Discover Edinburgh City Centre Tour

A two to two a half hour bike tour (12 km) through the heart of historic Edinburgh with wide views across the city’s dramatic skyline: a gentle cycle along cobbled streets and through leafy parks with frequent stops to hear about the history, culture and people of Scotland’s capital city.

The tour begins on the waterfront in the Port of Leith. From there we follow Edinburgh’s river, the Water of Leith, on a tree-lined cycleway that leads into the heart of the city, a UNESCO world heritage site. A gentle climb through the streets of Edinburgh’s historic New Town brings us to St Andrew’s Square in the city centre. From here we wheel our bikes along Princes Street, enjoying spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle and the medieval Old Town.

Next there’s a slow roll down the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth’s official residence in Scotland. From the Scottish Parliament building we cycle through the Queen’s Park and past the picturesque ruins of Holyrood Abbey.

We push the bikes up Abbeymount then spin through Royal Terrace Gardens on a high path with views out across the city. From there quiet lanes and backstreets lead back towards Leith. Finally we pick up the cycleway again and follow the Water of Leith through St Mark’s Park back to our starting point. We think it’s a great way to see one of the most dramatic cities in the world: perfect for your first day in Edinburgh.

There are a couple of short climbs on this tour. Mostly off-road on cycle paths but please note this tour does take us through the heart of the city and busy roads are unavoidable.