All-Star Guides

28/03/2024

PSA

Join one of our walking tours!
allstarguides.co.uk/tours

Use discount code ZUCKERSENTME for 5% OFF!

26/03/2024

Run!

Join one of our walking tours!
allstarguide.co.uk/tours

Use discount code ZUCKERSENTME for 5% OFF!

24/03/2024

EH1

20/03/2024

Edinburgh Castle Tour with James

20/03/2024

I asked.

18/03/2024

Expecto Patronum.

20/11/2023

We're on tiktok! How does this work? What do you want to see?

Check out All-Star Guides's video.

19/11/2023

🌟Famous people of Edinburgh you need to know more about:
Introducing Sir Basil Spence 🌟

Basil Spence is arguably the most internationally renowned 20th-century British architect. Educated at the George Watson's College in Edinburgh, Spence became an eclectic architect whose work ranged from vernacular-styled fisherman's dwellings in Dunbar to opulent traditional country houses to ultra-modern pieces like the Edinburgh University library. He's most famous for rebuilding Coventry Cathedral.

Walk Edinburgh with us and spot his buildings if you can!
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

18/11/2023

The Edinburgh Seven

On this day in 1870, the first seven female undergraduates studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh were prevented from sitting an exam by what was later called the "Surgeons' Hall Riot". The riots and their negative portrayal in the national media subsequently led not only to increased awareness of the Edinburgh Seven, but to a rise in public sympathy for the women and their fight to study medicine.🏛️

The Edinburgh Seven predate even the famous Dr Elsie Inglis in taking on the misogyny of the establishment to prove their worth. Join our tours and explore the stories of people who defied the odds!
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/


📸 Sophia Jex-Blake, leader of the Edinburgh Seven, and the Edinburgh Seven

17/11/2023

🎄 'Tis the Season! Today marks the opening of the Edinburgh Christmas Market. 🎄

Savour the flavours of the season and treat yourself to something tasty under the impressive Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh's Christmas Market dates back to 1995 and has played an important part in making our city a beloved Christmas destination.

Indulge in festive delights before embarking on our walking tours! 🌟📜
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

16/11/2023

Edinburgh's Tramway Farewell! 🚋

On this day in 1956, the last tram in Edinburgh ran, marking the end of an era. It would be several years before we'd see them again.

Join our walking tours and journey through the city's rich history and captivating stories of the past.
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/


📸 Unsplash

15/11/2023

Today is the day when a historic tragedy changed Edinburgh forever.

On this day in 1824, the Great Fire stared. It blazed for five days and by the end of it, it had claimed thirteen lives. 🔥

🏰Book your tour today and walk through history's flames:
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/



📸 Unsplash

14/11/2023

Step into history, philosophy, and the enduring spirit of kindness that shapes Edinburgh's story. 🌟

Today we remember John Abercrombie, one of the leading doctors of his day and author of a number of works of philosophy. As surgeon to The Royal Public Dispensary and the New Town Dispensary, he provided free medical care for the poor of the town and taught medical students and apprentices. He died on this day in 1844.

Book your tour today and get to know our beloved city! https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/



📸 Unsplash

13/11/2023

"Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be" said Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born on this day in 1850.

He also said "To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive" , so we invite you to embark on an unforgettable journey through the captivating streets of Edinburgh with our walking tours.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world that inspired this iconic author! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿📚
🌹https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/



📸 Unsplash

12/11/2023

🌹 Honouring Remembrance Sunday in Edinburgh 🕊️

On this Remembrance Sunday, we remember and pay our respects to the 140,000 brave Scots who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.

Walk with us as we remember and acknowledge the sacrifices that have shaped our world. 🌹
Book: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/



📸 Unsplash

11/11/2023

🏰 Explore Edinburgh Castle and Honor Armistice Day 🌹

If you join our Castle Tour this Armistice Day, we invite you to honor the heroes at the heart of Scotland's heritage - the Scottish National War Memorial within Edinburgh Castle. Join us as we stand in remembrance, acknowledging the bravery and sacrifice of those who shaped our history.

Book your tour today to remember and commemorate:
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/
📸 dun_deagh on Flickr

10/11/2023

Famous people of Edinburgh you need to know more about: 🌟

Today, we remember the legacy of Sir Archibald Geikie, the eminent geologist whose work put the geology of Scotland, quite literally, on the map. 🏞️

Walk in the footsteps of a geology pioneer and uncover the secrets of Scotland's rocky past!
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

📸 Unsplash

09/11/2023

Step into Scotland's History with Our Walking Tours! 🚶‍♀️

Today we remember the remarkable Dorothy Dunnett, a celebrated historical novelist and portrait painter who left an indelible mark on the Scottish arts and literary scene. 📖

Book your adventure today and walk in the footsteps of literary legends:
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

📸 Unsplash

08/11/2023

On this day in 1736, playwright Allan Ramsay opened Scotland's first public theatre at Carrubber's Close in Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile.

But the drama didn't end on the stage! Just months after its grand debut, the strict Protestant kirk declared the theatre illegal and the curtains dropped for good.

Explore the heart of Scotland's capital with All-Star Guides! From the glories of the Edinburgh Castle to the darkest secrets of the Old Town, our guides will take you on a journey through time. Book here:
https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

📸 Unsplash

15/08/2023

Happy birthday, Sir Walter Scott!

