The Edinburgh
Old Town History 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. David will focus on showing you all his favourite things that are often missed from other tours. 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 too, so you have lovely photos of your visit.
The Edinburgh New Town History 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.
The Dean Village History 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 Royal Mile History 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. Includes a free, 27 page, Edinburgh Itinerary written by David.
The Leith History 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.
The Calton Hill History 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.
The Glasgow History 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.
Tour Reviews
Latest Tour Reviews
Private Glasgow Tour with David
“David Wheater gave my wife and I the extended tour through Glasgow. It was everything you want from a guided tour. What can we say about David? A. He is a kind, wellspoken gentlemen. B. His knowledge is indepth and shows his study and reading about the subjects. C. David is a walking encyclopedia. D. David makes you feel comfortable and welcome in Scotland. E. David triggers the wish to know more about Scotland. F. This gentleman is a walking advertisement for Scotland G. After meeting him ones’ knowledge increases. H. All of the above. For us there is only one possible anwer: H. We recommend David Wheater as a professional tour guide and photographer.”
George Daams & Claudette Salomons
Private Glasgow Tour,
23 February, 2026
Private Edinburgh Tour with David
“If you've ever needed a reason to fall in love with Scotland - or a reason to pick up a camera - this is it. This past May, I had the honor of having David Wheater as my guide and mentor in Edinburgh. Seeing his vision captured in this short film is more than just a viewing experience; it's the spark that is sending me back to Scotland and back to my own filmmaking. Support a true artist: Please subscribe to David's channel and share this film. Let's get his work the recognition it deserves. Wishing David and all of you a blessed holiday and a prosperous 2026!”
Barbara LLoyd
Private Edinburgh Tour,
24 December, 2025
David’s Edinburgh Guide Books & Itineraries
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.
Save hours of planning and research your trip to Edinburgh!
If you’ve just one or two days in Edinburgh, this one day itinerary (PDF download) will save you lots of time researching and planning what to see.
It can be overwhelming trying to decide what to visit in a city with hundreds of attractions, especially if you have little time.
David has created an itinerary with 16 unmissable places, on and off the beaten track. From large attractions like Edinburgh Castle, to small, hidden music museums, David’s hand-picked a great variety of places to ensure you have a fabulous time in one of the word’s greatest cities.
Included in the itinerary are 32 recommended cafes & restaurants along the route, plus opening hours, nearest toilets and entry costs.
The itinerary was written by David Wheater and no AI was used.
No Quibble Refunds - If you don’t find this itinerary helpful, we’ll refund you straight away!
Contains over 100 unmissable attractions in Edinburgh!
This essential, 100-page, (PDF download) guidebook to visiting Edinburgh is written by local guide, David Wheater. It’s beautifully illustrated, with over 300 colour photographs taken by the author.
It tells you everything you need to know about visiting the city. Its 100 pages contain all the city’s main visitor attractions, and many hidden gems you might miss. There’s also lots of essential tips and cultural information that’ll be incredibly useful.
David was born and brought up in Edinburgh and has lived and worked in the city for over 50 years. In this personal, independent visitor-guide to Edinburgh, he shares all his top tips for visiting the city, along with hundreds of his favourite visitor attractions, hotels, restaurants, cafes and shops, to ensure you have the best possible time in the capital of Scotland.
This guidebook was written by David Wheater without the use of AI.
No Quibble Refunds - If you don’t find this guidebook helpful, we’ll refund you straight away!