Our Guides
SANDEMANs NEW Europe supports local small business by helping independent free-lance tour guides find a voice for their passion. By providing marketing services for local entrepreneurs, we take away some of the stress of developing a marketing strategy and allow fantastic independent tour guides the freedom to focus on what they do best.
Meet some of them and find out why they are so passionate about sharing the best of Edinburgh with you!
Alan
You might be wondering why your tour guide looks a bit like a pirate. Well, it’s because he is. Originally from the West Country, Alan’s always had a flair for all things Scottish. Alan is a published author and a stand-up comedian—yes, you’ve probably seen him on the telly, but worry not, he’s still humble.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
Amanda
Growing up in Saskatchewan, Amanda learned that the small town Canadian life was not for her. After working three years behind a desk at an Architecture firm, she made a major life change, sold her belongings, packed up the rest of it and took off on an epic worldly adventure. After a year and a half of travelling through Asia and Europe, she has finally found her home in Edinburgh. When she’s not working at a hostel on the royal mile, she’s out socializing and meeting new people. Known for being a Party Puma, the pub crawl lifestyle was a perfect fit.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Andy
Andy was born here in Edinburgh city when tracksuits were the height of fashion, Terminator 2 was the biggest hit at the box office, and Bryan Adams was #1. He later spent some time in central Scotland, where he attended the same schools as Andy Murray and the future Miss. Scotland, and he was part of a team crowned World Champions of the Kid’s Literature Quiz in 2003. He returned to his hometown to study Law Honours at Edinburgh University, and began his career here as a Sandemans New Europe guide. On Andy’s tour expect to be both entertained by his local knowledge, and baffled by his year-round sun tan.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
Andra
Andra is a Canadian who has been living in Edinburgh for just over 2 years. She has a degree in History and Drama, and has been a tour guide for a year and a half. She still loves showing off her adopted city! When not tour guiding, you can expect to find her dancing, singing and generally being silly. It only took her 3 hours to fall in love with this city, and she wants to help you do the same!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Brendan
Brendan moved from Ireland to Edinburgh in 2010 to further his quest to become a Civil Engineer and to enhance his relationship with his Gaelic cousins across the sea. After touching down on the tarmac in Edinburgh airport, he knew this was the place for him. Realizing he was boring his friends with tales of history, he became a tour guide, and in doing so, he also became the token Irish person at SANDEMAN’s. Using his natural Irish charm, coupled with his love for history and story telling, Brendan brings the city to life in a fun but crucially informative manner.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Craig
Rock star by night, Craig grew up in his native Edinburgh before venturing to deepest, darkest Glasgow in search of education. After finishing his degree, he returned to the capital to pursue his musical career and gallivant around Edinburgh’s copious pubs. If you ask him nicely, he will show you around these pubs, and even throw in some fun facts about Scotland on the way…
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Dougie
After growing up in “the sticks” of South West Scotland, Dougie ventured up to Edinburgh in 2006 in the hope of finding civilisation and a vast selection of pubs to quench his thirst. That is exactly what he found upon arriving in Scotlands beautiful capital city. Along with working as a Pub Crawl Guide, he is a keen rugby fanatic and also works as a Bar Manager in the city centre. With this lifestyle, he certainly has an unbeatable knowledge of Edinburghs night life.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Eoin
Eoin is our Irish tour guide and before you ask, yes he loves Guinness and no, he has never seen a leprechaun! After stowing away on a ship to the UK he found his way to Edinburgh where we found him in Whistle Binkies, now he gives tours and for some reason continues with his studies! A lover of sport, socialising and having the “craic”, come have a laugh with him in the ‘Burgh, just don’t mispronounce his name!!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Fiona
Fiona was born and raised in a small town no one has ever heard of just twenty minutes outside Edinburgh. She spent the last year and a half in Paris and it was here she found her passion for tour guiding and teaching visitors all about its history and culture. However, like any loyal scot she simply could not stay away from Scotland for too long. She has returned home to do the job she loves in the city she loves and enlighten everyone on the quirks and hidden treasures of this charmed city!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Izzy
In a [somewhat] reckless pursuit to “live the dream”, Izzy left her native Chicago behind for Liverpool to pursue her master’s degree in Popular Music Studies (no, really!). And with this very useful degree under her belt she knew she could do anything and decided there was indeed nothing she’d rather do more than become a tour guide here in Edinburgh. And that’s where she’s been for the last year…living the dream…
