Scotland · HISTORICAL TOURS

The 15 Best History Tours in Scotland

35 tours  ·  from $10

Jacobites, plague closes, clearances and a fortress that changed hands more than any other in Britain. The 15 below are compared on what they cover, how much walking is involved and what entry is included.

Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh - The guide makes or breaks the experience
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Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

1.Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,168 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24Our pick

Join Little Fish Tours for a two-hour English walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Guides such as Max, Greg, Angus, Jule, Ben, and Euan mix major sights with amusing tales, local tips, and Scottish history. The route ends within five minutes of the Royal Mile.

“Greg, took us on the tour. He was very knowledgeable and informative. Answered our questions and gave us funny stories along the way. Very recommended”

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Old Town Historical and Underground Tour - Tron Kirk and the Old Town’s changing shape
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Old Town Historical and Underground Tour

2.Old Town Historical and Underground Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,574 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27

Spend 90 minutes with a guide such as Holly, Chihon, Emily, or James exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town, Canongate Kirkyard, and Niddry Wynd vaults. Expect a relaxed pace, vivid stories, and a small group of no more than six people, with stairs and uneven ground underground.

“Holly was amazing! Funny, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable. Honestly, wish it could’ve lasted longer!”

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Multi-Sensory Small-Group Historic Vaults Tour in Edinburgh - Finishing at the Vaults Museum on Blair Street
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Multi-Sensory Small-Group Historic Vaults Tour in Edinburgh

3.Multi-Sensory Small-Group Historic Vaults Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,384 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $37

Meet your guide at Mercat Cross for a short Old Town walk, then enter the Blair Street Underground Vaults. Guides such as Linda, Veni, Nicola, and Charles bring the chambers to life with tales of trades, poverty, medicine, and crime before you finish at the Vaults Museum.

“What a fascinating piece of history. Really interesting and informative. Our guide was clear and enthusiastic and it was well paced and had loads of interesting facts which made the tour a really fascinating part of our trip to Edinburgh”

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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour - From medieval Edinburgh to the modern city
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Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

4.Edinburgh Old Town: Historical Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,016 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Meet your guide at 10:30 am on the Royal Mile for a two-hour walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Expect stories from medieval Scotland to modern city life, with guides such as Gavin and Urs praised for humor, useful tips, and close attention to the group. The tour ends at Greyfriars Kirkyard.

“This was a great 2 hour tour that hit the highlights and got us comfortable to explore more on our own. Thanks to Gavin, we were cared for, entertained, and left with great ideas on what to do next.”

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Edinburgh - Dark History - John Knox House and the surviving Old Town fabric
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Edinburgh – Dark History

5.Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 814 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $22

Follow All-Star Guides from Parliament Square to Canongate Kirk for a two-hour English walking tour of Edinburgh’s darker past. Expect tales of executions, plague, thieves, witches, body snatchers, and old burial grounds, with guides such as Robert, James, Joe, Kieran, and Lydia bringing the stories to life.

“Really informative tour! The stories Joe told were fascinating and he told them with flare. He was super knowledgeable and answered our questions like the historian he is - highly recommend!!!!!!”

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Edinburgh: Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour - Starting at St Giles’ Cathedral and Parliament Square
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Edinburgh: Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

6.Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 632 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Follow a costumed-style guide such as Juniper, Hazel, or Angelica through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Hear stories of witch trials, accused women, warlocks, public executions, Mary Queen of Scots, and Half-Hangit Maggie while walking cobbled streets from Parliament Square to Grassmarket.

“Juniper was an amazing informative guide. We really enjoyed our tour and learnt a lot! Will recommend to any history fanatics who are planning to visit Edinburgh in the future.”

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Edinburgh: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting - Canongate and the old brewing trade
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Edinburgh: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting

7.Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $63

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town with ScotBeer Tours, stopping at three pubs for Scottish beer tastings, including cask ale, sour beer, and newer styles. Guides such as Wag, Iain, Christy, Sara, and Mhairi mix brewing tales with stories of Canongate, Cowgate, the university, and the castle district.

“Our host, Iain, managed to make it even tho it snowed! Very thankful he put the effort in. He even brought snacks, which were delicious! We tried a very wide arrangement of beers, and Iain had tons of knowledge on the history and process off them all. Very fun experience!”

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Edinburgh: History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour - Princes Street to Edinburgh’s Old Town
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Edinburgh: History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour

8.History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 216 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town for about two hours with guides such as Madge, Kieran, Shanna, Zander, and Katie. Expect stories of kings, writers, body snatchers, graveyards, loyal dogs, and medieval life, plus Castle views and practical tips for exploring on your own.

“Pleasant and knowledgeable guide with a fund of stories, albeit a little lacking on the history of the old town.”

