Half day in Edinburgh with a local

Doug was very prompt and met us at our hotel. He asked what we had seen so far and worked around that. We took a 3 hour walking tour of Edinburgh that was wonderful- cobbled streets, picturesque scenery and just the right amount of history. Doug is a true Scottish character & we would highly recommend him.

When they say this tour is customizable, they really mean it! After booking, I received a detailed survey asking about our interests, and I shared that we wanted time to shop for local souvenirs and artisan crafts. Our guide, James, went above and beyond — taking us to charming local shops and recommending beautiful spots for handcrafted jewelry. We also mentioned our love for cozy cafés, and he made sure we had time to enjoy one during our walk. Throughout the tour, we learned so much about how Edinburgh was built and the fascinating bits of history hidden in plain sight — things we never would have noticed without a local guide! (For example, the subtle markings that show where the old city walls once stood — we’d walked past them several times before without realizing what they were!) Our must-see list included Edinburgh Castle, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Scott Monument, and Edinburgh Old Town. Even though our castle visit was only from the exterior, the 4-hour walking tour was packed with insight and charm. By the end, James felt like family — my 12-year-old even joked that she wanted to adopt him as her new granddad! Honestly, this was the best thing we did during our trip to Scotland. I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who wants a meaningful, personalized, and truly local experience of Edinburgh.

James was a phenomenal tour guide. Very informative, passionate about the history of his city, and pointed out so many things one would just walk by not realizing the significance or history. James brought so much to life.

This was the perfect introduction to Edinburgh. Our guide was Doug Scott, a local resident, who walked us around the city to see the highlights. He gave us a bit of history, a bit of humor, and some great suggestions for what to see after our time together. He went at our pace and answered our questions. Not only did we get the historical side of things, we also got a local's view of the new monarch, political climate, and his feelings for his town in general.

Andre was very knowledgeable, personable, and flexible, which made the tour very enjoyable. He created an excellent blend of historical, modern, and cultural stops and information. The tour was an excellent way to get our bearings and learn about Edinburgh. We wish we had more time in the area so we could follow up on his recommendations!

We thoroughly enjoyed our 4 hour tour with our host Tanya! She is a true gem, and walked us through the Old Town sites sharing tidbits of Scottish history. The information we learned from her mapped out our journey through the country as we drove to Inverness down to Glasgow, then back to Edinburgh. I LOVE Scotland - thank you so much!