Historical Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 91% of travellers
91% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£22
per adult
Mercat Tours
Mercat Tours
4.5
City ToursGhost & Vampire ToursWalking ToursSightseeing ToursPrivate Tours
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Full view
About
'History is a damn good story, what it needs is a damn good telling!' We're an independent family business and simply love sharing Edinburgh's stories. We're the original, largest, and first 5 star walking tour company in Scotland giving guaranteed quality. With guaranteed daily departures, year round we offer exclusive access to Blair Street Underground Vaults, Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse & National Museum of Scotland. Our tours run 10am-10pm, daily so we're sure you'll find a match to suit your tastes!
Edinburgh, Scotland
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Historical Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£27
per adult
Historical Tours
2–3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£24
per adult
Historical Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£22
per adult
Historical Tours
1 hour
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 91% of travellers
91% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£22
per adult
Travellers talk about
(573 reviews)
(569 reviews)
(317 reviews)
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4.5
9,320 reviews
Excellent
6,935
Very good
1,560
Average
417
Poor
216
Terrible
193
Patcar77
Devizes, UK27 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
Really interesting night tour. Nicola our guide was full of interesting stories and her narrative was superb. You can walk round cities and never know the history, so everyone should seek out in these historic places a tour company who can give you very informative information which brings the city alive with more than just buildings to look at.
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carrie C
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Solo
I went into this with almost no knowledge of the vaults, but my guide Anastasia provided a concise history from the last ice age through to today! I found the vaults somewhat uninspiring on their own, but Anastasia’s charisma and storytelling skill had me hooked from beginning to end. The evidence for the stories woven about each room are a bit threadbare, but I’m quite willing to choose to believe the spirit of the tales if not the specifics. All in all, I very much enjoyed my tour and heartily recommend this as a good way to spend some time in Edinburgh.
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel B
8 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We went to
Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Evening Ghost Tour with Whisky tour, our guide Ross was amazing, full of gruesome historic tales and told them with such passion and comedic genius. I cannot imagine the tour without him, the 2 hours flew by and I'd highly recommend the trip and if you're lucky enough to have Ross take you around then you're on to a winner!
Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Evening Ghost Tour with Whisky tour, our guide Ross was amazing, full of gruesome historic tales and told them with such passion and comedic genius. I cannot imagine the tour without him, the 2 hours flew by and I'd highly recommend the trip and if you're lucky enough to have Ross take you around then you're on to a winner!
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emma_1973
Worthing, UK89 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Brilliant little tour ! Our Guide Stephanie was really great ! Very atmospheric .Learnt a lot about Edinburghs spooky past .
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikki A
15 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Emma was a fab guide who immersed herself in the experience.
We were a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Edinburgh (there wasn’t much walking).
The vaults were really interesting.
We couldn’t fault the staff when my husband had a funny turn and passed out - they were all brilliant in supporting him and the rest of our party and had ordered an ambulance etc.
Thank you to everyone involved.
We were a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Edinburgh (there wasn’t much walking).
The vaults were really interesting.
We couldn’t fault the staff when my husband had a funny turn and passed out - they were all brilliant in supporting him and the rest of our party and had ordered an ambulance etc.
Thank you to everyone involved.
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jacqueline m
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Friends
Met by Mhaira. Along came Nichola our tour guide. Very good,interesting,lots of history plus had a good laugh as there was only friend,myself & Nicholas. Lasted just over hour. Go careful underground, can be uneven in places. Lead by candlelight. Go for it,you won't be disappointed.
Written 1 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abby G
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
My partner and I went on this tour recommended by a friend. Martin was our guide and he was the best! We learned so much from him and he made the tour so much fun! We had such a great time!! It was cool to see the south bridge vaults and learn about them. Also definitely was spooky with the different dark stories about Edinburghs past. We highly recommend to anyone to check it out! The whiskey at the end was definitely needed!
Written 30 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for taking the time to get in touch, we're so pleased you enjoyed your tour with Martin, and we'll be sure to pass on your kind words.
Our team love to share their passion for Edinburgh and help visitors connect with our remarkable past and people, and we're glad we could reveal some of the city's underground stories for you.
Hopefully we can welcome you back again soon, and be sure to stay in contact on our socials until then!
All the best,
Megan
Written 1 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Daniel H
Bath, United Kingdom100 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Interesting tour visiting the vaults under the streets of Edinburgh. Linda, our guide, was very good - friendly, passionate and knowledgeable. She took time to answer any questions we had at the end of the tour. Thank you Linda for a great experience!
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for joining us on tour and for taking the time to leave us a review!
We love hearing from visitors who have enjoyed our storytelling, especially when we can share with the team directly—Linda will be thrilled and we'll be sure to pass on your kind words.
The Blair Street Underground Vaults are such an interesting part of the city and we're glad we could introduce you to Edinburgh's hidden side.
Hopefully we can welcome you back again soon, and be sure to stay in contact on our socials until then!
