Private Tours of Edinburgh & Glasgow With a Local
The Edinburgh
Old Town Tour
A wonderful first introduction to Edinburgh with local guide, David Wheater, who’s lived in the city for over 50 years. David will personally welcome you to Edinburgh and take you on an exciting 3-hour, private tour of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town. We’ll visit fascinating buildings often missed and find out about some of the Old Town’s most interesting & infamous characters. David will help you take great pictures of all the places we visit and take great pictures of you as we explore, so you have lovely photos of your visit.
The Royal Mile Tour
David will show you fascinating buildings, gardens and hidden gems on Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile. With old photos & maps, David will bring to life the most important events, characters and stories of this historic street and help you take wonderful pictures. David will also take photos of you, so you have lovely memories of your visit. The tour is completely private to you and lasts three hours with a complimentary coffee break. Includes a free, 27 page, Guidebook to the Old Town written by David.
Dean Village Tour
The Dean Village has a long and fascinating history that David will help you uncover using old photographs and maps. We’ll visit beautiful bridges, buildings and hidden parts of the village to uncover its fascinating history. We’ll spot wildlife along the Water of Leith and visit the Galleries of Modern Art and Stockbridge. David will take pictures of you as we explore so you have lovely photos of your visit. Includes a complimentary coffee break and David’s, 35 page, Dean Village Guidebook.
The Glasgow Tour
David will personally welcome you to Glasgow and take you on a private, 5 hour, tour of all his favourite Glasgow highlights. This is a fascinating walk through Glasgow’s incredible history & architecture, starting at Glasgow Cathedral and finishing at Kelvingrove Museum. David will bring the history of the city and its remarkable people alive using old maps and photographs, while also visiting some of its finest museums. David will take pictures of you during the tour and there’ll be a complimentary coffee break. Included is David’s 35 page Glasgow Guidebook.
The New Town Tour
Construction of Edinburgh’s beautiful Georgian New Town began in 1767 and today it’s just as spectacular. Built in response to overcrowding and filthy conditions in the Old Town, it contains extraordinarily beautiful buildings and gardens, which you’ll discover and photograph with David on this exciting, 3 hour, private tour. From the very first houses to be built, to stunning mansions, pubs and hidden gardens, David will bring the history and story of the New Town alive with lots of old photographs and maps. You’ll also learn about some of its most famous residents who helped invent the modern world. There’ll be a complimentary coffee break and David will take pictures of you in special locations to keep as a souvenir of your visit. You’ll also get a free copy of David’s New Town Guidebook.
Leith Tour
Leith isn’t visited much by visitors, which is such a shame as it’s not only picturesque, but has a wealth of historic buildings and hidden history. It’s a real hidden gem. Starting in one of its oldest churchyards, on this 3 hour tour we’ll uncover some of its most famous residents & visitors, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Mary Queen of Scots and even see remains of the old citadel. We’ll uncover links to Prime Minister William Gladstone and enjoy a peaceful walk along the Water of Leith and try to spot some wildlife. David will help you take some great pictures and also take pictures of your group as we explore this remarkable part of the city. There’ll be a complimentary coffee break and David will give you a free copy of his Leith Guidebook.
Calton Hill Tour
On this exciting, 3 hour, private tour of Edinburgh’s spectacular Calton Hill, David will show you some of the best spots in the city for photography. There are incredible 360 degree views of the city all the way to the Pentland Hills, the Firth of Forth and beyond to Fife and East Lothian. It really is a photographers dream. David will take you into the Old Observatory and tell you all about the fascinating history of all the classical monuments and buildings which make the hill so special. We’ll also discover one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful streets, wander through a cemetery with spectacular views and visit the beautiful garden at Holyrood Palace. David will also take pictures of you as we explore so you have some treasured memories of your visit. There’ll be a complimentary coffee break and David will give you a free copy of his book.
Edinburgh Guidebooks
Personally written by David Wheater, to save you hours of research & planning your next trip to Edinburgh.
