Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town
Overview
Available languages
1 hour
Mobile ticket
Journey along Edinburgh's Royal Mile hearing some of Edinburgh's darker history before visiting the infamous hidden and supposedly haunted vaults beneath the South Bridge in Edinburgh Old Town. Hear tales of how the poor and unfortunate lived in these former slums. Explore these dimly lit vaults by candlelight, once the haunt of criminals, body snatchers and witches alike, said by some to now be occupied by a few of the spirits of these inhabitants long since dead.
Each vault has stories of crime, disease, death and lots more... with which your guide shall enlighten you in all the gory details! You will see a genuine witchcraft temple, recently used by a Wiccan coven and you will enter their former temple. Join us to learn why it is no longer safe for them to practice their craft in that vault.
DARE you step inside the infamous stone circle?
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
not suitable for children under 5 years of age, children under 2 years of age are not allowed on tour.
Entrance/Exit to the vaults is via a 2 foot tall step followed by single flight spiral staircase.
Mezzanine staircases of 5-7 steps inside vaults between levels.
Alcohol/Drugs are strictly forbidden and anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be turned away.
Non-service animals are not allowed.
• Some historical content may be of a distressing nature with regards but not exclusively to Torture, Hangings, Death
The walking pace and terrain may not be suitable for those with any difficulty walking.
We do not have any luggage storage so please make alternate arrangements.
No toilet stops or toilets available during tour.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
The infamous vaults hidden under the South Bridge in Edinburgh Old Town fill the nineteen stone arches of this underground architectural wonder. Join our knowledgeable guide to hear why the vaults were built and why they were eventually abandoned... Hear tales of how the homeless and destitute community of Edinburgh sought refuge in these former slums. What was it really like to live in the darkness? Who were the criminals that stalked the vaults and what did they want? Explore the candlelit Niddry's Wynd, forgotten on today's maps, with your costumed guide. The tour commences at the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh Old Town. Learn what the town was like in the 1700s, what diseases were feared by the overcrowded population, and what happened to the household waste? You will see a genuine witchcraft temple, recently used by the “Source Coven of the Blue Dragon” and you will enter their former temple. You are advised to listen to the guide carefully BEFORE making a decision to step inside the haunted stone circle! Finally we invite you to experience the eerie atmosphere of the Haunted Vault itself, home to the majority of our many reported sightings... will you be brave enough to enter? Photographs are recommended, you may even discover something ghostly on them! Please do get in touch with us after the tour to share your experiences with us...
What‘s Included
Professional guide
Gratuities
Options
Underground Walking Tour
Reviews
8,703 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great experience through...
Sarah G,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience through the city and into the vaults, good mixture of history and humour. Alex was a great guide
Horrible History - Great Tour
Compass12865194916,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Darren was an excellent guide bringing historical knowledge and humour together for our tour. The vaults were spooky and interesting. Darren was very engaging with horrible stories of the past. He had us jumping and laughing as we moved through the rooms. It was nice to be in a small group.
Great experience in the vaults of Edinburgh.
Sspsaro067,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Darren was a great guide, very knowledgeable, and combining interesting information of the area with some light hearted humour. Hopefully my time in the circle does not have any long term effects 😔.
Alex is brilliant
Donna K,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Alex was a brilliant tour guide, she had some cracking jokes and was really considerate of everyone on the tour. She had tonnes of information. Would recommend the tour to anyone looking for a fun way to spend an hour.
Highly Recommend this tour
Melanie C,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was very interesting and our tour guide was fabulous, would recommend doing this tour during a visit to Edinburgh, it was about one hour long.
The Edinburgh Vaults
Peter C,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00A good tour into the vaults, with a lot of local stories and knowledge shared by the guide Darren. Very atmospheric.
Great tour of atmospheric vaults
AnthonyDix,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide James was really knowledgeable and enthusiastically recounted stories and information about life in Edinburgh in and around the vaults. Highly recommended
Underground Vaults Tour
Wendi M,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fascinating insight into Edinburgh's history! Stewart was an excellent tour guide!
It's OK but it's not amazing.
TomStickland2,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00I quite enjoyed the tour but I'd rate honestly as being middle of the road and the high number of 5/5 reviews would make me suspicious that many are fake. We met up in the street and a group of around 30 of us had a walk around town where our guide Stuart/Stewart pointed out some things of interest to us. We walked down a ramp street, under one of the bridges and then back up the other side where we went up some stairs in a building to reach the vaults that the tour use. This is really a corridor and a handful of arched vaults that are each the equivalent of an empty cellar in an old house. They do sit a few levels beneath the road above, so you're looking in the middle of a viaduct really. Our guide did a pretty good job of keeping us entertained, which is quite a skill considering the rather dull rooms we looked at. There was a description of living conditions down there a century ago, a story about body snatchers and some other things about modern day witches. I enjoyed the look around because I was curious about the bridges in the city. At £24 per person and groups of 30 or 40, they have quite a lucrative business operation here and I wouldn't rate it as a 5/5 exceptional tour. It's quite a fun hour I suppose.
Very good tour! Highly recommend!
karenwS2936IN,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a really good time on this tour. Stewart was our tour guide and very informative. Learnt a lot about the history of the Vaults.
From £24.00
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Operated by Auld Reekie Tours Ltd