Edinburgh - Dark History
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
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...
Inclusions
What's included
- In-Person guide
Itinerary
A walking tour down the Royal Mile of Edinburgh, where your guide will share with you the darker history of Edinburgh.
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 seems like the car park hides a secret, as well as the burial place of one of the most controversial figures in Scottish history.
Another infamous execution site. Hear about the importance of the building in the life of the city, and about a literal killing machine which was once kept inside St. Giles Cathedral.
Walk down the Royal Mile, where you'll hear about some of Edinburgh's notorious citizens, the Black Plague, and how the city's poor sanitary conditions eventually led to a most peculiar tradition.
Learn about the architecture of 16th century Edinburgh, and witness one of the most "authentic" corners in the city centre.
Wander among graves of old, hearing about body snatchers, cannibals, and learn how ghost stories are born.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 5868
- 431
- 34
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 903 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Our meeting point is in WEST Parliament Square, across the square in Front of St. Giles Cathedral. Search for the white umbrella with the logo of All-Star Guides.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 30 travellers
- Operated by
- All-Star Guides
- 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
How it compares in Edinburgh
- Its from-price is 91% below the median of the 1253 experiences we list in Edinburgh.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 59 of 1253.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, rises on volcanic hills, with a castle on a crag, a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town.
Edinburgh Castle crowns Castle Rock and keeps the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels. From there, the Royal Mile runs downhill through the Old Town, past St Giles' Cathedral and a warren of narrow closes, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament. Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano, rises above the palace with sweeping views.
Top-ranked sights in Edinburgh: Royal Mile, Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh Castle.
Special offers in Edinburgh
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
