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Historic Underground

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Evening of Ghosts & Ghouls

Secrets of edinburgh's royal mile.

• Doomed, Dead & Buried

Mercat tour

• History Walks /
• Get exclusive access to the Blair Street Underground Vaults – the city’s oldest, deepest vaults
• Discover the history of day-to-day life in Old Town Edinburgh’s wynds and closes, as well as in the vaults
• See authentic 19th Century artefacts found in the vaults
• Visit our Discovery Room, with 3D models and displays
• Mercat exclusive audio devices - be immersed and get lost in the stories...
• Choosing Mercat is ' Good for you, Good for Edinburgh ' - our team, community and planet

About this tour

Edinburgh vaults.

Get exclusive access to the Blair Street Underground Vaults – the largest system of underground caverns in Edinburgh. Built in the 18th Century beneath South Bridge, we’re the only walking tour company with access.

Beneath the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh’s Old Town, you’ll discover a dark, damp world that has remained unchanged since the 18th Century. Your expert Storyteller will lead you deep into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, and together you’ll explore its perfectly preserved history – including how it became home to the city’s most destitute inhabitants.  

Underground tours

Want to see Edinburgh’s darkest secret? Descend into the vaults, exclusive to Mercat Tours.

It’s a story rooted in Edinburgh’s Georgian past – grand feats of engineering, the expansion of the city, and those who were left behind in its darker corners. But why were the vaults built? And who used them?

All your questions will be answered throughout the duration of our Historic Underground tour, where our award-winning storytellers bring the history of the vaults to life.

Customer review

"very interesting, learnt a lot about edinburgh history and how the vaults came about, also how they were used.", book ticket, please select a date and time, tour details, dates & times.

Daily; morning & afternoon Private group bookings

Reconnect with friends and family on a tour just for you. Book online now, or we're happy to help on email [email protected]

Donate to help us reconnect vulnerable communities through storytelling - learn more about  Our Stories, Your City .

• Everyone has a warm welcome from us;
• Local Edinburgh residents eligible for concession rates (EH postcodes)
• Complimentary tickets are available for carers, to book call us on 0131 225 5445 .
• Read how we include you  here
• See our  Euan's Guide Review s.
• Language: English. Learn more on our FAQs

If you are a returning visitor and booked directly through Mercat Tours, you’re eligible for our Returner’s Reward

• 1 hours 15 minutes

Tour location

• Start point: Mercat Cross, High Street
• End point: Blair Street Underground Vaults, Blair Street, off Hunter's Square

Need help booking?

Get in touch with us and one of our experts will be able to give you advice on our tours.

• +44 (0)131 225 5445
• [email protected]
• WhatsApp: 07500139575

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Stories of blood, guts & gore in the Old Town, then a whisky or soft-drink in a candlelit cellar to warm the heart.

Evening. Ages 5+.

The perfect introduction to Scotland’s capital – and fastpass skip-the-line entry at Edinburgh Castle (optional extra).

Morning/Afternoon

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Don’t forget to buy a Mercat Tours souvenir guidebook with your ticket.

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Historic Underground Tour in Edinburgh

Get exclusive access to the Blair Street Underground Vaults – the largest system of underground caverns in Edinburgh. Built in the 18th century beneath South Bridge, we’re the only walking tour company with access.

Beneath the bustle of Edinburgh’s Old Town you’ll discover a dark, damp world unchanged since the 18th century. Your expert guide will lead you deep into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, and together you’ll explore their history – including how they became home to the city’s most destitute inhabitants.

Want to see Edinburgh’s darkest secret? Descend into the vaults, exclusive to Mercat Tours.

It’s a story rooted in Edinburgh’s Georgian past – grand feats of engineering, the expansion of the city, and those who were left behind in its darker corners.

But why were the vaults built? And who used them? Save your questions for your Mercat tour guide, a masterful storyteller who will bring the history of the vaults to life – and talk you through some of the artefacts that have survived.

Your walking tour will end in our Discovery Room complete with 3D model and artefacts.

Dates & times Daily: 12:00, 14:00, 16:00

Tickets are always limited. Book online in advance for the best ticket price.

Duration 1 hours 15 minutes

Tour location Start point: Mercat Cross, High Street End point: Blair Street Underground Vaults, Blair Street, off Hunter’s Square

Travel Time:

Cafe St Honorė

Edinburgh & Lothian

Nelson Monument

Union of genius, novapizza vegetarian kitchen, hendersons salad table, hula juice bar, pomegranate express, city observatory, travellers journeys nearby, exploring edinburgh in the haar, a stroll around dean village, a day trip to fife's east neuk, the mighty red squirrel, exploring the glasshouses at glasgow botanic gardens, local inspiration, from fields to form: an insightful conversation with basketmaker anna liebmann, cultivating scottish willow and crafting timeless baskets, blooming beauty: seilich skincare’s wild journey from scottish meadows to radiant skin, inside albys: edinburgh’s sandwich shop success story, agnes randolph and the siege of dunbar castle, edinburgh castle and the black dinner, a prince’s murder at falkland palace, meet sara, owner of castaway, best picnic spots in edinburgh, secret gardens in edinburgh’s city centre, the best restaurant in scotland named in national awards, edinburgh’s lesser-known museums, a daring escape from dalkeith palace, a royal warning at linlithgow palace, a slow travel guide to culross, meet stephanie lothian, co-owner of williamstone farm steadings, april in edinburgh, meet illustrator emily hogarth, the scottish seawolf of culross, march in edinburgh, crawford priory’s ghostly menagerie, the defence of dunbar castle, explore the world’s first digital unesco trail, february in edinburgh, january in edinburgh, december in edinburgh, doom & gloom at castle campbel, november in edinburgh, win an overnight stay at dunstane houses in edinburgh, fife’s hidden gems, october in edinburgh, the secrets buried in roslin glen, the murderous craigmillar bond, old edinburgh’s unlikely criminal, lochend park, newhailes house, the jacobite garrison of the bass rock, the 16 best castles to visit near edinburgh, corstorphine walled garden, tantallon castle and the 1st earl of douglas, jupiter artland, meet laura wilson, owner of the dundonald guesthouse and cottage, melrose abbey and robert the bruce’s heart, thomas randolph and the capture of edinburgh castle, st monans church, edinburgh hotels, the coastal villages of fife, duddingston village, the great hall in the scottish national portrait gallery, dunbar’s close, the stockbridge duck race, the meadows, the national museum of scotland, 5 surprising facts about stockbridge, how edinburgh changed the world: the scottish enlightenment, getting to edinburgh, the stockbridge colonies, dean village: a peaceful oasis on the doorstep of the city, the history of edinburgh’s stockbridge, why is edinburgh called ‘the athens of the north’, the history of the new town, the history of edinburgh’s old town, the creation of victoria street, 5 surprising facts about the grassmarket, the last hanging, the history of the grassmarket.

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Edinburgh Vaults

Top ways to experience Edinburgh Vaults and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

EDINBURGH VAULTS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.01 mi) Luxury boutique apartment
• (0.02 mi) Niddry Street Apartments
• (0.02 mi) The Inn on the Mile
• (0.03 mi) Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh City Centre
• (0.03 mi) Royal Mile Old Town Centre of Edinburgh
• (0.01 mi) Paradiso Takeaway
• (0.02 mi) Incredible India Restaurant
• (0.02 mi) The Advocate
• (0.02 mi) The Tron
• (0.02 mi) Bank Pub and Kitchen
• (0.01 mi) Whistle Binkies
• (0.02 mi) The Globe Bar
• (0.02 mi) The Hive
• (0.02 mi) Tron Kirk
• (0.02 mi) The Edinburgh Pub Crawl

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Underground City of the Dead

The most haunted section of Edinburgh's legendary Underground City, inside the South Bridge Vaults. Home to the 'South Bridge Entity'

Descend into a section of Edinburgh’s legendary Underground City , where a population once lived in utter misery. Forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed, this part of the vaults is known as Damnation Alley . With good reason. 

