• 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 9 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

Rex🇺🇸 United States

(About local Oluf)

3 July 2025

I had a really nice day with Oluf. I asked him to show me different parts of the city that aren’t super touristy and he took me around some beautiful neighborhoods, a walk down along the river, cool pubs, and of course some really interesting historical sites. He is a historian and has a wealth of information and could answer pretty much any question you have regarding the history of this city and the surrounding areas. Also had interesting conversations outside of history, just an all around really cool guy and am really glad I got to experience Edinburgh through his lens. I’d highly recommend Oluf if you’re in the city, especially if you have specific things you’d like to see or check out, as he is very flexible and will cater to what you feel like doing. Great tour with Oluf!

Pedro Mariano🇧🇷 Brazil

(About local Alice)

2 July 2025

Alice was a wonderful guide and a true storyteller. It was a walk full of stories. Thank you for showing us so many precious details that we would never have known.an amazing walk in edinburgh

Alesia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gains)

2 July 2025

Edinburgh is a wonderful city to visit-rich with history. People were very friendly and it was very convenient to get around the city by tram or bus. We did a walking tour with Gains because we love history. Gains was fabulous-very intelligent and knowledgeable about the history of Edinburgh and Scotland. He fixed the tour around our interests and was very amenable to any changes. We learned so much from him and had a very memorable tour!Edinburgh

Terrina🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Neil)

1 July 2025

I can't recommend Neil enough! Neil is a local to Edinburgh with a passion for sharing his knowledge of his home town with tourists! Our tour was at just the right pace - not too fast or too slow. Neil shared Edinburgh's history and hidden secrets- with a delightful touch of his own personal tales. Thank you Neil!!!Best With Locals Guide Ever!!!

Paige🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Monica)

1 June 2025

Monica gave us a bespoke introduction to Edinburgh. As we mentioned things along the way, she took us points of interest unique to us. We saw incredible views of the city from hidden lanes and back streets. And, her stories were so interesting, we didn't realise we had spent 5 hours with her! I would highly recommend this tour and Monica as a guide.Great introduction to Edinburgh

Kal🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

30 May 2025

We had a great time with Neil. He was timely, knowledgeable and had a bunch of great stories and trivia of the amazing history and literature of Edinburgh and Scotland. We learned so much from him and the tour was efficient and fantastic. Would highly recommend Neil without hesitation.Great time with Neil

Brian

(About local Alice)

26 May 2025

We booked two consecutive days of tours with Alice. Even before we arrived, she was so helpful on recommendations, we felt like we had a personal concierge for our visit. The first day was a five hour tour of Edinburgh overall which included both New Town and Old Town sites. Her storytelling just brought everything we saw to life. You could absolutely tell that she loved Edinburgh and loved sharing it with us. Even while resting with a wonderful snack, she captivated us with a story. The second day was a shorter two hour tour of just Edinburgh Castle but her knowledge and storytelling took us back to the thirteen, fourteen and fifteen hundreds. There were so many kings and queens she told us about, I don’t know how she ever kept them straight! It was a simply delightful day with a delightful guide. Alice, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for kicking off our Scotland trip in such a warm, personal, Scottish fashion. You were brilliant!!!Amazing Two days with Alice!!!

s26ss7nhwv

(About local Monica)

17 May 2025

Monica was absolutely fantastic. She took what we wanted and really ran with it. She was extremely knowledgeable. Absolutely recommend!Fantastic!

Catherine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

11 April 2025

Neil is an Edinburgh native who is knowledgeable, kind and funny! He know the history of the city and all of the hidden gems. In addition to the city highlights, He took us to his charming neighborhood pub, Bennets which was so special! He also took us to his favorite coffee shop, the Coffee Cave, which is now our favorite too. We feel like we have made a friend for life with Neil! We highly recommend!The best guide in all of Scotland!

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

Allan

(About local Alice)

27 July 2025

Alice was great fun and completely flexible to our needs . First time with a local tour. Another great way to enjoy Edinburgh. Highly recommend to all. Fun and spooky tour indeed

Arthur

(About local Alec)

26 July 2025

We had a great time with Alec on the food tour. At the beginning, he asked us a few questions to get an idea of our interests beyond food and quickly curated a lot of great sightseeing to go along with the snacks. Alec had great stories and histories to share about the town and kept the entire time very engaging. Because we were moving pretty quick, we also got to go on some bonus adventures, which was very welcomed. The food that was selected was great! If I had one critique, I would say that the back end of the tour where we sampled 4 different pies was a lot all at once. I think I would have preferred we did 1 or 2 pies (because you have to of course!) and maybe another quick stop for something different? However, we had such a great time on this tour and can't recommend it enough!Great Bites and Stories in Edinburgh

Heike🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Chris)

26 July 2025

Very interesting tour and Chriswas very flexible. Ask him a question and you will get the answers. We had a great tour with Chris!

Valerie

(About local Alice)

20 July 2025

Alice was great - we had a group of 9 - it was classic Scotland weather - a bit of drizzle off and on - and Alice rolled with it - a few minutes at the Story Telling Centre and then off we went. Lots of history and you can tell that she has a special love for her city. Thank you Alice for a great tour! Great way to tour Ednburgh!

