Follow philosophers, poets, and printers from hidden closes to grand halls on a self-guided audio walk with GPS and smart tips through Edinburgh’s Age of Ideas.
Admissions not included.
Your purchase is for 30-day access to our self-guided tour. Tickets or entry fees
for museums, historic sites, and other attractions are sold separately.
Walk the Old Town’s ridge where printers, professors, and poets traded ideas that traveled far beyond Edinburgh. Slip into hidden closes, then step out into classical quads and galleries where the city staged its Enlightenment. From merchants’ tenements to modern parliament, this route links quiet courtyards with public debate. With narration, GPS guidance, and practical tips, you’ll meet the places where books were made, minds were trained, and Scotland’s voice was forged.
Highlights
Royal Mile (High Street) — the Old Town’s civic spine; hear how debate, print, and street life fed Edinburgh’s Enlightenment.
Writers’ Museum — Burns, Scott, and Stevenson under one roof; discover how their words shaped Scotland’s voice to the world.
Makars’ Court — quotations carved underfoot; step across centuries of Scottish literature and find new names still being added.
Gladstone’s Land — a 1600s merchant house stacked to the sky; see how trade, style, and family life fit one narrow plot.
Real Mary King’s Close — sealed 17th-century rooms beneath the Mile; descend into stories of plague, rumor, and everyday survival.
City Chambers Courtyard — from Royal Exchange to city power; learn how Enlightenment order rose from medieval streets.
University Old College — Adam and Playfair’s classical quad; explore how architecture embodied reason and learning.
Playfair Library Hall — a soaring neoclassical gallery; witness arches and light designed to inspire study and ceremony.
Surgeons’ Hall Museum — specimens and stories from a medical capital; uncover the advances and controversies that changed care.
Museum of Edinburgh — artifacts of ordinary lives; trace covenants, craft, and civic pride through intimate rooms.
Canongate Tolbooth — burgh hall with projecting clock; hear how law, taxes, and time ruled this stretch of the Mile.
Scottish Parliament — Miralles’s bold modern landmark; discover how a new chamber re-framed Scotland’s democratic story.
All this, plus additional "hidden gems," expertly brought to life through our virtual guides....with rich, vivid history, local stories, and unmatched knowledge you will not find elsewhere. Even better, no tipping required!
Tour area: Edinburgh – Enlightenment, Writers & Hidden Closes
Distance: ~1.4 miles (2.3 km) • Time: 2 hours • Stops: 12+ • Terrain: Slopes, cobblestones, narrow closes
Shaded area = approximate tour area
What you’ll experience
GPS location tracking — see your current location on the map.
Virtual Tour Guides — Detailed narration at each stop & answers to common questions.
Vast local knowledge — history, legends, and insider spots.
Local weather updates — stay prepared as you explore outdoors.
A “Free Roaming” adventure — start anywhere, wander at your pace.
What exactly unlocks when I buy?
You’ll get the full tour map with hot-air balloon markers (our map pins), our suggested walking path for orientation, detailed stories and site info, narration, and tons of local tips. Your purchase gives you unlimited access for 30 days via a private link. It runs right in your mobile browser — no installs, no storage — just open and go.
How do I start the tour?
Open your private tour link on your phone. On the map, tap the compass to center on your current location (one-time locate). If you’d like the map center to follow you as you walk, turn on GPS Auto-Location in Settings (optional). Now knowing where YOU are, visit any stop you like, in any order, at any pace — you’re in complete control.
How does a SmartWalkTour differ from a traditional tour?
It’s your pace, your path. No buses or group schedules. No tour guide tipping. Explore freely with on-map markers, narration, and an optional suggested path for big-picture orientation. Pause for a café, browse a shop, and pick up where you left off anytime — your guide is always in your pocket.
Screenshots from an actual tour. (Key West example)
Swipe or scroll to see more →
Multiple tour stopping points. Start at any one, then tap the hot air balloon for detailed tour guide information.Virtual tour guides share rich stories at every stop, with Q&A and helpful links.Always know the local weather and plan your walk comfortably.Discover more tours nearby—walkable options to keep exploring.Four map styles, live GPS, and a suggested path you can toggle on/off.Helpful information is built in, plus links for even more detail.In app tips, FAQs, Local festivals and events. Maps show a wealth of detail, with public restroom locations.Direct links to attractions for hours, tickets, and more.
