Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Edinburgh Private Tour

Edinburgh’s Storyteller

Alec was a sterling storyteller who made our experience of Edinburgh come to life in HD! Learning about is history, and his history with the city, made for a superb afternoon. But 4 pre-teens are the best critics. Each of our youngsters, unprompted, said how much they enjoyed their time with Alec. “He made us feel like one of the grown ups, but still made it fun for us kids.” Same applies to the grown ups. We loved learning the history and all the anecdotes that make an historic city an intimate haven.

Private walking tour

Alec was a fantastic tour guide. Good communication prior to our meeting. His knowledge was impressive, and he started the tour with a geographical lesson that set the tone for understanding the landscape of the tour. Very personal and tailored the tour to facts that were relatable to me and my preferences. I would certainly hire him again as guide.

Lovely way to explore Edinburgh

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Monica. She was very friendly and easy going, willing to adapt the tour to our interests. She shared many great stories about Edinburgh’s history and lore, and showed us several locations just off the main roads that we wouldn’t have found on our own.

Interesting and fun tour

This tour was amazing, got to listen to a lot of interesting but also fun facts and stories. Alice’s knowledge is impressive.

Like being in a fairy tale

Alice is a great storyteller! This was definitely one of the best city tours we ever had! Alice is a very talented actress and you can’t stop listening.Thank you!

History Comes Alive with Alice!

We did the Hidden Gems of Edinburgh tour with Alice this week and it was FANTASTIC. She is truly a storyteller who made the history of what we were seeing come alive. My 12 year old was thrilled with this nuanced aspect of the tour, as was I, as we're so used to the standard tour which are great and conversational but this was a lovely twist. Alice was wonderfully friendly, shared tons of information about Edinburgh, and tailored the tour to what we needed. HIGHLY recommend any tour with Alice!

Do this tour!

We had a wonderful day with our local guide Alec. His personal stories coupled with his knowledge of the area were both entertaining and informative. The only thing I would suggest to Viator is to have the option to purchase tickets for entry to the Castle, which could be done at the end of the tour.

Alice is my new Edinburgh Bestie

Oh what a delight. A fabulous experience through and through - Alice was an informative historian, captivating storyteller, and thoughtful hostess for our mother-daughter duo. She was careful to monitor my mother’s stamina while also ensuring we covered plenty of ground. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Incredible and Informative Tour!

If you're looking for the perfect blend of history, humor, and just a wee bit of Scottish magic, look no further than Laura's walking tour of Edinburgh! Our group of six Americans felt like we had struck gold when we had the pleasure of wandering the historic streets with Laura as our guide.   From the moment we met, Laura's warm and welcoming presence made us feel right at home, even though we were 5000 miles away. She has a knack for turning every corner into an exciting story and every stone into a piece of living history. We learned more about Edinburgh than we ever could have from any guidebook or website—she even managed to convince us that nearly every saying imaginable originated in Scotland.   Laura’s expertise in showcasing the ins and outs of the city is unparalleled. She kept the tour fun and engaging with her endless anecdotes and witty commentary. We laughed, we learned, and we marveled at the rich tapestry of stories that make up this incredible city.   The true highlight, though, was Laura herself. Her hospitality, grace, and boundless energy made our experience unforgettable. She turned what could have been just another tour into an adventure six friends will cherish forever. If I could, I'd join her tour 1000 times over—it's just that good.   Thank you, Laura, for an incredible day in Edinburgh. You made us feel like locals, and for that, we’re eternally grateful. Keep up the fantastic work, and may your tours always be filled with laughter and joy!

Fantastic tour guide!

Monica is a fantastic tour guide! We had a group of 6 ranging from age 9 to early 70s and she was wonderful with accommodating all of our different ages and paces, especially with the Royal Mile being one big hill. Monica is a great story teller, fun and extremely knowledgeable about Edinburgh's history. She also introduced us to the best fudge around as well as Scottish Tablet - we're hooked! We loved our time together and highly recommend Monica!