If you feel a little overwhelmed deciding where to visit in Edinburgh, these guides & itineraries will save you lots of time. All the guides are personally written & photographed by David without the use of AI.
Choose a guide or itinerary below, and download it straight to your computer or smartphone.
Photography & History Tours of Edinburgh
I specialise in leading Private Photography and History Tours of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Old Town, New Town, Calton Hill, The Dean Village, Leith and Glasgow. My private photography & history tours are ideal for people who love history and taking pictures, beginners and enthusiast alike. Whether you have a smartphone, a DSLR or a Mirrorless, I’ll pass on lots of invaluable tips as we discover amazing history and photograph beautiful locations around Edinburgh and Glasgow.
I’m also a professional portrait photographer and specialise in portrait shoots around Edinburgh & Glasgow.
My private photography & history tours are a great first introduction to Edinburgh, with a local who’s passionate about showing you all his favourite things, on and off the beaten track, in these amazing Scottish cities.
I’ve lived in Edinburgh for over 50 years and it’d be a pleasure to welcome you to Scotland and help you discover amazing history, while photographing the beautiful city of Edinburgh. You can see and book all my Edinburgh Photography & History Tours below.
I’ve written a 100-page Edinburgh Guidebook which you can purchase & download here. It tells you everything you need to know about visiting Scotland’s beautiful capital. It’s crammed full of over 300 photos of Edinburgh, and I really hope you find it useful. If you have any questions about my tours, please get in touch.
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Edinburgh Old Town Photography & History Tour
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
If you love history and taking photos, Edinburgh's historic Old Town is an absolute dream. This is a city of constantly changing light, moody skies, vibrant streets and stunning architecture. On this exciting photography & history tour of Edinburgh's Old Town, David will take you on a personal, private tour of some of the Old Town's highlights, on and off the beaten track, while passing on lots of invaluable photography tips to help improve your photography. This is the ideal tour for people who love taking beautiful pictures and learning about Edinburgh’s fascinating history.
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The Dean Village Photography & History Tour
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
One of Edinburgh's most delightful & picturesque hidden villages, that's been enthralling locals and visitors for decades. Nestled along the green & leafy banks of the Water of Leith, there's the opportunity to not only photograph the village's beautiful architecture, but also the river and its wildlife inhabitants, including kingfishers, dippers, divers and herons. As we walk through this beautiful village to the Gallery of Modern Art and Stockbridge, David will share with you the fascinating history of the village and all his top photography tips and locations. This is the ideal tour for keen nature photographers, wishing a bit of peace & quiet away from the hustle & bustle of the city centre.
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Calton Hill Photography & History Tour
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
If you love history and taking beautiful photos, you’ll love this tour. Calton Hill is an unmissable part of the city for all keen photographers, offering unrivalled 360 degree views of the city all the way to Fife, East Lothian and beyond. Full of beautiful views of the city and classic monuments, there’s exciting photographic opportunities at ever corner. David will guide you around Calton Hill's many beautiful historic monuments & buildings, sharing their fascinating history, and helping you to capture them in the best possible way. From observatories, telescopes, canons and clocks, there’s something interesting and wonderful to photograph at every corner.
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Edinburgh New Town Photography & History Tour
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
Edinburgh’s spectacular New Town is the finest Georgian new town in the world and an absolute treasure trove for all keen photographers. From its elegant, beautiful architecture to its green parks and lively streets, there’s no shortage of amazing history, fascinating former residents and stories to tell, with photographic opportunities at every corner. David will help you explore this photogenic part of the city, sharing all his top stories, photography tips and locations along the way. This is the ideal photography and history tour for people who love beautiful buildings and architecture, in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
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Leith Photography & History Tour
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
If you want to discover a different part of Edinburgh, learn fascinating history and take great pictures, this is the tour for you. Leith has a wonderful chilled out vibe and is a great escape during the busy August festival. Once a separate burgh, it has a long and fascinating history and offers some truly wonderful photographic opportunities. From wildlife on The Shore & The Water of Leith, to beautiful, historic buildings and graveyards, there's an abundance of stunning photographs just waiting to be taken. We’ll visit the spot where Mary Queen of Scots arrived back in Scotland, visit some hauntingly beautiful graveyards and learn about recent archaeological discoveries at South Leith Parish Church. David will guide you around this picturesque part of the city, helping you discover wonderful places to photograph in this off-the-beaten-path area of the city.
