As of 28/05/2023, 321 of our 326 Tripadvisor reviews awarded us five-stars!
ROYAL MILE TOUR
The Royal Mile walking tour takes you up our most famous historic street. A historian once said that two-thirds of Scotland's history took place on the Royal Mile, the street which runs from Edinburgh Castle down to Holyroodhouse Palace. It might sound hard to believe, but we agree with it, and we'll reveal the history of the Royal Mile throughout this tour. You'll walk in the footsteps of marauding armies, royals and rogues - all of whom changed the history of Scotland's capital city.
BOOK THIS TOUR
Prices start at £85 for a single-person private tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance
Lowest price guarantee
This tour is rated '5-star' on Tripadvisor
Please note; This tour regularly sells out. We suggest booking as soon as possible!
CALENDAR
"Robert met us on our first day in the city and gave us a fabulous tour. We arranged on a two hour private walking tour and it was truly the perfect way to begin our stay. We were looking for history, the most significant landmarks, interesting side stories that you will not find in a travel guide and that is just what Robert provides with deep knowledge and charm. He also is very quick in understanding what would interest and excite us the most.
Prior to the tour Robert communicated very well and that also is a big plus! He is an absolute pleasure and he helped us kick off our vacation in the best possible way. Highly recommend!"
Nicoler, Tipadvisor review, June 2023
DETAILS
Meet just in front of Dynamic Earth, on Holyrood Road.
2-hour duration (approx).
Finishes near to Castlehill on the Royal Mile, but we can finish at a location which best suits you.
Private tours start at 10am and 2pm.
Moderate gradients throughout, some steps, uneven paving throughout.
Tickets are sent via email. Your guide will check your details at the start of the tour - don't worry if you didn't bring your tickets.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Here are five of the places we can visit on your private tour. There are more! How long we spend on each story and how much walking we do is up to you!
Abbey Strand;
We start our tour with the tale of one of our most infamous murders! You'll also find out the shrewd placing of a nearby brothel...
The Canongate;
You'll visit some of the most Instagram-snap-worthy closes which come off the Canongate section of the Royal Mile. We'll share archive images and stories of these historic side streets.
Canongate Kirkyard;
The burial ground around the Canongate Kirk has the remains of some truly fascinating people. We'll look at one of our most famous Enlightenment thinkers, tell you why you might (not) want to donate money to a worthy cause here, and we'll go all romantic with the story of one lady buried here.
The Netherbow;
See how this part of Edinburgh once looked and find out why it was the focus of a military operation by the army of Bonnie Prince Charlie (it's not one of Edinburgh's finest moments...)
The High Street;
We will tweak this part of your Royal Mile tour to ensure we show you the places and tell you the stories which interest you most. You'll see an Old Town close, find out what social conditions were like in the late 17th and 18th centuries and you'll learn about the buildings around you. So much of our history happened on this street. Executions, proclamations, fires, fighting and riots all occurred on the very places you'll visit.
Your Royal Mile tour will also visit the Lawnmarket and then finish in Castlehill.
WHY TAKE THIS TOUR?
An authentic Scottish experience
Robert, your Edinburgh tour guide, will wear traditional Scottish attire for you. He loves wearing the kilt and will give you the low-down on this famous piece of clothing.
Walk in the footsteps of
royals and rogues!
The Royal Mile is a thoroughfare which has existed for hundreds of yours. We'll take you in the footsteps of Deacon William Brodie, Bonnie Prince Charlie, John Knox and Burke and Hare. On this tour, we will reveal the places where our history happened.
A tour tailored to your own interests
This tour gives you some flexibility to focus on the stories, people and places which interest you. Want to stay on the 'Mile and then explore the Grassmarket at the end? You've got it! Want to focus on the Canongate more than the Old Town? We will do it! This is YOUR Royal Mile tour!
Picture-perfect photo opportunities
You'll visit some of the prettiest wee closes in Edinburgh. We can highlight some of the most popular 'angles' for you.
Archive images help you see Edinburgh as it once was
There's a well-known saying that "a picture tells a thousand words". We believe it. Our carefully picked archive images will let you imagine what this famous street once looked like.
Respectful touring
Our wee company is proud to be a member of the City of Edinburgh Cemetery Guide Scheme. At the start of your tour, we will explain how we intend to move around the burial grounds, staying on paths and we will promote donations to the Council for the upkeep of these historic places.
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
"We called to hire Robert the next day and had the most FABULOUS time in the city with Robert. Entertaining, factual, insightful and hilarious. I don’t want to list our adventure and ruin your surprises. He can cater to your interests - literary, history, dark, funny, interesting, you name it."
Susan B, Tripadvisor review, July 2022
"Robert led us on a very fun and informative tour through the Royal Mile. As a primary school teacher, he certainly knew how to keep our kids having fun and learning throughout our time with him. I will definitely be recommending him and this tour to others!"
Folsom5outback, Tripadvisor review, September 2022
YOUR MEETING PLACE
Your guide will meet you in this amphitheatre in front of Dynamic Earth on Holyrood Road.
Google Maps shows only an approximate location.
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.