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Iconic Tours

Iconic Tours

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Iconic Tours
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Hi, we're Iconic Tours, a small team of Edinburgh and Scotland locals who are passionate about where we live and love to show you iconic sights, tell you about amazing characters, share fascinating tales and give you the inside stories that only the locals know. On all our tours you will feel like you are being shown around by an old friend rather than a guide. We offer tours to suit everyone's needs, whether you are a solo traveler, on holiday with friends or coming with family of any age. Our tours are on a private basis and we offer different specialist tours to give you an experience you will never forget. We offer walking and driving tours where we go beyond the usual stories to give you real insight into the history of our country and those who shaped it in easy to understand terms that is fun for all the family. Whether it's history, stories, amazing scenery, castles, food, whisky or a combination of everything you are after, we can deliver and more.
Edinburgh, Scotland
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles451 reviews
Excellent
446
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5
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Sven N
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Individual private tour – Highly recommended for an unforgettable experience
Jun 2022
We booked a private tour for 2 passengers.
Will himself was our guide and he was absolutely amazing. We really appreciate Will customizing a tour meet our needs.
By far he has exceeded our expectations. He was very flexible and responsive to our individual needs during the tour.

Will was extremely knowledgeable, informative, personable, and great conversationalist. He had many exciting & fascinating stories to tell.
He has a great passion for Scotland and especially for whisky, which we enjoyed very much - we learned a lot.

Many thanks to Will and the whole IconicTours-Team – We had a fantastic time and for sure we will come back soon.