Black as Satan’s jammies, with a fascinating history to match, these dark chambers are stalked by a malevolent presence known as the South Bridge Entity . Its story is brought vividly to life in the book The Town Below The Ground: Edinburgh’s Legendary Underground City.  Signed copies are available after the tour.

The South Bridge Vaults. They’re darker than you think.

Our walks are written and researched by historical author and award winning novelist, J A Henderson – who has written books on the Underground City, The Mackenzie Poltergeist and Haunted Edinburgh. Our guides are a mixture of historians and professional entertainers, picked for their ability to improvise, entertain and make each tour unique and individual. 

 This is history brought to life through storytelling, rather than simply walking around and pointing out historical facts. As a result we have enjoyed years of rave media reviews. City of the Dead has been named “Britain’s Best Ghost Walk” by Scare.com, Yahoo! Travel and Virgin Media and is the only Scottish attraction to be short listed for the prestigious Screamie Awards (3 times!) and the Luxury Travel Awards. We also won Scare Tours ‘Best Ghost Tour’ award.

From £16 per adult

Departure days.

• W Wednesday

January — December

Contact details

• +44 (0131) 2259044
• View tour details
• [email protected]

Tour information

• Edinburgh - City Centre
• Medium Group (17-30)
• Small Group (1-16)
• Ghosts and Supernatural

Tour prices

From £16 Per Adult £14 Concession

Prices are subject to change depending on season

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Tour gallery

Tour company information

Black hart entertainment/city of the dead tours.

Researched and designed by best-selling historical author and award winning novelist J A Henderson, our walks combine the weirdest stories, wickedest humour and wildest history. And we have sole access to two of the word's most haunted locations - Damnation Alley in Edinburgh's legendary 'Underground City' and the Covenanter's Prison in Greyfriars Graveyard. This locked section is the lair of the infamous Mackenzie Poltergeist, the best documented supernatural case of all time and responsible for hundreds of 'attacks' on our participants. Zoiks!

Social Channels

Visit Black Hart Entertainment/City of the Dead Tours

Opening times

Office hours 10.00am - 10.00pm all year round (excluding Xmas Day and New Year's Eve). Tours run daytime and night time. Call 0131 225 9044 for times

Other tours from this company

City of the Dead Haunted Graveyard Tour

Departs: Edinburgh - City Centre, Edinburgh

This tour has sole access to the Covenanter's Prison, a locked section of Greyfr...

Price from:

£16pp

The Double Dead Tour

The worst of both possible worlds. A tour that goes into both the South Bridge...

£19pp

The content of many of our web listings is provided by third party operators and not VisitScotland. VisitScotland accepts no responsibility for (1) any error or misrepresentation contained in third party listings, and (2) the contents of any external links within web listings ((1) and (2) together hereinafter referred to as the "Content"). VisitScotland excludes all liability for loss or damage caused by any reliance placed on the Content. The Content is provided for your information only and is not endorsed by VisitScotland.

Auld Reekie Tours

We offer tours through edinburgh’s most extensive set of vaults & are the only ghost & history tours company with authentic links to witchcraft..

Christmas & Hogmanay Opening times

Christmas Edinburgh Vaults Hogmanay Opening Hours South Bridge Vaults Winter Solstice Yule

Friday 24th November

E-gift vouchers for your loved ones.

Christmas Edinburgh Vaults Gift Gift Voucher South Bridge Vaults Winter Solstice Yule

NOW HIRING – We are looking for actors and actresses to deliver Magical Potter, history & ghost tours

Special Offer Tickets – 4 PEOPLE FOR £70 on all regular public tours *

Magical Potter Tour

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays

£10 per person, £32 for 4 people

The Vaults Tour

Not suitable for under 5s

£20 per person, £70 for 4 people

The Vaults & Graveyard Tour

Not suitable for under 12s

£24 per person, £70 for 4 people

The Terror Tour

Strictly over 18s only

Daily from Friday 22nd March

Haunted Vaults Tour

Until Thursday 21st March 2024.

Halloween Fright Night Tour

30th & 31st October

£35 per person (*excludes special offer ticket)

Auld Reekie Tours e-gift voucher

Hire Our Vaults Overnight

Our vaults are now available to hire overnight for investigations, ghost hunts and film locations. Maximum 35 people and proof of public liability insurance required.

TIMES: 00:00 – 06:00

“We had a fantastic time on our tour. Our guide was knowledgable and very funny. The tour was very informative and something different to do. We certainly recommend.”

“Very awesome experience if you like dark history. The tour makes you see some easy to overlook landmarks/monuments, that have macabre stories behind them.

Entering the vaults gives you a little taste of how the less fortunate people used to “live”, if you can even call it that.”

“Such a fun spooky tour to do while in the city. Our guide shared all the nitty gritty stories of the area and was very captivating!”

 “My friends and I went on this tour, and it was absolutely amazing!! Our tour guide was so captivating with her knowledge on the spooky history of Edinburgh, and I loved hearing about everything she had to say. There was even a couple ghost stories that gave me the shivers, but it was nothing excessively scary.”

“Some great information on the history of Edinburgh and the locations toured. It was interesting to hear the spooky stories behind even the most unassuming of streets. The access to the vaults was also enjoyable. I would recommend going at night for extra fun.”

IMPORTANT: We don’t take bookings at the tour start, please make sure to book in advance online or visit our office at 45 Niddry Street.

Have questions?

Office Opening Times: Daily 10:00 – 17:00

0131 557 4700

[email protected]

Mary King’s Close: Underground Edinburgh’s buried street

Posted on Last updated: February 15, 2024

From ghostly sightings to plague doctors – uncover the fascinating secrets of underground Edinburgh at the Real Mary King’s Close, a warren of 17th-century streets buried beneath the Royal Mile.

* This site contains affiliate links , where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.

Above ground the streets of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh are a mass of tourists, souvenir shops, pubs and busking bagpipers. A walk across the Old Town is a journey through history, from Edinburgh Castle at one end to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other.

But not all of Edinburgh’s history is on the surface – head below the city streets and you can uncover the secrets of underground Edinburgh at The Real Mary King’s Close.

Buried below ground, this network of narrow alleyways and abandoned houses has been lying beneath the Royal Mile since the 17th century. It’s the source of many a ghostly tale – but who really lived there and how did the street come to be buried underground?

The history of Mary King’s Close

During the 17th century, Edinburgh was suffering from major overcrowding. The city had been built on the top of Castle Rock with a wall around the edge to protect its residents. But the wall also meant there was no space for the city to expand outwards.

So instead as the population grew, houses were packed in more and more tightly, and grew upwards to eight or more stories high, creating the world’s first skyscrapers. A web of narrow side streets led off the Royal Mile, known as wynds or closes.

Wynds were public pathways but closes were private streets which were locked up at night to keep any undesirables out. The richest people lived in the top floors where the buildings got the most light – and the least stench of sewage. And the poorest lived in the dark, squalid ground floors, penned in with cattle and open sewers outside their front doors.

