The Canongate Tours and Tickets

Journey through Edinburgh’s grisliest tales on a haunted walking tour. Experience the ghastly histories of monsters, madness, and murder that cast a dark shadow on the capital city. Discover the stories and sites of witch trials, pagan rituals, and executions, and hear about local monsters that live in urban myth. Then visit the chilling Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard cemetery to learn about body-snatching and some of the infamous interred.

An Edinburgh bus tour is the perfect way to hear commentary on city sights and get a panoramic overview. This City Sightseeing tour of Edinburgh lets you hop on and off at several strategically placed stops as many times as you like. Board the open-top double-decker bus and travel the entire route, or stop at Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum and many more. Buses depart regularly and tickets are valid for 24 hours from first use.

On your tour we will explore a UNESCO World Heritage status kirkyard. We visit the resting places of one of the most famous people in the world, Adam Smith AND the secret lover of Mary Queen of Scots and his brutal murder. You will later see the home he shared with his mother, Panmure House. We then talk of the most famous two-faced celebrity in Edinburgh society and the site of his final crime, here in Canongate. We will also stop outside the Scottish Parliament, a modernist structure which contrasts sharply with the many historical buildings in Canongate. Here our elected representatives decide upon the the future of Scotland. Your tour completes with a majestic view of Edinburgh's former main volcano, Arthurs Seat. Learn of its formation and the true story of how Arthurs Seat got its name. We stop outside the Royal palace of Holyroodhouse. Holyroodhouse is also where Mary Queen of Scots lived with her second husband Lord Darnley. Whatever happened to him I wonder.....

Edinburgh’s dark and desultory past means its streets are haunted by restless souls and wandering specters. This ghost tour—perfect for those fascinated by the supernatural—takes you to two of Edinburgh’s most haunted locations. Under the cloak of darkness, descend to the Blair Street vaults to explore a shadow-shrouded underground world. Visit Canongate Kirkyard, the final resting place of famous characters, and listen to gruesome tales of torture, cannibalism, and murder.

Follow in the footsteps of Scottish icons like Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie as you unravel the truths and myths of Edinburgh’s royal history. Set out on a 90-minute walking tour of the UNESCO-listed Old Town, spot the royal sites along Canongate and admire the grand Palace of Holyroodhouse, The Queen’s official residence in Scotland. After a comprehensive introduction to Edinburgh’s royal roots, enjoy skip-the-line access (optional) to the Palace of Holyrood and explore the magnificent royal residence independently.

Embrace the best that Edinburgh has to offer on a 3-hour small-group walking tour of the Royal Mile. You’ll cover everything along the famous route, starting in the Lawnmarket and following it down to Holyroodhouse and Scottish Parliament. Listen as your guide tells you the little-known stories of the city’s most important people and events, before returning to a central location.

To truly experience a city, you must deep dive into its culture, and there's no better cultural tradition to explore in Edinburgh than through its ghost tales, myths and legends. On this private tour, get a cultural awakening as you learn more about ghosts, myths and legends and why it's such a unique part of the city's character. Learn from its history to the present influence that still lingers in Edinburgh as you visit the Robert Fergusson statue, Canongate Kirkyard and more. Thanks to this cultural experience, you'll be able to see Edinburgh from a different perspective - the way the locals live it every day! Withlocals Treasures of Edinburgh Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local products and preventing over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.

Small, personal 5 star group tour with a maximum of 18 people. If Edinburgh is the setting for the second Outlander novel, you’re going behind the scenes. Your expert tour guide will take you deep into the Old Town, to the places where Claire & Jamie's story was made: Tolbooth Jail, Canongate Kirkyard and the World’s End Tavern. You will visit some of the sites familiar in Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager and you will hear Diana Gabaldon’s descriptions of Jamie and Claire’s experiences in this historic capital city. Exclusive Upgrade Option - dine in the original medieval Tolbooth Tavern after your tour! Step into this cosy traditional Scottish pub full of character and charm and be transported back to Claire and Jamie's era. Featured in the series as the Tolbooth Jail, relax and savour hearty home-cooked Scottish fayre using locally sourced produce; where better to slake your thirst and quell your hunger after your walking tour.

Let’s Roam is the #1 app-led scavenger hunt company. Walk to all the best landmarks and hidden gems, answering trivia questions and solving challenges. Work with your team or compete against them, as you learn new facts and create memorable experiences. Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts are great as an everyday activity, or for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate team building events and more! Each player chooses an interactive role, with challenges varying by person.

Explore the Old Town of Edinburgh with a private guide leading the way during this walking tour. Hear stories about the people, history, and politics that shaped the city of Edinburgh. Go for a walk along the Royal Mile and see local landmarks including Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and Scottish Parliament.

