Leith Tour Description

Join David, a local tour guide and photographer, born and brought up in Edinburgh to explore Leith, one of Edinburgh's coolest and most exciting districts, and famously the home of golf.

Leith is often missed by visitors to Edinburgh, which is a great shame, as it's a treasure trove of history, architecture, amazing stories and characters, alongside some of the best cafes, restaurants, pubs, galleries, and shops in Edinburgh. 
This tour is particularly suitable for cruise ship passengers, who are docked in Leith, and don't want to travel too far, or in to the city centre itself.



Established at the point where the water of Leith enters the Firth of Forth, Leith dates all the way back to 1140, when David I granted harbour and fishing rights to Holyrood Abbey. Leith has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, serving as a major port and gateway for the city of Edinburgh. It's seen kings and queens come and go, from Mary, Queen of Scots, King George the Fourth, and Queen Victoria. 
Leith's history has been tumultuous. Two thirds of Leith's population were wiped out by the great plague of 1645, and it was the departure point for the ill fated Darien expedition of 1698 to Panama, which ended in disaster. Once a completely separate burgh to Edinburgh, Leith still has a character and identity of its own, which still feels quite separate to the rest of Edinburgh. 
Leithers are still quite rightly proud of their own distinct history and heritage, and this is something you can really feel when you visit.

In this fascinating private tour of Leith, you'll learn about all the royal kings and queens who landed here. Visit some historic churches and graveyards, learn about one of the first Innuits to visit Scotland, the Leith author who became bigger than Shakespeare, Leith's very own rock and roll star who outsold Elvis, the airplane shop that made and sold early airplanes, the Zeppelin bombing raids of World War I and the golf club at Leith links, which created the 1st known rules of golf, plus lots more. There’ll be lots of David's hidden gems, many off the beaten track, with lots of history, stories and travel photography tips along the way.

There'll be a complimentary coffee, tea break and cake halfway through in one of the excellent local cafes -

- and much much more!

To book, please choose a date from the calendar below or simply get in touch.