The History Behind Outlander Tour

Step into Claire and Jamie’s Edinburgh. This two-hour walk links Outlander filming locations with the real events of the Jacobite uprisings, giving you more than a quick photo stop. I especially like the visit to Bakehouse Close, the real-life setting for Alexander Malcolm’s printshop, and the period-clothed guide with a full weapons display.

I also like the way the tour connects Edinburgh’s streets to figures such as Deacon Brodie and the Jacobite court. The main consideration is the price, about $89.29 per person, for a tour lasting roughly two hours. It offers strong value if you want a focused Outlander and Scottish history experience, but less so if you prefer a longer city tour with more general sightseeing.

Key points at a glance

• Bakehouse Close doubles as Alexander Malcolm’s printshop, one of the most important Outlander locations on the route.
• Adi, the Jacobite guide, brings real enthusiasm, linking the show’s characters and scenes to Edinburgh’s past.
• A full weapons display adds hands-on history, including legitimate period pieces and explanations of Jacobite arms.
• The route ends at Canongate Kirkyard, where the tour discusses important figures connected with the uprisings.
• A period-clothed local guide leads the walk, with Scottish samples, photo stops, and views along the way.
• The group can reach up to 34 people, so the experience may feel lively rather than intimate.

Why this Edinburgh tour works for Outlander fans

The best thing about this experience is its balance. You get recognizable Outlander locations, but the tour does not treat Edinburgh as a film set alone. The story reaches back to the Jacobite rebellion, the Scottish Parliament, the Jacobite court, and the political pressures that shaped the period.

That matters because Outlander uses real history as part of its drama. The romance and conflict become easier to understand when you know what was at stake for Scotland, the Crown, and the people caught between them. I like tours that help you see the difference between television storytelling and historical fact, and this one makes that distinction part of the experience.

You also get a guide in period clothing. That gives the walk a bit of theater without turning it into a costume stunt. One guide named Adi is described as an enthusiastic Jacobite guide who connected Edinburgh sites to the show and stayed attentive to the group. The strongest praise centers on the guides’ passion, historical accuracy, and ability to keep the tour fun without making it gimmicky.

The weapons display adds another useful layer. Rather than simply hearing about Jacobite soldiers, you see the arms associated with them and can handle legitimate historical pieces. That physical contact can make a short history lesson much easier to remember.

Starting on the Royal Mile at 2 pm

You meet at the VisitScotland Edinburgh iCentre, 249 High Street, on the Royal Mile. The start time is 2 pm, so plan to arrive early enough to find the meeting point and get settled before the guide begins.

The opening ten minutes are used for introductions and practical details. This may sound routine, but it helps set expectations for a compact tour. You will want comfortable shoes, since the route includes cobbled streets and historic areas. The stated fitness level is moderate, so this is not designed as a fully effortless sightseeing stop.

The Royal Mile is a fitting place to begin. It puts you in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, where the buildings, lanes, and steep streets provide much of the atmosphere associated with the series. At this stage, I would expect the guide to establish the period, explain how the city fits into the Jacobite story, and show how the modern street relates to the past.

The route is not a museum visit with long indoor stops. It is a moving history lesson, with the streets themselves providing the setting. That keeps the pace active, but it also means you should be ready to listen outdoors and walk between locations.

Mercat Cross and the meaning of public Edinburgh

After the introduction, the group spends about ten minutes at Mercat Cross. This landmark is used to explain Edinburgh’s traditions and the city’s public life.

Mercat Cross is valuable here because it gives the guide a place to talk about how people gathered, heard announcements, and understood the city as a center of trade and authority. The point is not just to photograph an old monument. You are looking at a marker of Edinburgh’s civic identity.

For an Outlander fan, this stop helps widen the story beyond Claire, Jamie, and their immediate circle. The Jacobite period was shaped by public loyalties, political choices, and the actions of people who may never appear on screen. I like that this part of the route builds the city’s background before moving into the more obvious filming locations.

