• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Ready for a jam-packed tour, full of history, culture, stories, and sights? Checkmark from your travel bucket list all your must-sees of Edinburgh, because if there’s a Withlocals tour that shows you all the city's ins and outs, it’s this complete and personalized tour of Edinburgh.

Destination

Edinburgh, Scotland

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Dansk, Svenska

Included

• Private guide
• 1 Local snack or drink
• Public transport
• All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral

Excluded

• Entrance tickets

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 10 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 In front of Wagamama Edinburgh - 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 the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Canongate Kirk, and more must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots of the city so you can get the perfect overview to what makes Edinburgh so special

4. Hidden Gems

   long the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists get to experience

5. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

6. More Things to See

   With more time, you’ll have the chance to enter some of the landmarks and attractions your host has planned for you. Get in touch with the host of your choice to hear more about their plan

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

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

Saskia

(About local Gains)

5 March 2025

Gains waited for us at the hotel lobby in the new city and took us for a two hour walk, through the new city to the old city and the castle for another hour. We experienced an outstanding three hours of historic lecture, learned a lot and heard a lot of fun facts too. Gains knows a great deal about the city and it's history and we probably could have spent another three hours to learn even more about the city. Highly recommended! Very knowledgable sympathetic guide

Jessica

(About local GJ)

27 February 2025

Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private " GJ did such an amazing job showing us around Edinburgh on our walking food tour. Even with the rain, it was such a lovely afternoon exploring the Old Town. During the tour G was often asking us questions about our interests and adapting the tour as we went to make it more customized. The food was delicious and we got to taste all of the local dishes we were hoping to try out. Despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, it was a perfect first day in Scotland with the friendliest guide. " Review by J B, September 27th, 2024Tastings of Edinburgh

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

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

Tania🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alice)

28 January 2025

We had a wonderful time on The Hidden Gems of Edinburgh Tour with Alice as a family of 4 with 2 school age kiddos. Alice told wonderful and engaging stories for everyone while taking us around to local spots! We would definitely suggest her for a tour.Fun Family 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

Wendy

(About local GJ)

4 January 2025

GJ was attentive to our interest and made a great effort. We were impressed by his knowledge and how he made history come alive during the tour. Thanks to Gee’s tips , we manage to find Best Buys that are made in Scotland only and also find delicious food . He also suggested to us several attractions. These attractions were useful to our understanding of Scotland . I am also grateful for the great photo shots he took for us ! Thank you , Gee ! Keep up the good work ! Edinburgh Private Tour: Castle to Arthur’s Seat

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

JILL

(About local Alice)

2 January 2025

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

Judith

(About local GJ)

25 December 2024

Scotch Tour Edinburgh with a Local Expert: Private & 100% Personalized Partner or CU Website Guest Review " Gee was great! He crafted the tour to what we had specifically wanted. The pace. The opportunity to learn about whiskey. He had good stories. Helped us learn about some Scottish history. And he was just a delight to spend the afternoon with. " Edinburgh: Walking and Whisky 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!!!

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!

Sonja🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Alice)

9 December 2024

Our tour with Alice was fantastic, she explained us the most intresting storys about the history of Edinburgh, all by heart. It was easy to follow her because she has'nt got a strong accent. We totally forgot to freeze in the cold wind, because her speech was so thrilling and it was like a dive into Edinburgh history. I can totally recommend this tour and would definetely book her again. A dive into the history of 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

Linda

(About local GJ)

26 November 2024

We got to spend 3 hours walking the city, seeing and hearing amazing things and tasting really great local Scottish food. My husband and I did a tour with Gee for 3 hours incorporating our personal interests in sites in Edinburgh and including a stop at a local pub for lunch in which we were invited to try some local food. We were traveling with another couple who are very good friends of ours and were able to walk the city and see Dean Village, Grassmarket, a quick peak at the Royal Mile (we didn't want to spend tons of time there since it is so busy with tourists), both Old Town and New Town, Outlander site, Calton Hill and points of interest along the way between these spots. G was a wonderful guide and made the whole experience a high point of our time in Edinburgh. He shared many interesting and fun stories full of the history of Edinburgh. At the pub, we enjoyed (even though we doubted we would) Cullen Skink, Boiled Scottish eggs, Haggis Spring Rolls, and Smoked Salmon. Thanks to G’s gentle nudge we tried them all and loved them. We highly recommend G as this was one of the most fun things we did while there and we loved it that he tailored it specifically to what we had expressed we were interested in through a questionnaire provided prior to our arrival. We felt he went above and beyond our expectations for this tour. Take the tour with GJ and you wont be sorry you did!! Your Way: Edinburgh City 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

Margaret

(About local Alice)

30 October 2024

Alice was a fun, informative guide. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with her and would definitely choose her again.Fabulous experience

Estelle🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alice)

27 October 2024

Alice was a fantastic tour guide and very engaging. We very much enjoyed our tour with her and learning about this wonderful city. Her stories were captivating and she has a lovely way about her. Would definitely recommend Alice!A great tour of the lovely Edinburgh

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!

Rebekah🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Alice)

19 October 2024

We had a fantastic tour with Alice. She was knowledgeable, funny, and accommodating throughout our tour. We learned so much about Edinburgh and Alice gave great recommendations for places to visit. The amazing stories really made our experience there all the more magical! Thank you, Alice!Amazing storyteller

Gabrielle🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alice)

16 October 2024

Alice is an exceptional guide and storyteller, truly one of the best we've ever had. Her charming and engaging personality, combined with her impressive knowledge and storytelling abilities, made our tour of Edinburgh an unforgettable experience. Alice's captivating tales of the city's rich history and folklore brought the streets and landmarks to life, leaving us with a profound appreciation for the city. Her witty and humorous delivery kept us entertained throughout the tour, making it an absolute delight. We highly recommend Alice to anyone seeking an authentic and immersive Edinburgh experience. Her passion for the city is contagious, and she has a remarkable talent for making every step feel like a journey through time.Edinburgh's Amazing Guide and Storyteller

Denice

(About local Alice)

15 October 2024

Alice was a funny, engaging, charming guide for my husband and I. We interacted extremely well and loved her storytelling finesse. We peppered her with many questions and she was up to the challenge. We probably kept her from showing us a few things but we didn't mind. You'll love her enthusiasm. Delightful in every way

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!!

Jeffrey🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

30 September 2024

We had a wonderful tour with Svend on the morning of Sept 17. We were staying at the Hilton, so it was less than a 2 minute walk to the start of the tour. We've been to Edinburgh before, but Svend showed us things and told us stories that we had never heard or seen before. We spent 3 days in Edinburgh and based on all the great new information he provided us we need to plan another trip. We walked up most of the Royal mile, stopping off at several of the closes with good stories in each. We then went up to see Bobbie the dog and went into Greyfriars church yard. We ended up at the National Museum where the tour ended at the milleninum clock. The best part was that Svend modified the tour on-the-fly based on our conversations during the tour. I cannot recommend him high enough.Best tour we've ever had

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