Edinburgh Hidden Gems: Discover Dean Village

Escape the tourist crowds and discover the hidden gems of Edinburgh on a walking tour of historic Dean Village. Explore charming streets, historic buildings, and even spot wildlife in the heart of the city!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Dean Village - A stunningly pretty former mill village located in Dean Vally by the fast flowing Water of Leith. See 17th century buildings as well as potentially wildlife including herons and otters. A taste of the Highlands only ten minutes walk from Princes Street!
  • New Town - Explore the not so New Town of Edinburgh- it was originally…
What's Included
  • Expert tour guide services
Additional Information

Escape the overcrowded Royal Mile and enjoy an intimate, personal tour of Edinburgh’s hidden gems with a friendly local guide!
On this relaxed walking tour you’ll encounter the best of Edinburgh - an historic neighbourhood (Dean Village) with architecture dating back to the 1600’s, historic monuments, quirky local cafes, quaint hidden alleyways and…

Location
Statue of Sir James Young Simpson
Princes Street
We will meet you outside The Tour Box Police Box, located in the West End of Princes St. Meet us here 5-10mins before the tour starts and get yourself a Specialty Coffee or Hot Chocolate for your tour.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(71 Ratings)
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Diana_b
Jun 26, 2025
A Must! - This was a great way to start our trip in Edinburgh. Got a bit of the lay of the land, and so much interesting knowledge. David was excellent, and has a passion for Scottish history. Highly recommend. Thanks, David!
Review provided by Viator
Chrislx3187zj
Jun 16, 2025
Perfect afternoon stroll! - Shanna, took very good care of us as we walked and talked for two hours. So much good and interesting information was shared with the group and Shanna made it an excellent adventure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Phoebe
Jun 15, 2025
Another side of Edinburgh - We had a great experience with Shanna visiting parts of Edinburgh that were new to us. The route offers a nice contrast with the Old Town and Shanna was very knowledgeable about the history of the various spots we visited.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jksw
Jun 13, 2025
Perfect stroll. - Zander was an absolute joy to walk with. He knew so much and could answer all our questions but he didn’t come off as a know it all. It was like walking with a friend in their home town. We had a private tour and he took us at our own pace. We have had other tours in the past where people seem to think they need to give you every detail no matter how small. They talk you to death. Zander gave us the perfect amount of information and then if we wanted a little more detail he was happy to add it. It was one of the most pleasant tours we have had. Thank you Zander.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sandydee360
Jun 10, 2025
Great tour of Dean Village and Stockbridge - David from Local Eyes took us on this tour. We were the only ones so it turned into a private tour which was great. He is passionate about Scottish history, he was very informative and happy to discuss any aspect of it. The tour was a wonderful surprise for us as to how beautiful the little known areas of Dean Village and Stockbridge are. Thank you David.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paula_s
May 31, 2025
See part of new town - Interesting walk in an area we would have otherwise missed. Lovely scenery and walk along a wooded path by a river.
Review provided by Viator
Shep196
May 28, 2025
Great tour - This tour covered parts of Edinburgh that are a little off the beaten track, really beautiful and not a souvenir shop in sight. Our guide was excellent, full of knowledge and really engaged with the group. This tour and the our company are highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carol_m
May 25, 2025
Super guide, really fun... - Super guide, really fun info, a great thing to do in Edinburgh! There is a whole, beautiful part of the city to be discovered!
Review provided by Viator
Steveno843
May 7, 2025
Great tour slightly off the beaten path - This tour was excellent! David (I believe) had fantastic knowledge regarding the history of Edinburgh, as well as whole host of other things. He brought us down to some areas in the “newer” part I would never have thought to explore myself. Beautiful! It was a small group of 4, and as such the tour felt very relaxed. Highly recommend. After the tour, a quick trip over to St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral was also a must do. Beautiful church and the organist happened to be practicing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E299kdmatts
Jun 8, 2025
Very informative tour that shows a different side of Edinburgh - Our tour guide was knowledgeable and passed on some cool info you don’t get on some of the bigger tours. The tour is a bit of a hike and leaves you about a km from one of the tour bus routes. Plan to get a cab or uber from the end of the tour. This tour is very much worth it though!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $24
up to 14 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).