Old Town Walking Tour

Edinburgh’s Old Town is packed into a steep, twisting knot of closes, courtyards, kirkyards, and grand stone buildings. This tour makes that crowd of places easier to understand by linking them to Scottish rebellion, Jacobite history, and Outlander. In two hours, you move from St Giles’ Cathedral along the Royal Mile and down toward Holyroodhouse, with stories attached to nearly every stop.

I like the costumed guiding, which gives the walk a bit of theater without turning it into a stage show. I also like the small-group feel and the mix of famous places with less obvious corners such as Tweeddale Court and Niddry Street. The main drawback is the weather: the tour requires good conditions, and Edinburgh rain or cold can make a long outdoor walk less comfortable.

Key points to know before you book

• Charlotte leads with warmth and humor: She is the owner, guide, and manager of Walk The Old Town, and her enthusiasm for Scottish history and Outlander comes through clearly.
• The route covers major Old Town sights: Expect Greyfriars kirkyard, Parliament Square, Mercat Cross, the Royal Canongate, and the area near Holyroodhouse.
• Outlander fans get real filming locations: Bakehouse Close and other Old Town spots connect the walk to the show, including Jamie’s printing shop.
• The costume adds atmosphere: Guides wear authentic handmade clothing, making the stories of rebels, Jacobites, and royal figures easier to picture.
• It is a useful first look at Edinburgh: You see a lot in two hours, making it a good choice early in a short visit.
• The practical setup is simple: Meet at St Giles’ Cathedral at 10:00 a.m., walk in English, and return to the same meeting point.

Starting beneath St Giles’ Cathedral

The tour begins at St Giles’ Cathedral on the High Street at 10:00 a.m. This is a handy place to meet because it puts you directly on the Royal Mile, the historic spine of Edinburgh’s Old Town.

From the start, expect a guide in handmade period costume. Charlotte is the named guide associated with this experience, and she also runs the small company herself. Her style, based on the information available, is lively and personal rather than formal. She uses humor, keeps the pace moving, and leaves time for photographs.

That balance matters. Edinburgh’s Old Town can feel like a wall of gray stone if you only walk through it on your own. A guide who explains why a square, close, or cemetery mattered can turn a simple street walk into a readable story.

This is not a museum tour with long stops inside buildings. It is a walking route through public streets and outdoor sites. You should expect to spend the full two hours on your feet, listening, looking, and moving between stops.

Greyfriars kirkyard and the stories of resistance

Greyfriars kirkyard is one of the tour’s strongest early stops. The cemetery is tied to covenant legends and the religious and political struggles that shaped Scotland. Here, the tour begins to show that Scottish resistance was not just a tale of famous battles. It also involved beliefs, loyalties, public promises, and punishment.

The guide focuses on the defiant side of Edinburgh’s past. That gives the tour a clear theme instead of presenting a random list of old buildings.

If you are interested in Jacobite history, this section should be especially useful. The walk places later events within a longer story of conflict and identity. You get a better sense of why the Jacobite cause still carries such weight in Scottish culture.

Greyfriars is also a place where atmosphere does much of the work. The old stones and close setting make the stories feel immediate, but you should remember that the tour is outdoors. Cold weather can be a real factor, especially on a morning start.

Parliament Square and Old Parliament House

The route continues to Parliament Square, where Scottish independence was debated, and Old Parliament House, where rebels planned and argued. These places help move the tour from legend into civic and political history.

I like this part because it shows Edinburgh as a city of argument. The Old Town was not only a royal route or a picturesque street scene. It was also a place where power was challenged, laws were debated, and political plans took shape.

The guide’s job here is to connect buildings to events. That is more useful than simply pointing out an age or architectural detail. You learn why the place mattered and how it fits into the wider story of Scottish identity.

The square is also a practical orientation point. If you are new to Edinburgh, the tour helps you understand how the Royal Mile, the courts, Parliament, and the lower Canongate fit together. You are seeing the city’s structure while learning its past.

Mercat Cross and the sound of bagpipes

At ancient Mercat Cross, proclamations of freedom once rang out. This stop adds a public, noisy side to the story. The cross was a place for announcements, ceremonies, and political messages, so it helps you picture how information once traveled through Edinburgh.

