Edinburgh - Dark History
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Ah, Edinburgh! They don't call it "The Jekyll & Hyde City" for nothing. During the day, a respectable figure, with its astonishing architecture and wondrous history. But when the sun sets, it tells an entirely different story...
Hear all about the darker history of Edinburgh: murderers, thieves, cannibals, hangings and decapitations, witches, the Plague and streams of human waste. Learn about the most notorious citizens of Edinburgh and how ghost stories are born.
This is not a ghost tour: we don't need costumes or people jumping from behind the corners, Edinburgh's Dark History itself is enough to make your skin crawl. And oh, how we love to share it with our visitors...
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
In-Person guide
What To Expect
Old Town
A walking tour down the Royal Mile of Edinburgh, where your guide will share with you the darker history of Edinburgh.
Heart of Midlothian
Former site of the Old Tollbooth, one of Edinburgh's most notorious buildings. Hear about some of the characters once imprisoned and/or executed here, and why it ultimately became recognised by Sir Walter Scott as the Hard of the Midlothian.
Options
Edinburgh - Dark History
Reviews
697 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Very entertaining
Luz M,
Sep 13, 2025
- Viator
5.00James is a fantastic guide, he actually knows a lot of interesting facts and is very friendly an entertaining. Highly recommendable :)
Delightfully morbid and a load of fun
Jennifer B,
Sep 12, 2025
- Viator
5.00We toured with Robert Ferguson and he was morbid, funny, and considerate of the groups’ language differences and physical ability levels. He repeated obscure ideas or words a couple of different ways to make sure everyone understood. None of the walk was fast or too strenuous. He was easy to hear from the back of the crowd of maybe 12 people on busy streets. The tales were expertly woven together and well researched, with a caveat when sources couldn’t be confirmed. This was the highlight of our vacation to Edinburgh, Inverness, and Skye. Thanks, Robert!
Choose Allstar tours for an excellent experience
Michael D,
Sep 11, 2025
- Viator
5.00This tour is guided by historians with incredible knowledge of the events, people and places connected to the city. Having taken several other guided tours with this being our last of the trip, we were blown away by the depth and detail. Our tour guide, James, was clearly passionate about the subject matter which added so much to our enjoyment of the experience. He answered questions, tailored the tour for our group as our interests emerged, and was kind and thoughtful. All-star company is absolutely a must use for walking tours.
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Joshua M,
Sep 10, 2025
- Viator
5.00Kiernan was a great tour guide! Personable, funny, knowledgeable and very warm. He answered all our questions and then some! I had directly from the airport, so this was a great intro into Edinburgh and some of its darker history. Can’t recommend this enough if you’d like to learn a little more about Edinburgh’s darker corners. (Note: a couple stories had happy endings, so it wasn’t all bleak)
Very comprehensive and...
Margaret H,
Sep 10, 2025
- Viator
5.00Very comprehensive and informative about Edinburgh and its history. Our guide was very engaging, helpful and full of interesting stories.
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Operated by All-Star Guides