Edinburgh Underground Tour: Explore Haunted Vaults & Witchcraft Temples in Old Town
4.7
5,567 Ratings
Edinburgh
Embark on an eerie journey through the haunted vaults beneath Edinburgh's Old Town. Discover the dark history of crime, witchcraft, and spirits that lurk within. Step into a genuine witchcraft temple and dare to enter the infamous stone circle.
Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

The infamous vaults hidden under the South Bridge in Edinburgh Old Town fill the nineteen stone arches of this underground architectural wonder. Join our knowledgeable guide to hear why the vaults were built and why they were eventually abandoned…

What's Included
  • Professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey to visit the once notorious and allegedly haunted vaults beneath Edinburgh’s South Bridge in the historic Old Town. Listen to stories of the impoverished and the ill-fated who previously dwelt in these slums. Venture into these dimly lit vaults, lit solely by candlelight, which were once frequented by criminals, body snatchers and witches, and are now rumored to be inhabited by various spirits of long-deceased denizens.

Within each vault lie tales of crime, sickness, death, and much more, all of which your guide will vividly divulge. You will get to see an authentic witchcraft temple used not long ago by a Wiccan coven, and you will be granted entrance into their prior place of worship. Join us to understand why practicing their craft in that vault is no longer deemed safe.

Are you brave enough to enter the renowned stone circle?

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • not suitable for children under 5 years of age, children under 2 years of age are not allowed on tour.
  • Entrance/Exit to the vaults is via a 2 foot tall step followed by single flight spiral staircase.
  • Mezzanine staircases of 5-7 steps inside vaults between levels.
  • Alcohol/Drugs are strictly forbidden and anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be turned away.
  • Non-service animals are not allowed.
  • • Some historical content may be of a distressing nature with regards but not exclusively to Torture, Hangings, Death
  • The walking pace and terrain may not be suitable for those with any difficulty walking.
  • We do not have any luggage storage so please make alternate arrangements.
Location
300 Lawnmarket
Lawnmarket
The tour starts from the Tourist Information Police Box, outside of 300 Lawnmarket, EH1 2PH. This is on the opposite side of the road from Deacon Brodie’s Tavern. Please be there at least 5-10 minutes early as we depart promptly at the tour time and will not wait for latecomers.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(5567 Ratings)
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Hollybn7148bm
Apr 13, 2024
Walking underground tour - Very interesting information provided in this walking tour! We went as a family and met up with a small group. My 2 teenage boys found it interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fiona_p
Apr 13, 2024
Pricey but it’s a one off - Going into the vaults and hearing the true stories and history from hundreds of years ago. The guide was lovely and very informative
Review provided by Viator
Beverley
Apr 13, 2024
A subterranean site to see - I really enjoyed this tour. I'd done another one last week, which was similar, but this was better. Dom was a very good, very entertaining guide, and the pace was just right. I found with the previous tour I did ( different company, I think) that there was a bit too much standing and listening in one spot, but I liked this more as I felt there was more to see & more to learn, without getting sore feet! 😉 Dom's experience showed & he was really entertaining.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Skaula
Apr 13, 2024
Great fun (just not for the faint hearted) - We joined the 5pm tour with Jordan. He was a great tour guide, amusing and engaging. Unfortunately his descriptions of the torture instruments were a little too good for my teenage son who felt faint and we had to leave before the end. That said, I would definitely recommend this tour as it was very good - just leave any faint hearted in your group at your hotel!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mrrandeep_g
Apr 13, 2024
An awesome tour - An excellent tour. Fraser was an awesome and enthusiastic guide. Super recommend. The vaults are a must see. And the scary gruesome history alongside really set the scene for an insightful experience.
Review provided by Viator
Kecius
Apr 13, 2024
Highly recommended! - Fantastic tour, Fraser was a great guide, very informative and had loads of fun stories! Highly recommended if you want to see the darker side of Edinburgh’s history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_w
Apr 13, 2024
Really enjoyed the tour. - Eric was incredibly knowledgeable and extremely entertaining. We really enjoyed the tour with him and would thoroughly recommend !
Review provided by Viator
David_m
Apr 12, 2024
Creepy Caverns - Really enjoyed this tour, especially the caverns. Sophie was an excellent guide and provided us with lots of history about Edinburgh and the different uses of the caverns. Some of the stories are pretty gruesome which was exactly what we were after. Step into the stone ring at your peril! Would highly recommend this.
Review provided by Viator
U1850xnoliviag
Apr 12, 2024
Fantastic tour!!! - This was such a fun way to spend our first night in Edinburgh! We were told about the underground terror tour from a friend and it did not disappoint. Jordan was a fantastic tour guide, we enjoyed his humor and learning about the dark side of Edinburgh. 100% will recommend this to anyone coming to Edinburgh!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W2163ffellafc
Apr 13, 2024
Very informative and good experience! - Really enjoyed this tour and Stewart was a very good tour guide who knew his stuff really well and made the tour informative and entertaining. I thought we might have visited a few more vaults but overall was very pleased and interested!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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