Most of Edinburgh’s closes were demolished or redeveloped into offices or apartments over the years, but Mary King’s Close had a different fate. By this time Edinburgh had expanded beyond the original city walls. The 17th-century city authorities were worried about losing trade to Edinburgh’s New Town, so they decided to build a grand new Royal Exchange.

And they found the perfect spot opposite St Giles Cathedral. There was just one small problem – the streets of houses which were already there. But rather than knocking these houses down completely, in an inspired bit of recycling, they just took the top floors off and used the lower floors as the foundations for the Exchange.

Mary King’s Close was covered over and swallowed up into the basement of the Royal Exchange. The sloping ground meant that the houses fronting onto the Royal Mile were destroyed. But further down the close whole houses were buried in tact.

Even though it was buried underground, the close wasn’t totally abandoned. Some residents didn’t want to leave and carried on running their businesses in this strange half-buried world. So you could head underground to buy your tobacco or get a wig made.

Saw-makers the Chesney family were the close’s last residents. They hung on in there until 1902 when they were finally forced out as the Royal Exchange building – now used as the City Chambers – was extended and the last of the close was sealed up.

Then in 2003, Mary King’s Close was opened up as a visitor attraction once archaeologists and historians had analysed all the evidence they could find to uncover what life had been like for underground Edinburgh’s 17th-century residents.

Visiting The Real Mary King’s Close

Part history tour, part ghost tour, the Real Mary King’s Close has become one of Edinburgh’s most unusual attractions . From the entrance on the Royal Mile the first stop for visitors is an exhibition with models of the close and old maps as an introduction.

Before heading down into the close, you meet your costumed guide (ours was poet Robert Ferguson – aka John). We headed down a dark staircase and emerged into a labyrinth of underground streets connecting buildings with claustrophobic low-ceilinged rooms.

The street angles steeply down towards the old Nor Loch at the bottom of the hill. Today it’s the Princes Street Gardens, but originally it was a marsh turned sewage dump/spot for dunking witches. With each close being just a few metres wide, you can imagine how dark and oppressive it must have been at the bottom with buildings towering up on either side.

The tour took us through a series of rooms, with stories of the close’s residents – from gravediggers to murderous mother-in-laws, and including Mary King herself.

Edinburgh’s closes were named after prominent local citizens and in the 1630s Mary was a fabric merchant who lived in the close. She had set up her own business after her husband died – an impressive feat for a woman at that time.

There were also plenty of gory details of what life was like on the close during the 17th century, lots of them involving the not-too-sanitary ways of disposing of sewage that were used at the time (lets just say you really didn’t want to loiter outside a window for too long).

Life in the close was tough, and things got a lot tougher when the plague reached Edinburgh in 1644. The wealthy city residents fled but the poor were left behind. Records were lost so it’s not certain how many people died of the plague, but the final death toll is estimated at between a fifth and a half of the Edinburgh’s population.

A recreated room, complete with plague doctor, shows what conditions would’ve been like. According to legend, Mary King’s Close’s gates were locked and plague victims were left to die. But in reality the area was quarantined with food and water brought in, until finally the last residents left – one way or another – and the close was abandoned in 1645.

After 40 years, people started moving back in to the close, but there were many tales of spooky sightings, from disembodied floating heads to a woman dressed all in black. Could it be the ghosts of plague victims who refused to leave home? Or maybe it was just hallucinations brought on by clouds of methane rising from the Nor Loch?

Either way, many ghost hunters have been lured to the close to search for spirits over the years – from TV spook hunters Most Haunted to a Japanese psychic who claimed to have met a young girl called Annie in one of the rooms. She was said to be a plague victim abandoned by her parents who wanted a doll to stop her feeling so lonely.

Since then, guests from around the world have donated toys for her, and a slightly creepy pile of dolls and teddies (and other more unusual offerings like US police badges) has built up in what’s now known as ‘Annie’s Room’.

Visitors have reported hearing footsteps in empty rooms and feeling unexplained chills. The infra-red camera that’s used to capture pictures of visitors has even caught a translucent figure in the background late at night after the building was closed.

Though as the tour ended we emerged back into the light without spotting any ghostly apparitions. But we did get a few laughs, a few shocks and a warts-and-all insight into one of the darker sides of the city’s history and 17th-century underground Edinburgh life.

What else is there to see near Mary King’s Close?

Mary King’s Close is right on the Royal Mile in the historic heart of Edinburgh, with lots more to see within easy reach. At one end of the Royal Mile is hilltop Edinburgh Castle, home to the National War Museum and Regimental Museums. And close to the castle is the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions with its mind-bending optical tricks.

There’s also the Scotch Whisky Experience to find out more about how Scotland’s national drink is made. And the History of Edinburgh Museum, People’s Story, Writer’s Museum and Museum of Childhood. Then at the other end of the Royal Mile are the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the King’s official Scottish residence – and Scottish Parliament.

The details

How to get to mary king’s close.

The Real Mary King’s Close is just off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, opposite St Giles’ Cathedral. It’s just a 5-minute walk from Waverley railway station and Princes Street where you can catch buses and trams. If you’re travelling with luggage, lockers are available for £1.

Mary King’s Close opening hours and prices

The Real Mary King’s Close is normally open 10am–5pm, with extended hours at weekends and in summer. It gets busy at peak times so it’s a good idea to book tickets in advance. Tickets * costs £21 for adults and £15 for children aged 5–15 (children under 5 not permitted) for a fixed time or £25/£19 for a flexi ticket where you can change the time.

Tips for visiting Mary King’s Close

The tour takes around an hour and is in English, but there are audio versions available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Dutch and Hungarian.

Most of the tour is underground and the passageways can be quite narrow so beware if you suffer from claustrophobia. It’s not a scary tour though where people jump out at you so is suitable for children. The cobbled streets are uneven and can be steep so it’s a good idea to wear flat shoes or trainers. And limited access means it’s not wheelchair accessible.

Looking for somewhere to stay in Edinburgh?*

Love Edinburgh?

My new book , Auld and New in Edinburgh , is available to order now. Part of the Curious Travel Guides series, this curated guide features over 100 amazing places to eat, drink, shop and sightsee to help you plan the perfect Edinburgh trip.

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Note: Photography is not permitted so images courtesy of The Real Mary King’s Close.

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Marianne McDoougall

Tuesday 17th of January 2023

I visited in the summer along with 6 of my work colleagues from the G3 Creative Glasgow office. The tour was fabulous and very informative and took just less than an hour. I would suggest sensible shoes as the streets below ground are cobbled.

Lucy Dodsworth

Sunday 29th of January 2023

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, it's a really interesting place!

Tuesday 12th of April 2022

Are the Underground Edinburgh tour and the Real Mary King's Close tour one and the same thing or is it prudent to do both?

Friday 29th of April 2022

No they are two different things – the Underground Edinburgh tours visit the Blair Street Underground Vaults and although some of the history overlaps slightly the sites are very different.

Carmen Díaz Collado

Sunday 10th of April 2022

Hi! I'm travelling to Edinburgh at the end of the month. There are 5 of us, one being a girl of almost five (10th July). All of us are really interested in doing the Mary king's Close tour, but have been taken aback because we have read that under-five are not admitted. We have no one to leave her with. My question is : being her more five than four could she be admitted? She walks a lot and is not easily scared. She's very mature for her age.

Thanks for your sure help.

Monday 11th of April 2022

Hi Carmen I'm afraid I'm not sure – you would be best contacting Mary King's Close directly and seeing if they would be able to make an exception (there is a contact form on their website). Good luck!