All the best,
Megan
Written 30 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kate
United Kingdom15 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We went on the Dead and Buried tour with Mercat. It was really entertaining and great fun. Emily our guide clearly loves her job - she was fantastic. Highly recommended to anyone with an hour to spare.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, and we're so pleased to hear you enjoyed your tour with Emily. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words.
Edinburgh has so much to show, and we're glad we could reveal some of its interesting stories for you.
Hopefully we can welcome you back again soon, and be sure to stay in contact on our socials until then!
All the best,
Megan
Written 30 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tina n
Ammanford, UK13 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Excellent experience with a kniwlegeable guide who also had a good sense of fun. Will definitely be booking a different tour on our next visit..thank you Michael
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tina, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, and we're so pleased to hear you enjoyed your tour with Michael. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words.
We're glad we could illuminate some of Edinburgh's most interesting stories and places for you.
Hopefully we can welcome you back again soon (and don't forget to redeem your returner's discount!). Be sure to stay in contact on our socials until then.
All the best,
Megan
Written 30 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
corrinaandrob
Padstow, UK31 contributions
Hi,
We are unsure which ghost tour to book we are wanting to do the vaults and the best tour we can please can anyone advise?
Also we need start and finish locations so can plan our activities around the tour
Thank you
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hi Corrinaandrob,
Hope you're well. We have four tours currently running that visit the vaults:
- Doomed, Dead & Buried a 16+ ghost tour which also visits the Canongate Graveyard.
- Hidden & Haunted: A 18+ tour of the vaults that gets a bit more into the gory details.
- Ghostly Underground: A tour of the vaults covering their dark history.
- Historic Underground: A history tour of the vaults.
Tom Riddle's grave is not located at the Canongate but Adam Smith's, Clarinda's (ex-lover of Robert Burns), and Robert Fergusson's are among others.
All tours start at the Mercat Cross and end at the Blair Street Vaults. Hope this helps and hope to see you soon!
All the best, Kim - Marketing Executive
Misshellcat
Fraserburgh, UK84 contributions
We are going next weekend (13th Sep) will the Vaults be open then?
James Shaw
Lincoln, UK2 contributions
Do any of the ghost tours have actors/people jumping out?
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hi James,
No, we do not have actors or people jumping out on our ghost tours. We keep our tours authentic so that people can get a true feel for the vaults and so that any encounters with spirits can be trusted to be genuine and not fabricated.
All the best. - Kim
James Shaw
Lincoln, UK2 contributions
Which ghost tour spends the most time in the vaults?
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hi James,
All of our ghost tours spend 30 minutes down in the vaults. If you're looking for a bit longer our Historic Underground spends the longest at 45 minutes!
Hope this helps. - Kim
Jeff C
Pompano Beach, FL97 contributions
I was just telling someone about this, it happened to us too!! My (ex)wife, myself and my son were standing in the middle of the room, listening to the ghost stories at the end of the tour and she felt a burning on her arm, we got outside and she had three scratches on her arm! I have a pic of it, we were blown away.
Theresa S
Belfast, UK45 contributions
I felt someone hit me and I turned to my friend and asked her why she hit me, it wasn't her?????
Ian Fischer
5 contributions
What time this Thursday do tours of the Edinburgh Catacombs commence thanks?
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hello there,
We provide several tours that will include a visit to the Blair Street Underground throughout the day and evening
The first tour of the day on Thursday 26th September is 12pm Historic Underground, this is also available at 2pm & 4pm. The tour will take 1.25hrs in duration.
We also have Ghostly Underground and this takes place at 1pm, 3pm & 5pm daily. This tour will also take 1.25hrs in duration, please visit Mercat Tours website for more information on tour content along with ticket prices
We look forward to welcoming you on a tour. The question is, will it be History of the underground or the Ghostly experience?
All the best
Shirley
Metaxenia P
6 contributions
I'm planning to book a ghost tour for my visit in Edinburgh. Which one of the tours would be the spookiest?? Thank you
AnkiGoldCoast
Gold Coast, Australia391 contributions
Mercat tours has one that includes the dungeons it was booked out when we were there I’d give that a go!
MermaidMaimy
Birmingham, UK62 contributions
Is the Hidden and Haunted tour more about ghosts or blood and guts?
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hi Maimykins, our Hidden & Haunted ghost tour of Edinburgh focuses more on the city's dark past. It is about ghosts. Hope that helps you :)
Madge C
Orange, Australia4 contributions
Can I please get a refund for the tour you cancelled yesterday (Saturday 8th Sept) without giving any notice?
MercatToursLtd
Edinburgh, UK2 contributions
Hi Madge,
We will need to talk to you offline to arrange a refund. You can contact us through the channels listed on our website (we can't paste contact details here as it's against TripAdvisor policies).
All the best, Jean
Hallo, wir wollen mit unserer 6-jährigen Tochter die Tour Dark Tales and Terror in Edinburgh buchen. Ist das für Kinder geeignet oder zu gruselig? Wie sind die Erfahrungen? Danke für die Rückmeldung.