Edinburgh: Witches Old Town Walking Tour & Underground Vault
4.9
285 Ratings
Edinburgh
Uncover the stories of Scotland’s real-life witches on this captivating walking tour through Edinburgh's Old Town. Explore underground vaults and learn about the injustices suffered by those accused of witchcraft.
Duration:
1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- St Giles’ Cathedral - Who was St. Giles… find out and more as you learn a bit of Scot’s history including Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox… and discover why it’s perfectly acceptable to spit on the floor in Parliament Sq.
- Royal Mile - Look down the Royal Mile towards East Lothian and hear a tale of the North Berwick Witches.
- Lady Stairs House - In this hidden courtyard learn of some gruesome history and be inspired by Scotland’s National Poet.
- Edinburgh Castle Esplanade - Discover how Edinburgh came to be and hear some more fascinating tales related to Witches
- Witches well - Discover this often missed gem and learn of another unfortunate Witch.
- Upper Bow - Get a birds eye view an iconic street and hear a shocking tale of a Warlock.
- Victoria street - Hear the tale of one of Edinburgh’s most infamous characters and her remarkable life on these very cobbles.
- The Lost Close - Events & Experiences - The tour will include an exclusive visit to the venue \
What's Included
- Access to the mysterious Vaults at The Lost Close
- Engaging character guide for an immersive experience
- Guided walking tour of hidden historical sites
Additional Information
Immerse yourself in the enchanting history of Scotland with an interactive walking tour around the old town of Edinburgh. Your tour guide, a captivating storyteller, will lead you on a journey into the country’s intriguing past.
Experience the gripping tales of real witches from Scotland, delving into their history and the public allegations they encountered. This tour sensitively celebrates the memory of those who were innocently accused of witchcraft, bringing attention to the grave wrongs they bore. Additional trivia about popular figures from Outlander and Harry Potter stories may also be uncovered along the way!
The tour will conclude with a thrilling 15-minute finale at ‘The Lost Close’. Unearthed only recently, this subterranean location has remained an enigma since the Great Fire of 1824. Within this archaic vault originating from 1742, the remaining narratives of the journey will be narrated - offering a glimpse into earlier times and appropriately concluding an intimate experience of mystery and historical revelations.
- Not recommended for travellers who cannot navigate the cobbles, steep streets and steps of Edinburgh’s old town
- Not recommended for travellers with push-chairs or infants prams
Location
Caffè Nero
Meet outside Caffé Nero, 1 Parliament Square.
Arrive 5-10 minutes early to check in for your tour. We are unable to provide refunds for no-shows. The start of the tour cannot be delayed due to operational reasons. If you anticipate running late, please contact us as soon as possible.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(285 Ratings)
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Greg_n
Mar 30, 2024
Great family tour - Darcy was our tour guide. The tour group was small (approx 8 ppl) which is perfect for navigating the busy streets upto the Royal Mile. We learned about the witch history and how it aligned with the political history of Scotland. The tour is great for kids and the perfect length.
Review provided by Viator
517pattid
Mar 29, 2024
History of the Edinburgh Witch - Fun tour full of fun facts and history about how the people of old towne detected and treated those deemed to be witches. This gentle stroll along the cobblestone and landmarks that are old town Edinburgh, was led by our amazing guide who clearly relishes the history of her home town. Rich folklore and amazing stories. What a great activity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Clair
Mar 26, 2024
Darcy was a great Witch! - Brilliantly led tour by Darcy, she was great fun and entertaining. Fantastic history and facts, would highly recommend for all ages from young kids to older (agile), quite a bit of walking and dodging other tourists involved.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Malcolmms3517he
Mar 25, 2024
Excellent - Darcy knows her stuff she was fantastic would recommend the tour to anyone. Superb location and walks and the sun shone 👍👍👍👍👍
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dthomas1996
Mar 25, 2024
Brilliant tour 😁 - Despite a very rainy day the guide didn’t let it dampen her enthusiasm and took us on a good tour with lots of knowledge and stories that flowed really well. Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisalv8249ep
Mar 23, 2024
Amazing - Really enjoyed our tour . The lovely Darcy shared so much knowledge and history.
Was very informative and interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C0nqueringf
Mar 23, 2024
Wonderful witches tour - This tour was interesting & entertaining
The guides knowledgeable & passion came through loud & clear.
Highly recommend learning more about this part of history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Denise_o
Mar 17, 2024
Good tour - Darcy was great. She showed us views of the city that we have not seen on other tours. She did not slip out of character.
Review provided by Viator
Adventure28591744572
Mar 16, 2024
Great Witches Tour - Really lovely guide only her second time and she was great, really detailed and some nice humour. Nice pace and she catered for everyone’s needs making sure the group was altogether and informed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Denise
Mar 15, 2024
Witches and History - Darcy was great! She was informative and knowledgeable about local history. She showed us perspectives of the city from Edinburgh Castle that we have not seen
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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