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Edinburgh i-Phone Photography Class
PRIVATE CLASS - £399 / 3 HOURS
FIXED PRICE / COMPLIMENTARY TEA BREAK
Ever wondered how other people get such great photos & video on their iPhones?
This 3 hour iPhone course in Edinburgh City Centre is ideal for complete beginners and will teach you everything you need to know to get started in iPhone photography and video. You'll learn how to take full creative control of your iPhone's powerful camera to capture high quality photos & videos and how to edit them using your iPhones inbuilt editing suite. You’ll also learn some powerful cinematic moves & techniques to elevate and improve your films. This course may particularly appeal to those who are keen to improve their travel photos and videos.
Teaching will take the form of a three hour photo & video walk around Edinburgh, visiting wonderfully photogenic locations around the city centre.
Edinburgh Tour Reviews
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“Nothing Short of Awesome"
We are still blown away by the wealth of expertise and knowledge you shared with us. You have been nothing short of awesome.
Your enthusiasm will be forever in our minds, as well as all the “extra miles“ you went with us. We truly appreciated every single minute of the tour, there was so much in it. We absolutely believe, you were accurate when you mentioned you could go on for 14 days 😉.
It is people like you, open, honest and humble that make the difference! We are so glad we had the opportunity to meet you and big thank you for everything!
We‘ll do our best to walk through your recommendations today. Be assured, Scotland, Edinburgh and David will always have a special part in our heart.
Warmest and best wishes & big thanks,
— Michael, Gunther & Stefan, Germany (private tour)
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“Truly Went Above & Beyond"
My husband and I have traveled extensively and have taken several tours in the past. We can definitely say that David’s private walking and photography tour was exceptional.
It was definitely the best tour by far. David is not only very passionate about the tour but is also very patient and kind ensuring that the tour is done at our own pace.
David showed us so many hidden gems that we could have not discovered on our own. He taught us so many tips of taking great photos. David was not only kind, good humored and accommodating, but has an incredible wealth of knowledge. His thoroughness, knowledge and history helped bring Scotland’s beauty, people and history to life.
He is a great professional, very pleasant and kind. He ensured that his customers were well taken care and comfortable. He explained every site with great depth of knowledge and patience.
My husband and I consider ourselves lucky to have taken this tour with David. He is superb. David is also very generous with his time and is always excited to share it. He truly went above and beyond for us.
As a seasoned traveler, I can honestly say that I have never had a lovelier tour. We will definitely recommend him to friends and family. My husband and I look forward to doing many more tours with David.
Thank you, David for a pleasant experience.
— Esther & Jay, USA (private tour)
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“Wonderful Tour!"
This was a wonderful tour with David! He is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
He takes the time to make sure that you're having a great tour and honestly you could spend days with him and learn more and more!
He has very good manners and takes very good care of his clients. He will even take you to a fantastic tea and coffee shop for a little break.
I wish we could have stayed and taken multiple days worth of tours with him, he was that good! I highly recommend this tour.
Take it at the beginning of your trip because he'll point out many places you can return to so you know where the good things are!
— Kara & Kevin, USA (private tour)
Photographs of Scotland For Sale
by David Wheater
Photographs are some of the most special things we own and become ever more important as the years go by. If you’re in Edinburgh or Glasgow for a special occasion, my two, three & four hour photoshoots are the perfect way to celebrate these special moments - and they’re lots of fun too!