Edinburgh Castle

Private Tour Edinburgh Scotland

Welcome to Edinburgh!

Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city located in the S.E.corner of Scotland and benefits from excellent transport links. Population is about 480,000. Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament. The city is centred around the medieval Old Town with its Royal Mile, Castle and Royal Palace at Holyrood.

What can I see and do in Edinburgh?

Here are some tour ideas:

Edinburgh's Royal Mile: Refer 'Edinburgh Royal Mile Tour' below.
Architecture Tour: Royal Mile and New Town (see below). Also, the famous Forth Road and Rail bridges attract interest from around the world.
Palace of Hoyrood House: Dates from the 16th century. Recommended.
Scottish Parliament Building: This building's architecture prompts debate. It is possible to visit inside and listen to parliamentary proceedings in progress.
Calton Hill: See foot of this page for tour detail.
Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags: Afford excellent views for the fit.
Edinburgh Museums: Consider the National Museum of Scotland and the People's Story.
Edinburgh Art: Consider the National Gallery and contemporary Scottish art at the Royal Scottish Academy. Both are close to Princes Street.
Edinburgh Gardens: Pre-eminent is Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden.
Culture: Each August occurs the Royal Military Tattoo and Edinburgh Fringe.
Edinburgh Food and Drink: A wide choice.Top restaurants include the Witchery, the Tower, Rhubarb and Prestonfield.

What can I see and do near Edinburgh?

The famous Rosslyn Chapel: Located about 30 mins south of Edinburgh. the building featured in the Da Vinci Code and is renowned for the elaborate stone carvings which dominate both the interior and exterior.The Chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair and took 40 years to build. The carvings are endless in variety and full of symbolism. Foremost is the famous “Apprentice Pillar” with others covering Biblical stories and there are frequent references to Knights Templar and Freemasonry. Pagan symbols are also present with the Chapel boasting the largest number of “Green Men” found in any medieval building. .
The Royal Yacht Britannia: A former mini-cruise liner used by the Royal Family is moored at Leith, about twenty minutes from central Edinburgh.
Linlithgow Palace:Former home to the Stewart kings and now an impressive ruin. Located close to a loch populated by an extensive wildfowl collection.
Tour to St. Andrews and the quaint fishing villages of the Fife coast.
For more tour ideas visit this Taste of Scotland page

How can Catswhiskerstours help? We can:

Arrange walking tours of Edinburgh.
Arrange driver-guided tours of Edinburgh and environs for groups.
Arrange Golf and self-drive tours.

Contact Nigel- T 44 (0) 141 638 5500

E info@catswhiskerstours.co.uk or

ncole67@googlemail.com

Edinburgh Royal Mile Tour

This route runs from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. Allow at least half a day. The tour is conducted on foot with many opportunities for refreshment and rest en-route. Here is a selection of buildings to admire and visit:

