Magnificent Edinburgh

Magnificent Edinburgh

All of our guides are qualified as Blue Badge guides, certified by the Scottish Tourist Guides Association and all hold Professional Indemnity Insurance. This means they have completed 2 years of study in a number of areas including storytelling, history, architecture, literature, group management, Emergency First Aid and archaeology.

Our guides have a flair for bringing history to life but also noticing when you need a coffee break or a stop for some food !

All of our tours are adapted to suit your interests and needs - whether that be only a few hours or a specific interest that you have.

Please get in touch for a tour tailored to your requirement.

When you book, your guide contact details will be sent to you and you can agree meeting point and time.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG Scotland

Hear all about the origins of the castle and how it was keenly fought over across the centuries. Tales of siege, subterfuge and rebirth abound as well as the practicalities of living on ancient volcanic plug.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JD Scotland

Admire the beautiful red sandstone and then wander inside to see the glinting mosaic entrance hallway

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Calton Hill, St. Andrews House 2 Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG Scotland

Admire the views of Edinburgh and the East Lothian & Fife coasts and hear about the Great Thinkers who made Edinburgh a beacon in the Enlightenment movement of the 18th and 19th centuries. Hear why Edinburgh is called "The Athens of the North" and how pagan festivals are once again staged on this hill

Duration: 30 minutes

Pass By: H M General Register House 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY Scotland

Admire the architecture of the Adam family of architects and hear about the key traits of Georgian architecture and why this building was once the most expensive pigeon loft in Europe ! If the building is open, wander in and have a look at the classical interior architecture and dome.

Stop At: St Andrew Square, George Street, Edinburgh Scotland

You may think stories of abuse of power and impeachment are a modern thing, but hear about 19th century abuses and the man on the plinth.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL Scotland

Two temples to the arts and tales of witch trials. We won't be going in, but we will tell you stories about what happened in this area

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2PB Scotland

The little streets (or "Closes" as we call them) radiate from the Royal Mile like bones from the spine on a fish skeleton. We will explore some of these Closes on the way to and from the castle and hear about the inhabitants and what they got up to in olden times.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: 21 Grassmarket Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 2HS Scotland

Traditionally a marketplace but also the scene for public hangings - hear about poor "Half Hangit' Maggie" and religious martyrs called Covenanters from the 1600s.

We will stop at a couple of places for photos and stories before heading up Victoria Street - and maybe grabbing a quick sandwich on the way.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: St Giles' Cathedral, High Street Historic Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1RE Scotland

Politics and religion have mixed here to deadly effect - hear all about it from your guide.

We won't be going into St Giles as a group, but you can take 10 minutes for a quick wander around inside before our tour continues down the Royal Mile.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Bakehouse Close, Edinburgh Scotland

A quick stop for Outlander fans to get a photo and for all to hear all about "The Cock & Trumpet" next door !

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN Scotland

We all like a good bit of Capitalism, but did you know the father of modern economics is buried in this churchyard ?

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: The Scottish Parliament, Horse Wynd / Canongate, Royal MIle, Edinburgh EH99 1SP Scotland

Hear about modern day political machinations and the set up of the first Scottish Parliament in almost 300 years. We'll tell you how it fits into British & European politics and let you draw your own conclusions on whether Scotland should be an independent nation.

You have the option to visit the Parliament building after the end of the tour across the road at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Duration: 15 minutes

Pass By: Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX Scotland

This is our final stop of the tour. Your guide will tell you a little of the history of the Palace and how it is used today.

Your tour finishes here, giving you the opportunity to add in a visit to the Palace, the Scottish Parliament or to retire to a Scottish hostelry (pub) to think on the stories you have heard during your tour.