Julie Dodgens Justus

Monday 24th of January 2022

I did an AncestryDNA test and found I’m 40 percent Scottish. I want to know more

Tuesday 25th of January 2022

The Visit Scotland website has some information about finding out about Scottish ancestry which might be useful: https://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/our-people/ancestry

Join our special MEDICAL HISTORY TOURS only on SATURDAYS

Click here to book.

STEP DOWN INTO EDINBURGH'S HIDDEN HISTORY

Journey Back In Time

Imagine a warren of streets frozen in time, where centuries of stories are just waiting to be told. Discover authentic truths about Edinburgh's dark past, and find out what it was really like for the people who lived, worked, and died on the Close.

FIND OUT MORE

Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation

Every Saturday,  uncover the secrets of 17 th -century medicine with a hands-on workshop led by an expert from his time: Dr Arnott. Examine his patients using his favourite method… by analysing urine’s colour, smell and TASTE! ALL your senses will be required as you examine patients’ samples and create your own herbal cure.

Free Audio Guides

If you require translation, we offer free audio guides via our mobile app in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Dutch, Portuguese, Polish and Hungarian. To find out more click here .

Find out more

Book a private tour.

Enjoy your very own Private Tour of The Real Mary King’s Close for you and up to 19 additional guests. Located in the heart of   Edinburgh’s Old Town , your guests will go on a journey through time on these now hidden streets where they will uncover some of the city’s deepest secrets. 

Read the Mary King’s Close Blog

The Real Mary King’s Close Blog is where you can gain a deeper understanding of Scotland’s turbulent history and beyond. Read fascinating tales, researched by our team, and find out more about our  newest tours , collaborations, charity efforts and special events.

Read the blog

Explore uniquely preserved streets....

Journey back in time and follow in the footsteps of former residents. Step down and explore the rooms, streets and spaces underneath the famous Royal Mile - a unique glimpse into the city's past, and Edinburgh's only preserved 17th century street.

EXPLORE UNDERGROUND

Meet The Residents

Experience over 400 years of history, and discover the stories of your character guide. From myths and legends, to the deadly plague epidemic and a famous royal visitor – there’s a myriad of tales just waiting to be told on this one hour guided tour.

Find Us On The Royal Mile

A ten minute walk from Edinburgh Castle, across from the magnificent St Giles Cathedral.

Use postcode: EH1 1PG

Browse a beautiful range of hand-crafted and locally sourced gifts, homeware and souvenirs. All items are handmade by local artisans or sourced from the best of Scotland’s rich produce and craftsmanship.

Mary Ogle’s Coffee Cart

Treat yourself to our delicious takeaway teas and coffees sourced from  Brodies 1867 , local coffee roasters in Edinburgh for over 150 years.

Mary King's Blog

Interview with ross macrae, iconic mary king’s close residents’ forgotten gravestone restored by volunteers, newsletter signup.

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The Real Mary King’s Close 2 Warriston’s Close High Street Edinburgh EH1 1PG

Privacy Overview

The 16 Best Edinburgh Vaults Tour in 2024

Are you looking for the best Edinburgh vaults tour and unsure which one is for you?

Do you want to make your Edinburgh underground tour extra spooky with tales of ghosts and dark history? Or would you prefer a tour that only focuses on Edinburgh’s history?

Whether it is your first visit to Edinburgh’s underground vaults or your tenth visit – there is a tour made just for you!

Some tours include trips to a haunted graveyard, a tour that ends with a stiff drink at a local pub or a tour just for kids. This list will help you pick the best Edinburgh Vaults Tour for you.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Please see my  Privacy Policy  for more information.

The 16 Best Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tours

Are You in a Rush? Here are the best tours!

Most Popular : Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

Best Adult Only Tour : Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

Best Small Group : Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk

History Only Edinburgh Vaults Tour (No Ghosts)

If you want to take an Edinburgh Vaults Tour without all the ghost stories, I recommend booking one of these two tours. Both of these tours offer small group vault tours as well.

1. History Walk: Historic Underground

If you want to take an Edinburgh vaults tour without the ghost stories, the History Walk Historic Underground tour is for you.

The Historic Underground tour takes you around Edinburgh’s Old Town as you learn about the day-to-day history that occurred right at the sites you visit. Next, you will visit the dark and damp Blair Street vaults that have remained unchanged since the 18 th century.

Your cloaked storyteller takes you deep into underground vaults, where you will witness the perfectly preserved history and how it became a breeding ground for some of Edinburgh’s most shady citizens.

I love the Edinburgh Vaults Tour because you can get up close and personal with the authentic 19th-century artifacts they found in the vaults.

Also, if you hate having to strain to hear tour guides on Edinburgh vault tours, Mercat Tours provides you with audio devices so you can listen to your guide loud and clear and won’t miss a word of the tour.

If you prefer to take this tour with a smaller group, they have a small group ghost tour for up to 18 guests. Book the small tour here:  Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk .

Book here: History Walk: Historic Underground

What you need to know

• There is a maximum of 30 guests on this tour (The small tour has a maximum of 18 guests)
• Book in advance so you don’t miss out because tours will book quickly!

2. Edinburgh: Old Town and Underground Historical Tour

If you want to take an underground walking tour in Edinburgh without the paranormal aspect, take the  Old Town and Underground Historical Tour .

The tour guide is a historian (usually) who takes you around Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and talks about the history of Edinburgh’s famous writers, a criminal that inspired Jekyll & Hyde, and hidden Victorian gardens most tourists miss.

Next, walk through the historic Canongate Kirkyard, where you will learn about the unfortunate death of Mary Queen of Scots’ secretary, David Riccio.

The last stop is the Edinburgh underground vaults tour, with a stop inside the Niddry Wynd Vault, where you will learn about the dark history of the nearly 400-year-old chambered vaults.

The guides, especially Natalie and Ben, are enthusiastic, passionate, vibrant and knowledgeable about Edinburgh’s history. Edinburgh’s history is long and fascinating, made even more special when told by our enthusiastic and passionate guides.

The Old Town and Underground Historical Tour is a small tour with around six people max, but often there are more people on the tour.

Book here: Edinburgh: Old Town and Underground Historical Tour

• The tour has between 6-30 guests

Adult Only Edinburgh Vault Tour

3. edinburgh: underground vaults & graveyard evening tour.

Are you looking for a frightening tour that takes you through Edinburgh’s most haunted locations, where you will hear stories about cannibals, body snatchers and ghosts? Look no further than the Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour .

The tour takes you through the Blair Street Underground Vaults and   the Canongate graveyard, where you will hear tales of the horror and hauntings that happened all over Edinburgh.  

The Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour begins with a dark walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town while being told stories about the criminals that used to roam the same streets you are walking along.

Next, enter the dimly lit Blair Street Underground Vaults, where the damp dark lingers, and you may feel a cool breeze or whisper in your ear. The vaults are lit by candlelight which makes the atmosphere feel even spookier as you are told about the spirits that still linger within the vaults.

But the tour doesn’t stop there! After the vaults, the tour heads to the Canongate Graveyard, where you will hear tales of cannibals, crime and ghosts as you visit the graves of some of Edinburgh’s most famous residents.

The tour guides are wonderful. They are animated, knowledgeable and full of information about Edinburgh’s spooky history. However, if you want a tour that takes you to the most haunted places with the best guides, you must take the Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour.

Small-Group Tours are Available

If you prefer to take this tour with a smaller group, they have a small group ghost tour for up to 18 guests. Book the small tour here:  Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults and Graveyard Ghost Tour .