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
James
James has been working as a tour guides in Edinburgh since 2008. Originally from Cascais, Portugal, he moved to Edinburgh over four years ago to study theatre at Queen Margaret University. Having completed his studies, James now combines his love of storytelling and theatre by taking people from all over the world all over Edinburgh.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
John
A native Scot, John is from the hometown of none other than Andy Murray (the Scottish tennis player, not the Canadian ice hockey player, Irish boxer or English golfer). Easy going and friendly with a Guinness World record for having the world’s squarest jaw it’s fortunate he has a good sense of humour. He does not look like Harry Potter and can often be spotted running the Pub Crawl.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Jonny
Jonny is a genuine Scottish laddie from the quiet town of Kinross, situated roughly one hour north of Edinburgh. He attended Edinburgh University, having studied English Literature and following graduation, ventured across to the other side of the world, spending over a year in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, and on his return found that his penchant for travel was stronger than ever! And there’s no better way to fuel this travel bug than by meeting hundreds of other travellers just like himself every week…. With a broad knowledge of Scottish history, a very amiable personality, and a good collection of clean jokes, he’s looking forward to showing you the sights that bonnie Edinburgh has to offer!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
Kit
Kit thought England was a motorway between Scotland and France until she was 7, but promises that she has scrubbed up on her geography since then. Describing herself as generically Scottish, Kit was born and bred in Aberdeen before moving to Edinburgh aged 17, and currently she spends half her year pretending to be a physicist in St Andrews. Having been told she could talk for Scotland since the first words came out of her mouth, Kit decided to give her family and friends’ ears a rest and instead talk about Scotland to people who wanted to listen. She even promises to make an extra special effort to learn which hand is left and which is right for her tours this summer.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Mark
People who have been on Mark’s tour have said:
“Very fun, patient and energetic.”
“His knowledge of history was phenomenal”
“Charming and entertaining”
“His enthusiasm blew us away”
“A good mix of historical background and humour”
This proves it pays to only do tours for your family.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
Neale
Neale was born in the City of Dundee and grew up in the Kingdom of Fife, an hour North of Edinburgh and a stone’s throw from the home of golf, St. Andrew’s. He moved across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh 2 years ago to study for a degree in International Relations. Neale has academic interest in International security, Political theory and above all Scotland – its society, politics and history. In his spare time, Neale enjoys playing football, playing golf and reading.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Scott
Despite being more accustomed to the flat lands of Saskatchewan back in Canada, Scott has learned to love not only the hills, but the pubs of Edinburgh as well. Often found catching up on missed NHL games at the Globe, Scott decided to get up from behind his desk as a graphic designer to explore Europe, upon arrival into Edinburgh he knew it was the city for him.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Spencer
Coming from the tiny island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, Spencer moved to the UK in 2004. After escaping an English boarding school he headed north of the border to his adopted hometown of Edinburgh where he began studies in pharmacology. But don’t let his background fool you, he’s one sick Caribbean boy who’s fully embraced sunny Scotland and is excited to share everything about his new home with you!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Stephen
In the beginning a child was born… but enough about that, let’s talk about Steve. Australian-born Steve left his acting career behind (search: Annie Get Your Whale Boy on Imdb) to become a maths teacher but found he was hideously incompetent so now he shouts history to people in his adopted home of Edinburgh. His interests include psychology, entomology, mycology, American underground music years 1980-88, architecture, math, quantum physics, coffee and French impressionist painters. Thankfully, he’s not available for childrens’ parties.
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
Ghost Tour
Troy
Normally more at home on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia, Troy came to Edinburgh in 2009 and immediately fell in love with the city and its history, after taking the Free Walking Tour himself. It didn’t take long to decide that he was going to trade his boardshorts and singlet for a jacket and jeans, and make Edinburgh his new home.
Using his seemingly unlimited barrel of charm and love of the spotlight (well, at least the spotlight part), he now loves nothing more than showing tourists around his new home, and sharing with them the stories and deep history of this amazing city. And of course, being an Aussie, he can also normally be found lurking around on the Pub Crawl and wearing sunglasses in the rain!
Tours mastered:
New Edinburgh Free Tour
