Edinburgh Vaults: Historic Underground Tour

Explore Edinburgh’s hidden history on a 5-star small group tour of the Blair Street Underground Vaults. Discover secrets beneath the South Bridge.

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Mercat Cross - Join the master storyteller at the Mercat Cross, who will guide you through the closes and wynds, allowing you to immerse yourself in the essence of Edinburgh’s history.
  • Edinburgh Vaults - Hidden beneath the lively streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town lies a shadowy, damp realm that has remained untouched since the 18th Century….
What's Included
  • Exclusive access to Blair Street Underground Vaults
  • Visit to our Vaults Museum, with interactive 3D models and the Vaults Revealed audio-visual display
  • Exclusive multi-sensory tours; with master Storyteller guides
  • Enhanced with hand-picked sounds of Edinburgh and delivered through TourTalk audio devices
Additional Information

Beneath the lively streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town lies a shadowy, moist world that has remained unchanged since the 18th Century. Embark on a multi-sensory adventure into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, where history is impeccably preserved, and discover how these vaulted chambers became a refuge for the city’s most impoverished residents.
Inhale…

Location
Mercat Cross
High Street
Mercat Cross, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. Look for the 8 sided monument with white Unicorn on top. You will find a member of our visitor services team waiting here to check you in. They will be dressed in black, holding an iPad, wearing an orange lanyard & holding a black & orange umbrella.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(1325 Ratings)
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Jho6820vw
Oct 9, 2025
Recommend giving this tour a go - Great tour and excellent guide. Booked 3pm tour but was ready at 1pm so we asked to go early - not a problem. Uneven floor in vaults and low lighting but this adds to experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Par2
Oct 9, 2025
Great historic tour!!! - Thanks to our tour guide Linda we had a great tour experience of Edinburgh history and The Vaults. Linda is a superb storyteller that kept us really engaged in multiple stories and the background history of the city. Recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U5324zrvalerieh
Oct 7, 2025
Immerse yourself in history! - Wonderful storytelling, very immersive experience and I learned a lot. Kirsty was a wonderful guide and made history truly come alive.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Onair33319555697
Oct 7, 2025
Loved the history and the insight into Edinburgh - Really great tour. Very informative and well worth the time. It is worth the admission price and definitely worth going to
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Chattytatie
Oct 3, 2025
An other Edinburgh - Amazing experience and worth booking! The fact that people actually lived there! Veni was amazing and easy to follow! Made the whole experience even more enjoyable! 😊
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Odyssey29285322615
Oct 1, 2025
Strong cave and crazy time! - This experience was truly outstanding. Veni was an incredible guide who brought so much knowledge, enthusiasm, and warmth to our day. She made every moment engaging and memorable. My partner and I felt so welcomed and cared for throughout the experience, and Veni went above and beyond to ensure he was comfortable and accommodated in every way. Her thoughtful attention to his needs made the outing extra special for both of us. I would wholeheartedly recommend Veni to anyone looking for an unforgettable and personalized experience.
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Peislander24
Oct 1, 2025
Really interesting underground vault tour! - We had such a wonderful tour with Craig! The group size was great and awesome to have the headphones/microphone as we walked around various sites. The underground vaults were so interesting and informative into some of the history of Edinburgh. I loved how proud Craig was of being a local and that really brought a genuine sense of knowledge to his tour. Thank you from your Canadian friends!
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Lillivaleriew
Oct 1, 2025
Great tour covering intriguing history - We had a great experience doing the tour with Nicola! The underground vault had a rich and interesting history and our tour guide told us about it in an engaging and fun way. 100% recommend.
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Analisseg
Sep 30, 2025
Educational and engaging - Our tour was phenomenal! Our guide was so informative and respectful to the history of the Vaults, and the souls that were made to reside there!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chriscy252vz
Sep 30, 2025
Enjoyed. - Really enjoyed visiting and learning about the history of these hidden vaults. Our guide was very good and brought the stories to life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $36
up to 6 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).