This is also a good moment to ask questions if the guide invites them. The overall rating is five out of five from 18 ratings, and the most praised feature is not simply the locations. It is the way the guides explain the period and connect individual places to larger events.

Parliament Square and the road to rebellion

At Parliament Square, the tour pauses for about ten minutes beside the old seat of power in Edinburgh. Here, the guide recaps Scottish history and the events that helped set the stage for the Jacobite uprisings.

This is one of the more important stops for understanding the tour’s purpose. The show’s political drama can sometimes feel personal and immediate, but the rebellion grew from wider disputes about authority, succession, religion, and Scotland’s relationship with the Crown. Parliament Square gives the guide a natural setting for that explanation.

You should not expect a full academic lecture in ten minutes. Instead, think of this as a clear framework for the rest of the walk. If you already know the basic story, you may appreciate the connections to characters and plotlines. If the Jacobite period is new to you, listen closely here, since later stops depend on this background.

The advantage of a short stop is that the story keeps moving. The drawback is that people who want a detailed account of every political event may find the coverage brisk. This tour is built around selected sites and strong storytelling, not a complete course in eighteenth-century Scottish history.

Bakehouse Close and Alexander Malcolm’s printshop

Bakehouse Close gets the longest stop, about 25 minutes, and for good reason. This secluded corner of Edinburgh served as the setting for Alexander Malcolm’s printshop in Outlander.

For fans, this is likely the emotional center of the tour. You can see the real place that helped create the show’s Edinburgh atmosphere, then hear how the location relates to Alexander Malcolm and the world around him. It is a more satisfying experience than simply ticking off a recognizable background because the guide places the location within both the series and the period.

The close also provides a setting for discussion of Jacobite weapons and armaments. That pairing works well. You move from fictional printmaking and character drama to the practical tools of rebellion and warfare. The full weapons display gives this stop extra weight, especially if you enjoy material history.

The weapons are one of the most highly praised parts of the experience. You may get to handle legitimate historical pieces, which gives you a physical sense of the objects rather than leaving them as names in a story. The display is described as impressive, with the guides armed to the teeth for the presentation.

Do not expect Bakehouse Close to function like a private attraction. Admission is included, but the setting remains part of Edinburgh’s historic streets. It can feel atmospheric and intimate, yet the route may also be affected by the presence of other people in the Old Town.

Chessel’s Court and the strange story of Deacon Brodie

The next hidden corner is Chessel’s Court, where the guide spends about 15 minutes discussing Deacon Brodie.

Brodie is one of Edinburgh’s most mischievous and colorful historical figures. His story adds a change of mood after the political material and Jacobite weapons. Instead of focusing only on rebellion and battle, you get a glimpse of the city’s criminal and social history.

This stop also shows why the tour is more than a list of Outlander locations. Edinburgh’s real past supplied plenty of drama without help from television writers. Stories like Brodie’s give the Old Town a human scale, full of ambition, deception, and public reputation.

I like this kind of detour because it keeps the experience from becoming too narrow. If you have come strictly for the show, you still get the setting and period atmosphere. If you are interested in Edinburgh itself, Deacon Brodie gives you a memorable piece of local history that reaches beyond the series.

The stop lasts only 15 minutes, so expect the main outline of Brodie’s story rather than every detail. The guide’s delivery matters here. The available feedback points to lively, fun guides who add energy to the historical material.

Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Jacobite court

The walk continues to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, ending outside the palace after about 15 minutes of discussion. Admission to the palace is not included, so the experience focuses on the exterior and surrounding historical setting.

This is where the guide turns to the Jacobite court and the Scottish Parliament. The palace gives those subjects a strong sense of place. You are no longer hearing about power only as an abstract idea. You are standing outside one of Edinburgh’s most important royal sites.

The stop is especially useful if you want to understand how court life, politics, and rebellion overlap in the Outlander story. It also creates some of the tour’s best photo opportunities, with the palace and Old Town setting providing a dramatic backdrop.