Scotland's literary superstar was born on this day in 1771. The city honours him with a discreet monument that you may have noticed when you pass by :)

📸Nighthawk Shoots on Unsplash

Join our walking tours and we'll tell you more: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

11/08/2023

10/08/2023

You may have seen, as you walk around our city, that in many buildings in the Old and New Town the windows look like they have been bricked up.

There is a long-standing tradition to attribute the bricked-up windows to the Window Tax, which was imposed in Scotland after 1748. It was a way of taxing the better-off in society without going for income tax, which was considered an invasion of privacy at the time: you shouldn’t ask people about their finances!

The window tax was based on the number of windows in the house. Predictably, many people bricked up their windows to avoid being taxed for them. Local tradition suggests that this is the reason for the closed-off windows around Edinburgh.

Historic reality is much less dramatic. The truth is that symmetry was one of the key principles of Georgian architecture between 1714 and 1830, and the lack of it was seen as a design flaw. While there is no doubt that some windows were bricked up for tax evasion, most of the blank windows were a feature!

📸 Patrick Reichboth on Unsplash

Join our walking tours and we'll tell you more: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

02/08/2023

These days in Scotland of old, people were celebrating the festival of the Gule of August. It was a festival of the first-fruits of the earth, and more particularly that of the grain-harvest. When Christianity was introduced, the day continued to be observed as a festival on these grounds, and, from a loaf being the usual offering at church, the service, and consequently the day, came to be called Hlaf-mass, subsequently shortened into Lammas.

📸 Julia Solonina (Unsplash)

Join our walking tours and we'll tell you more: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

23/06/2023

It's National Writing Day and we are honouring Edinburgh's remarkable literary heritage.

Scotland’s first book, The Complaint of the Black Knight, was published in Edinburgh in 1508. Fast forward to 2004, when it was crowned the world’s very first UNESCO City of Literature. The city boasts some pretty heavy names: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Peter Pan's JM Barrie, Dame Muriel Spark, Irvine Welsh, and counting. The list is long and justifies Edinburgh's moniker as "a hotbed of genius"!

Join our walking tours and we'll tell you what inspired all this writing: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

22/06/2023

Marking the midway point of the harvest season, many of the celebrations for summer solstice revolved around warding off evil spirits and bringing good fortune. People would walk around their homes, fields and towns wielding torches to banish evil spirits, while protective plants such as St John’s Wort would be draped over doors or stashed under pillows to bring good luck.

We'll give you one solstice folklore tip each day this week, to keep you safe!
And join our walking tours for a deep dive in Scottish lore: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

20/06/2023

Today is the eve of the Summer Solstice, and traditionally it was thought to be a time when the veil between this world and the next was thin.
Powerful forces were afoot: it was said that if you spent tonight at a sacred site, you would gain the powers of a bard. On the down side, you could also end up utterly mad, dead, or be spirited away by the fairies.

We'll give you one solstice folklore tip each day this week, to keep you safe!
And join our walking tours for a deep dive in Scottish lore: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

19/06/2023

It's the first week of Summer! Traditionally, the summer solstice was the longest day of the year after the dark months of winter. Marking the midway point between planting and harvest, it was a time of celebration and, of course, folklore.

We'll give you one solstice folklore tip each day this week, starting now:
Eat some elderberries to protect yourself from witchcraft!

And join our walking tours for a deep dive in Scottish lore: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

15/06/2023

It's International Beer Day and we can't help but mentioning one of Edinburgh's oldest industries. Since the 12th century, monks of Holyrood Abbey took advantage of the clear spring water to brew their ale. The brewing industry certainly contributed to Edinburgh's moniker of "Auld Reekie", earned due to all the smoke produced by coal and wood burning furnaces and boilers.

Cheers to Beers! Book your walking tour with us now: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/

14/06/2023

It's Blood Donor Day and we're thinking of a special blood 'donation'.

After Willam Burke was hanged at Edinburgh, convicted for a series of murders, his body was dissected by Professor Alexander Monro Tertius at Edinburgh Medical School. To add some dramatic flair, Monro wrote a note with Burke's blood. It reads:
“This is written in the blood of William Burke, who was hanged at Edinburgh on 28th Jan 1829 for the murder of Mrs Campbell or Docherty. The blood was taken from his head on the 1st of Feb. 1829.”

Join our walking tours and we'll tell you more! Book now: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/
University of Edinburgh, Archive Collections: EUA Acc.2015/005

13/06/2023

Chrystal Jessie Macmillan was born on this day in 1872, in Edinburgh. She was a barrister and a campaigner for women's rights, and the first female science graduate of the University of Edinburgh. In 1908 she became the first female advocate to appear before the House of Lords, when she sought to make the case that female university graduates should be given the right to vote in elections for University seats in parliamentary elections.

Chrystal became secretary of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in 1913, a post she held until 1920. After the war, she was one of the founders of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Join our walking tours and we'll talk about Edinburgh's finest citizens. Book now: https://allstarguides.co.uk/tours/
📷Memorial window dedicated Jessie Chrystal Macmillan, Corstorphine Parish Church