Edinburgh Essentials: Old Town and New Town Private Tour

Are you in Edinburgh only for a few hours and want to make the most of your time? This tour has you covered. It’s the perfect walk for those who want to experience the best of the city in just half a day. We’ll begin at the Castle Esplanade, tracing the origins of Edinburgh. In the Old Town, St Giles’ Cathedral provides the ideal setting to learn about the Scottish Reformation, while Greyfriars Graveyard, the Grassmarket and the Royal Mile will serve as the backdrop to recall stories of murderers, executions, and body snatchers. A short stroll through Princes Street Gardens leads us to the New Town, an elegant 18th-century extension of Edinburgh and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its wide streets, open squares and neoclassical buildings transport us to the age of the Scottish Enlightenment. You’ll hear how Edinburgh became the Athens of the North, meet Scotland’s greatest minds from the 18th and 19th centuries, and discover how their ideas helped shape the modern world.