Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour

Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour

Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour
4.5
Literary, Art & Music ToursSightseeing Tours
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
About
The award winning Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour was the first literary tour launched in Edinburgh in 1996! Since then it has carried in excess of 150,000 satisfied customers on a dramatic literary trail across Edinburgh. It is regarded by many as a pioneer in its field, and a "Must-see" cultural attraction in guide books throughout the world. Why does it stand out from all the rest?- It is performed by professional actors, not academics or guides reciting from books, it represents great value for money and a very high entertainment factor! Join the intrepid duo, Clart (as in muck!) and our clean-hankied intellectual McBrain, who will lead you on a brilliant and witty dramatic romp through the wynds, courtyards and pubs of Edinburgh's Old and New Town. A hilarious duel of wits across three hundred years of great writing and colourful chara
Edinburgh, Scotland

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Travellers talk about
(5 reviews)
(13 reviews)
(27 reviews)

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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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles510 reviews
Excellent
369
Very good
86
Average
20
Poor
14
Terrible
21

Dinah B
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
Great fun with very congenial and energetic hosts. The content is suitable for even the somewhat unliterary-minded but still highly entertaining for those who already know something about the theme.
Written 23 December 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.
Woohoo! Great fun indeed. We are delighted to hear this good news. Thank you!
Written 31 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JenD
Raleigh, NC17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Hazel and Dougal were captivating as McBrain and Clart, volleying insults and keeping us laughing. Both refined actors, it was really an honor to watch them do what they do best, both masters of their craft. The tour was a perfect two hours and reminded me how much I miss live theater, an art that we should make sure never dies. The scenes were well executed and we could always understand them and hear them, even for outdoor scenes. Just a delightful evening, highly recommend!!
Written 27 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.
Thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you found the tour captivating; Hazel and Dougal will definitely be happy to read what you wrote. They worked very hard to make the experience a success, and we are very proud to have them on our team. So thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you again.
Written 31 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Les T
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
The presenters were wonderful, the topic engaging. It was a delightful journey back to the times of the writers and extremely entertaining!
Written 27 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.
Fantastic to hear! Thank you, we are delighted to hear you had a great time.
Written 31 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Debra S
32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
This was one of the highlights of my husband's trip to Scotland. How amazing to hear poetry read in beautiful courtyards in Edinburgh. The actors were both amazing (sorry I can't remember their names). It had a very relaxing feel, and we enjoyed visiting some of the historic pub locations.
Written 23 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.
Thank you very much for the kind review! We are glad you enjoyed the tour!
Written 31 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laura W
59 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
What a memorable and unique tour/pub crawl! To get the most out of this tour, it's helpful to be at least passingly familiar with the "big three" - Burns, Scott, and Stevenson. That said, you'll still have a blast (and learn a lot) if you're not! The two actor guides do a masterful job of gliding between short acting/character segments and informative bits, which really makes this evening stand out. Everyone in the group had a great time, and gained a deeper appreciation for Edinburgh's literary greats. Enthusiastically recommended! 
Written 7 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.
Thank you very much E2706P! We were glad to read your review and glad to hear you had a great time. thanks again, we hope you enjoy the rest of your travels!
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

stroshane007
Seaside, California3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Michael and Blair were amazing! Dramatic and hilarious! A great tour around the heart of Edinburgh with contributions from Robbie Burns, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and many others great Scottish writers you may not know.
Written 5 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.
Dear Strosha! Thank you very much for the awesome review. Michael and Blair were glad to hear this, and we are very proud to have them on the team. We hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Meagan B
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Dougall and Riley gave an excellent performance as Clart and McBrain, and kept us laughing throughout the tour. If you are a history buff, this is a must for your experience in Edinburgh!
Written 1 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.
Thanks for the awesome review! We are very proud of Dougall and Riley! Happy travels
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Pennae
Fremantle, Australia471 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
From reading the reviews, I had quite different expectations to what actually happened on the night. The tour began well, at the starting pub upstairs at the Beehive Inn, but this ended up being the only time we were inside or sitting down on the tour. The rest was outside, in the cold and the rain, huddled under umbrellas or in laneways. The second ‘pub’ stop involved getting drinks from a downstairs bar and bringing them up outside to stand in the rain (albeit under a tree). We didn’t have a third pub stop.

The actors were great and the skit enjoyable, but it was a bit of a struggle at the end of a day of walking.
Written 28 September 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.
Thank you very much for the kind review Pennae. We are glad you enjoyed the experience. We will continue to work hard to improve the tour experience. Sorry about the weather, unfortunately Scotland can be a tad rainy. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your travels!
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

DoctorM
Bend, OR818 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We spent a rainy and windy night on the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour. Our two actors/guides were highly versed in Scottish Literature facts and figures. However, the contrived 'arguments' between the two wore thin as the night progressed. Seriously, I don't need to hear the details of Sir Walter Scott's 20 plus novels. Or recite the names of the ten important recent authors from Edinburgh.

Instead, the tour came alive when the guides re-enacted the love letters between Scott and his mistress. And when one guide gave a dramatic presentation from "Jekyll and Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Give us more entertainment on Pub Tour and not try to impress us with your encyclopedic knowledge.
Written 23 September 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.
Thank you so much for your kind words, DoctorM. We really appreciate you taking the time out to share your experience with us. We will continue working hard, and improving the script and your feedback will help with that. Hope you enjoy the rest of your travels
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

CJJ
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
The rainy night contributed to the experience. Mr Hyde showed up in the lonely plaza by the writers museum. We loved it.
Written 14 September 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.
Woohoo! Thank you Cindy, we would love to see you on the tour again. Happy travels!
Written 25 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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EDINBURGH LITERARY PUB TOUR - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go