The planned bagpipe music adds another layer of atmosphere. It is not a substitute for historical explanation, but it fits the setting and gives the walk a distinctly Scottish sound.

I would treat this as a short, lively moment rather than a concert. The real value is the connection between music, public ceremony, and the Old Town streets around you.

This section also works well for families. Children may find the idea of freedom proclamations, rebels, and musicians easier to remember than a long explanation of constitutional history. The costumed guide helps keep the tone accessible.

Niddry Street and the less obvious Old Town

Niddry Street brings the tour into the hidden-tale side of Edinburgh. The Old Town has famous landmarks, but much of its character comes from narrow streets and less familiar corners.

You may find this part more rewarding than another stop at a major monument. It gives you a sense of how layered the city is. A street can look ordinary until the guide explains the people, plans, or trouble associated with it.

The route also includes Tweeddale Court, a more secretive corner of the Old Town. Places like this are useful because they break up the main Royal Mile. You are not simply walking from one well-known point to the next. You are being led into spaces you might otherwise pass without noticing.

The supplied information does not give a detailed accessibility description for every surface or passage. The tour is stroller-friendly, and most people can take part, but anyone who needs a very easy route should still consider asking the operator about the day’s conditions before booking.

Royal Canongate and Mary, Queen of Scots

The walk follows the Royal Canongate, where Mary, Queen of Scots once walked. This section links royal Edinburgh with the city’s rougher political and social stories.

The Canongate is important because it leads toward the Palace of Holyroodhouse, giving the route a clear sense of direction. You are not only hearing about royal figures in isolation. You are walking through the part of town associated with the court and the road between the Old Town and the palace.

Mary, Queen of Scots adds a different mood from the Jacobite and rebel stories. Her life brings questions of monarchy, religion, loyalty, and danger into the tour. The result is a broader view of Scottish history than an Outlander-only walk would provide.

You will not get an exhaustive biography of Mary in two hours. That is a benefit for most visitors. The guide gives you useful points of reference without turning the tour into a lecture.

Bakehouse Close and Outlander filming sites

Outlander fans have a clear reason to choose this walk. The route includes actual filming locations, with Bakehouse Close among the featured stops. The area is associated with Jamie’s printing shop, one of the details specifically highlighted by people who enjoyed the tour.

The value here is that the filming locations are part of a real historic setting. You are not visiting a purpose-built attraction. You are seeing the Old Town spaces that helped create the show’s version of eighteenth-century Edinburgh.

Even if you are not a devoted fan, the Outlander connection can make the route more memorable. It gives you a visual reference for how filmmakers used closes, stone walls, and courtyards to suggest another time.

The guide also explains the difference between television storytelling and actual history. The supplied details emphasize both Outlander and Jacobite history, so the walk is not simply a hunt for photo spots.

If you are booking mainly for filming locations, keep your expectations sensible. This is still a general Old Town history walk, and the route includes several political, royal, and cemetery stops. Outlander is an important thread, not the only subject.

Canongate Cemetery near Holyroodhouse

Near the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the tour reaches Canongate Cemetery. This gives the walk a quieter ending and returns the focus to the people connected with Edinburgh’s past.

Cemeteries can be some of the best places to end a historic walk. They slow the pace and make the stories feel personal. Instead of hearing only about governments and rebellions, you are reminded that these events affected real people.

The cemetery is also close to the final part of the Royal Canongate route, so it fits naturally into the walk rather than feeling like a separate excursion. After this stop, the activity returns to the original meeting point at St Giles’ Cathedral.

That return is convenient if you want to continue sightseeing afterward. Charlotte has also provided tips about places to visit next, which can help you plan the rest of your day. The tour itself does not include admission to a separate attraction, so you should plan additional visits on your own.

Charlotte’s guiding style and group size

The experience allows up to 30 people, but the available feedback repeatedly emphasizes an intimate small-group feel. A group of 30 is not private, so the exact atmosphere can vary, yet the company’s personal scale appears to be part of its appeal.

Charlotte receives particularly strong praise for her friendliness, humor, clear communication, and enthusiasm. She is described as someone who can keep history interesting while making time for photographs. She also continued with a tour in cold and rainy conditions, which says something about her commitment, though it does not make poor weather more pleasant for you.