Arne

(About local Monica)

20 July 2025

Wir hatten zu viert eine private Tour mit Monika. Das war super, sehr informativ , sie geht auf alle Fragen ein. Fragt zu Beginn nach unseren Interessen. Thanks a lotSuper

Kathleen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Svend-Erik)

18 July 2025

We totally enjoyed our walking tour the only bad part is it seemed to go to fast. Beautiful day to walk the town and Svend is truly a story teller. Kept us totally engaged would definitely book him again.Great Day in Edinburgh

Heather🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local GJ)

18 July 2025

G was fantastic! We could have spent the whole day listening to his stories and the history of Edinburgh. He had us all laughing and on the edge of our seats. If he is available to book- do not hesitate. Also sent us on our way with wonderful recommendations. Thank you G!

Inka

(About local Alice)

17 July 2025

For our first time visit in Edinburgh as a family with grown up kids, we booked a three hour tour with Alice: she is a great story-teller, we loved to learn about the secrets of Edinburgh. We had a very interesting and fun afternoon, Alice was warm and cheerful, we enjoyed every minute. Highly recommended Great experience

Asiya

(About local Alice)

17 July 2025

She is a wonderful guide, storyteller and person. She entertained and educated our student group flawlessly. Perfect!

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(About local GJ)

17 July 2025

G knew exactly what we were looking for and tailored the tour accordingly. He took the time to get to know us and that resulted in a personalized tour. He went the extra mile. He’s a Mind Reader!

Brecken🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

16 July 2025

We had a fantastic afternoon exploring Edinburgh with Neil! His deep knowledge of the city's history, hidden gems, and fun facts kept us all engaged—and he even managed to keep our 9-year-old twins entertained the entire time. His warm personality and thoughtful recommendations made the experience feel like a day out with an old friend. He tailored the tour to our interests, added plenty of humor and charm, and shared insights we would’ve completely missed on our own. We ended the evening with a delicious dinner at a local spot Neil suggested—it was the perfect way to wrap up a truly memorable day. Highly recommend!A Perfect Day in Edinburgh with Neil!

Pam🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

16 July 2025

Chris was fantastic! He was very knowledgeable in the history and the food was great. The tour was wonderful and we had a lot of fun.Great tour

Katie

(About local Chris)

15 July 2025

We loved our tour with Chris. He was incredibly knowledgeable of the city and took us to some really unique places. I don’t think we ever would have discovered or walked around the places he took us so it was all very fun to do. He even got my aunt to try haggis and she was adamant about not wanting to during our time here. This tour is a major highlight of our trip. Thanks again, Chris! Such a fun time!

Sona

(About local Alice)

15 July 2025

This was an excellent tour of the royal mile and Edinburgh castle. My family and I really enjoyed Alice’s stories on the history of the area. Thankyou Alice. Excellent tour for families

Emily🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Gains)

15 July 2025

Gains is extreamly knowledgable about scottish history. He helped us to orient ourselves in the city especially around the royal mile. Wether it was identifying the inspiration for Hogwarts and the validity as such, to the square by the writers museum which holds quotes of Scottish authors, he showed us hidden areas that would be easily missed by the casual visitor. If you have a love of history and want to engage with a likeminded individual Gains is your ideal tour guide.Great tour!

Christoph🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Alice)

14 July 2025

Alice was a great and very entertaining tourguide. The stories she told were definitely spooky and thats what we expected on the tour. You should really go for it and book it. But be aware: its not for the faint hearted:)Absolutely amazing

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

14 July 2025

Out of our 14 day UK adventure our tour day with Alice was truly a highlight of the trip. She was fun, calm, not in a rush (critical with 2 young children), and super knowledgeable about the area. She is a captivating story teller and we felt as though we saw parts of Edinburgh that we would never have happened upon on our own. She was so patient with our group and very personable. Can't recommend her enough! Alice is THE BEST

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

13 July 2025

Alec gave a really enjoyable tour with lots of tips and information we likely wouldn't have found on our own. We especially enjoyed the bit about the Heart of Midlothian and watching to see who stepped on it and who did not.

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

9 July 2025

Alice gave us quite a performance of many a spooky story. Added much history to visit to Edinburgh. Loved it all. Booo

Dennis🇺🇸 United States

(About local Oluf)

9 July 2025

Oluf was very personable and knowledgeable and made our tour around Edinburgh relaxed and easy. We had a great time and would recommend him to any group wanting an authentic Scottish guideGreat Day!

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

8 July 2025

Alice was a charming and knowledgeable guide and an absolutely brilliant storyteller. She really did a great job of noticing what interested us the most and focusing on those things more, but also introducing us to things we wouldn't have known about otherwise. Thanks again Alice!

Shanna

(About local Alice)

8 July 2025

Alice was an engaging storyteller. We could have listened to her voice all day!Aloce was fantastic!

