Edinburgh New Town Walking Tour

Guided walking tour - the origin, growth and stories of Edinburgh's New Town. Led by award-winning Stewart Wilson (Tweed Valley Blogger) Join a two‑hour guided walk through Edinburgh’s New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage gem built on Enlightenment ideals and arguably the finest example of urban planning in the UK. We follow the New Town’s development from its original plan to its later extensions, uncovering the social and architectural forces that shaped it. Discover the iconic thoroughfares of George Street, Princes Street and Queen Street; the elegant, symmetrical squares of St Andrew and Charlotte; and the architectural high point of the Moray Estate. Our route also explores the gem that is the West End extension before finishing in Princes Street Gardens, under the shadow of the Scott Monument and Henry William Playfair’s Royal Academy building. As a Borders based guide, I bring a fresh perspective - one shaped by decades of working in the New Town, walking its streets, and exploring its quieter corners. That combination of distance and deep familiarity lets me highlight the craftsmanship, hidden details and subtle stories often missed at first glance. A thoughtful, immersive introduction to the New Town’s past and present, led by someone who knows it intimately yet still sees it with curiosity.