Edinburgh Castle Tour. This impressive castle sits on a volcanic plug and dates back to th 12th century. In the intervening years it has witnessed considerable military action. Was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries with a focus on the residential aspect.
Cannonball House: A large merchant's house dating from 1630. Name derives from a cannonball embedded in the west gable.
Outlook Tower: Now Camera Obscura but origins date from the 17th century.
Tolbooth St.John's Church: J.G.Graham 1842-44.Designed in collaboration with A.W.N.Pugin for the Church General Assembly.
Milne's Court: A large planned courtyard designed by Robert Mylne in 1690 and now an eight storey Halls of Residence.
New College and Assembly Hall: By William Playfair 1846-50. A tudor, collegiate development with twin towered and orielled gatehouse.
Gladstone's Land: A six storey tenement dating from 1617-20.
Lady Stair's House: A free standing rubble mansion dating from 1622.
Bank of Scotland,The Mound: Originally a classical building dating from 1802-6 but subsequently extended in Roman Baroque.
High Kirk of St.Giles Tour: The Choir Medieval vault and eastern bay date from about 1460. Refaced by William Burn in 1829.
Parliament Hall and High Court of Justice: Built 1632-9 as a free standing, L shaped Parliament building with two halls.Parliament Hall is 122 feet long with original 49 ft wide hammerbeam roof c. 1640.
Charles II statue: Cast in lead in 1685.Only equestrian statue of Charles
Mercat Cross: Dates from 15th century.
City Chambers: Built as the Royal Exchange by John Fergus 1753-61.
John Knox House Tour: A 16th century composite structure which protrudes into the High Street. Has two separate staircases.
Tweeddale House: Dates from 1576 with subsequent additions.
Chessel's Court: Early mansion flats dating from c 1748.Restored 1964.
Moray House: A fine aristocratic mansion dating from 1628.
Tolbooth: Dates from 1592 and with French Chateau influence.
Canongate Church and Churchyard: A plain, cruciform, aisled church designed by James Smith in 1688. Affords good views of Calton Hill.
Palace of Holyroodhouse Tour: Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace is The Queen's official residence in Scotland.The NW tower (16th century) is all that survives of the pre-Civil War palace.A tour of the palace takes about 45 minutes.
Abbey of Holyroodhouse: Originally founded by King David I in 1128.All that remain are the ruined 13th century nave and west front.
Scottish Parliament Building Tour: Designed by Eric Miralles and opened 2004.Constructed from a mixture of steel, oak, and granite and inspired by the local landscape and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.Designed as building to 'grow out of the land'. An innovative if somewhat controversial building. Interior guided tours available.

Edinburgh New Town tour

The term 'New Town' is arguably a misnomer because this particular development dates from around 1770. Designed by James Craig in 1766 to extend the boundaries of the City by a parallelogram of land on the north side of what is now Princes Street Gardens. Here are some of the key buildings :

Register House: A fine classical building designed by Robert Adam 1774. Now houses the National Records of Scotland.
Scott Monument Tour: Located in Princes Street and designed by G.M.Kemp in 1844. A monument to Sir Walter Scott-of Waverley Novels fame.This monument has a very dirty exterior and is deserving of an extensive clean.
Royal Scottish Academy Tour: Designed by William Playfair in 1832. A massive squat Doric temple with a profusion of carved and incised stone.
National Gallery Tour: Designed by William Playfair in 1845.Exterior of blind walls of shallow pilasters in pink stone broached by tall Ionic porticos.
Charlotte Square Tour: Designed by Robert Adam 1791. This is a square of individual houses which was finally finished in the early 19th century.The individual houses are sublimated within monumental palace facades.Well worth a visit.
The Dome, 14 George Street: An ideal refreshment stop!. Designed by David Rhind in 1847 . A Corinthian portico and stunning domed atrium. Was a bank, now a restaurant.
Freemasons' Hall, 96 George Street: Designed by A.Hunter Crawford in 1912.Renaissance facade and interior clerestoried hall.

Calton Hill Tour

A medley of monuments which collectively provide Edinburgh with its impressive skyline.

National Monument: A replica Parhenon which was originally designed a s a church-until shortage of money imposed the current structure
Old Observatory: Designed by James Craig in 1776.
New Observatory:Designed by William Playfair in 1818 and inspuired by the architect's uncle, a mathematician and philosopher.
Nelson's Monument: Designed by Robert Burn and completed 1816. An intriguing up-ended telescope in recognition of the famous British Admiral.
Royal High School: Designed by Thomas Hamilton 1825-29.This is a very impressive building-in need of a good clean-which was considered as a home for the Scottish Parliament.The central Doric temple contains the splendid oval hall with shallow coffered ceiling and cast iron columns supporting the balcony.

(Acknowledgment: Information for the three named tours above was sourced from Edinburgh An illustrated Architectural Guide by McKean and Walker, ISBN 0-9501462-4-2. Published by RIAS Publications.)

For more information contact Nigel-

T 44 (0) 141 638 5500

E ncole67@googlemail.com

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For more information and help contact Nigel-

T 44 (0) 141 638 5500

E ncole67@googlemail.com
Or info@catswhiskerstours.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you!