Odette Maria🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

7 July 2025

We enjoyed each and every minute with Alice. Her storytelling skills and ability to captivate both the adults and the little ones on our guided tour was one of the highlights of our trip, and brought the ancient structures we had been walking through to life. Thank you Alice!Exceptional

Mitch

(About local Alice)

5 July 2025

justine.carbonell0228

(About local Alice)

3 July 2025

Alice was our personal tour guide for Edinburgh Castle. It was a great experience to learn about the history of the Castle in such an interesting way! Alice had a great way of telling the stories behind the beginning of the castle and the different structures within the Castle. I would highly recommend her!Excellent Edinburgh Castle Tour

Rex🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

1 July 2025

We had a really great time with Chris. He’s a very pleasant person and shared interesting stories about the city he grew up in. It was a perfect introduction on the first day we arrived. Highly recommend doing a tour with him!Great tour with Chris!

Caroline

(About local Neil)

30 June 2025

We had an amazing tour with Neil! This is what we expected to have with a local. All the little interesting stories besides what you read in common travel literature. We had so much fun and would definitely recommend Neill ! He even sent us some information and links about our tour and provided us with tips for our onward journey! Couldnt have been better ! Best edinburgh stories with neil

Kateryna🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Alice)

29 June 2025

This was our first trip to Edinburgh, and we absolutely loved the tour with Alice! She shared so many fun and shocking stories — it was both entertaining and unforgettable. Highly recommended from the bottom of our hearts!• It Was Absolutely Fantastic!

1alice.griffin🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Alice)

29 June 2025

Alice’s storytelling introduced us to the people & happenings of Edinburghs history through vivid accounts as if you were there! If you want to learn and experience the past don’t hesitate to book Alice you won’t regret it! Informative storytelling at its finest!

Maaike🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alice)

29 June 2025

Alice is a very good storyteller and knows a lot about Edinburgh ! She takes you back to old Edinburgh. When she tells the stories they come to life. She asks about your specific wishes so that the tour is tailor-made for you.Alice takes you back to the old Edinburgh

Rob🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Alec)

27 June 2025

Alex was a wonderful host who had some incredibly interesting stories and insights about Edinburgh. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys a bit of of history interlaced with a glass of whiskey along the way!A fascinating insight into Edinburgh!

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Oluf)

26 June 2025

We are so happy we were able to book our tour with Oluf. He was very knowledgeable about Edinburgh and showed us things we would not have seen on any other tour! We appreciated his fascinating story telling which will make this trip an unforgettable experience. If you are thinking of booking a tour be sure to choose Oluf! Wonderful Afternoon!

Julie🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Chris)

25 June 2025

Chris was an excellent guide for our food and walking tour. He customized the tour for our family of four, which included a 13 and 10 year old. He provided some great history of the city and the food while guiding us to several great local places. Great tour!Great food tour!

Mary

(About local Chris)

25 June 2025

Chris was such a nice guy and a wealth of knowledge about Edinburgh and Scotland. He was very personable and wanted to tailor the experience to our needs/wishes. I'm not sure that we tasted 10 items but it was close and the food was appropriately Scottish. The tour was good but I would not say good value for the money spent. It was expensive and the tastings were always one item shared between the 3 of us, which included the guide, and out of the same bowl/plate. So 3 people eating one soup or sipping one whisky. Take that as you will. If the food portion of the tour was improved upon it would be a top notch tour. A fun experience

rbxtnkxg4n

(About local Alice)

25 June 2025

Alice is a gifted communicator and story teller. Her tour was relaxed and informative. She brought history to life for us visitors. She answered questions knowledgeably. We gained a great understanding of the history of the city of Edinburgh in 3 hours that we never could have on our own. We highly recommend Alice and Withlocals Hidden Gems of Edinburgh Tour. Gifted Tour Guide

Jeffrey

(About local Alice)

23 June 2025

Alice was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and great story telling!Fantastic tour

Nicole🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alec)

22 June 2025

Alec war ein fantastischer Gästeführer, der uns nicht nur einige interessante Geschichten über Edinburgh zu erzählen wusste, sondern auch kleinere Lokalitäten kannte, in denen wir typische Speisen verkosten konnten. Besonders Haggis hat uns gezeigt, wie groß Qualitätsunterschiede sein können. Herzlichen Dank, Alec für die grandiose Führung!Leckereien und Erzählungen

Nicole🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Neil)

22 June 2025

Neil war ein fantastischer Gästeführer. Er hat uns freundlich empfangen und kompetent durch die Geisterwelt der Stadt geführt. Aber nicht nur das: er wusste auch umfassend andere Geschichten zu erzählen, so dass die Zeit wie im Fluge verlief. Absolut empfehlenswert und ein großes DANKE an Neil!Großartige Führung durch die Geisterwelt

Rick

(About local Alice)

18 June 2025

Alice did a superb job in touring us through Edinburgh Castle! She is informative, thoughtful, and full of personality. I can’t recommend her enough!Alice is Great!

Laura🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alice)

17 June 2025

We enjoyed our walk around Edinburgh with Alice. She is a storyteller and that really comes through as she tells stories about the town. We very much enjoyed our quick preview of the city through her eyes. Thank you Alice for a wonderful time. Wonderful Experience