Also, I have a full post about fun things to do in Edinburgh for adults if you want to visit places without children running around!

Book here:  Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour

• This is an adult-only tour

4. Hidden and Haunted Vaults Tour

The Hidden and Haunted Adults Only tour uncovers Edinburgh’s ominous history. The tour is one of Mercat Tour’s most graphic, gory and terrifying ghost tours.

This tour is for you if you want the scariest and spookiest tales straight out of Edinburgh’s Old Town and Blair Street vaults.

All the stories on the Hidden and Haunted Tour are true, making them even more chilling. Hear tales of treason and death and learn about the tormented spirits left behind in the dark of the most haunted vaults in Edinburgh.

The guides are brilliant, and their stories are just the right amount of spooky, humour and history. So if you want a night of fright you won’t soon forget, be sure to take the Hidden and Haunted Edinburgh vaults tour.

Book here: Hidden and Haunted

5. Edinburgh: Late-Night Underground Vaults Terror Tour

Visit the hunting grounds of The Watcher with the Late-Night Underground Vaults Terror Tour . The tour takes you to the world’s scariest place, deep under the streets of Edinburgh. This tour is perfect for people who want to get away from younger kids, as it is an adult-only tour.

The Terror Tour begins with a walk around Edinburgh’s Old Town, where you will learn the horrible history of some of Edinburgh’s most haunted locations. Next, you will stop at Auld Reekie’s Medieval Device Exhibit, which features gruesome devices used in the 16 th & 17 th centuries.

Then visit the atmospheric vaults where your guides regale you with tales of Edinburgh’s history with a spooky twist. You will stop by three to four vaults, including one with a stone circle that you should not step inside (PS. I stepped inside the stone circle, and I am still okay…I think.)

I recommend taking the Edinburgh vaults tour with Andrew or Frasier. They have the perfect mix of humour while telling some pretty ghastly stories. You will feel fully immersed and will be able to visualize the history as though you were living through it right now.

The tour gets progressively spookier as you get deeper into the vaults. Don’t worry if you can’t book with Andrew or Frasier. All of the guides at Auld Reekie are excellent storytellers and amazing tour guides! I just have my personal favourites.

Book here: Edinburgh: Late-Night Underground Vaults Terror Tour

• There is a maximum of 32 guests on this tour
• This tour is for adults only

Edinburgh Vault Tours that include Alcohol

6. evening of ghosts and ghouls.

Do you want a night full of dark history, ghosts, ghouls and free whisky? Then, the Evening of Ghosts and Ghouls Edinburgh Vault Tour is the one to book!

Start with a walking tour through Edinburgh’s dimly lit closes, hearing gory tales of Edinburgh’s past before heading into the haunted Blair Street Underground Vaults.

Mercat Tours’ expert storytellers will fill you with tales of blood, guts, gore and ghosts as you stand in the dark and extremely haunted underground vaults.

End the night with more spine-chilling ghost stories in the candlelit Megget’s Cellar, where you can lose yourself in some of the delicious Dewar’s Scotch Whisky. But, of course, if whisky isn’t your thing, you can opt for a soft drink of your choice (I highly recommend Irn Bru!) If you love whisky, I recommend taking one of the best whisky tours in Edinburgh .

If you prefer to take this tour with a smaller group, they have a small group ghost tour that includes a drink in Megget’s Cellar! Book the small tour here:  Small Group Ghost Tour in the Underground Vaults .

Book here: Evening of Ghosts and Ghouls

• The tour ends with a drink of whisky in Megget’s Cellar

7. City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour

Want to take an Edinburgh underground Tour with a trip into the most haunted section in Greyfriars Kirkyard? City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour is the only tour that takes you into the fenced-off Covenanters Prison, which is home to the Black Mausoleum.

After the graveyard tour, follow your tour guide into the atmospheric South Bridge Vaults, where you will hear tales about the ghosts that linger in and out of the vault’s stone walls.

I loved the tour guides, Ian and Grant. They were funny and knowledgeable, and there won’t be a moment where you are not laughing or learning about Edinburgh’s spooky history.

Worry not if you find the tour too scary, as it ends in a bar where you can drink your fears away!

Book here: City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour

• There is a maximum of 36 guests on this tour

Edinburgh Underground Vault Tour & Old Town Tours

8. Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

Auld Reekie Tours takes you deep under the streets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile into one of the scariest places on earth with the Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tour . The tour features paranormal stories and a creepy medieval device exhibition where you will learn about witches and criminals that once inhabited the dark South Bride vaults.

The Underground Vaults Tour is one of Edinburgh’s best vault tours and begins with a walking tour through Old Town. Then the tour ventures through the dark, candle-lit underground and hear about Burke and Hare and the persecution of witches.

The Edinburgh haunted vaults known as the South Bridge Vaults are also home to the former witchcraft temple once used by a real coven and a stone circle with so much terrifying history you will not want to step inside.

The guides are incredible at making the tour as scary as possible while treating you to tales of gruesome drama and real historical facts that leave you wanting more. I highly recommend tour guides Anya, Fraser or Megan. They are all hilarious and knowledgeable and make the tour feel really spooky.

Just be aware that this tour isn’t for the faint of heart. Someone on my tour fell ill and fainted in the museum before even going down to the vaults!

Book here: Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tour

9. Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

Do you want to go on one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh ? If you love haunted and dark history, take the Haunted Vaults Walking Tour for a spooky evening. The tour contains paranormal stories and tales about the ghostly apparitions that haunt the vaults.

The Edinburgh underground ghost tour starts above ground in Edinburgh’s Old Town, where you will hear the haunted history of Edinburgh’s dark past.

The next step? Venture down into Edinburgh’s haunted vaults, once the breeding grounds for crime.

The Niddry Street Vaults have tales of paranormal activity and are still the haunting grounds of several creepy ghosts. Stick close to your tour guide to ensure you aren’t the target of one of the evil ghosts lurking in the shadows.

Speaking of guides – all of the tour guides at Auld Reekie are knowledgeable, lively, interactive and fill you with loads of dark history. The guides bring the experience to life, and the tour flows really well.

The Haunted Vaults Tour is the best Edinburgh Underground Vault Tour if you love ghosts. However, the Edinburgh underground tour is super scary, so if you are a bit skittish, this isn’t the tour for you.

Book here: Haunted Vaults walking tour in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Vault Tours that Visit Graveyards

Want to add a visit to a graveyard on your vault tour? Here are a few tours that include a visit to either Greyfriars Graveyard or Canongate Kirkyard.

The tours that include visits to graveyards do spend less time in the vaults than other tours, so just be aware when booking these tours.

If you want to take a tour inside the extremely haunted Covenanters Prison in Greyfriars book, the City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour, which is included in the Edinburgh Vault Tours that include an Alcohol section.

10. Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

Want to visit the world’s most haunted graveyard to go alongside your haunted vaults tour in Edinburgh? If you want to double up on the haunted history in Edinburgh with the Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh .

The tour explores the haunted streets of Edinburgh, where you will hear stories about Edinburgh’s notorious criminals and ghosts. The Haunted Vaults and Graveyard tour visits Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you will learn about the dog who spent his life in the graveyard next to his deceased owner.

Explore the gothic mausoleums, including the one that belongs to the terrifying Mackenzie Poltergeist. Next, you will hear the horrors that took place at the Covenanters Prison just a few steps away. Be aware that this tour company doesn’t take you into the Covenanters Prison. Book this tour with the City of the Dead Tours if you want to visit the prison.

