More about: 4 Best Ghost and Mystery Tours in Edinburgh
Legend has it that Edinburgh is full of stories about ghostly apparitions and paranormal phenomena. A city with a reputation for being haunted, where all kinds of supernatural episodes involving specters, witches, and other sinister characters capable of giving you goose bumps have taken place.
Its gothic skyline shrouded in mist has inspired numerous horror stories, some real and others legendary, which took place between the 18th and 19th centuries and which you can discover during a guided tour of the city's most enigmatic and gloomy corners. Are you brave enough to take a ghost tour of Edinburgh?
1. Edinburgh Ghost Bus Tour: History, Crime, and Dark Humor
Although mystery is part of the soul of Edinburgh, few experiences capture it as well as this unique ghost bus tour of Edinburgh. Aboard a specially decorated double-decker bus, you'll travel through the darkest streets of the city while listening to real stories of ghosts, murders, and unexplained disappearances narrated by a charismatic guide with a dark sense of humor.
For just over an hour, you'll travel to key locations such as Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Holyroodhouse Palace, and Grassmarket, famous for its public executions. You'll discover legends such as Maggie Dickson, the woman who came back to life after being hanged, and learn about historical figures such as Burke and Hare, grave robbers and serial killers who marked the city's macabre history.
Details of interest
- Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Price: — from $26
- Recommended if... you want to enjoy a different, fun, and mysterious experience without getting off the bus
2. Underground ghost tour through the vaults of Edinburgh
For the brave, this underground ghost tour of Edinburgh offers a more intense experience, delving into the bowels of the city. Guided by a local expert in costume, you'll explore underground passageways and chambers where the spirits of former prisoners, plague victims, and other unfortunate souls from the past are said to still linger.
Over the course of a spine-chilling hour, you'll visit places such as the South Bridge vaults, Greyfriars Cemetery, and other hidden corners of the Old Town. The stories you'll hear about apparitions, curses, and paranormal phenomena are sure to leave a lasting impression. Without a doubt, this is an experience that combines history, adrenaline, and plenty of suspense.
Details of interest
- Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Price: — from $27
- Recommended if... you are attracted to the supernatural and want to discover the darker, hidden side of Edinburgh underground
3. Ghost tour of Edinburgh
If you prefer to hear all the legends and paranormal events of the city in your own language, this Spanish-language ghost tour of Edinburgh is perfect for you. During a one-hour walking tour, you'll immerse yourself in the city's darkest history as you visit places such as Greyfriars Cemetery, Murder Lane, and the mysterious underground vaults.
Your guide will tell you all about the murders of Burke and Hare, the legend of the Grey Ghost, and other sinister characters that form part of Edinburgh's popular imagination. An ideal activity if you want to enjoy the mystery with clear, accessible explanations full of details... without missing a thing!
Details of interest
- Duration: 1 hour
- Price: — from $26
- Recommended if... you're looking for a spooky experience in Spanish that combines history, crime, and mystery
4. Walking tour of Edinburgh's dark side: mysteries, murders, and legends
Although it may seem so, good horror stories are not just for Halloween. That's why taking one of these ghostly tours of Edinburgh is always a good idea to discover the most mysterious side of the city and do something different and fun during your vacation. Especially in a city that is so famous for paranormal events.
There are many types of ghost tours out there, but the one I did and recommend is the walking tour of the dark side of Edinburgh, where, on a 1.5-hour walking route, you'll hear the most chilling stories of the Scottish capital told by a very friendly local guide who was always attentive to the group's questions. I had a blast!
Details of interest
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Price: — from $35
- Recommended if... you like dark legends and mystery and want to get to know Edinburgh from a different and entertaining perspective.
What will you see on this type of ghost tour of Edinburgh?
The adventure begins in Edinburgh's Old Town at 6:30 PM, when the group meets the guide on the Royal Mile (the main street of the Old Town) to begin the walking tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Edinburgh's Old Town is characterized by its medieval street layout, with numerous alleys and narrow streets leading to some of the capital's tourist icons such as the castle, Holyroodhouse Palace, St. Giles Cathedral, and the Scottish Parliament building.
During the tour, you will discover why the castle is said to be haunted and who is the troubled spirit of the Green Lady who inhabits it, which is the bloodiest bridge in the city, what was done to witches in Edinburgh during the 16th century, who Mr. Chisley was and why the people of Edinburgh feared his right arm, among many other gruesome stories. You'll be left frozen in your tracks!
Itinerary
- Royal Mile
- North Bridge
- Calton Hill
- Old Calton Burial Ground
- Canongate Kirk Cemetery
On the way to North Bridge, the "bridge of the dead"
Walking through the cobbled streets of Edinburgh and passing through the occasional gloomy passageway, we arrive at North Bridge, a bridge that connects Old Town and New Town, nicknamed "The Bridge of Dead."
