Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
+3
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Step off the tourist trail and explore the Scottish capital’s hidden secrets on this underground walking tour in Edinburgh. Follow a guide from the South Bridge in Edinburgh Old Town down below street level, where a series of ancient vaults lie. As you explore the dark passageways, learn why the vaults were built, hear of the poor souls who sought refuge in the depths and discover a hidden witchcraft temple. Gain insight into city life during the 18th century, and learn of the deadly diseases which threatened Edinburgh’s inhabitants.
- Step into Edinburgh’s hidden underground vaults with a guide
- Explore the winding passageways and hear grisly stories from their dark past
- Hear tales of hardship and struggle in 18th-century Edinburgh
- Explore a side to the Scottish capital many visitors miss
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Live English-speaking guide
- Haunted vault visit
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Transportation to/from meeting point
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 300 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2PH, UK
The tour starts from the Red Telephone Box and Tourist Information Police Box, outside of 300 Lawnmarket. This is on the opposite side of the road from Deacon Brodie’s Tavern. Please be there at least 5-10 minutes early as the tour will always depart on time.
End point
- 45 Niddry St, Edinburgh EH1 1LG, UK
Itinerary
Make your own way to the meetup location in Edinburgh’s Old Town prior to the tour’s departure time. After meeting your guide and group, it’s time to head for the infamous vaults hidden under the South Bridge.
As you walk, your guide provides background information on why the vaults were built and why they were eventually abandoned. Deep underground, in the dark and chilly vaults, your guide tells you tales of the criminalls who once stalked the vaults and how Edinburgh’s homeless community once sought refuge there.
Decide for yourself whether or not you dare to step inside the stone circle when you enter a former witchcraft temple, then (if you dare) experience the eerie atmosphere of the haunted vault, so called for the many ghostly sightings that have occurred there.
As you walk, your guide provides background information on why the vaults were built and why they were eventually abandoned. Deep underground, in the dark and chilly vaults, your guide tells you tales of the criminalls who once stalked the vaults and how Edinburgh’s homeless community once sought refuge there.
Decide for yourself whether or not you dare to step inside the stone circle when you enter a former witchcraft temple, then (if you dare) experience the eerie atmosphere of the haunted vault, so called for the many ghostly sightings that have occurred there.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- not suitable for children under 5 years of age, children under 2 years of age are not allowed on tour.
- Entrance/Exit to the vaults is via a 2 foot tall step followed by single flight spiral staircase.
- Mezzanine staircases of 5-7 steps inside vaults between levels.
- Alcohol/Drugs are strictly forbidden and anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be turned away.
- Non-service animals are not allowed.
- • Some historical content may be of a distressing nature with regards but not exclusively to Torture, Hangings, Death
- The walking pace and terrain may not be suitable for those with any difficulty walking.
- We do not have any luggage storage so please make alternate arrangements.
- No toilet stops or toilets available during tour.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 36 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 9,281 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Kim_J, Aug 2026
Good walking tour but it does warn you about a high step entering the vault but my sister who is 80 managed it fine
Brendan our guide was entertaining and knowledgeable
I enjoyed it
Anthony_S, Aug 2026
Entertaining, fascinating and interesting . As it is predominantly underground just be careful on stairs and need to duck your head in places but the guide reminds you of this Thank you for a great experience Jordan
Emma_D, Aug 2026
Really good and informative tour had James as a guide and he made it worthwhile. He was funny and witty and ensured we all had a good time and had passion about the tour
Tiffany_S, Aug 2026
A lot of walking and stairs, so be mindful if you use a cane or get tired easily. Nice history and backstory. Very dim lighting in vaults, so not for someone afraid of the dark.
jonathan_D, Aug 2026
Brenda was Excellent, funny and very informative. I would thoroughly recommend this tour to friends & family.
Sylvia_M, Aug 2026
Luisa was a fantastic guide and she made it a really memorable experience. Her clear communication and sense of humour brought the stories and history to life, as well as kept a large group of tourists together and on-track.