Enjoy fascinating insights from an experienced tour guide and local historian - me!. There will be a fun quiz for children at the end of your tour. If they do well, they receive a special prize! You will hear and see amazing things. The connection of Mary Queen of Scots with the owner of John Knox House, the final resting place of her secret lover and where she kept her favourite horse. You will also enjoy a great outside view of the Royal Palace of Holyrood House, the residence of the Royal Family when they are in Edinburgh. This was where - for a while - Mary Queen of Scots lived with her second husband, Lord Darnley. You will also see Panmure House, home of world-famous philosopher Adam Smith. You will also enjoy a panoramic view of Arthurs Seat, the now extinct main volcano in Edinburgh! Many of the true social stories you hear are mainly found in antique books. They tell them best!

What better way to acquaint yourself with the layout of Edinburgh's medieval Old Town than a private tour with your own experienced guide. In 3 hours your guide will cover all of the highlights of the Old Town as well as the hidden gems that the unwary visitor misses. Your guide will scratch under the surface of each location helping the visitor to understand why the city has such a gruesome history. Although many people think it is just about the Castle, it is much more than that. It is about the people who lived and died in the Old Town. You will hear stories of body-snatchers, of witches and the religious zealots that sent them to their deaths. We will explain how Scotland went from independent country to becoming part of the United Kingdom and its impact on Edinburgh The 18th century was a period that saw the rebirth of Edinburgh through learning and education. This period became known as the Scottish Enlightenment. Come on this tour to be entertained and enlightened.

Led by your professional Blue Badge guide, explore the historic streets of Edinburgh and take in the atmosphere that keeps tourists visiting the city year after year. View Edinburgh Castle and walk the Royal Mile to where Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament now sits. Spy hidden closes and courtyard parks, and learn about the vivid history of this vibrant city.

Why was a pet blackbird arrested in 1736? What did a washerwoman insist on before she would pull philosopher David Hume out of a swamp? Why was Robert the Bruce Edinburgh Castle’s most deadly enemy? You really couldn’t make up the history of Old Edinburgh! Seldom in the world can there have been so many odd events and strange goings-on in one town’s story as in Edinburgh, and telling these curious tales is what this tour is all about! Local doctor Moray Grigor is an Edinburgh native and lover of the city, and has been collecting some of the best of its stories to bring to you. Starting just below the Castle, we’ll be touring down the world-famous Royal Mile, ducking into alleys and back courts as we go, and we’ll be hearing the most outlandish, amusing and fascinating anecdotes of the Old Town, many collected by Edinburgh publisher and author Robert Chambers right back in 1824. In Edinburgh, truth really is stranger than fiction – as Dr Grigor will be delighted to show you!

Come on an Edinburgh Old Town experience like no other! Your guide, Dr. Moray Grigor, is a local physician and folksinger with a passion for his native city, its songs, stories and curiosities. In this tour he brings all this together, (with a little help from his mandolin!), taking you on a fascinating and fun trip down the historic Royal Mile. You'll hear songs, poems, and Old Town tales galore, and you'll hear not just English but the more German/Scandinavian sound of Old Scots, and Scotland's own Celtic language, Gaelic. Don't worry, though, all will be understandable, as you will have a written guide to all the songs and poems. As we tour, Moray will tell stories from each part of the Royal Mile, and you'll meet the characters whose legends live on in Edinburgh's story - including Rabbie Burns, Deacon Brodie, Jenny Geddes, David Hume, and more. We're looking forward to welcoming you!

Spend the evening exploring Edinburgh's Old Town on a Private Walking Tour with a knowledgeable, friendly local tour guide. Hear about the characters and events that shaped this wonderful cities past. This is a great option if time is limited to get to know the Royal Mile and Old Town. A walking tour in the evening could give you more time during the day to visit some of our attractions. If you would prefer to focus on the top part of the Royal Mile just let your guide know, if not the tour will end outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Take the guesswork out of your 'Outlander' pilgrimage on this guided walking tour that takes you to the exact locations featured in the TV series and novels. In a small group of no more than 12 people, see such sites as Jamie's printshop and the Tolbooth prison while learning from your guide about life in Edinburgh during and after the time of the Jacobite uprisings.

Beyond the city walls lies the end of the world... Climb Castle Hill during this 3h tour with our expert guide and immerse yourself in the history of Edinburgh's Old Town, step by step. On this tour, discover the hidden gems and closes of the historic centre, follow in the footsteps of Mary Stuart from Hollyrood Palace to the medieval fortress, and step into the history of the Scottish monarchy and the daily life of its inhabitants. Discover anecdotes and meet the characters who have fuelled the city's tales and rumours...