We are already really looking forward to the next tour 😊
Written 11 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
willrobb77
Dear Sven, Thank you so much for the extremely kind words. I love Scotland, it's history, culture, food and drink (especially whisky) and I really enjoyed sharing lots of it with you. I look forward to meeting again. Will
Written 11 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PLG
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A great day of touring!
Oct 2023 • Couples
Gary was our outstanding guide for a fun filled full day. He was knowledgeable, friendly, a good driver and very accommodating. Setting up this custom private tour was very easy thru email. Gary knew we had 2 requests, Kelpies & St Andrews. He delivered those and so much more. History of things in Edinburgh & St Andrews, facts behind the Kelpies, shopping advice, lunch at a quaint small town diner. We would absolutely to any of our friends.
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion783517
Dear LoveHorses19, Thank you for your review of your tour with Gary. We are glad you found so many positives for your custom tour with us and Gary delivered everyhing you wanted and more. We hope you can come tour with us again.
Written 11 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rasha H
Dubai, United Arab Emirates102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Brilliant Tourguide
Jan 2023 • Couples
The highlight of our trip, which made it one of the top places we have ever been to.
William customized the trip based on our liking, took us to breathtaking places and hidden gems and not the notmal tourist places. he was super considerate and thoughtful, he has massive knowledge of history, he made our trip so enjoyable and entertaining. Highly recommended, and would probably do it again if we came back!
Written 4 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion783517
Dear Rasha, Many thanks for the kind words, it was a real pleasure to meet you both and I am glad you enjoyed the day as much as I did. I hope some day to meet you both again and also your boys :-) Kindest regards, Will
Written 5 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Scottandcindypghpa
Pittsburgh, PA27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
St.Andrews Private Tour
Aug 2022 • Couples
We had an amazing day with Graham! We saw sites off the beaten path. Impromptu whiskey tasting! He was well informed and charming. Personalized the day and went the extra mile. Iconic tours does it right.
Written 1 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion783517
Dear Scott and Cindy pghpa, Many thanks for taking the time to write a review for your private dricing tour to St.Andrews with Graham. Graham lives near St.Andrews and known all the best spots off through beaten path and he is good at his impromptu whisky tastings. We like to think we go above and beyond what most tour companies offer and we are delighted you think Iconic Tours does it like. We hope to see you again some day. Will
Written 2 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kaconway
Fresno, CA50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Excellent Tour
May 2019 • Family
We actually had 2 iconic tours during the Scotland leg of our family trip. The walking tour of London was good. We had 5 adults and 6 children and were with Gillian. She was informative and nice. We also had a driving tour with Chris. He was great. He let us ask questions and direct the conversation on our way to St. Andrews. Unfortunately, as we were pulling into the beautiful town, my 4 year old threw up due to the windy road in. Chris and the bus driver couldn't have been more kind. Chris directed me to the public bathroom where we could wash up and sent my husband to the golf shop to buy replacement clothing for our little guy. Our tour was a bit delayed, but he didn't mind at all and gave us a delightful tour of the golf course, the university and the old cathedral grounds before dropping us for our lunch reservation and collecting us for a last photo opportunity of the Old Course. Thank you Chris!
Review of: Edinburgh to St Andrews private driving tour
Written 28 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear kaconway, thank you so much for the lovely review. Gillian was delighted to meet you and show you the sights of Edinburgh and Chris was very happy to show you to St Andrews. We know what it's like to travel with little ones and we know the ups and downs so it's no trouble to help out when people are not well. We are glad you enjoyed yourself so much and let us know if you ever come back. Thanks, Will
Written 31 May 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ehrgott13
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A Perfect Choice
Aug 2017 • Friends
Having just returned from a trip to Scotland, I was eager to return with my sisters. This time we decided we did not want a "tour group" per se. We only had three days in Edinburgh and wanted to experience things more from a local point of view. I started following Iconic Tours on social media. I loved the posted photographs and the commentary. There was a wonderful perspective on the hidden gems of the Edinburgh area plus as a bonus, there was also a great sense of humor evident! I contacted Will through the online site. He was quick to respond and offered many options. We decided on a walking tour one morning and then a driving tour in their fabulous Icon vehicle to St. Andrews and a nearby village. I could sense that Will sized up the four of us, noting our interests and even our sense of humor. :-) He was so knowledgeable, and I reminded myself how many times he had probably given the same background stories to a myriad of people. He was always so enthusiastic! Before we arrived, I contacted him via email to ask for dinner suggestions. He sent back over two pages of suggestions ranging from small local pubs to more elegant restaurants. It was very valuable information. I highly recommend Iconic Tours. They offer many different options that will fit anyone's desires and needs. If I return to Scotland I would contact them again. We had a wonderful experience with them.
Written 19 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear ehrgott13, Thank you for taking the time to write a review and it was so nice to meet you after you have been following me on social media for so long. I was delighted to be able to take you places you have seen online. I always like to keep on top of emails and like to respond as soon as possible. I always like to be able to recommend good places to eat and drink too, it's all part of the experience. Many thanks again, Will
Written 3 November 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jo H
Naperville, IL144 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Brilliant!
May 2017 • Couples
My husband and I spent two days with Chris touring near Sterling Castle and into Fife and St. Andrews. He could not have been more accommodating and helpful. Our custom tour included a Loch, a distillery, castles, and a few highland cows. Although a photography tour, Chris provided hints on where to stand for especially grand pictures.

I'm certain Chris has visited same sites many times but he managed to make every stop seem like he had never been there before.