The vaults were very interesting. I’ll keep my review of the vaults there to avoid ruining the surprise, but they’re certainly worth a visit!
HollyEdgar, Aug 2026
It was fascinating learning about the history of the Edinburgh bridge vaults. The tour guide was informative and engaging while walking the group through dark and damp corridors. Even though the long history of the vaults is generally depressing, I found the experience very worthwhile.
rebecca_g, Aug 2026
This was a great tour. Short but informative. It was a neat discovery of Edinburgh. Our guide was awesome. I would definitely recommend.
WILLIAMG, Aug 2026
It was amazing to see the vaults and to learn about their history. Our guide, Stuart, was knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor and made all of the people in our group comfortable
Penny_B, Aug 2026
Lisa was very knowledgeable about the Vaults and entertaining but not accommodating to the fact that I was in a wheelchair. Walked ahead to fast, didn’t make sure the group was together and said if you get lost or separated, basically tough. Tour did not explain the lengthily walk ahead of time to vaults not that you had to walk fast to keep up. Not recommended for people with walking issues or medical conditions that slow you down.
Lizzie_G, Aug 2026
As tour guides ourselves we throughly enjoyed James' entertaining tour of the underground caverns today. He really put theatrical art to his stories and his easy humour made one and all relax and take part in his antics, even poor Lucy who was picked out as the witch who lurked amongst us.
Good fun and a highly recommended
tour to take part in.
Tony and Lizzie Gilks
Lyndsey_M, Aug 2026
Such a fun experience! Learned so much and also felt a little spooked (in a good way). Darren was such an amazing guide and always made sure to crack some jokes along the way. A perfect way to start off our trip in Edinburgh!
Leia_C, Aug 2026
We have done this tour a few years back and had a lovely gent. Lots of ghost stories however, this tour guide was a lovely lady but, it was rushed and we felt we couldn't ask questions as it was so fast paced. Arrived at spot bang on 2pm and tour had already left, as it was the fringe, it was busy to navigate. We we're lucky enough to get onto the next tour. Not worth the nearly £90 for 1 adult and 3 children.
Tajpaul_G, Aug 2026
It was very interesting and the tour guide did an amazing job being both entertaining and informative.
Emily_S, Aug 2026
Excellent tour, Jordan was a brilliant guide very informative and funny would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting
Beverley_W, Aug 2026
Jordan was a very informative and entertaining tour guide, this was my second time doing this tour as it was so good the first time I wanted my husband to experience it too and he loved it. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Edinburgh.
Jose_A, Aug 2026
Great tour, great guide. Ally was super nice and explained everything really good and made it easy to understand. Also added some funny commemts
Rebecca_P, Aug 2026
The underground walking tour through the Vaults in Edinburgh was very interesting. The guide, Alex, was funny and had many stories to tell about the darker past of the city. We have been to Edinburgh several times, but this tour gave us a completely new perspective of the city.
Kim_L, Aug 2026
It starts at the corner of the street, our tour guide James found us easily. It's a lovely short walk to the tour. A big step into the building, may be difficult for those with hip probs. James was very enthusiastic & engaging. The tour was very interesting & our group interacted slot, craic was good. I was the only 1 who went in the stone circle..& survived. I caught Orbs on video, & there Def was a presence with us, seen at least once, but Def felt. Well worth a visit, especially if your interested in the witch trials.
Monica_d, Aug 2026
Had a great time! Tour guide was great! Got a lot of history lessons along the way. Would definitely recommend to others.
Angie_S, Aug 2026
This was so cool! Our tour guide, Jordan, was knowledgeable and funny. Hearing the dark history of Edinburgh and seeing the underground vaults was so interesting. This was one of the highlights of our stay in Scotland. Thanks for a great experience Jordan!
