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Offered languages
- English
There's no tour like it in Edinburgh! A walking tour specifically around the history of the coffee trade in Scotland.
Begin your journey at John’s Coffee House & Tavern, originally opened in 1688 and once frequented by Enlightenment thinkers like Adam Smith and David Hume. Sip a freshly brewed cup from Edinburgh roaster Common Coffee as you explore the role of coffee houses in Scotland’s intellectual and social history.
From there, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of key historic sites tied to Edinburgh’s early coffee culture, revealing how coffee arrived in Scotland and how it helped shape conversation, commerce, and community in the capital.
Your tour ends with a second coffee at The Lost Close, an atmospheric underground vault hidden beneath the city and sealed for nearly 200 years after the Great Fire of 1824
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Behind St Giles Cathedral, in the corner of Parliament Square, you'll fin the statue of James Braidwood, and next to that is John's Coffee House & Tavern (part of CoDE) where we'll meet you at reception!
Itinerary
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1
We have exclusive access to a hidden, underground space, which was once a coffee house dating back to the 18th century, used by prosecutors and pirates alike. For the second half of our tour, we'll be exploring a series of underground rooms, where we'll drink coffee and finish our tour. There are also toilets and water available here.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2Old Town
The Old Town of Edinburgh has a rich history of coffee houses, we'll visit a few of the locations on a walk. For the first half of the tour, we will be outside exploring the closes and wynds, the narrow alleys of Edinbuurgh's Historic Old Town. Most of the ancient coffee houses have long since perished, through fire or changing business, and we'll be hunting these down on our adventure.
45 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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