The 12 Best Ghost Tours in Edinburgh (Updated 2025)
Is it a trip to Edinburgh if you don’t do something spooky? I recommend taking one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh to complete your spooky Scottish itinerary.
The Scottish city of Edinburgh is known for its disturbing dark past, and ghosts linger in every corner of the city.
With nearly 900 years of history, Edinburgh survived plagues, witchcraft, grave robbers, and so much more dark history. Want to learn more and find out more about the ghosts that haunt Edinburgh? Check out one of the ghost tours down below.
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The 12 Best Ghost Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
1. Auld Reekie Tours
Head down to Edinburgh’s haunted vaults by taking the Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour. This is one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh and offers a unique experience as you head into the vaults.
The Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour begins with a walk around Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, where you will hear tales of the terrifying Tolbooth Prison that once sat outside St. Giles Cathedral.
Before heading down to the haunted vaults, you will pass through a small museum that features an array of medieval instruments once used on real people in the past. Finally, you can find out what a scold’s bridle was used for!
The tour takes you down to the South Bridge vaults, where you will see the infamous stone circle vault. The stone circle is said to hold an evil presence. If you step inside the circle, you may regret it! (I stepped inside, and I am fine if that makes you feel better, or am I?!)
And, to top it off, the vaults are home to a former witch’s coven, so if you are interested in witchcraft history in Scotland, this is the tour to take.
Book here: Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour
2. Mercat Tours
If you want to find things for adults to do in Edinburgh, check out the Edinburgh Underground Vaults Evening Ghost Tour with Whisky.
The tour takes you through Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, where you will hear all about the gruesome and ghastly tales that occurred on Edinburgh’s historic cobbled streets.
Once you are properly spooked by the terrifying tales that occurred above ground, you will be taken down to the atmospheric Blair Street Vaults.
The vaults are home to various ghosts, including the friendly cobbler and the very scary Mr. Boots! Be sure to take the tour to hear all about their history!
What makes this tour even better? While listening to more ghost stories, you will drink some delectable Scotch Whisky in a candlelit vault.
One thing that makes this one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh is they provide headphones to listen to the tour guide so that you won’t miss out on any of the spooky stories.
Looking for spooky things to do in Edinburgh? Going on a ghost tour is the perfect way to spend Halloween in Edinburgh.
Book here: Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Evening Ghost Tour with Whisky
3. City of Edinburgh Tours
On The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour, follow an expert guide dressed in a period costume deep down into Edinburgh’s haunted vaults.
Fully immerse yourself in Edinburgh’s spooky past while walking through Greyfriars Kirkyard before heading deep into the underground vaults.
What helps make this one of Edinburgh’s best ghost tours? All of the guides are dressed up as real people from Edinburgh’s sinister past. Will you walk through Old Town Edinburgh with Dr. Robert Knox, Deacon Brodie or Maggie Dickson? (to name a few).
This is a family-friendly tour, so feel free to bring the kids along to experience a fright!
Book here: The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour
4. Sandemans New Europe – Britain
Edinburgh’s Dark Side Walking Tour is one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh, as it takes you to the site where witches were burned during the Great Scottish Witch Hunt on Calton Hill.
If you want to learn more about Edinburgh’s historic graveyards and who is buried within them – the tour also stops at either the Old Calton Burial Ground or Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh’s most haunted graveyard.
This tour covers a lot of ground, so be prepared to do quite a bit of walking, including hills – but the views and stories along the way are worth it!
Book here: Edinburgh’s Dark Side Walking Tour
5. Auld Reekie
Head down to Edinburgh’s spooky Niddry Street vaults and visit Edinburgh’s most haunted graveyard with the Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour.
Follow an expert guide through Edinburgh’s dark streets as they regale you with tales of Edinburgh’s dark past. The tour takes you to places where criminals like Burke and Hare would roam the city streets.
Wander through the haunted Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you will hear the terrifying tales of the poltergeist who scratches people who visit the graveyard.
Finally, the tour ends in the haunted Niddry Street Vaults, home to a cursed stone circle and former witches coven.
Book here: Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour
6. The Ghost Bus Tours
If you love ghost stories but would instead enjoy them in a warm vehicle? Look no further than the Ghost Bus Tours! Why walk around in the cold weather like a sucker when you can ride through town in a vintage black double-decker bus?
The ghost tour is full of theatrics and comedy over super scary stories. So, if you want an evening of fun rather than stories so frightening you won’t be able to sleep – you must take this tour.