The story has a somewhat disturbing background: many years ago, in the 19th century, to celebrate the inauguration of the bridge, the oldest woman in Edinburgh was chosen to cross it, but unfortunately, she died the day before the opening.
The authorities did not want this tragic event to mar the grand opening, so it is said that they prepared the old woman's body and placed it in a carriage to cross North Bridge anyway. This was considered a bad omen and fear quickly spread among the citizens, who viewed this bridge with some suspicion. This anecdote gave rise to its peculiar nickname!
Although this anecdote may give you the creeps, don't worry, because today it is one of the busiest places in the city and in the afternoon it offers beautiful views of the city, especially Calton Hill.
Calton Hill, the cursed hill
Crossing North Bridge, we arrive at Calton Hill, a hill where several neoclassical monuments stand, such as the National Monument, the monuments to Nelson and Dugald Stewart, and the city's observatory, among others.
Considered a World Heritage Site, the architectural complex of Calton Hill offers spectacular panoramic views of the city, and you can take advantage of this to take lots of photos. What's more, on this Edinburgh ghost tour you'll discover why this hill was considered cursed and how witch trials were held here.
In one way or another, Calton Hill is a place connected to the supernatural. For some people it was a cursed hill, but for others it was a sacred place where Celtic pagan rituals such as the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, which marks the beginning of summer, are still celebrated.
Walking through Old Calton Burial Ground
This ghost tour of Edinburgh continues to Old Calton Burial Ground, one of the city's most impressive cemeteries located at the foot of Calton Hill.
It is a place surrounded by silence, where the melancholic gravestones of the deceased blend in with nature, introducing us to a gloomy atmosphere that is so conducive to listening to mysterious and ghostly stories.
For example, you will see the tomb of the philosopher David Hume, who is said to have made a pact with the devil. You will learn about his story and that of the infamous body snatchers Burke and Hare, who amassed a fortune by selling bodies to the Edinburgh medical school.
During the tour, you will see some honorary monuments erected in this cemetery, such as the "Monument to Scottish and American Soldiers" related to the American Civil War, and the "Monument to Political Martyrs" in memory of five men who were accused in the 18th century of wanting to spread French revolutionary ideals.
Other famous figures buried alongside David Hume in this cemetery include the clergyman Dr. Robert Candlish and the publisher William Blackwood.
Getting to know Canongate Kirkyard Cemetery
Another stop on this Edinburgh ghost tour is Canongate Kirkyard, which dates back to the 17th century and is one of the oldest cemeteries in the city.
This cemetery is home to the graves of some of the most prominent figures in Scottish history, such as the poet Robert Fergusson, the economist Adam Smith, the philosopher Dugald Stewart, and the grave that inspired Charles Dickens to create the protagonist of his novel "A Christmas Carol," which was the result of a curious misunderstanding. Ask the guide! You'll be surprised...
We've reached the end!
At the end of the walking tour of the dark side of Edinburgh, we returned to the Old Town and, before leaving, several of us from the group went into a Scottish pub to take a break and have some local food.
Why I recommend these tours of the dark side of Edinburgh
As I said, there are many ghost tours in Edinburgh, but if there's one thing that stands out about this one, it's the excellent work of the local guide, who in an entertaining and dynamic way condenses a lot of legends and stories of mystery, witches, ghosts, and vampires in great detail in just a two-hour tour of the Scottish capital. It's super entertaining!
Walking through the narrow streets of Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town, he told us several of these horror stories to put us in context before we saw some of the most notable sites such as North Bridge, Calton Hill, and the cemeteries. I liked the perfect balance the guide struck between informative and entertaining narration.
He also told us about lots of places of interest, we saw several monuments where we took photos, and he answered any questions we had on the subject, so we were very happy with the experience.
At the end of the tour, we returned to the Old Town and went into a local pub near the Royal Mile for a bite to eat and to rest after the walk. It wasn't included in the price of the tour, but we wanted to eat something and we took the opportunity to look at the photos we had taken during the tour, remembering the best moments of the afternoon. I would definitely do it again!
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Exploring Edinburgh has a special charm. Its castle, its cathedral, its medieval streets that seem straight out of a fairy tale... If this is your first time visiting the Scottish capital and you don't know where to start, I recommend reading the post The best things to see and do in Edinburgh for inspiration.
And if you want to soak up Scottish history and culture with a local guide who will show you the city and its surroundings in detail, don't miss the article The best tours and excursions from Edinburgh. There's something for everyone!