Top Edinburgh Crime Tours

Edinburgh’s history features intriguing tales, milestone events, and legendary characters, so its Old Town warrants more than an independent stroll. Give it detailed attention on a 2-hour walking tour with a guide in costume who knows it inside out. View famous buildings, a haunted cemetery, and film locations; and unravel the events that shaped the city without having to plan your own sightseeing. Choose from different time slots to suit you.

Edinburgh is known for its dark past, and this evening walking tour is the original one to showcase the city's historically sinister and spooky side. Discover the hidden ‘wynds’ (alleys) and closes of the Old Town as you learn their mysteries and horrors; visit the ghost-ridden Greyfriars Kirkyard; and explore the city’s underground vaults to uncover their spirits and secrets. Your tour is led by a creepily costumed guide to get everyone into the spooky spirit of things.

"Award-winning 2-hour dark walking tour through Edinburgh's sinister UNESCO World Heritage Old Town. Led by expert guide in authentic handmade costume, uncover chilling true crimes behind St Giles Cathedral's witch trials, Royal Mile's infamous hangings, and Grassmarket's body snatchers Burke & Hare. Discover Deacon Brodie's double life inspiring Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Victoria Street's Wizard of West Bow Major John Weir, Parliament Square's execution sites, and Greyfriars' grave-robbing horrors. Meet Dr Robert Knox's anatomy secrets, the cannibal son of Marquis of Queensberry, and George IV Bridge's criminal underworld. Experience bagpipe music while exploring Edinburgh's darkest secrets. Perfect 5-star reviews, intimate small groups. This isn't just sightseeing - it's investigating real murders, body snatching, and supernatural crimes that shocked Scotland. Book your authentic Edinburgh crime investigation today!"

What’s reported to be the most haunted place in Edinburgh? What inspired the story of Dr Jekyll and My Hyde? What happened to witched in medieval Edinburgh? Where is Voldemort buried? All these questions answered and more! Walk with me through the uneasy history of Edinburgh’s dark side. We’ll start at Edinburgh’s most infamous cemetery and then walk the footsteps of criminals, witches, tragedy and maybe even ghosts. You’ll learn about the city’s blood soaked past through locations, anecdotes and stories - and some hidden gems. You’ll be guided through the streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town at a gentle pace to see some amazing locations and be shown pictures on a screen to bring the history to life. You’ll get a specially designed souvenir map, a tour guidebook and the opportunity to win a prize. Wear comfortable shoes for walking and be aware that there are no public toilets on the route. Some topics may be unsuitable for young children.

Discover the best of Edinburgh without the stress of public transit and massive crowds on this hop-on hop-off bus tour. With your 48-hour pass, hop aboard the double-decker, open-top bus for a panoramic sightseeing excursion. Great for kids and adults, this tour encompasses three route options with dozens of strategically placed stops. Have the added bonus of free entry to royal sights including Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Discover the highlights and history of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on this private walking tour with a local guide in traditional Scottish attire. Walk from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle, seeing top landmarks and hidden gems along the way, while learning about the characters and events that shaped Scottish history.

This Edinburgh city sightseeing tour offers a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus experience with an open-top double-decker bus and audio commentary in multiple languages. Hop on and off at key stops including Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Royal Mile. Buses run every 20 minutes with tickets valid for 24 hours from first use, providing flexible sightseeing at your own pace.

Join one of Scotland’s funniest historical tour guides for a light hearted look at the history of the most iconic thoroughfare in the country, Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. We will cover the history of the royals, power, innovation and the most important thing - the remarkable people that made this city (with extreme bias!) the most wonderful place on earth. Beginning at the top of the mile next to the longest continuously occupied fortress in Scotland that dominates the skyline, your tour guide/comedian will tell you stories of great battles over the centuries, before making our way down the glorious mile. We will finish outside the current official Royal residence, the magnificent Holyrood Palace. In between be prepared for some breathtaking tales, dark stories, bright moments, all the time you will be laughing as well as learning. Our main guide, Ross Leslie, is a 5-time Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist and an historical tour guide for several years.

See the best of Scotland in one action-packed day on this tour from Edinburgh. Rather than focusing on the road and missing out on the scenery the Highlands' is so famous for, you can admire Stirling Castle, Rannoch Moor, and the soaring peaks of Glen Coe while someone else drives. Head along the banks of Loch Linnhe to Fort William and enjoy free time to explore Loch Ness.

This self-guided audio tour uncovers Edinburgh's darkest history, narrated by a former Detective Sergeant with 27 years of policing experience. Starting where Cockburn Street meets the Royal Mile, you'll trace centuries of crime and punishment through the Old Town. You'll walk past the feared Calton Jail and Greyfriars Kirkyard, once stalked by grave robbers who supplied Burke and Hare's victims to the city's anatomy schools. In the Grassmarket, where public executions once drew crowds, you'll hear how Half-Hangit Maggie survived her own hanging, and the true story of Deacon Brodie, the respectable tradesman turned burglar who inspired Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. You'll also learn how the 1977 World's End Murders were solved decades later by DNA evidence, before ending on the Castle Esplanade, once used for witch burnings. This tour is perfect for true crime fans and history buffs. After booking, install the VoiceMap app and enter your ticket code to download and start touring.

