Top 15 History Tours in Edinburgh

1.Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,168 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24Our pick

Two-hour guided Old Town walking tour in Edinburgh with stories at St Giles Cathedral, Mercat Cross, and views of Edinburgh Castle.

“I’ve done many walking tours in new locales, and this one ranks near the bottom. There was way too much irrelevant talking from Alastair and not enough walking. Indeed, based on the map, we appeared to walk in a very small circle and not see much at all. Do not recommend.”

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2.Old Town Historical and Underground Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,574 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27

Edinburgh Old Town and Underground Tour with Tron Kirk, Canongate Kirkyard, and South Bridge vaults, small-group guide in English.

“The tour was very interesting and informative. Our guide was fantastic at explaining the historical context of each place we visited.”

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3.Multi-Sensory Small-Group Historic Vaults Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,384 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $37

Small-group Edinburgh Vaults tour with a multi-sensory walk under South Bridge, storytelling stops at Mercat Cross, Blair Street, and the museum.

“was really very interesting Tour. Was fascinating and our guide Nicola was excellent. I can’t say enough about this event. It should be something that everyone takes just to show the history of the area.”

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4.Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,016 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

A 2-hour guided walk through Edinburgh Old Town, from centuries-old legends to Greyfriars Kirkyard, with a pro guide for $24.96.

“German tour with Urs was full of historical places, explanations and fun. The best tour during our stay.”

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5.Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 814 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $22Best value

A guided walking tour of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with dark true-crime stories, standout cathedral stops, and free entry at key sights.

“Our guide, Joe, was great! The weather was less than ideal but he was on point nonetheless. The material was interesting and informative, very cool.”

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6.Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 632 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Edinburgh witch trials walking tour with a fun guide through St Giles, the Royal Mile, Castle views, and Grassmarket, about 75 minutes.

“Excellent! Very detailed tour. The guide is very clear and very kind of her to wait for all to gather before moving on to the next. Especially when crossing the busy street.”

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7.Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $63

Edinburgh Old Town walking tour with beer tastings, cask ale stops, and history around Canongate, Cowgate, and the University.

“Christy was our tour guide for the Edinburgh beer tour which was very enjoyable. She had a vast knowledge of beer and made the experience wonderful”

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8.History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 216 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Edinburgh Old Town walking tour with stories of the Royal Mile, Greyfriars and Grassmarket. Small-group, 2 hours, $24.95, mobile ticket.

“Kieran did a great job and you can tell he had a passion for the city. Very welcoming and very knowledgeable.”

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9.The Anatomist – Award Winning Historical Escape Room Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $50

Solve a macabre 1829 case in Edinburgh. Find Dr Malcolm’s journal in about an hour at Nicolson Square for $50 per person.

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10.Private Greyfriars Kirkyard history tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $124

A private 90-minute Greyfriars Kirkyard walk in Edinburgh, led by a friendly local guide with tailored stories, plus smart tips for planning.

“I had a wonderful tour with Robert Howie. He was so knowledgeable and brought the history to life. I would recommend the tour to all!”

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11.St Andrews, Fife Coast Walk & Historic Abbey Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $110

Get out of Edinburgh for an 8-hour Fife day trip with bridge views, a Lady’s Tower walk, St Andrews ruins and town time, plus Dunfermline Abbey.

“We had a great time with Jeff our guide. We had a small group and were able to spend a good amount of time at each stop. Highly recommend this trip.”

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12.Edinburgh Historical Gems Tour with Whisky & Local Flavours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 10 minutes (approx.) · from $55

Edinburgh history walking tour with whisky, haggis, and Scottish tablet, from Mercat Cross to Holyrood Palace gates in about 2 hours.

“Darcy was great and extremely informative. She had great energy while showing us the best areas of Edinburgh”

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13.Private Royal Mile walking tour – Discover the history of our most famous street

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $117

Private Royal Mile walking tour in Edinburgh with a local guide, Mary Queen of Scots stories, and street-level Old Town history.

“It is both factual and humorous. Finding out about the characters that shaped Edinburghs history. Robert was very knowledgeable and easy to learn from.”

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14.Thirsty for Edinburgh: Scotlands Best Historical Pub Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $39

Three-hour guided pub tour through Edinburgh Old Town with a welcome cocktail, five themed stops, and spooky stories ending at the Banshee Labyrinth.

“Ended up with a private tour for two because the other scheduled guests canceled, but our host, John, didn't miss a beat. We visited 4 great pubs with interesting, and/or sinister histories. John was welcoming and funny, and answered any questions we had about Edinburgh. He also gave us a great revommendation for fish and chips after. All of the suggested beverages were a hit, especially the traditional ale at Grey friar's Bobby. Would highly recommend this experience.”

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15.Medical and Surgical History of Edinburgh – Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $130

Private Edinburgh walking tour tracing medical and surgical landmarks, with free museum admissions, a mid-walk café break, and a 3 to 4 hour route.

“A great journey through the history of medicine, especially in Edinburgh. Moray met us at the designated area and walked s through town giving detailed and enticing narratives of medicine through the ages, culminating in present-day Edinburgh. What makes it relatable is the fact that he himself is a physician, so there’s that added personal perspective.”

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