The limitation is simple: you do not enter the palace as part of this experience. If Holyroodhouse is on your must-see list, plan a separate visit and check its opening arrangements for your date. This tour gives you the historical connection, not a palace admission ticket.

Canongate Kirk and the final graveside stop

The final portion leads to Canongate Kirk and its historic graveyard. The tour ends at Canongate Kirkyard, on Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN.

About 15 minutes are devoted to the resting places of important figures connected with the Jacobite uprisings. Ending in a graveyard changes the tone of the experience. The earlier stops explain power, weapons, and public events. Here, the guide brings the story back to actual people and their final resting places.

I find this type of ending effective because it asks you to consider the cost of the period’s loyalties and conflicts. It also leaves you in the Canongate area, where you can continue exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town on your own.

The graveyard is not just a final photo stop. It gives the guide a quiet place to connect names with the political and military story discussed earlier. Since the tour ends here rather than returning to the Royal Mile, you should plan your next destination from Canongate.

What the $89.29 price includes

At about $89.29 per person, this is not a bargain-priced walking tour. The value depends on what you want from the afternoon.

You are paying for a guide-led experience of about two hours, a period-clothed guide, local history commentary, the weapons display, scenic stops, and samples of local Scottish delights. The tour also makes useful connections between fictional settings and actual Scottish events, which can save you time piecing those details together on your own.

The price feels more reasonable if you are a committed Outlander fan, enjoy guided interpretation, or want a focused introduction to Jacobite Edinburgh. The hands-on weapons display helps distinguish it from a standard location walk.

The value is weaker if you mainly want independent sightseeing or a long general tour of Edinburgh. The route includes several short stops, and the palace admission is not included. Tips are optional, so there is no required extra charge listed beyond the booking price.

The maximum group size is 34 people. That is large enough to create energy, but it may limit personal attention, especially at the smaller closes or in the kirkyard. Adi’s attentive guiding is a positive sign, but the group size can vary by date.

Who should book this experience?

I would choose this tour if you fit one or more of these descriptions:

• You know Outlander and want to see the Edinburgh setting behind the story.
• You want Scottish history explained through real places rather than a textbook.
• You enjoy period costumes and hands-on historical displays.
• You have about two hours available on the Royal Mile and around Canongate.
• You are comfortable walking through historic streets and meeting the stated moderate fitness level.

I would think twice if you dislike themed tours, prefer quiet private guiding, or want to enter major attractions during the walk. The experience uses the show as a starting point, but it still has a clear performance element through period clothing and weapons.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. It also requires a minimum number of participants, and the same options apply if that minimum is not reached. Otherwise, the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so choose your date carefully.

A mobile ticket makes entry and check-in simpler. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability. The meeting point is near public transportation, and service animals are allowed.

My final take on the Jacobite walk

I recommend this experience for fans who want more than a quick photograph at a filming location. The strongest parts are the guide’s energy, the accurate historical framing, the Bakehouse Close printshop setting, and the weapons display.

At two hours, it is compact enough to fit into an Edinburgh sightseeing day. The route also finishes in a useful area, near Holyroodhouse and Canongate, rather than leaving you far from the Old Town.

Book it if you value storytelling and historical detail, and if $89.29 fits your budget for a themed walking tour. Skip it if you want palace entry, a private group, or a broad city tour. For the right audience, this is a lively way to see how real Edinburgh helped shape the world of Outlander.

FAQ

Where does The History Behind Outlander Tour start?

It starts at the VisitScotland Edinburgh iCentre, 249 High Street, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour starts at 2 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

It finishes at Canongate Kirkyard, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Is admission to the Palace of Holyroodhouse included?

No. The tour ends outside the palace, and palace admission is not included.

What is included in the tour?

The price includes a guided tour, a guide in period clothing, a local history expert, a full weapons display, views and photo opportunities, and samples of local Scottish delights.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 34 people.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If bad weather or an insufficient minimum number of participants causes cancellation, you will be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.