The last stop takes you into the South Bridge Edinburgh Underground Vaults. Here you will visit the former Hellfire Club and the vault possessed by an evil entity.

The tour moves quickly as there is more to see than the regular Haunted Vaults Tour , but the tour guides will wait for the tour group to catch up before diving into more haunted history so you won’t miss out.

The guides are fantastic, humorous and very knowledgeable. If you want to experience the dark side of Edinburgh, be sure to book this tour.

Book here: Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

 11. Fright Night Tour

Take an Edinburgh Underground Tour with the City of Edinburgh Tours Fright Night Tour . What makes the Fright Night Tour one of Edinburgh’s best underground vault tours?  The tour guides.

All guides are dressed up based on someone in Edinburgh’s real gruesome history, including Dr. Knox, Agnes the Witch, the “Hangman,” and so many more.

The tour is loads of fun and is not too cheesy or theatrical if that isn’t your thing. The guides are excellent storytellers who bring the horrors of Edinburgh’s history to life with chronicles of ghosts.

The Fright Night Tour brings you to Edinburgh’s High Street, Greyfriars Kirkyard, the underground street Niddry Wynd, and South Bridge through the skylight from the vaults.

The underground tour of Edinburgh makes you feel like you are stepping back in time as you walk along the cobbled roads under the cover of darkness.

Book here: Fright Night Tour

• There is a maximum of 30 guests on this tour

12. Edinburgh: Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour

Are you looking for an extreme ghost tour deep within the Edinburgh vaults? Whether you are a non-believer (who may be swayed!) or a ghost hunter who loves to get scared, the  Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost tour  is for you.

The tour is in the dead of night, where a costumed guide will walk you through Edinburgh’s dark shadowy closes regaling you with dark tales of Edinburgh’s history. The tour then ventures into Edinburgh’s most haunted graveyard, where you will be told about the ghosts that wander through the gravestones.

As the clock strikes midnight, head down to the creepy Edinburgh underground vaults, where your tour continues with tales of the supernatural, crime and body-snatching in the same vaults you are standing in.

We heard noises from within the children’s vaulted room during my tour. It was pretty terrifying but cool at the same time.

The Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour is a small group tour that usually maxes out at 15 guests, but on occasion, there can be up to 30 people at times. Plus, the tour is incredibly spooky, so it is for adults only.

Be sure to bring your camera because people get weird photos with dark figures and orbs throughout the graveyard and the underground vaults in Edinburgh.

Book here: Edinburgh: Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour

• There is a maximum of 15-30 guests on this tour

Small Group Edinburgh Vault Tours

If you prefer a smaller group setting when taking a tour inside Edinburgh’s haunted vaults, I highly recommend booking one of these tours.

However, there are a lot of other tours that do have small group options, which are mentioned in the tour information above.

Some tours include history-only tours, adult-only tours and tours that finish with a bit of whisky. Check out the other categories for other small group vault tours.

13. Edinburgh: Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour

Follow a costumed guide from Edinburgh’s history, like Agnes the Witch, on one of the best Edinburgh vault tours. The  Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour  walks you through the shadowy closes on the Royal Mile, where you will hear spooky stories full of horror and humour.

The early afternoon ghost tour is suitable for all ages, but book the night tour if you want something a bit scarier. The Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour is usually billed as a small group tour for up to 6 people but will often have up to 30 guests on busy days.

The tour will continue with a visit to Edinburgh’s famous underground Vaults, where you will hear about the bloody history deep beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The vaults on this tour consist of a small portion decorated with scary dolls.

The tour guides are friendly, engaging, and entertaining and have a ton of knowledge of Edinburgh’s exciting and dark history.

Book here: Edinburgh: Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour

• There is a maximum of 6-30 guests on this tour

14. Underground City of the Dead Tour

Venture into the most haunted section of Edinburgh’s underground city, Damnation Alley, on the Underground City of the Dead Tour . Within these shadowy vaults lives an evil presence known as the South Bridge Entity.

The Edinburgh Vaults Tour begins above ground in Edinburgh’s Old Town before heading down to Damnation Alley, where you will be told grim stories about the people who once lingered in the dark vaults that were recently uncovered.

The tour guides are a lot of fun, entertaining and spooky. However, I would consider this ghost tour fun and dramatic as it has a jump scare at the end, so if this isn’t your thing, I recommend picking a different tour.

Also, please note that this tour generally runs long, so don’t book it if you have a tight schedule.

I spent the night in Damnation Alley when they first unleashed it to the public. It just had two empty vaulted rooms at that time, and they were working on tearing down more walls to find more vaults. Of course, this was long before the discovery of the South Bridge Entity, but it was still pretty spooky.

Book here: Underground City of the Dead Tour

Family Friendly Edinburgh Vault Tours

Do you want to tour Edinburgh’s haunted vaults with the whole family? Book one of these fantastic, family-friendly Edinburgh Vault Tours.

15. The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour

Do you want to go on an Edinburgh underground ghost tour with the World Famous Underground Ghost Tour ?

The Edinburgh Vaults Tour starts above ground with a guide dressed in historical fancy dress, taking you through Edinburgh’s Old Town and Greyfriars Kirkyard. You will hear stories of evil poltergeists and body snatchers running rampant through the city streets.

Then the tour heads into the underground vaults. With over 400 years of gruesome history, the chambered rooms are now inhabited by ghostly spirits often heard, seen, or known to touch guests.

The guides are funny, informative and a little bit scary! I loved the tour guide who played Scotland’s infamous Sawny Bean – he was a blast!

The tour is not too scary, so it is suitable for children and families.

Book here: The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour

16. Ghostly Underground (Daytime Tour)

If you are looking for a daytime Edinburgh Vaults Tour, go on the Ghostly Underground Tour with Mercat Tours. The tours from Mercat are full of real stories – nothing made up or fake, just real history from Edinburgh’s dark past.

Follow a cloaked tour guide through the dark streets and closes of Edinburgh’s Old Town before heading down to Edinburgh’s best and most extensive vaults.

The Blair Street Vaults are the most haunted in Edinburgh. As you descend the stairs leading to the vaults, the darkness sets in, and you will feel like you are being watched. That is because you are being watched by the resident ghosts who always remain in the vaults.

The storytelling on this tour is amazing as the guides are lively, entertaining and fun as they regale the fantastic ghost stories that have occurred within the dark walls of the Blair Street Vaults. 

Book here: Ghostly Underground

More Haunted History and Spooky Things to Do in Edinburgh

• Halloween in Edinburgh: 26 Scary Things to do in Edinburgh
• Mary King’s Close – Edinburgh’s Plague-Infested Underground Street
• Historic Edinburgh Cemeteries to Explore
• 28 Unusual Things to do in Edinburgh
• The 13 Best Ghost Tours in Edinburgh
• Best Haunted Pubs in Edinburgh
• Burke and Hare Edinburgh Tour
• The 8 Best Pub Crawls in Edinburgh
• The 10 Best Cemetery Tours in Edinburgh
• Fun Things to Do in Edinburgh for Adults
• Spooky Things to Do in Edinburgh Scotland
• Edinburgh Castle Ghosts

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15 Best Tours in Edinburgh [2024]

Boasting a UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the most iconic castles on earth, elegant Georgian architecture and much more, the Scottish capital surely belongs on everyone’s bucket list. If you want to discover this enchanting city, then booking the best tours in Edinburgh is an easy and enjoyable way to do exactly that. 

This guide to the best Edinburgh tours is here to help you choose which tours you should take. From foodie or whisky tasting experiences to spooky, Harry Potter and hop-on hop-off tours, there really is so much scope in this stunning city. 

