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Edinburgh: New Town

Europe » UK & Ireland » Edinburgh

Tour Creator

Robert is uniquely qualified to create Edinburgh and Scotland tours having been a tour guide in Edinburgh for over two decades. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Edinburgh and Scotland’s…Read More Bio »

Tour Type:

Historical

Urban

Edinburgh

GPS-directed

Remote Tour Included

1.5hrs

1.5km

Welcome to Edinburgh, welcome to our magnificent City. You are now about to embark on a journey along the principal street of the first of the Georgian new towns of Edinburgh. These buildings were started in the late 1760’s and by the end there were four new towns built in seven phases and these forty odd acres constitute the largest urban heritage site in the world. Edinburgh’s city centre has an exceptionally high quality historic streetscape.

Avoid the Crowds

Allows you to explore without having to be shoulder-to-shoulder in a large tour group

Created by an exceptional local tour guide

Written by an Edinburgh tour guide with over two decades of experience

GPS Directions

Easy-to-follow GPS directions to get you from one point to the next on your tour

Highlights include:

St Andrews, Blackwood's literary saloon, Church of St George

Remote Tour Included

As with all our tours, a remote tour is included that can be enjoyed from home

edinburghnewtown_assemblyroom

edinburghnewtown_freemasonhall copy

edinburghnewtown_thedome

edinburghnewtown_georgeivstatue

Itinerary

Edinburgh – New Town

St Andrew Square - The place where Edinburgh’s New Town started, hear how it changed from a desirable place of residence, to desirable place of banking, to a desirable place of retail. And on the way how its buildings suffered. Hear also of one man’s vanity and the length he went to, to satisfy it.
George Street - This is the principal thoroughfare of the first New Town. Hear how the admen enlisted the power of the bible to sell their product and why the archetypical English poet is well, not as English, as you might think.
The Dome - Find out the original use of this outstanding building and, believe me, you can bank on the answer.
St Andrews and St Georges West Church - Hear why the architect designed it in this fashion with unexpected consequences, and the place where ministers decided to strike.
George IV statue - Erected to commemorate the city’s first royal visit for 189 years and that monarch's interesting bathing routine.
Assembly Rooms - Where a monarch danced and kissed and an author was unmasked.
Blackwood’s literary saloon - Where the crème de la crème of writers came to visit and to contribute to, the publisher of Britain’s leading literary journal.
Pitt Statue - This is a likeness of the man who’s fondness for taxes led him to dream up a very cunning scheme.
Freemasons Hall - Well, here’s the repository of secrets. Hear why St Andrew became patron saint of Scotland and the Templar connection.
Charlotte Square - This is the western termination of James Craig’s grand scheme. Listen to how this architect’s dream was made realty by another architect, of an equestrian statue to a deceased consort, and a queen’s secret passion.
Church of St George: a Church on the slide - A place of worship where the building rather than the congregation is being moved.

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