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 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.
What‘s Included
In-Person guide
Options
Edinburgh - Dark History
Reviews
846 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
We had a very good tour...
Nora C,Apr 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a very good tour with Kieran. He is knowledgeable and was quick to respond to our questions. He kept it entertaining for the full 2 hours.
Fantastic tour with excellent guide
14pasanj,Apr 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I liked that there weren't any cheesy ghost stories or jump scares, just pure historical facts about the dark things that actually happened in the city. Since I'm not really into the supernatural stuff, I enjoyed just hearing the real history instead. Jame was our guide (I really hope I got the name right, sorry if I didn't!) and he was great. He knew so much and kept us interested the whole time without it feeling like a lecture. He was very engaging and easy to listen to, which made the walk around the city a lot more meaningful. It was pretty confusing to see other tours nearby with 10 or 20 people in them when our group only had 5. This tour is really high quality, so I don't understand why more people aren't booking it. If you want to learn the actual history of Edinburgh without the fake ghost stuff, you should definitely try this one.
Best way to explore the city
Sabine H,Apr 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Lydia was an excellent guide. Her storytelling was incredibly compelling and fun. Best tour to book if you're interested in the darker side of the city without gimmicks and costumes
Dark History of Edinburgh
L9109EFkatt,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Joe was an amazing story teller and guide, sharing great points of dark history of Edinburgh. Highly recommend!
Learnt so much on this...
Olivia J,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Learnt so much on this tour. Was a lovely experience and made our holiday. Joe was very good, the way he told the stories was engaging. If you love history, this is perfect! We had the best time and would recommend to anyone! Thank you!
Informative and well paced!
lmamwaterloo,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour with Robert our guide! Informative, authentic and well paced! The sunshine was also a nice surprise.
Highly recommended
RobboMariner,Apr 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great way to spend a couple of hours, it’s a well named tour, dark but fascinating history of Edinburgh. This is not a ghost walk, it’s far far better and our guide James was brilliant, knowledgeable and excellent company. Highly recommended
Excellent
Markrobinson,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely wonderful, we were in a smallish group which for us was even better. Our guide was James, a very knowledgeable guy, none of the silly histrionics of other tours, just excellent history and facts about the dark side of Edinburgh’s history. Highly recommended
Great experience loved it!!
Freedom05786485720,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00All seven ladies in their 50s. Loved this tour and very reasonably priced. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and very easy going. Considering it was freezing cold our guide was brilliant. Didn’t feel rushed and came away knowing a lot about Edinburgh and looked out for everything the guide told us for the remainder of our trip.
Excellent tour to learn about Edinburgh's darker history
Jonathan P,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Highly recommend this tour! Our guide, Joe, was a master storyteller who perfectly blended creepy entertainment with fascinating history. He made the entire experience feel like more than just a tour; it was a true highlight of our visit and we learnt a lot. Booking this was one of the best decisions we made in Edinburgh!
From £16.00
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Operated by All-Star Guides