Edinburgh Castle Tour: Fast-Track Guided Tour in English

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $$ | Duration: 1.5 hours

Booking an Edinburgh castle tour can really help you make the most of visiting this famous location. I t also includes skip-the-line entry to save you precious time . 

The experience commences with a walk up the Royal Mile, before taking your guided tour of the famous fortress. This includes explanations of the castle dungeons, the iconic one o’clock gun salute and the Argyle Battery. 

→ Click here to check prices and availability

Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

Rating: 4.5⭐| Price: $ | Duration: 1 hour

If the best underground tour in Edinburgh is what you want to find, check out this spooky tour of the city’s ancient underground vaults. It’s said that ghosts lurk here beneath the Old Town, and during the one hour tour your guide will regale you with gory tales about witchcraft and historic murders in the area.

Exploring the South Bridge vaults puts an entirely new spin on things, so don’t miss this if you want to see a different side to this elegant city!

Edinburgh: The Dark Side Walking Tour

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 2 hours

Another of the more quirky Edinburgh tours is this Dark Side walking tour. Expect to hear all about Burke and Hare, the city’s most notorious murderers, as well as the trials and even burnings that witches once endured. The practices of grave robbing and body snatching, plus stories of real life vampires and cannibals, are also discussed.

Sites visited during the tour include narrow, twisting alleyways, Calton Hill, the Old Calton Burial Ground, one of Edinburgh’s chilling cemeteries or Canongate Kirkyard cemetery. The tour finishes at a local pub near the Royal Mile where you can purchase a beverage to steady your nerves!

Edinburgh: Comedy Horror Ghost Bus Tour

Rating: 4.5⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 1 hour

If all that after-dark activity sounds a little too gruesome for your tastes, then the best ghost tour in Edinburgh to book might be a more light-hearted comedy horror trip. Your conductor will share tales of ghosts, murder, grave robbings and victims of the plague as you ride around town.

The tour takes you through both the ancient Old Town and the Georgian New Town. It all takes place aboard a restored and black-painted vintage double decker bus. This was the sole survivor of the Necropolis Bus Company fleet, following a rather mysterious 1967 fire. This is a fun, light-hearted tour and a perfect option if you’re travelling with teenagers!

Edinburgh: Old Town History and Tales Walking Tour

Rating: 4.8⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 2 hours

This highly rated city tour of Edinburgh allows you to truly explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the safe hands of your knowledgeable tour guide, you’ll stroll along the twisting streets of the historic Old Town.

Expect to be enjoyably entertained throughout this tour, as your guide shares all the stories you’ll want to hear about the Scottish capital. Sights to see include the old pubs of Grassmarket, places that inspired J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, St. Giles Cathedral and more. 

Original Harry Potter Locations Tour

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $$ | Duration: 2 hours

Should you be seeking fun Edinburgh tours for the whole family, this Harry Potter locations tour could be spot-on. As well as sites associated with the books and movies about the boy wizard, you’ll also visit key Edinburgh landmarks such as Princes Street, the Old Town and the castle.

J. K. Rowling wrote much of the books in Edinburgh, and during the tour you’ll see sights that inspired her works. These include the Castlehill graveyard that doubles as Voldemort’s final resting place, and winding lanes that Diagon Alley was based on. 

Edinburgh: JK Rowling’s Edinburgh & the Writing of Harry Potter

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $$ | Duration: 4.25 hours

Another contender as best walking tour in Edinburgh for a Harry Potter fan is this magical guided tour with Sam. Discover the many Edinburgh locations that inspired JK Rowling. You’ll also get the chance to find out which Hogwarts house you’d be placed in. As well as whether you’re a muggle, a squib or a pure-blood witch or wizard. 

It’s worth noting that this is a long tour lasting over 4 hours so if you’re short on time or prefer a shorter walking tour, check out the other Harry Potter tour listed above.

Edinburgh: Comedy Walking Tour with Professional Comedian

Rating: 4.9⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 2 hours

This walking tour led by a professional comedian has to be among the most entertaining tours in Edinburgh. Setting out from the Monkey Barrel Comedy Club in the Old Town, you’ll learn all sorts of fun local facts and trivia during the two hour walk.

Expect some swearing, adult humour and a strong Scottish accent from your guide, which is why this tour is intended for over-16s only. If you want to know why the gun salute takes place every day at one o’clock or other city facts, this could be your chance to find out. This recent review says it all:

“BEST SIGHTSEEING TOUR EVER! Seriously guys, if you’re thinking about booking any of the walking tours through Edinburgh, THIS ONE is the one to go for! Daniel is not only incredibly funny, but also really knows his Scottish History!”

Edinburgh: 24-Hour Family-Friendly Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Rating: 4.5⭐ | Price: $ | Validity: 1 day

As with many cities across the world, some of the best tours of Edinburgh are jump-on, jump-off bus tours where you can travel when you please. This one is especially family friendly, and tickets are valid for 24 hours. 

With stunning city views throughout, this tour allows you to see places like the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Grassmarket, the New Town, Castle Rock and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. You can hop off whenever you like to explore further, before boarding another bus to take you somewhere else. 

Edinburgh: Royal Attractions with Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours

Rating: 4.8⭐ | Price: $$ | Validity: 2 days

Royal Edinburgh is the focus for this hop-on, hop-off bus tour. Tickets include three fast-track entrance tickets for the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle as well as flexible transport for up to 48 hours.

To simplify things even further, your pass includes use of buses operated by three different hop-on-hop-off bus tour companies. These are Edinburgh Tour, Majestic Tour and Edinburgh City Sightseeing.

Edinburgh: The Scotch Whisky Experience Tour and Tasting

You simply cannot come to Edinburgh as an adult without sampling the famous Scottish tipple! This whisky tasting and tour allows you to do exactly that. Your guide will also teach you about the five Scottish whisky-making regions. 

Comprising close to 3,500 bottles, one of the largest whisky collections on the planet also forms part of this tour. Single malt and blended whisky tastings are also included, and you’ll also get a crystal tasting glass to keep as a souvenir. 

Edinburgh: Whisky Tasting with History and Storytelling

Another option for whisky lovers! If you’re looking for something to do in Edinburgh during the evening, how about this whisky tasting experience? It includes local history and folklore tales, so you can learn about the city while sipping for single malts.

The tour takes place on the atmospheric Royal Mile, after meeting your guide at the aptly-named Hot Toddy. With the whole of the first floor reserved for your group, there’s plenty of space to stretch out in while learning about Scottish whisky production. You’ll also sample four distinctive single malts from different distilling regions of Scotland. You can also choose to do the tour with no drinks included.

Edinburgh: 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour

Rating: 4.8⭐ | Price: $$ | Duration: 3 hours

Whether you’re searching for unusual tours in Edinburgh because you’re a second-time visitor or because you really like to get under the skin of a city, this secret food tour can tick that box. Lasting for three hours, you’ll make half a dozen stops to sample Scottish delicacies.

Food and drinks to taste during the tour include haggis, neeps and tatties (mashed swede and potatoes), local cheeses, scones with butter and jam, gin and of course single malt whisky. The secret dish might also tickle your tastebuds. 

Edinburgh: Silent Disco Adventure Tour

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 1 hour

If you want to experience Edinburgh in a truly unique way, then surely this Silent Disco tour is unbeatable! It’s not for shy and retiring types, though, as you’ll need to sing and dance your way through the city streets.

