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Private tour in Edinburgh John M
Literary Edinburgh Private Walking Tour
5.0
(2) reviews
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3 hours
30 minutes
1
Tour date
Start time
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3 hours
30 minutes
1
John M.
5.0
Guide rating
51
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Welcome to Scotland, and to Edinburgh in particular! Edinburgh is a wonderful place to explore and discover, shimmering with the life of the present, glowing with shades of the past, full of visual surprises and stunning views. I am a native Scot, and have lived my whole life here in Edinburgh. I have been showing friends, family and visitors to my beautiful city and country for many years, and love introducing guests to what makes Edinburgh such a fascinating and many-sided city. I am a graduate in history from Cambridge University, with a Scottish legal training. I am deeply interested in the history, architecture, literature and culture of my native land, and really enjoy sharing this with others of all backgrounds and ages. It is my constant pleasure to share my enthusiasm and show visitors old and young both what it is like to live in contemporary Scotland, as well as what life was like here in the past, what has made us what we are. My tours are designed to entertain and inform travellers not only about the best known places, but also the quirky and unexpected. When I am not guiding visitors, I am an enthusiastic reader of history and literature and enjoy walking, landscape and fishing. I have extensive experience in guiding individuals, family groups, and shore excursions both on short, whole day and longer tours in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland. I look forward to showing you the sights and sounds of my native place. I am a graduate in History (M.A. Cambridge), and in law (Ll.B., Edinburgh), and a lover of Scotland's and Edinburgh's culture and history, with many years' experience of showing visitors round my home country and city. I do not have any restrictions in regard to my guiding, I can offer a full range of experiences.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message John M.
A Skim Through Edinburgh's Literary Past (and Present) Half Day Tour
Overview of your Edinburgh tour
Edinburgh is poetry where London is prose; it is a bright, clear lyric compared to a rambling, heavy epic, or so said Charlotte Brontë. It richly deserves its status as a UNESCO City of Literature. On this tour you will enjoy some of the best of Edinburgh's sights while learning what life in Edinburgh was like for Walter Scott, discovering where Robert Louis Stevenson found inspiration for Treasure Island, seeing the closes and taverns of Edinburgh shown to Dr Johnson by James Boswell, and learning of the birth of Jekyll and Hyde, Sherlock Holmes, and Miss Jean Brodie. We will visit Scotland Street, made famous by Alexander McCall Smith in his Edinburgh novels, as well as the Oxford Bar beloved of Ian Rankin's Detective Inspector Rebus. As am avid reader myself I have always enjoyed the connection between so many locations in Edinburgh and a huge variety of writers: it always adds something new to one's understanding of the writer and their works.
Your Edinburgh tour itinerary
Beginning in Charlotte Square we will pass by, among other places: - The birthplace of Kenneth Grahame (Wind in the Willows). - The New Town home of Sir Walter Scott. - Inspector Rebus's Oxford Bar (visit inside possible depending on the time of day). - The childhood home of Robert Louis Stevenson (and origin of Treasure Island?) (inside visit may be possible). - The Scott Monument. - Princes Street Gardens. - Makar's Court, where we will end. Feel free to contact me if you would like to customize this tour.
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Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
Transport details
Type: Walking
We will be travelling on foot, mostly over paved footpaths and cobbled streets, but there will be some steps and hills.
What's included
What's not included
Meeting location
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide: We will begin at West Register House, on the west side of Charlotte Square, in the City Centre (EH2 4DR for satnav).
- You can request a different meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout process.
Other details
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Languages
German
EnglishActivity level
Accessibility
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2 reviews
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3 hours
30 minutes
1
Tour date
Start time
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3 hours
30 minutes
1
Tour date
Start time
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
How it works
- Your credit card will be authorized only for the deposit amount.
- Funds will not be withdrawn until your tour booking is fully processed.
- 30 days before your tour date, the remaining balance is automatically charged.