Edinburgh audio guide that talks as you walk
Edinburgh is built on volcanic hills: a medieval Old Town of narrow closes running down from the castle, and an elegant Georgian New Town across the gardens. Together they are a UNESCO World Heritage site. With AI TourMate you don't need a pre-booked tour. Switch on GPS auto mode, start walking, and the app tells you the story of each place as you reach it — in your own language.
Have a listen
This is how the app tells the story when you arrive: Edinburgh Castle · 0:45
In the app, every story is created on the spot, so each one is a little different. This is a pre-made example in the same voice the app uses.
Read the story
Stand on the esplanade and look up at the castle on its rock. Castle Rock is the plug of an ancient volcano, and people have lived up here since at least the Bronze Age. The oldest building in Edinburgh is inside the walls: the small chapel of Saint Margaret, built in the 12th century. The castle also keeps the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles, and the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish kings were once crowned. Every day except Sunday, at one o'clock sharp, a gun is fired from the castle walls; it was first fired so that ships in the Firth of Forth could set their clocks. And every August, the esplanade you are standing on becomes the stage of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
How many places can the app talk about?
AI TourMate finds its stories in OpenStreetMap. Within the city limits of Edinburgh, that means more than 1,000 named places, for example:
- 452 historic sites and monuments
- 233 churches and places of worship
- 70 museums and galleries
- 376 sights, viewpoints and artworks
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors, counted on October 25, 2026.
From Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace
Down the Royal Mile from the castle to the palace, past St Giles' Cathedral and the Scottish Parliament, in one walk. The app narrates as you go — and keeps telling stories in the side streets too.
3.3 km · about 45 min walking · 5 stops
Tap a pin or a card to see the place.
What the app tells you about
In the app, each of these is a 1–2 minute story that starts as you arrive — your first one is free.
Photo: Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0 1Edinburgh Castle
The castle stands on the plug of an extinct volcano. It holds the Honours of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny and St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest building in the city, and the One O'Clock Gun is fired here every day except Sunday.
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 2Royal Mile
The main street of the Old Town runs downhill from the castle to Holyrood Palace. Narrow alleys called closes lead off it on both sides, many with their own stories.
Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0 3St Giles' Cathedral
The High Kirk of Edinburgh has a famous crown-shaped spire. John Knox, the leader of the Scottish Reformation, preached here, and the Thistle Chapel inside is richly carved.
Photo: dun_deagh, CC BY-SA 2.0 4Scottish Parliament Building
Designed by the Catalan architect Enric Miralles, this unusual modern building opened in 2004 as the home of the Scottish Parliament.
Photo: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0 5Palace of Holyroodhouse
The official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots lived here, and in 1566 her secretary David Rizzio was murdered in her rooms; the ruins of Holyrood Abbey stand beside the palace.
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 6Arthur's Seat
This extinct volcano in Holyrood Park rises to 251 meters, and the climb to the top takes about an hour from the palace. The summit has a sweeping view of the city and the sea.
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY 3.0 7Calton Hill
The hill is crowned by the National Monument, an unfinished copy of the Parthenon begun in the 1820s, and the Nelson Monument. It is one of the best viewpoints over Edinburgh.
Photo: Martin Abegglen from Bern, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 8Scott Monument
Completed in 1846, this Victorian Gothic spire honors Sir Walter Scott and is one of the largest monuments to a writer in the world. A narrow stairway leads to the top.
Photo: Maccoinnich~commonswiki, CC BY-SA 3.0 9National Museum of Scotland
The museum covers Scotland's history and the natural world, and its exhibits include Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Admission is free, and the roof terrace has a view of the castle.
Photo: Michael Reeve, CC BY-SA 3.0 10Greyfriars Bobby
The statue of this Skye terrier honors a dog said to have guarded his master's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard for 14 years. Visitors rub his nose for luck, though they are asked not to.
Photo: Stephencdickson, CC BY-SA 3.0 11Grassmarket
This old marketplace below the castle was once the site of public executions. Today it is lined with pubs and restaurants, with the castle rock rising above it.
Photo: Ulayiti, CC BY-SA 3.0 12Princes Street Gardens
The gardens lie where the Nor Loch, a lake below the castle, was drained in the 18th and 19th centuries. They separate the Old Town from the New Town and host Edinburgh's Christmas market.
Day trips from Edinburgh
Stirling Castle, the three Forth bridges at South Queensferry and the old university town of St Andrews are easy trips from the city. The app works there too, and on a road trip it narrates the towns you pass if you turn on GPS auto mode before you drive.
More about road tripsFrequently asked questions
Is there a Edinburgh audio guide in my language?
AI TourMate narrates Edinburgh in 14 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese. Everyone in a group can listen in their own language on their own phone.
Is it a ticket for Edinburgh Castle or Holyrood Palace?
No. The app tells you the story of the places around you as you walk. For Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace and other sites with an entrance, you still need a ticket from the site.
Does it work inside buildings?
The app follows your location by GPS, so it works best outdoors — around the sites and in the streets. Inside large buildings, GPS can be inaccurate.
How much does it cost?
The app is free to download and your first story is free. After that you pay only for what you listen to, with credit packs — there is no subscription.
Explore Edinburgh at your own pace
Free to download · first story free · no subscription