Guided tour

Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

4.5 / 5

2883 reviews

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    Guided tour

    Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour

    4.5

    2883 reviews

    Save up to 10%

    From US$ 18.97 US$ 17.08 per person

    Visit the vaults beneath Oldtown in Edinburgh, dating back to the early 18th century. Your guide will tell you about murders, witches and the people who inhabited this scary place.

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
    Mobile ticketing
    Use your phone or print your voucher
    Duration 1 hour
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Instant confirmation
    Live tour guide
    English

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Take a guided tour of the dimly lit vaults beneath the streets of Edinburgh's Old Town
    • Explore the South Bridge vaults and learn about the history of what lies beneath the city’s streets
    • Hear about the squalid living conditions and diseases that ran rampant through the area
    Full description

    Covid-19 Update

    Due to health and safety regulations, this itinerary may change. See Know before you go for the latest updates.

    This vaults tour takes you beneath the streets of Edinburgh's Old Town into a dimly lit space that many considered to be haunted. Your tour visits the vaults of the South Bridge that date back to the 1700s.

    These are the same vaults mentioned on Most Haunted Live as one of the scariest places on earth. Learn how the vaults have been used over the years, and the living conditions endured by the poor and homeless residents who frequented them.

    The darker side of Edinburgh's history will unfold as you wander through the candle-lit underground area. From your guide, you'll hear about the Burke and Hare murders and the persecution of witches.

    Discover the characters who stalked the streets of Edinburgh, and the paranormal stories associated with the vaults. The Haunted Vaults tour option will cover more paranormal and ghost stories. Step into the torture exhibition and explore how and why these items were used.

    Includes
    • Tour of the South Bridge underground vaults
    • Guide
    • Entry to the Torture Exhibition (If option selected)
    • Food and drink
    Not suitable for
    • People with mobility impairments
    • Children under 5 years
    • Wheelchair users
    Covid-19 precautions
    Safety measures in place
    • All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
    • The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
    Traveler requirements
    • You are required to bring and wear a mask
    • Masks are required while indoors

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Meeting point

    Meet your costumed guide at the Tourist Information and Edinburgh Dungeons Ticket Booth, outside of the Bank of Scotland. This is located across the road from Deacon Brodie's Tavern.

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    Important information

    What to bring

    • Weather-appropriate clothing
    • Comfortable shoes

    Not allowed

    • Pets (assistance dogs allowed)

    Know before you go

    • The entrance of the vaults has a 2-foot tall step and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    4.5 /5

    based on 2883 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4.8/5
    • Value for money
      4.4/5
    • Service
      4.5/5
    • Organization
      4.4/5

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    The starting point and meeting the guide was easy. The walk through the Royal Mile to the underground tunnel was very interesting. The tunnels themselves were okay and the guide told some tales to make them more interesting. The tattoo story wasn't the best and I'm sure something more interesting could be added to the script. Also the idea that sleeping in water would be more comfortable than sleeping out doors seemed a bit far fetched. I would guess they had some kinds of bed structures to stay dry or the water would be taken into the street. Some further research might find some interesting information to add. I would say that it could do with some updated props and / or pictures to make it a bit more interesting. But over all it was very enjoyable.

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    January 19, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – United Kingdom Verified booking

    Helpful?

    We went to stop at the city of Edinburgh on the 10th January with myself and my boyfriend. To get to know more about the city, I would definitely recommend to do this underground vault tour. Our tour host Stewart was amazing, the tour was very informative and he was able to answer our questions. Great guy, friendly and easy to communicate with. He had high energy levels and very well knowledgeable about the history of the vaults, would highly recommend him. We would like to say a big thank you to him for making our tour enjoyable.

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    January 11, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – United Kingdom Verified booking

    Helpful?

    We were visiting Edinburgh from Dublin & wanted to get to know a bit more about the city. We did the underground vaults tour which was very enjoyable. We could not recommend our tour guide Frasier enough, he was very funny & engaging to the whole group! I would recommend these tours to anyone visiting the city. Thanks to Frasier for the fantastic tour!

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    January 2, 2022

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – Ireland Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Organized by
    Auld Reekie Tours

    Product ID: 47520