Join former history professor, Sami, for a family-friendly Old Town walk built around great storytelling and genuine connection - sometimes joined by one of our Golden Retriever tour guides. Explore Edinburgh’s story as a city shaped by stories and by the people who lived them on this wider ranging walk from the Old Town into the edge of the New Town.
With an 11:00am start, this walk is perfect if you’d rather skip the early-morning rush: enjoy a relaxed breakfast, arrive unhurried, and settle into a more intentional pace as the city comes to life. This tour isn’t a word-for-word script or a rushed checklist of sights; it’s a conversation-led experience where Sami adapts to the group, welcomes questions, and brings Edinburgh’s past to life in a way that works for all ages.
You’ll begin among the words and writers of Makars’ Court, then step into the shadow of the Castle for tales of sieges, royal ambition, and the mysteries that still cling to the skyline. As we descend Castlehill, the city’s folklore takes over with stories of witches, wizards, and the fears (and fascinations) that once travelled these closes.
From there, soak up the colour and curves of Victoria Street before arriving at the Grassmarket, where everyday life and more dramatic chapters collided in one of the Old Town’s most atmospheric squares. We then make our way to Greyfriars Bobby, separating legend from truth and sharing why this small statue carries such a big, emotional story.
Back on the Royal Mile, we continue past St Giles’ Cathedral and on toward Tron Kirk, uncovering the hidden histories you’d never spot alone - clues in the stonework, street lines, and overlooked corners, plus the layers of the city that lie beneath the modern pavement. Next comes the dramatic stroll down Cockburn Street, one of Edinburgh’s most iconic lanes, before we cross the site of the former Nor Loch and feel the city’s character shift as the New Town opens up around us.
Along the way, we bring Edinburgh to life through the people who shaped it - thinkers, workers, rebels, and larger than life locals whose ideas and scandals still echo through the streets. We finish near the Scott Monument with the sense you’ve walked through centuries in one go, and you’ll see the city centre with fresh eyes.
This tour is a great fit for those who want a later start, a relaxed pace, and a people-first focus beyond the usual ‘same stops, same script’- and sometimes with a Golden Retriever tour guide.
