Privately Guided Walking Tours
From an introduction to the city to a more in-depth look at its history, a private walking tour is one of the best ways to make the most of Edinburgh.
My home for over 30 years I think this city is amazing.
Join me for a couple of hours or a whole day, either way my Edinburgh tours are designed to help you 'get under its skin' by exploring its history, its highlights and its hidden corners!
Whether you choose one of my fixed-route tours or a bespoke tour, each one is personally created and guided by me; a local historian who loves this city.
Fixed-route Tours
With set start and finish points, my fixed-route tours offer those of you who like to be organised ahead of time a great way to experience the city. There's currently four 'City Centre Classics' to choose from with some 'Beyond the City Centre' itineraries coming soon!
After something a little more tailored? I also offer bespoke tours...
City Centre Classics
Historic City Sights
Incorporating Edinburgh's historic Old Town, elegant Georgian New Town and panoramic views from Calton Hill, the Historic City Sights tour shows you some of the city's 'best bits'! From its diverse architecture and iconic landmarks to its quirky features and events, you'll discover what makes Edinburgh one of the most loved cities in Europe! Perfect for first-time visitors, this tour introduces you to the city and its 900 years of history while giving you plenty of ideas for things to see and do during your stay!
START: National Museum of Scotland
FINISH: Calton Hill
TIME: 3 hours
LENGTH: 3-4 km
TERRAIN: pavements, steps and steep slopes
Closes, Wynds and Courts
Explore Edinburgh Old Town’s many atmospheric and picturesque closes, wynds and courts - or alleyways, lanes and courtyards to use plain English! Each has its own look and its own story to tell making the Closes, Wynds and Courts tour a fun way to uncover the city’s rich history and the lives of its people. With everything from historic houses and hidden gardens to inspirational characters and dastardly deeds this tour is perfect for those who like architecture, anecdotes and a bit of an adventure!
START: Makar's Court
FINISH: Canongate Kirk
TIME: 3-4 hours
LENGTH: 2-3 km
TERRAIN: pavements, cobblestones, steps and steep slopes
Old Town and Calton Hill
Starting under the Castle in the historic Grassmarket, the Old Town and Calton Hill tour will show you some of Edinburgh's most famous sites including: St Giles Cathedral, John Knox House and the Canongate Tolbooth, plus a few atmospheric 'closes' thrown in for good measure! Great for history lovers, you'll see a huge range of architecture, explore some less well-known bits of Edinburgh and enjoy beautiful panoramic views over the city.
START: Grassmarket
FINISH: Calton Hill
TIME: 3-4 hours
LENGTH: 3-4 km
TERRAIN: pavements, cobblestones, steps and steep slopes
New Town and Calton Hill
Don't be fooled by the name, Edinburgh's New Town is over 200 years old! It's elegant Neo-classical architecture and urban design tells the story of Edinburgh as it spread beyond the old city walls to become a 'Modern Athens' - a place of culture, science, literature and art. Starting below the Castle, in the beautiful Princes Street Gardens, on the New Town and Calton Hill tour you'll visit peaceful graveyards, gracious squares and cobbled lanes before finishing with stunning views over the city.
START: Ross Fountain
FINISH: Calton Hill
TIME: 3-4 hours
LENGTH: 3-4 km
TERRAIN: pavements, steps and steep slopes
Bespoke Tours
Experience Edinburgh with a tour tailor-made to you.
Client Testimonial
Bespoke walking tour of Leith.
"I was looking for something a little bit different for myself and three out-of-town friends to do as part of our annual get-together. Hetty made everything easy to organise and was happy to finish our tour near the restaurant where we had booked our lunch.
Wonderfully researched and amazingly well delivered our tour was good fun and highly informative. We all enjoyed our morning immensely and I couldn’t recommend Hetty more highly!"
L. Ewing, April 2023
Starting at £160 for 2 hours, bespoke tours offer complete flexibility. This might be being met at your accommodation, organising a route that suits your mobility, looking at a specific area of the city, delving into a topic of personal interest or co-ordinating with another local business as part of a special day.
To ask about availability or any other enquiry simply get in touch using the form below...
Don't forget to mention your discount code if you have one!
Booking fees may apply to online payments.
