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Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh
5

Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh

By Edinburgh Guided Tour
Recommended by 97% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
About
Edinburgh's Royal Mile is a must-see, and there's no better way to check this landmark off your list than on a guided walking tour. As you explore, listen to in-depth commentary on famous former residents and discover hidden areas you may have missed if exploring alone. A small group limited to 10 guarantees personalized attention from your guide. Plus, traveling on foot means you have access to narrow streets and closes unreachable by traditional tour vehicles. 
from
HK$235.37
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Highlights
  • In-depth historical tour of Edinburgh's Royal Mile
  • Guide commentary enhances the experience 
  • Small group of 12 people means personalized attention and a chance to ask questions
  • Itinerary can be changed to accommodate group interests and preferences
  • Learn more than you would exploring on your own
  • Professional guide
  • Small group (maximum 12 participants)
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Entry/Admission - Usher Hall
  • Entry/Admission - Edinburgh Castle
  • Entry/Admission - St Giles' Cathedral
  • Entry/Admission - Scott Monument
Meet your guide—descendants of the Usher of Usher Hall—and small group outside of Usher Hall in central Edinburgh in advance of your tour time. When booking, you can choose a morning or afternoon tour to suit your schedule. Take off down the famous Royal Mile with your guide in the lead. Don't worry about maps or directions, as you have expert guidance and you can just focus on the scenery and learning about the city's history. Please note that the route and itinerary can be amended depending on the group's desires. As you stroll, get a history lesson on Scotland's famous minds, including thinkers, writers, poets, and inventors. These include Deacon Brodie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Alexander Graham Bell, Robert Burns, David Hume, and Sir Water Scott. Visit some of Edinburgh's famous closes, or private alleyways, where some famous residents lived, and the St. Giles' Cathedral. End up at The Mound, from where you can explore further.
Departure details
  • The Usher Hall, Lothian Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2EA, UK Your guide will be waiting for you outside the central entrance of the Usher Hall (there are 3 entrances and he will be outside the middle one).
Return details
  • Scott Monument, Edinburgh EH2 2EJ, UK The ending point is at the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8613P1
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Children under 12 are free
  • Children 12-16 pay 75%
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers
  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Which attractions will I visit with Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh?
During this experience, places you will visit include:Discover and book Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh on Tripadvisor
How much is Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh?
Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh price starts from HK$238.56. Discover and book Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh on Tripadvisor
What is the Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh cancellation policy?
Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh on Tripadvisor
Which company provides Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh?
Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh is hosted by Edinburgh Guided Tour. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Edinburgh Guided Tour on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Royal Mile Guided Walking Tour in Edinburgh on Tripadvisor
If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8613P1
Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    The Usher Hall
    Lothian Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2EA, UK
    Your guide will be waiting for you outside the central entrance of the Usher Hall (there are 3 entrances and he will be outside the middle one).
    See address & details
  • 1
    Usher Hall
    Stop: 10 minutes - Admission excluded
    See details
  • 2
    Edinburgh Castle
    Stop: 35 minutes - Admission excluded
    See details
  • 3
    Grassmarket
    Stop: 15 minutes
    See details
  • 4
    Milne’s Court
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 5
    Jolly Judge
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 6
    Writers' Museum
    Stop: 20 minutes
    See details
  • 7
    Riddle's Court
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
  • 8
    Deacon Brodie's Tavern
    Stop: 20 minutes
    See details
  • 9
    St Giles' Cathedral
    Stop: 20 minutes - Admission excluded
    See details
  • 10