Joe_C, Aug 2026
Our guide (Jonathan) was fantastic, but the underground vaults are a bit underwhelming. Photos are not allowed - which makes sense, their carefully staged photos make it appear more mysterious than they actually are. Just dark, damp, wet storage vaults.
Melissa_A, Aug 2026
The tour guide, Jordan was excellent! Very knowledgeable and funny! He made the tour very enjoyable and spooky!
Cheryl_T, Aug 2026
Abbie was lovely but the tour didn’t amount to much. She gave us reasonable detail but we saw 3 small areas and that was about it. Felt a little underwhelmed to be honest!
Shreya_G, Aug 2026
Louisa was a great storyteller! Enjoyed this tour! If you’re claustrophobic though, might not be the best fit, since the vaults were quite tight in certain areas.
Debra_B, Jul 2026
Interesting part of history. Spooky.
Diva (tour guide) was entertaining, theatrical, strong voice and kept a rowdy crowd in line.
Leanne_O, Jul 2026
The first 30mins if the tour was walking the streets stopping 3 times to talk about some facts of the city. Whilst interesting, we spent more time walking than listening to the guide.
Once we entered the building up some stairs, the smell of musky, damp and mould hit you hard. Everyone was complaining about the smell. We proceeded down the corridor and the smell didnt get any better. 5 minutes into being in a vault and my 7yr old was complaining of his chest feeling funny and he was struggling to breathe. We had to leave immediately. No one checked he was okay we were just escorted outside and left.
So we got a taxi back to our hotel. I doubt the tour improved significantly in the remaining 20mins to be worth the value of the tickets.
Amy_M, Jul 2026
This tour is not of the underground vaults that showcase how people lived. You ger to see inside spaces inside the bridge. They do talk about that history a bit, but the focus is largely on the Wiccan coven that inhabited the spaces in the 1990s. If you're looking for a ghost story feel, this could be the tour for you. If you're interested in real history, choose another one.
Laura_F, Jul 2026
James was a terrific guide on this tour. We learned some interesting history while having some good laughs. James is full of energy.
Jake_M, Jul 2026
We had a wonderful time on the Vaults tour! Our guide, Jordan, was excellent. He was incredibly well rehearsed, very knowledgeable, and made the whole tour a great laugh.
The tour strikes a brilliant balance between local history and interesting facts. It feels completely genuine and does not try to pretend to be anything it is not. It offers great value for money and is suitable for all ages. You get to see a unique side of the city that you would never experience on your own.
A special thank you to the team for being so accommodating when we accidentally booked the wrong day. They sorted everything out for us smoothly and without any hassle.
Next time we will definitely book the scarier tour option. 100% recommended to everyone, thank you for a fantastic time! Jordan was a great guide.
From
-10%
$29.74
per personWas $33.04
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Special Offer
Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town
9,278
1 hour
Free Cancellation
From
$33.04
$29.74
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Water Tours
- Multi-day Tours
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Cruises & Sailing
- Outdoor Activities
- Private and Luxury
- Cultural Tours
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Edinburgh
- Bus Tours - St. Andrews
- Historical Tours - St. Andrews
- Bus Tours - Stirling
- Historical Tours - Stirling
- Bus Tours - Dundee
- Historical Tours - Dundee
Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Canongate Tours & Tickets
- Alnwick Castle Tours & Tickets
- John Knox House Tours & Tickets
- Edinburgh Castle Tours & Tickets
- Greyfriars Kirk Tours & Tickets
- Royal Mile Tours & Tickets
- Portobello Beach Tours & Tickets
- Linlithgow Palace Tours & Tickets
- Falkland Palace and Garden Tours & Tickets
- Scott Monument Tours & Tickets
- Scottish Parliament Tours & Tickets
- Palace of Holyroodhouse Tours & Tickets
- Loch Lomond Tours & Tickets
- Grassmarket Tours & Tickets
- Stirling Castle Tours & Tickets
- National Museum of Scotland Tours & Tickets