Her costume is another repeated highlight. It is not just a photo prop. It helps set the period and gives the tour a stronger sense of occasion from the moment you meet.

The guide’s connection to Outlander is also useful. If you want both television locations and Scottish political history, Charlotte appears to be a strong fit. If you prefer a quiet, academic lecture with little performance, this may feel more animated than you want.

Is $24.72 a fair price?

At $24.72 per person, the tour offers two hours of guided sightseeing for less than the cost of many paid attractions. The admission listed for the walk itself is free, so your payment mainly covers the guide, planning, storytelling, and route.

I see the best value here in the amount of ground covered. You get a compact introduction to Edinburgh’s Old Town, with major landmarks, less obvious courts, cemeteries, rebellion stories, and Outlander locations in one outing.

It is especially good value if you are in Edinburgh for a short visit or want orientation before exploring alone. You can use the walk to decide which areas deserve a second look.

The price may feel less worthwhile if you only want one narrow subject. A dedicated Outlander fan could prefer a tour built almost entirely around filming sites, while a visitor focused on architecture might want more building-by-building detail.

The experience has a rating of 4.8 from 17 reviews, with 100 percent recommending it. That is a small sample, so I would not treat the score as a guarantee. Still, the repeated praise for Charlotte, the costume, the short but substantial route, and the personal feel points to a consistent strength.

Who should book this Old Town walk?

I would choose this tour if you want a fast introduction to Edinburgh’s historic center without spending half a day on a bus or inside museums.

It suits:

• First-time visitors who want context before exploring alone
• Outlander fans who also care about Scottish history
• Families looking for an outdoor activity with a lively guide
• Visitors with only a short window in Edinburgh
• People who enjoy stories about rebellion, Jacobites, royal figures, and political conflict
• Anyone who wants a route that includes lesser-known courtyards and closes

It may not suit you if you dislike walking outdoors, need a fully weatherproof activity, or want a private tour with a highly specialized subject. The maximum group size is 30, and the experience is offered in English only.

The tour is stroller-friendly, service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. It is near public transportation, though the supplied details do not specify a particular bus or tram stop.

Booking, weather, and timing details

You meet at St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, at 10:00 a.m. The walk lasts about two hours and ends at the same meeting point.

A mobile ticket is provided, and the tour operates in English. Confirmation arrives at booking, and the experience can be booked up to a group size of 30.

The tour requires good weather. If the operator cancels because conditions are poor, you are offered another date or a full refund. If you cancel or request an amendment, the payment is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so check your Edinburgh schedule before committing.

Because the activity averages booking 57 days ahead, reserving early makes sense if your dates are fixed. That is particularly true during a busy season or if you want the 10:00 a.m. start to fit neatly with other plans.

My recommendation

Book this tour if you want Edinburgh’s Old Town to make sense quickly, with a guide who brings energy, costume, Outlander connections, and Scottish rebellion into the same walk. Charlotte’s personal style and the route’s blend of famous landmarks and tucked-away corners give it more character than a basic Royal Mile stroll.

I would skip it only if bad weather is likely, walking is difficult for you, or you want a tour devoted exclusively to Outlander. For most first-time visitors, the $24.72 price is a sensible way to get your bearings, hear the city’s defiant stories, and find places worth revisiting later in your stay.

FAQ

Where does the Old Town Walking Tour begin?

It begins at St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, UK.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 10:00 a.m.

How long does the tour last?

It lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour end?

It ends back at the original meeting point at St Giles’ Cathedral.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $24.72 per person.

What places are included on the route?

The route includes Edinburgh Old Town, Greyfriars kirkyard, Parliament Square, Old Parliament House, Mercat Cross, Niddry Street, the Royal Canongate, Tweeddale Court, Bakehouse Close, and Canongate Cemetery near the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Does the tour include Outlander filming locations?

Yes. The route includes actual Outlander filming locations, including Bakehouse Close and the area associated with Jamie’s printing shop.

Is the tour suitable for families and strollers?

Yes. It is suitable for the whole family and is stroller-friendly. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you will be offered a different date or a full refund. If you cancel or request an amendment yourself, the experience is non-refundable.