Very Personable and Engaging Tour Guide

Alex was a fantastic host, very knowledgeable and personable. We really enjoyed our time with him. Highly recommend.

Must do

We had a wonderful time. Our guide was so friendly. She tailored our tour on the spot to show us things and places that were new to us and that were not included in our other activities. She was personalbke and very knowledgeable.

Magical city

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, beside the amazing architecture, history and stories are the very important part of its character so the proper walking tour with the local tour guide is the best way to experience this beautiful city. Our tour guide Alec was a good storyteller and very knowledgeable. We had so much fun walking and talking and learning about all aspects of Edinburgh. I highly recommend him :)

Nice introductory tour

Alec provided a fun, informative tour. Only downside was that we were not given the complementary local drink/tasting as described in the tour description. We have requested a partial refund for the price paid.

Very Knowledgeable

Monica is great. Enjoyed our tour very much. Hit the highlights. Tough weather - but she kept us moving. I would request her again.

Great Tour on a Rainy Day

Loved our tour! Learned a lot of cool history from Svend Erik and saw some parts we wouldn’t have discovered on our own. He was very accommodating to our group as it was cold and rainy, finding areas of interest inside to warm up when we needed it. Friendly, knowledgeable and a great guy!

Amazing Local Guide in Edinburgh

Alice was such a fantastic guide!! She is such an amazing storyteller and made our introduction to Edinburgh so enjoyable. She has so much knowledge about local stories and hidden gems and is a natural in presenting them that it made our 3 hour tour fly by despite the weather not always cooperating. I would highly recommend Alice to anyone traveling to Edinburgh. She was the best!!!!

Great tour! Great Guide!

The tour was excellent. Loved the story telling and history by Annie which gave us a unique perspective about Edinburgh. My son and I had a blast and it was a great way to get to see the city and its hidden gems. Thank you Annie!

Great Tour with Svend-Erik

My husband and I spent an afternoon with Svend-Erik. We were on and off the Royal Mile. Svend-Erik is an interesting story teller. We learned history and interesting points we would not have learned on our own. We thought that the time was very worthwhile and would recommend the tour and Svend-Erik to others!

Lovely Edinburgh experience!

My husband, kid, and I had a lovely afternoon with Alice learning about the Old Town side of Edinburgh. Alice is a consummate storyteller and we were fascinated by the local stories that helped bring our surroundings to life. We loved the pause in the middle of the tour to have a drink and just chat with Alice as well. Overall, an amazing value and a wonderful tour guide!

Monica was awesome!

Monica was super nice and really knew allot of the history of the spots she showed us. She even took the time to stop at one of the shops so we could ask the merchant about their wool jumpers (we later went back and bought one). She gave us some great recommendations about which pubs had the best music and gave us great advice on some good restaurants to go to. We highly recommend her, she helped make our trip to Edinburgh a memorable one!

Alice was excellent in...

Alice was excellent in her lively description of the "whys and where fors" of historical Edinburgh. My wife LOVED walking through the cemetery and seeing the gravestones that could (?) have been used by J.K.Rawlings (sp) in "Harry Potter".

The city comes to life

Our tour with Alec was amazing! He’s very knowledgeable of the city plus he is a great storyteller! The cherry on the top is that he himself grew up in Edinburgh and has countless stories of his own past that really speak to everything the city has to offer. He’s lived and breathed this city, and you feel that from his tales. Got me eating haggis as well, which was actually quite delicious! We really enjoyed it and would highly recommend a tour with Alec!

A Magical Walk

Monica was an amazing guide. Her love of the city, knowledge of its history and passion for sharing it all with travelers was a real delight. Our tour came at the end of a two week trip and it was by far one of our most loved highlights. Having tea with Monica in a quaint little tea room was simply fantastic. The rain was great fun too and Monica always made sure we were keeping as dry as possible. She capped our walk with an amazing stroll down a charming street where the views of the castle were simply magical.