    Edinburgh City Chambers
    Stop: 10 minutes
    See details
See 2 more stops
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About the operator
See all 1,393 reviews
Edinburgh Guided Tour
1,393
Edinburgh, Scotland
Joined in November 2012
#21 of 565 Tours & Activities in Edinburgh
  • kcshea
    kcshea
    0
    0
    3 hour walking tour
    Very interesting walk around the city. Bob was full of history and especially architectural information. Great way to get to know your way around Edinburgh.
  • Patricia P
    Patricia P
    0
    0
    Three hour guided walking tour
    Our guide David was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We visited and were told the history of many major attractions of the city, I would highly recommend this tour.
  • acmoore6
    acmoore6
    0
    0
    Great tour for first timers!
    Stuart is a knowledgeable and engaging guide. This is a great tour if you’re new to Edinburgh and wish to learn more about the historic city and see some of the popular sites in Old Town.
  • karamia2023
    karamia2023
    0
    0
    Have you ever had the head of a museum give you a private tour?
    Because that’s what we got. For just over 200 pounds we had a 3.5 hour private tour with the ex head of the history department of the national museum of Scotland. Completely insane. Best money we spent on the trip!
  • A6548MNnicoles
    A6548MNnicoles
    0
    0
    A perfect afternoon in Edinburgh
    The guided tour was amazing. We can highly recommend Douglas Graham with his knowledge, his humor and his enthusiasm. We enjoyed every single minute of the 3 1/2 hours. Thank you so much!
  • Jennifer S
    Jennifer S
    0
    0
    Excellent Private Guided Tour
    Wonderful tour of Edinburgh- David was amazing! Knowledgeable, personable and entertaining. What a great day learning about the history and culture of this beautiful city.
  • 864missyc
    864missyc
    0
    0
    Great Tour!!
    We did the Edinburgh Group Guided Walking Tour with David as our guide. David was an exceptional tour guide. He did an incredible job of sharing his expansive knowledge of history, architecture and people. He’s very personable and encouraging of questions. We can’t recommend him highly enough.
  • 627jennifers68
    627jennifers68
    0
    0
    Private Edinburgh Guided Tour
    David Forsyth was wonderful! Loved learning about the history of Edinburgh- he is a true expert! So personable and entertaining. The day was such a pleasure!
  • V2470IWjohnf
    V2470IWjohnf
    0
    0
    Excellent walk around Edinburgh
    We had a great tour leader. Very knowledgeable and fun to be with. Lots of sights to see and interesting history. If you're only there for a short time, this is a great immersion into the city.
  • chriscM4165IF
    chriscM4165IF
    0
    0
    Excellent walk with great chat and conviviality from the very experienced guide
    Great walk with very helpful information from our highly experienced guide. Mr Usher, who was 82 years old, was really helpful and went out of his way to make the walk very enjoyable.
  • mpakhulskaya
    mpakhulskaya
    0
    0
    Fantastic time with David
    We had an amazing time exploring Edinburgh old town with David. He was extremely knowledgeable, very witty, funny and was great company. We had a mixed language group and he took great care to make sure everyone understood everything and was very patient with us. Would definitely recommend as it pleased even my dad who is a bit of a history nerd!
  • LBVNJ
    LBVNJ
    0
    0
    Excellent Old Town tour for history lovers
    We had an outstanding tour of the Edinburgh Old Town with David! I believe he previously was a curator at the National Museum of Scotland, and the breadth of his knowledge and experience really shone through on this tour. We learned so much about Edinburgh's history, as well as more contemporary events, as we toured the sites of Old Town. Highly, highly recommend!
  • bizlaz2021
    bizlaz2021
    0
    0
    A Smattering of Everything
    This tour offered a little bit of everything: geology, art, architecture, literary influences, history, and cultural motifs that characterize Edinburg. Our guide offered a humorous, well-paced account of this historical city, inspiring a deeper appreciation and sense of awe.
  • Nicola V
    Nicola V
    0
    0
    Informative and very enjoyable
    David has a warm personality and told us many interesting stories about Edinburgh’s history and architecture. It made the city come alive to us and gave us insight into life in Scotland in the past.
  • ScottishSue23
    ScottishSue23
    0
    0
    Great private tour and Doug was excellent!
    Doug G was an excellent, informative guide - he was flexible and very accommodating of our queries and interests! Excellent tour thanks to Doug G!
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
634 reviews
Excellent
598
Very good
19
Average
9
Poor
5
Terrible
3
Catherine J
2 contributions