Listen to Edinburgh’s grisliest tales on a haunted evening walking tour. Experience the ghastly histories of monsters, madness, and murder that cast a dark shadow on Scotland’s capital. See where witch trials, pagan rituals, and executions took place, then visit the chilling Old Calton Burial Ground and Canongate Kirkyard to learn about body-snatching and some of the infamous individuals interred here.

On Christmas Eve 1828, a jury was locked into an Edinburgh courtroom and not released until it decided who would hang. Tonight, that jury is you. Sworn in beneath the floodlit castle, you carry the name of a real victim through the dark side of the Old Town as your storyteller unravels the West Port murders. Stand where Burke and Hare's lodging house stood. Climb the Vennel to the old city wall for the best night view of the castle. Follow the money to the anatomy schools that paid cash for bodies and asked no questions, and pass the building where William Burke's skeleton stands in a case tonight. On a silent street the ghost tours never find, hear the roll of the Sixteen called through the gates of Old Surgeons' Square. Then take your place where the real trial ran all night and cast your verdict on the man the law let walk free. A ghost tour told straight: real hauntings, real history, no costumes leaping from closes. Every stop is in the open air, and somehow that makes it worse.

Dark Shadows of Edinburgh isn't simply a ghost tour—it's an immersive storytelling experience that reveals the darker side of Scotland's capital through one continuous narrative. Rather than jumping from one unrelated ghost story to the next, every stop, location and character helps uncover how Edinburgh earned its reputation as one of Europe's darkest cities. Walk the atmospheric streets of the Old Town as you encounter infamous criminals, accused witches, sinister legends and chilling true stories. From Plotcock and the Lost Piper to Deacon Brodie, Major Weir, Half-Hangit Maggie and Burke & Hare, each story builds upon the last, creating an unforgettable journey through history, folklore and mystery. With expert guides, immersive storytelling and carefully researched history, Dark Shadows of Edinburgh offers a unique perspective that goes far beyond the traditional ghost tour.

Step into the shadows of 19th-century Edinburgh, a city split between Enlightenment brilliance and desperate, grinding poverty. On this immersive true-crime journey, you will trace the bloody footsteps of William Burke and William Hare, two men who turned murder into a highly profitable business. Discover how the insatiable demands of the medical establishment created a black market for human corpses, and explore the chilling ethical lines crossed in the name of science. This is not just a story of serial killers; it is a tale of class, complicity, and the forgotten victims of the Old Town. - A 2.7 km self-guided tour with 6 stops over 94 min - Ideal for travelers interested in History & Memory and Social Fabric & Everyday Life - Immersively told in a podcast style by experts and locals - Matching audio content, AI guide and navigation through the app

Explore the ghost stories of Edinburgh, famous for its imposing gothic architecture with tales of hauntings, witchcraft, local legends, and historic scenes of torture, butchery, and bloodshed!

Travel from Edinburgh to St. Andrews and Fife on this day trip from Edinburgh. Cross the Forth Road Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife and pass by the coastal villages of East Neuk. Then pay homage to the town of St. Andrews, home to Scotland's oldest university and the Old Course, where golf is routinely played. Driving in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach, see Falkland and the Lomond Hills. Enjoy a small-group tour for a memorable and personalized experience.

Get out of the city and soak up the natural beauty of Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands on this day tour from Edinburgh. See wooded lochs and tucked-away villages as you journey through spectacular scenery en route to Glencoe and Fort Augustus. Enjoy a boat tour in search of the Loch Ness Monster and traverse the picturesque Cairngorms National Park. Travel in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach with a small group.

Discover the dramatic beauty, history and mystery of Scotland on this full-day trip from Edinburgh. Aboard a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, wind through the Scottish Highlands and marvel at the majesty of Cairngorms National Park and the mysterious Loch Ness—fabled home of the elusive water monster, Nessie. Spot the famous Urquhart Castle en route and hear about legendary warfare like the battles of William Wallace and the massacre of Glen Coe in the 17th century.

Explore the stunning Scottish Highlands on a full-day excursion that includes Glencoe and Loch Ness. Set out from Edinburgh aboard a comfortable coach to experience some of the area's top sights and attractions. Enjoy a chance to escape the bustle of modern life as you learn the fascinating history of Glencoe—a village made famous as a setting for movies in the “James Bond” and “Harry Potter” series—and see the world-renowned Loch Ness too,

Immerse yourself in Scottish nature and culture—and make exploring beyond Edinburgh city limits easy—on this three-in-one, full-day tour. Begin at a top-rated distillery, where you can upgrade to join a tour and enjoy a dram or two. Next, discover Loch Lomond: the jewel of Trossachs National Park. Finally, venture to the storied Stirling Castle (entry own expense) to hear the story of the real "Braveheart," before returning to Edinburgh.