One of the best things about this ghost tour is it allows you to cover so much more ground than a walking tour! You can see sights that most tours won’t visit in one night!
Book here: The Ghost Bus Tours
7. Mercat Tours
If you want to go on a ghost tour in Edinburgh but hate large crowds, I recommend going on Mercat Tours Small Group Ghostly Underground Vaults Tour.
The tour starts with listening to gruesome stories while wandering around Edinburgh’s Old Town before you descend into the dark and spooky Blair Street Vaults. Spend time listening to the horrifying tales of Edinburgh’s dark past, including stories of body snatching with flickering candles as the only light source.
The Blair Street Vaults are home to their own ghosts whose spirits linger in various spots within the vaults. Listen to the spooky tales of ghosts, including the cobbler and the terrifying Mr. Boots.
So, if you want to take one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh but want to avoid the big groups, I highly recommend the Ghostly Underground Vaults Tour.
Book here: Small Group Ghostly Underground Vaults Tour in Edinburgh
8. Auld Reekie
Why not make a ghost tour even more terrifying by taking it late at night? They do say that ghosts become more active at night!
Auld Reekie’s Late-Night Underground Vaults Terror Tour takes you deep below Edinburgh South Bridge into the dark South Bridge Vaults, home to the super scary ghost known as The Watcher.
If you feel a tingle on your neck or shivers run up your spine, the Watcher may be following you as you tour through the haunted vaults. You will hear stories about the former criminals who used to roam through the vaults, causing a reign of terror.
The tour also features a cursed stone circle vault and a museum of medieval devices that punish people who committed simple crimes.
Book here: Edinburgh: Late-Night Underground Vaults Terror Tour
9. City of the Dead Tours
Visit the incredibly haunted Covenators Prison with the City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour. This is the only tour that takes you to the locked-up area of Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard. Why is the prison locked up? The ghosts that haunt the area are brutal, and tour guests often leave with scratches, bruises or feeling unwell.
Then, head down to the South Bridge Vaults, where you may meet the evil presence known as the South Bridge Entity. The vaults are terrifying and give off a creepy vibe. This gives the South Bridge Vaults the perfect spooky atmosphere for people who love to be scared.
Book here: City of the Dead’s Double Dead Tour
10. City of the Dead Tours
The Underground City of the Dead Vault Tour takes you to vaults known as Damnation Alley. The vaults were recently unsealed, and a dark poltergeist was discovered to haunt them.
You will stand within the ominous vaults, and the City of the Dead tour guides will regale you with Edinburgh’s macabre history as you stand in dark, quiet vaults where this history once occurred.
I spent the night inside these terrifying vaults and experienced a lot of paranormal activity, including a dog barking through an EVP recorder. It was a cool experience, and I recommend taking the Underground City of the Dead Tour if you enjoy being scared.
Book here: Underground City of the Dead Tour
11. The Cadies & Witchery Tours
Want a light-hearted tour filled with laughter but still want to be scared? Then, check out the Ghosts and Gore Walking Tour of Edinburgh.
Your guide for the evening is Alexander Clapperton, a deceased cemetery director who ruled over the cemeteries of Edinburgh in the 1840s.
You will learn all about the horrors of witchcraft history in Edinburgh and all of the dark histories that lurk within the shadows of the city’s ancient closes.
What makes this one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh? The tour includes a free book, “Witchery Tales” by Adam Lyal.
They also do a great tour for those who want to tour Greyfriars Kirkyard. Check out their Edinburgh: Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour if you are interested.
Book here: Ghost and Gore Walking Tour of Edinburgh
12. Historic Edinburgh Tours
If you want to tour the dark history of Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard, you should take the Historic Edinburgh Tour of Greyfriars.
This private tour, called Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour in Edinburgh, takes you around the graveyard, telling you about the macabre history that sits right beneath your feet.
This tour is not paranormal, but it discusses the history of body snatchers, Covenanters Prison, and all of the gruesome histories in between.
Your tour guide, Robert, is an incredible storyteller. He will keep you captivated from start to finish!
Book here: Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour in Edinburgh – Private tour
More Spooky and Haunted Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
- Spooky Things to Do in Edinburgh
- Unusual Things to Do in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh Castle Ghosts – Is Edinburgh Castle Haunted?
- The 10 Best Cemetery Tours in Edinburgh
- Haunted Hotels in Scotland
- The Dark History of Half Hangit Maggie
- The 17 Best Edinburgh Vaults Tours
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