Engaging and Informative walking tour of Edinburgh
Oct 2022
Our tour guide was very informative and had a great energy.
He showed us a number of places around Edinburgh and hilighted some areas
we did not know about.
I would recommend this tour to anyone who loves to find out about the
history and architecture of a unique city.
Written 8 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear catherine Many thanks for your great Review. Delighted that you enjoyed it so much. Also thank you very much for your recommending our Tour to people who love History and Architecture..... much appreciated. Best wishes Stuart U.
Written 12 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
pabate
Naugatuck, CT16 contributions
Perfect way to start your trip!
Mar 2020
Stuart is a delight. I went straight on the tour after a flight in. You could not feel jet-lag when he is touring you around. He clearly loves his home city and knows all the details to share that make it both interesting and engaging. From history, to architecture, to literature and arts, he shares insights to points of interest by engaging in conversations. I highly recommend that you take this tour as a part of your Edinburgh experience.
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Paula Thank you very much indeed for your superlative Review. I really enjoyed your and Hannah's great interest in Edinburgh's literary history in particular and also the many other fields of culture and history in which Edinburgh is so rich. Hannah's eyes were a joy to behold when discussing Literature. I largely agree with her on Jane Austen being one of the Giants of English Literature. I feel confident that you both will thoroughly enjoy the places I recommended you visit. Don't forget both the National Gallery of Scotland AND the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland in Queen Street..... put them on your bucket list NOW! Best wishes to you both and please visit us again some sweet day! Stuart U
Written 9 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Moorefamily
2 contributions
What your Edinburgh holiday needs
Jan 2020 • Family
We loved the tour! Mr Usher is so knowledgeable, friendly and interesting. If not for the tidbits of information he bestowed on us, so much history and beauty of Edinburgh would have remained hidden. Now where ever we walk, we see things that would otherwise have little significance to us. He also was very considerate of our comfort ( stopping at a warm cafe when he saw we were freezing) and open to any questions we had. Without this tour, your trip to Edinburgh is incomplete.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Glen Great thanks unto thee for thy glowing Review of your Tour with me. I recall you all well. I enjoyed the Tour as much as you did. This always happens when I host families like yours! Informed and good company to be with. My only regret was that I did not take you to a nice Pub to warm you up with a warm drink earlier on our Tour. I was not thinking straight at the time, so please excuse me. I sometimes use the café we did use but I will not use it again because of the rotten attitude of the man who took our orders. Usually the staff there are very pleasant. This chap lacked manners. Remember 'never argue with the Edinburgh weather'. You were frozen by the time I realized just how cold you were. Bad mistake on my part. Please visit again!? Best wishes Stuart U
Written 10 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Donnamic
Northampton, England19 contributions
Fab walking tour!
Apr 2022
We thoroughly enjoyed this walking tour around the city centre with Alison at the weekend. Only 6 of us on the tour, so we were able to ask questions and go at a pace which suited everyone. The 3 hours flew by (including a welcome coffee break in the middle), and Alison kept us all interested with so many facts and stories about the history and life of the city. We definitely felt this was great value for money. (And we popped back to the coffee shop for lunch again the next day!)
Written 8 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Donna Thank you so much for your lovely Review of your Tour with Dr Duncan. She certainly captivates those tourists who book with us! We are delighted that you enjoyed the Tour so much and also that great coffee house which dates from 1420. It is indeed a marvellous place and the birth place of the real life Jekyll and Hyde who inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write his 2nd most famous Book ... 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'! Please visit our fair city of Edinburgh again some day. Best wishes Stuart Usher.
Written 13 April 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Soose_11
Gibraltar89 contributions
Superb tour
Jun 2021 • Solo
Stuart is a delightful and engaging host. His enthusiasm for Edinburgh and Scottish history is infectious and the 3 hour tour whizzes by. Stuart encourages questions and imparts his vast knowledge in an easy, fluid manner.

