Join your local guide for a 90-minute walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town to discover the city’s hidden queer history. From 17th-century royal love stories to ground-breaking lesbian doctors in the Victoria era, Edinburgh has centuries of stories to explore.

Starting on Edinburgh Castle esplanade, we’ll walk through the historic Royal Mile and Edinburgh University area to uncover tales of 19th-century trans pioneers, activist queer booksellers, and even a brave gay Scot who challenged Stalin over queer rights in the 1930s. See the first places where openly LGBTQ+ social events took place in Edinburgh and hear the story of how the community pushed back against persecution in an era when homosexuality was against the law.

Please note:

- Pre-booking required

- We’ll be outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes

- Small groups of no more than 10 people, so we can socially distance

Accessibility info: We’ll walk around 3km (2 miles; roughly 30–40 minutes’ walking time) over 90 minutes with frequent stops, starting on Edinburgh Castle esplanade and finishing on Victoria Terrace. The route is mostly paved, with some cobbled areas. There are no steps or stairs, including lowered kerbs at crossing points, but there are some mild to moderate slopes. Some of our stops have benches available. To facilitate lipreading, the guide will not be wearing a mask as we’re outdoors the whole time. For a map and detailed description of the route, or any other accessibility questions, please contact enquiries@scotlandwithhannah.com