Edinburgh is known for its dark past, and this evening walking tour is the original one to showcase the city's historically sinister and spooky side. Discover the hidden ‘wynds’ (alleys) and closes of the Old Town as you learn their mysteries and horrors; visit the ghost-ridden Greyfriars Kirkyard; and explore the city’s underground vaults to uncover their spirits and secrets. Your tour is led by a creepily costumed guide.

Evening Edinburgh underground vaults walking tour
Explore the Old Town’s ‘wynds’ and hear about their history and mysteries
Visit Greyfriars Kirkyard, said to be the world’s most haunted graveyard
Descend into Edinburgh’s underground vaults and uncover their 400-year history
Hear tales of ghosts, murders and torture, and watch and listen for unexplained events
Guide dressed as one of Edinburgh’s most infamous characters
Early evening tour suitable for families

What's Included

75 Minute evening walking tour of Edinburgh’s Old Town and South Bridge vaults.
Guide plays a real, distinct and infamous character from Scotland’s history.
Walk through the Old Town’s distinctive closes, wynds and secluded squares.
Visit the world-famous, eerie, unforgettable Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Hear terrifying stories of hauntings, murders, executions and cannibalism.
6.45pm Evening tour is suitable for families.
Travel back in time and descend into our section of underground street.

None
No under 5s

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

124 High St
124 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1QS, UK
Old Police Box by starbucks

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet your guide on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in the early evening. Your guide will be dressed as one of the Scottish capital’s most infamous historical characters, bringing an extra spook factor to your experience.

Then, set out on foot to explore the hidden wynds and closes radiating from the Royal Mile. Stroll through shadowy lanes and courtyards, and listen as your guide details their dark history and horrifying secrets, hearing tales of the criminality and murders once rife here.

Next, head to what is claimed to be the world’s most haunted cemetery: Greyfriars Kirkyard. Walk around the tombstones, and listen to stories of poltergeists, missing bodies, and the graveyard’s famously loyal dog.

Lastly, follow your guide into Edinburgh’s underground vaults. Explore the dark subterranean chambers, and uncover their 400-year history as you hear gruesome snippets about ghosts, torture, murder, witchcraft, and unexplained events.

As you walk, watch and listen or any strange events and noises: many visitors to the vaults have reported weird sensations and sightings.

When it’s time, re-emerge into the streets of the Old Town, where your tour ends when you say goodbye to your guide.

Edinburgh Old Town

Experience the Old town's wynd's and closes Visit the most haunted graveyard in Edinburgh Explore the Edinburgh Vaults beneath the city's streets

1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
guests should arrive 10 minutes prior to tours
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Hangman was a brilliant guide and highly recommend this tour to anyone who comes to Edinburgh!

Reviews

4.5

3,472 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 3,472 reviews

James Douglas our tour...

BRIAN_M, Mar 2023

James Douglas our tour guy was absolutely superb His knowledge and delivery of stories was excellent and also involving everyone on the tour Would certainly recommend to family and friends.

Boring and disappointing

Maxwell_O, Mar 2023

Was not impressed with this tour at all and think the description over promises what you actually receive. The tour consisted of about 3 very long drawn out “ghost stories” which were not that interesting. The only underground portion was in a small cellar of a basement of a building and then we were brought to a graveyard which we could not see because it was dark out. I would definitely recommend considering other Edinburgh tours.

Spooky fun

Hannah_S, Mar 2023

We had Dr. Knox and he was an excellent guide! He was entertaining and had so many spooky tales to share! Probably my favorite experience in Edinburgh

Awesome!!

Zannifer_R, Mar 2023

Our guide was great. We had a wonderful time! Not only was the tour fun, it was so informative. We learned so much about the early days.

Great ghost tour!

Lori_H, Mar 2023

Really enjoyed the history and the presentation with our guide staying in character. He offered a great sense of humor as well. The graveyard was a nice touch!

Excellent

Hayley_S, Mar 2023

The tour guide was excellent.. we had the amazing major weir and he made the trip enjoyable from start to finish..

Would recommend

Kelly_S, Mar 2023

Our tour guide was the Red Witch. She was very knowledgeable and funny and would recommend to anyone interested in history and the supernatural

Lafayette

Ryan_W, Mar 2023

Lafayette was wonderful! Worked well with the teenagers and the old weird husband! Very enjoyable! Hope to come back

Bloody Witches

Ewan_R, Mar 2023

Funny and graphic tour of blood guts and ghouls underground and overground. The Red Witch was a perfectly entertaining guide.

GREAT TOUR!!

Cesar_R, Mar 2023

Our tour guide was awesome (Maggie was her name, I believe)! She was so sweet and even dressed the part (in 19th century clothing). She was very knowledgeable, nice and caring! We had a member of the audience fall on the cobble stone road and Maggie SPRINTED over there to check up on her (paused the entire tour to make sure she was not injured). The tour was fun and we traveled to a lot of places (underground tunnels, cemetery, etc). Highly recommended!

Grisly edinburgh!

Jonathan_J, Mar 2023

Mr weir was very funny and compassionate in his telling, or retelling, of the darker and smellier stories of Edinburgh's past, winding through the wynds and closes, culminating in a walk under the streets of the city. An interesting and informative tour!

Nothing special

Kateryna_S, Mar 2023

We could just walk around the city with the same result. Story and underground didn't impress, however it was pleasant to have a walk

Very Easy to find meeting...

John_J, Mar 2023

Very Easy to find meeting place the red witch was very informative and very funny well worth the price.

Beane

Scott_C, Mar 2023

Mrs. Beane was awesome! She was great at making the experience informative and spooky. Will highly recommend!

The history about the...

Wayne_M, Mar 2023

The history about the things people don't normally talk about. The tour could be longer and more on the under ground.

Callum storytelling

Georgiana_L, Mar 2023

Callum was a very funny, friendly guy and a good storyteller too. The history of the town is very interesting. Definitely I recommend you!

Excellent 100% recommend

Ais2002, Mar 2023

Dr O was our tour guide and he was brilliant , what a wealth of knowledge he had to share with us. It was amazing 100% recommend 👌

Great Ghost Walking Tour

Tom_W, Mar 2023

Great Ghost walk, Dr. Knox was a really entertaining host and saw great locations and heard interesting and dark tales

Honestly I was expecting...

Joyce_C, Feb 2023

Honestly I was expecting a horror like tour but it was not so as I thought. The tour guide was awesome, it’s just that the tour was not that creepy.

Chilling ghost walk

Linda_D, Feb 2023

James was an excellent guide. Very engaging. Lots of interesting stories to tell. Just scary enough to entertain, but not at all frightening.

...

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