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St Andrews Old Course History Tour, for the Golfer - The Links and the early story of golf
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St Andrews Old Course History Tour, for the Golfer

9.St Andrews Old Course History Tour, for the Golfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 150 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $25

Join local guide Richard for a 75-minute walk through St Andrews and around the Old Course. Hear how golf developed, see the 1st and 18th holes, learn Old Tom Morris stories, and get professional photos on Swilcan Bridge when tournaments are not taking place.

“He tied legend into reality, which was an amazing attribute or amazing thing to hear about Saint Andrews. Highly recommend it was a wonderful tour. The chance of a lifetime and our guide was wonderful.”

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St Andrews Tours: Town, Golf and Old Course History - Cathedral ruins and the old kirkyard
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St Andrews Tours: Town, Golf and Old Course History

10.St Andrews Tours: Town, Golf and Old Course History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 138 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $27

Spend about 1 hour 45 minutes walking St Andrews with local guide Richard, an author and former caddie. Visit the university, cathedral, castle, Old Course, and Swilcan Bridge while learning how the town and golf grew together.

“Top notch tour, excellent guide, thank you Richard. Really learned a lot about the wonderful town of St Andrew and the history and golf course. Richard did over 8 years as a caddie and knows a ton of great info about St Andrew's. Tha k you !”

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Glasgow: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting - Merchant City connects old commerce with modern pubs
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Glasgow: Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting

11.Pubs & History Walking Tour with Beer Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $63

Meet at 8 Nelson Mandela Pl for a two-hour Glasgow walk through George Square and Merchant City, stopping at three pubs for Scottish beer tastings. Guides such as Mhairi, Iain, Leigh, and James explain brewing, beer styles, and the city’s past. Groups are small, though attendance can reach 12.

“Such a great afternoon! Fran did an excellent job of teaching us about the different types of beer. It was a very informative and tasty afternoon. A must do tour”

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Private Greyfriars Kirkyard history tour - What happens during the 90-minute walk
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Private Greyfriars Kirkyard history tour

12.Private Greyfriars Kirkyard history tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Spend 90 minutes with guide Robert Howie inside Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard. This private English-language walk focuses on overlooked graves, colorful characters, dark Scottish history, and stories shaped around your interests. Expect uneven ground, plenty of walking, and no theatrical jump scares.

“This tour was amazing! Robert is an amazing guide and the tour was one of the highlights of our entire trip. He met us and we talked about what we wanted to learn about during the tour, he listened and then walked us through a fun and informative tour of the kirkyard. He finished up by showing us an amazing picture spot at the nearby museum. Great experience and I can't recommend it enough!”

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Small-Group Historic Coffee Tour in Edinburgh - The Lost Close and its underground rooms
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Small-Group Historic Coffee Tour in Edinburgh

13.Small-Group Historic Coffee Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $20

Meet at 10 a.m. near Parliament Square for a 90-minute coffee-themed walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Guides such as James, Sara, Sarah, and Ross lead you to vanished coffee houses, then into The Lost Close, an underground former café, for coffee and more stories.

“Our guide was definitely the best part of our tour. A very knowledgable and friendly lady with a cosy presence. Has a wide range of knowledge about various topics and was happy to talk about other aspects of history but always naturally came back to the subjects relating to the coffee tour. 5 stars!”

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St Andrews, Fife Coast Walk & Historic Abbey Tour from Edinburgh - Looking down from the Queensferry bridges
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St Andrews, Fife Coast Walk & Historic Abbey Tour from Edinburgh

14.St Andrews, Fife Coast Walk & Historic Abbey Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $110

Leave Edinburgh at 9:00 for a guided day through Fife, with stops at the Queensferry bridges, Lady’s Tower, St Andrews Cathedral, St Andrews Castle, and Dunfermline Abbey. Guides such as Perry, Pete, Magnus, and Jeff are praised for lively stories and flexible pacing.

“All stops on the way to St Andrews and back make the journey memorable. The Abbey, bridges, Lady's tower bring something new to your experience. The guide was knowledgeable, helpful and very sweet. It is a great tour!”

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Edinburgh Historical Gems Tour with Whisky & Local Flavours - Following the Royal Mile beyond the obvious route
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Edinburgh Historical Gems Tour with Whisky & Local Flavours

15.Edinburgh Historical Gems Tour with Whisky & Local Flavours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 10 minutes (approx.) · from $55

Walk from Mercat Cross to Holyroodhouse with a local guide such as Darcy or Katie. Expect Royal Mile stories, tucked-away closes, a curious Mary Queen of Scots connection, Scottish tablet, haggis, and a whisky dram.

“Initially, we had a difficult time finding our tour guide, Darcy. This tour is on foot. You will walk around some of the historical “landmarks “ and listen to information regarding them. We received sample chocolates and then purchased some. If you’re a history person, you would enjoy this short tour. Maybe the guides should wear clothing that represents the company so they can be easily identified.”

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