The Highlight of our Trip

We were fortunate to connect with Alec for our Hidden Gems of Edinburgh tour. He was so knowledgeable about the city that he clearly loves and he shared his knowledge with great passion. A born storyteller, he showed us landmarks we surely would have missed had he not been our guide. As a history teacher, I was intrigued and excited to learn so much. The hidden gem of this tour was Alec himself.

Best Local Tour Guides!!!!

This was the absolute best way to see Edinburgh!!! Laura was an amazing tour guide; and really knew the history as she lived her whole life here. Laura was informative and told great historic tales. On top of that, she was able to share great tips on places to eat, shop, and do unique things. Don’t miss this tour!!!!

Alice in Edinburgh

We had a blast with Alice. We had 12 age 50 something golfers do a tour with Alice and everyone of us enjoyed it immensely. She adjusted the tour to fit our needs. As claimed she's a wonderful and colorful story teller and also has an eye for just the right pubs:-) Next time in Edinburg she'll be my first choice as a guide.

Edinburgh with a 'true local'!

My wife and I used withlocals.com and went with Alec as our guide for a 3 hour walking tour of Edinburgh. Alec is a true local! He is passionate about sharing his knowledge of all things interesting in Edinburgh, especially places and history normally off the tourists' path - small hidden gardens; rooftop view of Edinburgh from the rooftop of the Scottish National Museum etc. The tour was a load of fun, so much so that we didn't even stop for food/coffee - we wanted to make the best of our time and Alec was more than happy to accommodate. The walk through the "Harry Potter" graveyard was an added bonus. Thank you Alec. Highly recommended.

Sven-Eric was a great guide

Sven-Eric was a great guide and storyteller! Very friendly and knowledgeable! We enjoyed our morning with him. We highly recommend him for giving a great introduction to Edinburgh. We should have booked him for an entire day.

Great insights into Old Town Edinburgh

Our guide was Xavier, and it was clear he's an experienced and professional tour guide. He was engaged, cheerful, and took us to fascinating spots around the Royal Mile. I felt like we got a great overview of the city's history from him, told through engaging stories. Loved it!

Walking in Edinburgh

We spent a lovely afternoon walking the streets of Edinburgh with Alice. She was so knowledgeable about the history of Scotland, as well as of the area. Though the weather was rainy, it did not hamper our fun. Alice is a splendid storyteller to boot. Not only did Alice deliver on a top notch tour, she ended the day by walking us to a nearby drug store. Thank you Alice for a great experience.

Like having a friend who's local to Edinburgh!

Having Monica as a guide was like having a friend or family member who lives in Edinburgh and wants to host you for a day in the city. She catered the tour to us, communicated well, and took us places we would have never found on our own. She was full of live, stores, knowledge, history, and perspective. She took into account our tastes and preferences and catered the trip to us. I highly recommend her and this company for your outing in Edinburgh!

Fabulous guided experience

Alec was brilliant, he made the tour so much fun, his anecdotes and personal knowledge of the city made for a wonderful experience. I would ask for him again the next time we visit Edinburgh.

Super informative walk

A great walk around the city with Alice! Learned so much. She is super informative and knows the city well. She also is a great story teller.

Best Intro to Edinburgh

We had a fantastic tour with Alec! The four of us have never before been to Edinburgh, and Alec introduced us to this pretty and approachable city. He is an entertaining and knowledgeable guide with a warm, caring attitude. I highly recommend him!

Cancelled with No Advance Notice

I booked this tour three months in advance. It was the only country in our extended European trip that I was the most excited about. Their reasoning was our guide tested positive for COVID the day before, however we were notified only two hours before the time to meet. The two hour notice gave us no time to book another tour.

History Through Storytelling

Wonderful guide, wonderful history and amazing storytelling. Alice made the city of Edinburgh come alive. Thank you for the experience! JKJK

Book Monica’s Tour

Monica was absolutely wonderful. She’s incredibly kind and is extremely knowledgeable. It’s mind blowing how much history she knows. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with her and look forward to booking another tour with her when we decide to take another trip to Scotland.