Moving through the historic Scottish capital to hits from several decades, you’ll pass lots of famous landmarks en route. It’s a different way to see the city, that’s for certain. 

Edinburgh: Chocolatarium Tour, Tasting & Chocolate Making

Rating: 5⭐ | Price: $ | Duration: 1.5 hours

A tour of Edinburgh’s Chocolatarium also provides visitors with something different to do while visiting the city. During the 90 minute experience you’ll discover how chocolate is produced, from South American cacao plantations to the finished bars available from Scottish chocolate makers.

You can even make your own chocolates, including the flavours of your choice, as part of the tour. Sampling Scottish and global chocolates is also included, with options ranging from chilli to whisky. I took my daughter here for something a little quirky to do together and we had such a fantastic time!

Whether you prefer the idea of dancing and singing your way through the streets, laughing until your sides split or visiting a Chocolatarium, we hope you’ve enjoyed discovering 15 of the finest Edinburgh city tours!

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Edinburgh's Underground Donut Tour gives you look into city's history as well as filling a hole in your stomach

A nyone walking through Edinburgh’s city centre will no doubt pass a number of guided walking tours – from Harry Potter and haunted vaults themed walks, to more traditional educational tours that delve in the Capital’s dark past. And now, for those with a sweet tooth looking burn off calories whilst learning – there is a tour for them too.

Launched by self-confessed doughnut fanatic, Jeff Woelker, the Underground Donut Tour started life in his native Chicago seven years ago and now operates in several major cities including New York, Miami, London, Dublin, and as of last month, Edinburgh.

Starting off in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle , guests meet outside the Kilted Donut in the Grassmarket. The doughnuts here really are a work of art – and massive. You’ll find a range of delicious doughnuts from Biscoff, raspberry and Nutella flavours to more creative flavours including French toast and apple crumble. I opted for the Cranachan – a traditional Scottish dessert served in doughnut form. The sweet cream filling topped with raspberry glaze and sprinkled honey roasted oats really does make a great start to the day I must say.

Then the history lesson begins, which on the day I attended was hosted by Grace – a super knowledgeable and friendly guide who told the group stories about some of the city’s infamous characters including Burke and Hare and Maggie Dickson as we travelled through the Grassmarket .

The second stop is the highly popular Mor Bakehouse on Hunter Square, where we were treated to a Cronut – a croissant-doughnut blend. As much as I try to embrace change and move with the times – the Cronut texture wasn’t my thing, but I have it on good authority from others they are amazing.

Travelling down the Royal Mile, the group then makes its way to Mimi Little Bakehouse – a family-owned business that recently won Scottish Baker of the Year. No doughnuts are sold here however it actually works out quite well for the tour because after eating the previous two doughnuts I was ready for a short break. And like I said, I always try to embrace change. I opted for a particularly huge chocolate brownie to prepare for the next stint of the journey.

At this point the group has learned about the history of the Heart of Midlothian Mosaic, the Old Tolbooth and various changes to the city over the years. But tour guide Grace really was a fountain of knowledge and answered all questions asked by the group.

The final stop is Room and Rumours Coffee – an incredible bakery that changes its doughnut menu every day. Flavours on the day I visited included bramble jam and even an Earl Grey but I played it safe and chose the blueberry cheesecake.

The tour then concludes at the Scott Monument at which point you will be well and truly stuffed – no one in the group could finish everything but felt quite happy taking doggy bags home.

The cost of the tour is more expensive than the majority of other guided walks, coming in at £45 – roughly £20 more than the average tour. But factoring in the price of the doughnuts and included drinks (especially coffee these days) it probably balances out.

I would definitely recommend the experience for tourists – alongside the delicious snacks they will learn a lot about Edinburgh’s history and culture. And for residents who are looking for a fun way to learn a bit more about the city whilst supporting local businesses as they devour sweet artisan snacks – this tour will definitely not disappoint.

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World Famous Underground Ghost Tour @ 18:10; 18:45; 19:45

Are you brave enough?

Quick Details

• Tags Ages: Ages 5+
• Hour Glass Duration: 1 Hour and 15 Minutes
• Clock Schedule: Daily @ 18:10; 18:45; 19:45

Discover the Most Haunted City in the World on a Ghost Tour of Edinburgh!

Join us for our World Famous Underground Ghost Tour!

Let one of Edinburgh’s most infamous sons or daughters lead you round the dark side of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Learn cooking skills from Cassandra Bean or surgical ethics from Dr Knox. Once you’re acquainted they will lead you through the upper half of the Old Town, around St Giles Cathedral, showing the sites of the city’s former parliament and infamous jail. Discover the grim living conditions of this city’s Old Town throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

After crossing George IV Bridge the next part of the tour takes place in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Inside this decidedly sinister, 450 year old cemetery you will hear of its famously loyal dog, petrifying poltergeists as well as the notorious body snatchers and serial killers Burke and Hare.

For the last part of the tour follow your guide to the underground, a section of a former seventeenth-century close absorbed into South Bridge when it was constructed. See bridge arches from the 1700s, walls and doorways from former houses and the modern pavement (with people walking over you) through our skylight. This old street has had many inhabitants through the centuries but some have not seen their own deaths as a reason to depart! The Underground Ghost Tour Edinburgh ends with your guide leading you out of the underground and back to our ticket office.

Edinburgh guided tours FAQ

• Chevron down Meeting Point & Location

The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour starts from our Old Police Box, 124A High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1QS.

Our tickets box is just outside the Tron Kirk and directly infront of Starbucks.

The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour ends from our Old Police Box, 124A High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1QS.

• Chevron down Where can I book this tour?

This tour can be booked online using the widget above, through our ticket office which you can call on 0131 220 6868, or at the office itself at Old Police Box, 9 Hunter Square, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS. It is recommended that you book because our tours can very easily sell out especially during the summer months.

• Chevron down Is there a lot of walking on this Tour?

With the exception of the Alternative Tour and the Ultimate Old Town Historical Tour, there is only a small amount of walking on our tours. However please wear comfortable shoes otherwise you will find the Old Town’s cobblestones rather unpleasant!

• Chevron down Can children come on this tour?

Children over five years old are welcome on all our tours, except for the Pub Crawl, the Extreme Paranormal Tour and the Ladies of Pleasure Tour, provided they are accompanied by an adult.

• Chevron down Is the underground wheelchair accessible?

Unfortunately our underground is only accessible via a flight of stairs. For more information about the underground visit our accessibility section.

• Chevron down Will this tour run in bad weather?

Our tours run in rain, hail, sleet or snow, so long as we have people booked on, willing to do the tour it will run. Please wrap warm though if the weather is not on our side.

Related Activities

• Hour Glass 1 Hour and 15 Minutes
• Tags Ages 18+

Extreme Paranormal Ghost Tour Edinburgh @ 21:15

For the hardened Ghost hunter, or the non-believer, this late night walking ghost tour is not for the faint-hearted! Explore the mysterious Greyfriars Kirkyard cemetery and more at night.

• Hour Glass 1 Hour and 30 Minutes
• Tags Ages 5+

Old Town & Underground Historical Ghost Tour @ 11:00; 14:15

Join a local historian on our historical walking tour around Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. Learn about Edinburgh’s fascinating history, literature heroes, infamous criminals and battles that shaped our city.

• Hour Glass 1 Hour

Old Town & Underground Ghost Tour @ 13:15; 15:15; 17:15

The Old Town & Underground Ghost Tour will then take you on a guided tour of Edinburgh’s underground vaults, for close encounters with the paranormal!