Our next trip to Scotland will include more time with the Iconic Tours team.
Written 5 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear Jo H, Thank you for taking the time to write a review for your driving tour with Chris over 2 days. He loved showing you St Andrews, Fife and the Highlands, he is very passionate about all those places and loves taking people there and his enthusiasm comes through every time. All the best, Will
Written 23 July 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RachelC_UK
Chippenham, UK111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Fantastic - informative, entertaining and confidence-boosting!
May 2015 • Family
I did this tour with my 3 children (14, 12 and 9) plus their aunt & uncle, the children used their iPhones whilst I used a borrowed DSLR - had never picked it up before but Will was very patient and knowledgable, helping me with finding the right settings, to get some interesting and impressive photos. However we were all pretty amazed at the photos that the children managed to get with their phones - Will was really encouraging and helpful, and the results were brilliant. Smallest child got a bit whingey near the end (hungry!!) but the older two had a great afternoon, they said it has really helped them 'look' for photos rather than just snap at the obvious sights, and agreed Will was a great guide - praise indeed!
Thanks very much Will!
Written 28 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear Rachael, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it's very much appreciated. I'm really happy to hear everyone had a great time and learned much more about photography whether they were using their smart phones or DSLR. The kids were brilliant, they were getting some amazing photos from unique perspectives and the adults weren't bad either :-) I'm very glad you find the tour entertaining, I hope it all stands you in good stead for all the photos you will take in your summer holiday. Thanks again for taking the time to write. Will
Written 28 May 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
travelswithmyphone
Edinburgh, UK40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
The perfect way to get to know the city and my camera controls
Jun 2014 • Solo
Although I've lived in Edinburgh for 10+ years, Will managed to show me so many interesting places I've never discovered.
He also managed to coax me away from always shooting in manual, and I got some great photos.
Feeling much more confident on how to use my big camera, and he even demonstrated a couple of neat iphone tricks and tips too.
To be recommended, a perfect way to spend a morning
Written 2 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear ma9nuna, Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I'm really glad to hear that despite living here for 10+ years I managed to show you a few new places, show you some more about how to get the best of your camera using manual and auto modes as well as some iPhone tips and tricks as well. A good photo is taken with what you have in your hand at any given time and we can get a lot of great images from almost anything with a bit of know how as your proved. It was lovely to meet you and hope to see you about town soon. Will
Written 3 July 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Loreen C
Edinburgh, UK16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
An amateurs view of the Iconic Edinburgh Photo Tours experience!!
Feb 2013 • Solo
I was a bit of a sceptic about what was ahead for me when I got the Iconic Edinburgh Photo Tour gift as a Christmas surprise because I had been really let down by a different tour operator when I'd been given a similar package as a birthday present. I needn't have worried though. From the moment Will and I met up until the tour finished I can honestly say it was one of the BEST EXPERIENCES I've ever had.
From the beginning of the tour Will was exceptionally professional and friendly. He put me at my ease straight away and I knew I could ask even the most basic of questions without being made to feel inadequate, and for someone who's 60++ that's a very easy feeling to be left with in these days of technology. Will is so enthusiastic and passionate about photography that you can't help being caught up in the moment. He also has a gift for helping you really SEE what you're looking at e.g....I'd been looking at monuments/structures and architectural designs loads of times but once I'd been with Will I felt as if I was seeing them for the first time. I also found his feedback on shots I'd taken was very helpful and his comments and advice was easy to understand and take on board. I was constantly learning new ways of using my camera and settings...which until my tour with him I'd ALWAYS used my camera with the Auto setting on but since being with Will i haven't used Auto at all.
I can genuinely recommend Will and the Iconic Edinburgh Photo Tours to anyone who wants to learn how to really enjoy photography from a lovely guy whose down to earth approach is just what's needed for an easy to understand, enthusiastic yet professional experience.
I wish you and your company all the very best Will. Happy photo shooting!!
Written 13 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willrobb
Dear Rab, Thank you very much for taking the time to review your tour. I'm very glad to hear that despite your initial skepticism you really enjoyed your day, you got all your questions answered and you manged to learn a few things about photography as well as perhaps seeing some things a "bit differently" in familiar surroundings. I what great to see you progress throughout the tour and the photos you were getting were fantastic, thanks also for posting up the photo of the bird or prey with the mouse in it's talons from outside Gladstone's land. Unfortunately now the mouse has been stolen so it's got a different feel to it now there. Very glad to hear you have been keeping the camera off auto since after the tour as well, keep on taking plenty of photos and enjoying your camera and thank you for a very enjoyable day as well. Best wishes Will
Written 17 May 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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