Small-Group Historic Coffee Tour in Edinburgh

Step back in time and follow the story of coffee through the cobbled streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town on this guided walking tour.

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 local 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. Here, you'll uncover the layered stories of this forgotten close while enjoying another expertly brewed cup.

Includes:

• 1.5-hour guided walking tour
• Two locally roasted coffees from Common Coffee
• Visit to John’s Coffee House and The Lost Close
• Stories of coffee, Enlightenment, and Edinburgh’s hidden past