Edinburgh Mountebank Comedy Walking Tour

This walking tour swaps the usual guide for a professional stand-up comedian, blending stand-up comedy with genuine local history through the streets of Edinburgh's Old Town. It starts at Monkey Barrel Comedy Club, right in the heart of the city, before heading out to explore lesser-known corners of the Scottish capital.

Along the way you'll hear why the unicorn is considered Scotland's national animal, why so many Edinburgh pubs are named after murderers, and whether deep-fried Mars bars are really a thing. Your guide weaves these stories together with cultural quirks and Scottish vernacular, turning a straightforward history lesson into something considerably funnier.

It's a different way to see Edinburgh, moving past the standard tourist trail into stories most walking tours skip entirely. Expect a loose, storytelling pace rather than a rigid history lecture, with plenty of room for laughs along the way.

The tour begins at Monkey Barrel Comedy Club in Edinburgh's Old Town, where you'll meet your comedian guide before setting off on foot. From there, the walk winds through the city's historic streets, mixing stand-up comedy with storytelling about Edinburgh's stranger corners of history and culture.

Expect a run of anecdotes and local legends delivered with comic timing rather than a formal lecture, covering everything from Scotland's unofficial national animal to the grim origins of pub names. The pace is relaxed and conversational, giving you a look at Edinburgh that goes beyond the usual sightseeing route.