Invisible Cities Edinburgh

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that runs walking tours led by guides who have experienced homelessness. The organisation trains and mentors its guides in confidence, public speaking and customer service, and the tours give visitors a perspective on the city that is very different from a standard sightseeing walk. The enterprise runs tours in several UK cities, including Glasgow, Aberdeen, Manchester, York and Cardiff.

In Edinburgh, Invisible Cities offers a selection of tours, each shaped by the guide's own knowledge and experience of the city. The best known is the Royal Mile tour, which runs daily and lasts about an hour and a half, covering Edinburgh's best-known street. Other tours explore different themes and parts of the city, and the website lists all current Edinburgh tours with their times and booking details. Tour prices start at an affordable level, and gift cards are available.

What sets these tours apart is the personal element. Guides combine the history and stories of the places you visit with insight into their own lives and into the realities of homelessness in the city, so you see familiar streets through new eyes. The tours suit visitors who want something more thoughtful than a standard history walk. Questions are welcome, though it is courteous to let the guide decide how much to share.

Booking in advance through the website is recommended; check the meeting point for your tour when you book. The tours are walks on Edinburgh's hilly and cobbled streets, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Group and corporate tours can be arranged for teams, schools and organisations, and the enterprise also accepts donations to support its work.

Invisible Cities suits curious travellers, solo visitors, families with older children, students and groups interested in social issues as well as history. Taking a tour is also a straightforward way to make a positive contribution through your travel spending. The Royal Mile tour fits easily into a day in the Old Town, alongside visits to Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at either end of the street. For press and general enquiries, the organisation lists a phone number on its website.