Bars & pub crawls · EDINBURGH BAR TOURS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend flying in on Friday: 13 edinburgh bar tours worth the money, each with its price, its verdict and the one thing to know before you book.
Spend six hours moving through seven Old Town bars with an English-speaking guide such as Tiana, Tom, Adele, or Lewis. You receive six selected shots and one opening bomb, skip cover charges, and get 25% discounts at selected venues. It suits social adults, solo visitors, and groups.
“tour was amazing great host and met some great people”
Join professional actors such as Emma, Dougal, Mike, Hazel, Paul, or David for a two-hour evening walk through Edinburgh. Expect poems, songs, comic character work, historic pubs, and stories about Burns, Stevenson, Scott, and other Scottish writers. Drinks are optional.
“This is a fun experience for people that love literary history. There is some walking as you have to walk to the different pubs, but it is very manageable.”
Meet downstairs at O’Neill’s in Hunter Square, then follow an English-speaking guide such as Alvaro, Ál, Belle, or Theis through seven Edinburgh bars, clubs, and music venues. You get seven shots, drink discounts, queue-free entry, and a final club stop. Bring photo ID and expect a lively group.
“brilliant, great laugh for a solo traveler to meet people”
Join a four-to-six-hour Edinburgh night out through seven city-centre bars and clubs. Your guide, such as Tia, Tom, Esther, Cameron, or Justin, leads the group, with six shots, one bomb, drink discounts, and VIP entry included. Expect a social, youthful party rather than a quiet traditional pub tour.
“It was a good time. Guides were very accommodating. The tour definitely packs in a lot of bars and dance clubs, so variety is plentiful. I'm an American near my 40's and there were primarily people in the 20's on the tour. So this tour is perfect for college students or recent grads rather then for old-timey stiffs like me. But, definitely would recommend for party people wanting a crash course in Edinburgh nightlife.”
Spend two hours walking Edinburgh’s Old Town with a guide such as Wag, Iain, Christy, or Sara. Visit three pubs, taste several Scottish beers, learn about cask ale and brewing, and hear stories about Canongate, Cowgate, the university, and the castle.
“Iain did a great job talking us through the different styles of beers produced in scotland. We got to do a small tour around Edinburgh as well. Great time trying super unique beers :) Would recommend”
Meet your guide near St Giles’ Cathedral for a two-hour walk through the Old Town, Royal Mile, Canongate, and Grassmarket. You’ll visit three pubs, taste several Scottish beers, and learn how brewing shaped Edinburgh. Guides may include Tilly, Sara, Tom, Fran, or Ian.
“It was an excellent tour of local beers plus a little architecture and archeology thrown in for good measure.”
Meet at Pilgrim Bar at 7:30 pm for a six-hour crawl through Edinburgh’s Old Town. You’ll visit at least five bars and clubs, with free entry, a welcome shot at each stop, drink discounts, photos, and a return to the starting point.
“Boring places and group was very scattered. Left after 2nd bar. Not much planned for us as a group...”
Follow Clart and McBrain through Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns for two hours of comic theatre, literary tales, and pub stops. Professional actors cover Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Harry Potter, and Inspector Rebus. Drinks and food cost extra, and under-18s cannot enter the pubs.
“Our tour was informative, entertaining and overall a pleasant experience. Definitely recommended this experience.”
Meet at 7:30 pm on Cowgate for a six-hour Edinburgh night out led by party hosts such as Danielle. Visit four or five bars, collect six free shots, play drinking games, skip venue queues, and finish at The Hive nightclub. Best for social drinkers, solo visitors, and groups.
“We had a lot of fun not really knowing what to expect. Tour went exactly as planned and we had much to drink. The included shots we had at each bar were sweet but easy enough for my wife to handle(she doesn’t drink really). Danielle our tour guide was amazing. We were celebrating our honeymoon on this trip, and our guide kept it a secret as we wished. Bar hopping was a lot of fun. Our group was awesome. We will be recommending it to those that visit. Thanks for a great time again!”
Spend 2.5 hours at Dragonfly Cocktail Bar in Edinburgh’s Old Town, hearing four or five comedians test new material. Ross Leslie or Ralph Brown hosts, while you buy your own drinks and enjoy a close-up comedy night for $9.
“Ross was brilliant host, comedians were trying out new material with mixed results but overall very funny”
Meet Ebrius hosts at OX184 from 7:30 PM for a six-hour Edinburgh night out. You’ll visit seven city-centre bars, receive welcome shots and drink deals, play party games, skip queues at selected venues, and finish in a club. Bring physical photo ID and wear casual shoes, not sportswear or open-toed footwear.
Spend two hours at Edinburgh’s historic Waverley Bar with a local guide such as John or Ewan. Taste four single malt Scotches from different regions, compare smoky island notes with Speyside sweetness, and follow the stories behind Scotland’s spirit. Bring photo ID and expect an English-led, storytelling-heavy session.
“Our guide was amazing! He had a lot of very interesting information and was very friendly.”
Meet at the Tolbooth Tavern near the bottom of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for a 45-minute tasting of three Scottish whiskies. You’ll sample smooth, peaty, and spiced styles in a 1591 Canongate building, with an English-speaking host and a private-group format.
“Lovely experience - booked for my fiancé’s 50th and he loved it.”
Pick a kind of bar, or a kind of crawl.