His deep dive into local characters, certainly brings the history of Edinburgh to life and I gained a new perspective of Edinburgh and its past.

Highly recommend this tour. If you’re new to Edinburgh, may I suggest this tour at the start of your trip, as it’ll give you a solid foundation of knowledge to enjoy and explore the City further.
Written 17 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Soose Thank you v much for your marvellous Review. I recall you well and can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed your company and well informed interest in Edinburgh. As you mentioned the time just whizzes by, for myself as well. 'Haste ye back ye bonny lass'! This is the latent Rabbie Burns in me talking!! Best wishes Stuart U.
Written 28 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peter L
9 contributions
Enthralling
Oct 2022
This was my second walk with this company. The first was in September lead by Stuart Usher on a "football" trip with the boys. This second was on Sunday on a more cultural trip with my wife, lead by Alison Duncan.
Both were excellent - all but identicakl routes but delivered slightly differently.
I believe I reviewed Stuart (very favourably!) in September.
So Alison - extremely friendly and professional. She had a plethora of interesting stories and anecdotes, but what stands out is her sheer love for and knowledge of the history of the city. She presented her knowledge with passion and included "props" of original books and photos.
In short, Alison was excellent.
This is not a cheap tour, but I would say definitely worth the money. Having now travelled to over 100 countries and a veteran of walking tours inc this one twice, I feel well expereienced to recommend it.
Written 25 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear peter Thank you so much for your superlative Review with EGT. Delighted that you enjoyed the Tour so much with our Alison. What Alison does not know about Edinburgh is simply not worth knowing! She and the other EGT guides all love Edinburgh and this undoubtedly helps to make our Tours so special and popular. Your recommendation is all the more to be treasured by us because of your having been on so many other Tours in other parts of the world.. Ypu are more than welcomme to join us again when you are next in Edinburgh. Best wishes Stuart U
Written 30 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris
Delaware, OH2 contributions
The tour guide was great, the weather was miserable.
Alison was our guide and she was wonderful. She spent 4+ hours showing us historical landmarks and telling us many many antidotes. Thoroughly enjoyed her knowledge and passion. The weather was the only thing that made this walking tour less than perfect. We had rain, sleet, wind and snow. It was cold and even with heavy rain jackets and umbrellas we got wet and cold. We really needed a hot drink and time to warm up on the tour.
Written 26 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Compa Thank you for your great Review. Sorry that you got wet and cold. Unfortunately the places we usually visit were all shut that day .... otherwise Alison would have taken the group in for a nice hot cuppa! Murphy's law! Better luck next time. Best wishes Stuart U.
Written 27 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Susanne A
Zurich, Switzerland23 contributions
Unveiling the Charms of Edinburgh
Jun 2023 • Friends
A fantastic excursion under the guidance of David, whose mastery of storytelling effortlessly captivated his audience. His profound grasp of Scottish history, culture and architecture was brilliantly interwoven with intriguing revelations and delightful anecdotes, rendering the passage of time inconspicuous. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Edinburgh, whether it's their first time or they're a seasoned traveler.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Missbu Many thanks indeed for your marvellous Review of your Tour with us. David is a superb Guide with an almost unparalled knowledge of the history of Scotland. He also has the great gift of making all this knowledge come alive to our Clients with his various interesting stories and anecdotes. That was what makes the time fly past ....... for both his guests and himself! Also many thanks for your recommendation to other travellers .... very much appreciated! Best wishes Stuart U
Written 26 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gwellins
Jerusalem, Israel6 contributions
Incredible Tour & Wonderful Guide!
Jul 2021
Stuart is simply a fantastic tour guide. Not only does he know about the history of Edinburgh, but also excites and tantalises your imagination. With his rich knowledge and first-hand background into everything Edinburgh, I cannot recommend this tour highly enough! Thanks again Stuart.
Written 22 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Gideon Thank you so much for your marvellous Review of our most pleasant Tour. I enjoyed your company very much and could see that Edinburgh had 'got you'. How about coming again in the winter for a somewhat different experience?! Many thanks again and Best wishes Stuart U
Written 23 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Luke F
6 contributions
The real deal - a stunningly expert history experience
Apr 2021
Absolutely superb.

My girlfriend and I are early-thirties professionals, visiting from London. We had purposefully found the most serious/academic-looking history tour possible (!) because we really wanted to throw ourselves into the whole thing. We'd never done anything like this before, and we ended up completely gripped from start to finish.

Our guide was Dr Alison Duncan, who (if I understand correctly) is a career historian; we were in awe of her expertise and her passion/commitment for the subject matter. In fact she inspired this same interest within ourselves also, which I’m guessing is the greatest outcome that we could hope for?

Alison's delivery was notably also extremely polished; she'd clearly been talking through the information for many years but it still somehow felt really natural and genuine i.e. as if we were all having this discussion newly for the first time.

At one point she pulled out a historic book (which I understand is 250-ish years' old, and so presumably could or should have been in a museum!?) and performed a dramatic reading for us on the steps of a historic cathedral. Looking back I’m tempted to say it was ‘magical’.

We were just blown away by the whole thing, and we came away feeling really inspired/engaged and wanting to learn more about the subject matter. These people are clearly ‘the real deal’ and yes I will be recommending wherever possible!
Written 29 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart U
Dear Luke and Partner Many thanks indeed for your most fulsome and superb Review of your Tour with Dr Alison Duncan. Alison knows more about the history of Scotland than just about anyone else....... I would take a bet on that! Like my Son and myself she is also v passionate about Scotland and Edinburgh in particular. All of us in the EGT Team are delighted that you both enjoyed the Tour so much. Edinburgh's History has it all. Its Golden Age in the 18th and 19th centuries being its crowning glory when it was the source of so many brilliant men and women who made massive contributions for the good of the world at large. Unfortunately it also had some really rotten people like Deacon Brodie and also Burke and Hare. But every big city has some rotten people in its history. We would be delighted if you visited again for another Tour. Thanks you so much again Best wishes Stuart U.
Written 30 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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