Private Tour with Alice

We were a party of 4 adults. Our tour guide was Alice and she was absolutely FABULOUS. We saw sights we would have never seen on our own.. learned so much about the city of Edinburgh and were treated to stories about legends. Alice made our first day in Edinburgh so delightful that we were very excited to see everything Edinburgh had to offer.

Great guide, great tour!

The six of us booked a private walking tour with Alec hoping to see Edinburgh like a local, and he did not disappoint! Alec was super flexible from the start, adjusting out time when we were delayed getting off the ship, and our start location when we realized a festival made it difficult to navigate at our original spot. We saw lots of nooks and crannies, like hidden gardens, we would never have seen on a coach tour, and he shared summaries of historical events in a fun and engaging way! He also identified architectural details that we would never have noticed and explained the story behind them. He is very knowledgeable about the City and we would definitely book him again if we return! Very nice, very patient, and very helpful!

Best private tour

My tour with Alec was by far the best private tour I have experienced. He was extremely communicative from the start and tailored the tour to what made sense for me and the time I had in the city. He offered great recommendations for things to do & see, was engaging and extremely knowledgeable about the city and all it has to offer. Extremely fun tour and definitely plan to return and book another tour with Alec through WithLocals.

Amazing guide!

We had 9 tour guides in 2 weeks and our family voted Xavi the best. This comes from my wife, a self proclaimed expert in Scottish history, my son a 13 year old boy with no interest in Scotland, my eldest daughter ready to find a college to study abroad, my youngest fashionista precocious 8 year old and myself who can talk your ear off for hours. Xavi managed to provide something special to each of us and worked hard months ahead of our visit to listen and curate a special tour. Out of all the guides in Scotland Xavi was the best informed and incredibly fun. We can't say enough about how special Xavi was with us. After our tour was clearly wrapped up he even sat in the rain with us for 30 minutes to make sure we got on the right Tram and were well taken care of. Don't second guess yourself just book a tour with him and you will be so happy you did. I think he was even so good that he brought us true Scottish weather. BTW the haggis we shared was amazing too. Give it a shot!

Compelling

The tour with Alice began hesitantly and somewhat sceptically on our part, but soon Alice had won the hearts of all of us with her engaging stories full of anecdotes and historical facts. A delightful mix of truth and story delivered in an enjoyable and compelling way, so fitting for the city of Edinburgh. And no question remained unanswered. Highly recommended.

Wonderful tour with Alice!

My husband and I booked a private tour with Alice in May for the Royal Mile and she was wonderful! She is a professional storyteller and this made the tour even more engaging!

Knowledgeable and engaging guide. Monica was awesome.

We had a fabulous 3 hours with Monica. She was knowledgeable, funny, and engaging throughout. Even though this was our second tour of Edinburgh, we learned a lot and enjoyed our time. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately the tour...

Unfortunately the tour had been canceled an hour before and no alternative had been offered. We feel sorry for the guide who had to cancel due to family reasons.

Unfortunately, tour was cancelled

Unfortunately our plans were cancelled the day before for a family emergency. I hope his daughter is OK. I am wondering why they do not have "back up" guides? This is the 2nd time I have had a tour cancel on me because a family member was in the hospital. I of course understand, and yet, looking at some of the other reviews....not so uncommon. I had to file a dispute with American Express because it has been 12 days and I still have not received my refund.

Unfortunatley , tour was canceled

Unfortunately, our plans to tour Edinburgh with a local guide were abruptly canceled at the last minute due to guide’s family emergency, leaving us with no alternative options.

Great tour of Edinburgh with Alice

Our group of 5 enjoyed our 3-hour tour of Edinburgh immensely. It was wonderful to hear stories about some of Edinburgh's interesting characters and rich history. Alice was engaging and entertaining and, most importantly, spoke loudly enough so that everybody could always hear her. We all gave this tour a big thumbs-up!!

Request Alice for Edinburgh

Our 3 hours with Alice was well organized with a walking route that was not demanding. She is knowledgeable about Edinburgh and told us fascinating stories of the city and its history and about colorful individuals. Highly recommended!