Edinburgh Underground Tour
About this activity
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Experience Highlights
Discover what lies beneath the ground in Edinburgh on this underground tour. In an activity that lasts around an hour in groups of around 36 people, an expert guide will take you through the various vaults that lie beneath the historic city centre of the Scottish capital.
On this walking tour, you will have the opportunity to hear the story of why these vaults were created and learn about the life of the city during the 18th century, as well as the deadly diseases that threatened Edinburgh's inhabitants.
- Delve into Edinburgh' s underground vaults on this tour which lasts around an hour.
- Learn more about the history of these vaults beneath the floor of Edinburgh' s historic city centre from an expert guide who will accompany you on the tour, which allows groups of around 36 people.
- Learn about how the people of Edinburgh lived in the 18th century and the threats they lived with, including deadly diseases.
What’s included
- Entrance to Edinburgh's underground vaults
- Professional guide
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Step by Step
Explore Edinburgh' s underground vaults on this walking tour. An expert guide will accompany you on this one-hour activity in groups of around 36 people through a place that lies just below the old town of the Scottish capital. In this way, you will learn how the inhabitants of Edinburgh lived and lived badly during the 18th century.
Thanks to your guide, you will hear the stories of how the poor lived in these ancient underground quarters. You will have the opportunity to explore the darkened vaults, which were a haunt of criminals, body snatchers and even witches.
Although the vaults were originally used by tradesmen as warehouses and workshops, they eventually became slums, illicit drinking dens and dens of criminals.
The truth is that each chamber you enter will tell a story, whether of death, disease or crime. But the climax comes when you have a real temple of witchcraft in front of you , the famous stone circle, which you will be able to enter. Take the opportunity to take some souvenir photos.
From the 15th to the 18th century, a"satanic panic" about witchcraft spread and witch hunts were widespread. Scotland has the dubious honour of having executed the largest number of people on this charge. This was due to King James VI of Scotland's hatred of the dark arts: he decreed that anyone suspected of being a witch must be in league with the Devil himself and should therefore be executed.
