Audio tours are a perfect way to explore Edinburgh at your own pace, with no schedule or large groups. You can start, pause, or restart at any time.
The audio will move with you, past fascinating historical buildings and award-winning contemporary architecture, to tell stories about what you’re seeing right there and then. We will show you the easy-to-miss details on the buildings, and share old maps and drawings.
The tours are written and narrated by an architectural designer.
£1 from every tour sold on this website will be donated to the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings.
“We found ourselves applying our new knowledge of architectural features for the remainder of our trip!”
Have a listen
Self-guided
audio tours
in Edinburgh
Self-guided audio tours
in Edinburgh
Unveil the building blocks of the Old Town on this architectural voyage.
Dig up the classical yet sinister roots of the world’s largest Georgian planned town.
Amble around picturesque houses brimming with heritage on this valley stroll.
How do audio tours work?
- Choose itinerary
Our Edinburgh audio tours are available in three of its most distinguished locations – Old Town, New Town, and Dean Village. See above for their brief descriptions. Click the arrow to read more and buy the tour.
- Buy the tour
Buy as many copies as there will be people taking the audio tour. You will receive life time access to the tour.
After you paid for the tour, you will instantly receive an activation code by email, along with detailed instructions.
When you purchase directly from us, you donate £1 from every tour to the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings.
To go out and do the tour, all you need is the free VoiceMap app and an activation code from us.
1. On your smartphone, install VoiceMap application from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
2. Create an account.
3. Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes.
4. Enter the activation code that you received in the email from us, then select Download Now.
- Explore Edinburgh
Download the tour to your fully charged smartphone, fetch some earphones and explore with our guide in your ear. The tours are location aware, so you will hear directions and stories as you move.
Pause anytime in wonderful cafes and shops, and take as many pictures as you please!
You can also listen to your tour from home.
• The tour works offline. After you download a tour, the audio will be available offline along with an offline map.
• With GPS autoplay, you can focus on your surroundings. Put in your headphones, tap on Start, and let the app guide you.
• If you do wander off in the wrong direction, the app will play an audio alert, and you can follow the map on your screen to the next location.
Why
audio tour?
Narrated by a passionate expert
Great reviews
No groups and schedules
Easy to use
We support conservation
Frequently asked questions
Yes, we offer private walking tours guided by a local architect, for groups of up to 30 people.
Absolutely, if you are curious about cities and culture, an architecture tour will reveal lots of insights about Edinburgh.
Yes, except Dean Village where the audio tour passes through a cemetery.
After you paid for the tour, you will receive an activation code by email, along with detailed instructions.
To go out and do the tour, all you need is a free audio tour VoiceMap app for iPhones and Android devices. Install it on your smartphone via Apple AppStore or Google Play’s store.
Once purchased, Edinburgh audio tours are not refundable. However, your ticket will be valid indefinitely, so you can take the tour at any date, gift it to someone else, or enjoy a virtual tour.
The audio tour is available in English. Guided tours for private groups are also available in French.
On most audio tours of Edinburgh, we climb from 20 to a 100 steps. Our flattest walking audio tour is in the New Town.
Yes, but for the optimal experience and understanding of the content we recommend following a preset order.
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