Scotland · EDINBURGH UNDERGROUND VAULTS
Good edinburgh vaults tours fill weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and where they actually differ.
Edinburgh’s Underground Ghost Tour takes you from the Royal Mile to Greyfriars Kirkyard and down into 400-year-old vaults in 75 minutes.
“Dr. Robert Knox, our tour guide was fantastic!! Be prepared to be included in the tour, as he plays off of guests and improvises throughout. I highly recommend the experience, and going in with a fun outlook definitely makes the whole thing even more enjoyable.”
Step into Edinburgh’s underground vaults under South Bridge on a guided 1-hour walk, mixing grim 18th-century stories with spooky sights.
“This is well worth it!! Fascinating history and incredible story telling! I would do this again and have recommended it to several people since”
A small-group haunted walk in Edinburgh, with a real descent into Blair Street vaults and spine-tingling stories in about 1h15.
“Great walking tour…fun glimpse into some of Edinburgh’s sordid history. Jude was a fantastic guide and storyteller! Perfect level of creepy for our 14yo.”
A late-night, character-led ghost tour in Edinburgh, taking you from Greyfriars Kirkyard to South Bridge vaults for 80 minutes.
“This is definitely a can’t miss tour! Especially after a couple drinks. The good Doctor guided us through haunted Edinburgh, complete with history, ghostly tales, hilarious and snarky commentary. We absolutely loved it- definitely a must do if you are in Edinburgh.”
Small-group Old Town walk plus underground vaults in Edinburgh’s South Bridge area, with relaxed storytelling and Kirk and kirkyard stops.
“Saturn/Frederick was excellent! Knowledgeable, entertaining and a pleasure to follow around Edinburgh. We heard well rehearsed stories and anecdotes of Scottish history as we walked around the city and saw what was left of the tales. It was a very easy pace so would be accessible for mixed age groups but the shallow winding staircase made it not suitable for those with physical challenges. It's mostly outdoors so dress appropriately! Thoroughly enjoyed it, would recommend!”
A one-hour, small-group ghost tour that mixes Old Town stories and Edinburgh vaults, with named characters, jokes, and stairs.
“No one jumps out. Found the guide very realistic 17th century wench. Good Way to spend an hour. Also interesting seeing how people lived then”
Small group Edinburgh ghost tour with Blair Street Underground Vaults and a Scotch dram in Megget's Cellar. 2 hours.
“Mary was lovely and we really enjoyed our tour, it was a cool way to learn history and get some spooky tales. Would recommend!”
Small-group Edinburgh ghost tour to Blair Street vaults and Canongate Kirkyard, with theatrical storytelling limited to 18 people.
“Excellent and cohesive tour across and under the city. Sarah was a wonderful tour guide, and a great way to start our two weeks in Edinburgh.”
90-minute underground whisky tasting in Edinburgh’s Old Town with four drams, whisky-region history, and small-group stories in The Lost Close.
“Very fun tasting experience in an old Scottish Close! The whisky's were delicious and the setting was fantastic!”
Explore Edinburgh’s Underground City in 1h20, tour the South Bridge Vaults and Damnation Alley with a local guide, day or night options.
“Lloyd effectively brought to light the truly macabre nature of life in the underground vaults of Edinburgh”
Luxury whisky tasting in Edinburgh's Lost Close underground vaults: 5 drams from 5 distilleries, 90 minutes, small group, expert stories.
“Great Scotch whiskey tasting down in an underground close. Sarah was our guide, American, and very knowledgeable about whiskey. The tastings were plentiful and a good mix of whiskeys fro all over Scotland.”
A 2-hour Old Town walk in Edinburgh with breakfast donuts, castle and street stories, and helpful guide tips. Small group, English.
“We had a great time with our tour guide Christina! She was able to tell us great fun-dark-historical facts about the history of Edinbourgh. We had a blast. Would definitely recommend!! And the donuts: AMAZING!! 🍩🍩🍩”
Lantern-lit access to Edinburgh’s South Bridge vaults, sharing real accounts and ghost stories in a small English tour for $27.78.
“On March 19th, 2025, our small lovely group led by charismatic guide Joshua descended into the dark and mysterious vaults of old Edinburgh. I was rather sceptical - until Joshua started telling us his bone-chilling stories, in the complete darkness, illuminated only by the faint light of a lantern. I still get goosebumps when I remember that strange sensation of being in the presence of something dead and ghostly! The frightening reality of the past intertwined with horror. A brilliant and fascinating tour, played out like a small performance. Bravo, Joshua! For the first time in many years, I went to bed that night with the lights on!”
One hour underground at Edinburgh’s Lost Close, tasting four local craft beers with a small-group guide and local history.
“It was a fun experience. Even after reading the reviews about the great beer tasting, it was better than expected. Sarah does a great job of giving you the history of the location (quite interesting) and the history of how the local beers were made. Well worth every Penny and a great way to spend a couple hours while in Edinburgh.”
Underground Evolution of Gin tasting in Edinburgh at The Lost Close. Taste 4 Scottish gins and learn the spirit’s story in 1 hour.
“This gin underground tasting was super fun very informative very casual and tasty. Try gins I would’ve never thought about and learned quite a bit of history as well. The host was amazing and really enjoyed ourselves.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
