Edinburgh & the HighlandsAdd a date2 adults

Edinburgh Underground Vaults Guided Tour

Edinburgh & the Highlands, United KingdomAbout 1 hour 15 minutesGuided in English

Go below the Old Town into the dark vaults under Edinburgh's South Bridge. A guide tells the real history of the merchants, workers and poor families who once used these chambers.

About 1 hour 15 minutesExplore at your own pace
Shared groupKeeps the experience personal
EnglishLive guide or host
CancellationNon-refundable: tickets are issued for your chosen date and time

Highlights

  • The vaults beneath the South Bridge
  • Real social history of the Old Town
  • A live guide and a small, atmospheric route
  • Ghost stories, told as stories
  • A short walk from the Royal Mile

Full description

When the South Bridge was built in the 1780s, the arches beneath it were bricked into rooms for workshops, stores and taverns. As damp crept in, the businesses left and the city’s poorest moved in, until the vaults were sealed and forgotten for more than a century.

With a live guide and a lantern-lit route you walk through these chambers and hear what life was like in the Old Town’s underworld: crowded streets above, crime, cholera and the stories of ghosts that grew up around the vaults afterwards.

Itinerary

  1. Old Town

    Meet your guide near the Royal Mile and hear how the bridge was built.

  2. The vaults

    Walk through the underground chambers by low light.

Included

  • Live English-speaking guide
  • Entry to the underground vaults

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities

Meeting point

Near the Royal Mile and South Bridge, Edinburgh; the exact address is sent with your confirmation.The exact spot and your host's details arrive with your confirmation.

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Know before you go

  • The vaults are dark, cool and uneven underfoot; wear sensible shoes.
  • Not recommended for anyone uncomfortable in enclosed spaces.
  • Younger children must be accompanied by an adult; the operator may set a minimum age.
  • Not wheelchair accessible.

Frequently asked questions

Is it scary?

It is atmospheric rather than a fright show. The focus is history, with some ghost stories.

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From USD 40 per adult
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