stories about the Castle, The Writers' Museum, the dog Bobby enz. We had the idea that she showed us valuable places during the 1,5 hour kickstart tour. We would definitely recommend the tour! Greetings Daphne & fam from The NetherlandsLovely kickstarttour in Edinborough

Garrett🇺🇸 United States

(About local Laura)

20 April 2022

We had a great time. Laura is a great storyteller and weaves literature and fascinating stories into the tour. She took us into charming little areas we never would have found on our own. We did the 1.5 hour tour and the time flew by but we learned so much about Edinburgh. It was a wonderful first experience using Withlocals.Thank you Laura.

Sarah 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Laura)

12 March 2022

We booked a last minute tour with Laura and thoroughly enjoyed it, she was knowledgeable and friendly, really bringing history to life and showing us places we wouldn’t have been to otherwise. Would highly recommend booking Laura for a tour. Fantastic morning

Matthew🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Debbie)

25 November 2021

Hello, we had a very pleasant tour and chat with Debbie for the quick overview of Edinburgh. Her love for the city was apparent, and gave us a good basis for a very beautiful city. Nice tour and time spent with Debbie

Silvia🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Laura)

30 October 2021

I can’t be more happy about Laura. She is professional, kind, funny. The tour was amazing with a lot of local story telling. My daughter 12 years old and myself loved itFantastic guide

Helen

(About local Paul)

19 October 2021

From a distance Paul looked every bit the Scot in his smart kilt and traditional knitted jumper. When we approached and spoke to him his Spanish accent took us by surprise. Don’t let that fool you. Paul knows his stuff and brought this beautiful city to life. We had a 10 year old with us that he instantly connected with. Tailoring our tour to him and sharing age appropriate stories of life through the ages, body snatching, Blackfriars Bobby and Harry Potter all rolled in to one tour. Our 90 minute tour became almost 2 hours, yet our son was captivated. We’ve done lots of exciting things in Edinburgh and yet this was his favourite. Commendation in deed for an excellent guide. A Scot in all but accent

Jonathan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Laura)

27 September 2021

Excellent