Frankly, it’s spooky season all year round in Edinburgh. With Harry Potter vibes and a sinister past, the city embodies an eerie essence anywhere you turn. With ghost tours aplenty around the Scottish Capital, we thought we’d put our favourite ones in one place. So, whether it’s Halloween or not, there are plenty of haunted places to check out.
1. Hidden & Haunted Ghost Tour
The Hidden & Haunted Ghost Tour promises a truly spooky tour heading into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, with plenty of gory stories. The tour is strictly adults-only and takes around one hour, starting at the infamous Mercat Cross. After listening to the dark pas behind the cross itself, visitors then explore the stories behind the closes on the Royal Mile before heading underground. This is one of those ghost tours that is not only scary, but also fascinating, uncovering a whole underground world that exists under most of Old Town. You can book tickets on Fever.
2. The Ghost Bus Tour
We do love a good ghost bus tour, and it’s even better when done in one of the most haunted cities in the world. Guests will embark on a late-night adventure riding in a retired hearse. As adventurers uncover the most bone-chilling spots of Edinburgh, they will hear the ins and outs behind the killings, witch trials, sadistic acts, and ghostly encounters that took place there. The tour takes 1 hour 15 minutes and departs from Deacon Brodies Tavern in Edinburgh Lawnmarket. You can book tickets on Fever.
3. Doomed Dead & Buried Guided Tour
Another of our favourite ghost tours has to be in the Blair Street Underground Vaults, and is probably the creepiest one out there. The adults-only tour takes 1 hour 45 minutes, starting at the Canongate Kirkyard. Visitors will learn about the famous souls who are buried there, such as the founder of economics, Adam Smith. After descending into the vaults, guests can expect sudden changes in temperature, and some have even reported seeing dark figures or a feeling of being touched. Grab your tickets on Fever!
4. Extreme Paranormal Ghost Tour
This one’s for the non-believer out there, or those who don’t get spooked easily. The adults-only late-night walking tour takes adventurers on a journey around Edinburgh’s Old Town, led by a guide dressed up as a historical figure. Expect to visit places like Greyfriars Kirkyard, the world’s most haunted cemetery, and go below South Bridge into the underground vaults. The 80-minute tour starts outside the City of Edinburgh Tours office, and you can get your tickets here.
5. The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour
Another walking tour starts outside the City of Edinburgh Tours office, leading ghost hunters through the upper side of Edinburgh’s Old Town and Greyfriars Kirkyard, before descending into the underground vaults under South Bridge. Learn the infamous stories of the people who lived within the walls of Scotland’s capital, the conditions of life during the 17th and 18th centuries, and maybe even spot a ghost or two in the vaults! You can book your tickets here.