As of 28/05/2023, 321 of our 326 Tripadvisor reviews awarded us five-stars!
BESPOKE AND LARGE GROUP WALKING TOURS OF EDINBURGH
Historic Edinburgh Tours has ten years of experience putting together bespoke, large-group tours.
We can work with you to plan a tour that will take your group on a fascinating and enjoyable tour through Edinburgh's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We can suggest start and finish locations or take your group from a specific point and finish at a place that best suits you. We can also tailor a tour to a set time or cover things that interest your guests. Your tour will accommodate guests with varying mobility requirements.
Your guide will be Robert, a primary school teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience. He has vast experience moving groups safely around the Old Town and is our award-winning guide. So your group will be in safe hands!
BOOK THIS TOUR
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
We work with you to give you the tour you need and want
Historic Edinburgh Tours is rated '5-star' on Tripadvisor
"The best walking tour in Edinburgh! Robert brings vast knowledge and great fun to his walking tours. I’ve used this company many times over the years and will continue to use them in the future. Thank you Robert for an excellent tour!"
Jim B - Tripadvisor review - August, 2022
DETAILS
We can look at meeting your group at a central location (such as your conference venue or restaurant).
Bespoke tours will start and finish when you want.
We can plan a tour duration for the time you have available.
Most Edinburgh tours have moderate gradients, uneven paving, stairs. Our route can be planned specifically for guests who have special mobility requirements.
Your tour will finish at a suitable location.
FIVE THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT OUR BESPOKE AND LARGE GROUP TOURS
Picture-perfect photo opportunities
We can plan out a tour which has Instagram-worthy photo moments. We might even be able to plan a place where you can capture a great pic for your company blog!
What type of tour do you want?
Do you want a tour which covers all the 'classic' Edinburgh tales? We can do that. What if your guests already know these stories? We can give you a tour full of content which most locals wouldn't even have heard. We love doing either of these types of tour!
"A picture tells a thousand words"
We believe this well-known quote. Throughout your tour, we can share images which show how Edinburgh once looked.
Award-winning local guide
Robert will wear a kilt for your tour and will explain this iconic piece of clothing. He was born in Edinburgh, was a teacher here and has lived here all his life. He is a multi-award winning guide and holds an average rating of five-stars on Tripadvisor and Google reviews.
Night time? No problem!
If you want an evening tour, that's not a problem for us. Even if your tour is to take place in the depths of winter, we can bring along our special hand-held projector to show images on nearby walls.
Sustainable tourism
We are proud to be members of the City of Edinburgh Cemetery Guide Scheme. Your tour guide will explain how our groups will move around the burial grounds, staying on paths and how your group could donate to the Council for the upkeep of these significant cemeteries. We are strictly limited to a maximum of 36 guests in these burial grounds.
TRUST US WITH YOUR TOUR
Certificate of Excellence award winner 2017 and 2018.
Tripadvisor Traveller's Choice award winner 2020 and 2023.
As of December 15, 2022, 99.6% of our reviews have been five stars.
We've been leading Edinburgh tours for ten years.
GUEST REVIEWS
"Excellent tour! I'd booked it for research, and my husband tagged along and found it as fascinating as I did. Highly recommended."
Kelly A, Tripadvisor review, May 2022
"Robert Howie on both Graveyard and visiting Edinburgh's slum areas for basic early history turned into such a special treat with historic and personal information but Robert's delivery is done with gusto and impeccable knowledge. As a school teacher my group wanted to attend Howie's classes but as a teacher from Dallas I wish he would move to Texas to teach. I thought Texans had hospitality but he made each of us feel not only welcomed to Edinburgh but also a vision into the history of the people giving us a feeling of belonging in this era. His spectrum of visual props are a great addition to his already well presented presentation. KUDOS to Robert Howie! And thanks for wearing native dress for both tours - you really are a Scot!"
Donna P, Tripadvisor review, May 2017
F.A.Q. SECTION
Q: A member of my group has special mobility requirements.
A: Edinburgh’s Old Town is formed around a ‘Crag and Tail’ geological formation which means it does have some quite steep gradients up and down, but the city is for everyone to enjoy, it might just mean making some alterations to the route. We enjoy altering our private tours to ensure accessibility is achieved.
If you contact us before you book, we can suggest some possible alternatives and can also discuss which of our other tours might be best suited to you.
Q: What happens if it rains?
A: Don't worry, we will be there! As the great Scottish comedian Billy Connolly says, there's never the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing!
Q: What happens if we are running late?
A: Since we now only do private tours, your guide is only there for you. Sometimes things happen and you know you will be running late. Within reason, and with some warning, we can try to accommodate this.
Your guide may be happy to meet you at a slightly later time, but please let him know what is happening, as soon as you can. You can text him on 07590026077. We've had times when guests have been on delayed trains and Robert waited in a local cafe. Please, where possible, don't make him wait outside in the rain!
If you are running late and haven't contacted Robert, he is authorised to leave twenty minutes after your agreed start time. No refund will be given after this point.
Q: Are there toilets?
A: We strongly recommend that you 'pay a visit' before your tour as there are limited opportunities to use public toilets en route.
We recommend visiting the Museum of Scotland (just across the road from our usual Greyfriars Kirkyard starting point). The toilets are on the ground floor. The Museum of Scotland is a free-to-visit attraction and is well worth a visit. It also has two excellent cafeterias.
Greyfriars Bobby's Bar, right next to Greyfriars Kirkyard, has an excellent range of food and drink and has toilets for customers to use.
Q: Are your private tours 'child-friendly'?
A: Our tours are usually what we would describe as more 'adult' tours, however, your guide is a qualified primary school teacher and knows how to pitch our stories appropriately. He can also provide appropriate alternatives. If you let us know well in advance, we can offer more flexibility.
We do require that children under 16 attend with an adult.