Edinburgh Attractions
The Edinburgh Vaults, South Bridge Vaults, Blair Street Vaults, and Edinburgh Underground Vaults are the city’s most extensive underground caverns and a top destination for ghost tours.
These vaults offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives of 18th-century Edinburgh’s impoverished residents and are widely considered a hotbed of paranormal activity.
This article provides all the essential information you need before booking your tour tickets for the Edinburgh Vaults.
Table of Contents
What to expect on the ghost tour
The Edinburgh Vaults, also known as the South Bridge Vaults, are chambers built into the arches of Edinburgh’s South Bridge in the late 18th century.
Originally used for storage, workshops, and housing the city’s poor, these vaults are now a popular tourist attraction known for their eerie ambiance.
Guided tours take visitors through the dimly lit chambers, sharing stories about the vaults’ history and residents.
Some tours emphasize the paranormal, recounting tales of hauntings and ghostly encounters.
The atmosphere is cool, damp, and musty, so dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes for walking on uneven surfaces.
Things to know before booking tickets
Tickets for Edinburgh Vaults are available online or at the Mercat Tours office.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper.
You also get your preferred time slot when you buy online and book early.
Because some tours sell limited tickets, they may sell out during peak days. Booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
Once you purchase Edinburgh Vaults tickets, they get delivered to your email address.
There is no need to get printouts of the ticket.
On the day of your visit, meet at the Mercat Cross monument on the High Street in Edinburgh, show the e-ticket on your smartphone, and join the group.
Edinburgh Vaults tour tickets
Edinburgh Underground Vaults tours offer an authentic experience without manufactured frights or jump scares.
Visitors are guided through atmospheric vaults and graveyards by costumed guides who share historical facts through refined storytelling.
Children under five are not allowed on these ghost tours for health and safety reasons.
As these are walking tours, appropriate footwear is recommended, and you should dress for indoor and outdoor weather conditions.
You’ll explore in a group if you haven’t booked a private tour. It would be best to arrive at Mercat Cross on The Royal Mile 15 minutes before your tour starts to check in with a Mercat Tour representative.
Ghostly Underground Vaults tour
The Ghostly Underground Tour is the most popular daytime walking tour of Edinburgh’s haunted vaults.
The 75-minute tour starts at Mercat Cross, with available times at 1 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, and 6 pm.
You’ll meet your Mercat Tours guide at Mercat Cross for a walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town streets before descending into the underground vaults to hear chilling tales of torture, murder, hangings, and body snatchers.
Cancellations made 24 hours before the tour date receive a full refund.
Ticket Price
Adult (16 to 64 years): £22
Child (5 to 15 years): £17
Student (16+ with valid ID): £20
Senior (65+ years): £20
Edinburgh Vaults + Canongate Graveyard tour
The Doomed, Dead, and Buried tour, starting at Mercat Cross at 6:30 pm, explore the Edinburgh Vaults and Canongate Graveyard.
This 105-minute tour has three parts. First, you meet your guide at Mercat Cross for a walk through Edinburgh’s darker cobbled streets and wynds.
Then, you journey into the haunted Blair Street Underground Vaults.
Afterward, the group walks the dark streets of Canongate Graveyard, where you will see the graves of famous Scots and hear tales of dastardly deeds and ghostly sightings.
Cancellations made 24 hours before the tour date receive a full refund.
Ticket Price
Adult (18 to 64 years): £26
Senior (65+ years): £24
Student (18+ years with valid ID): £24
If you want to combine your Edinburgh Vaults visit with Greyfriars Kirkyard graveyard instead, check out this tour.
Underground Vaults Ghost Tour with Whisky
The customized vaults tour, known as the Edinburgh Underground Tour and the Evening of Ghosts and Ghouls, offers a unique experience that includes sipping some of the finest whisky.
Starting at Mercat Cross at 7 pm, this 2-hour tour begins with a leisurely walk along the cobbled streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town as the guide prepares you for what’s to come.
You then step into Blair Street’s Underground Vaults for a chilling ghost experience.
The tour concludes in a candlelit cellar where you can enjoy a glass of Scottish whisky, lager, or a soft drink, accompanied by many scary stories. Cancellations made 24 hours before the tour date receive a full refund.
Ticket Price
Adult (16 to 64 years): £26
Child (5 to 15 years): £18
Student (16+ years with valid ID): £24
Senior (65+ years): £24
Edinburgh Vaults night tour
The night tours, also known as Mercat’s Hidden and Haunted Tours, offer a chilling experience of the Edinburgh Vaults ghost tour, restricted to visitors 18 years and older.
Starting at Mercat Cross at 8 pm, this 1-hour tour begins above ground in the Old Town, where stories of sinister misdeeds and terrible consequences unfold.
Soon, you’ll descend into the Edinburgh South Bridge Vaults to hear about bloody plots that led to treason, torture, horrific deaths, and tormented souls.
Cancellations made 24 hours before the tour date receive a full refund.
Ticket Price
Adult (18 to 64 years): £21
Student (18+ years with ID): £19
Senior (65+ years): £19
If you prefer an Edinburgh Ghost tour that starts even later, check out this Extreme Paranormal Underground tour that begins at 9.15 pm.
Timings
The Edinburgh Vaults, exclusively accessible through Mercat Tours, are open daily, with tours starting at 10 am and the last at 9:15 pm.
They operate year-round except for December 24th, 25th, and 26th, and tours on New Year’s Eve conclude by 5 pm.
The Mercat Tours office is open from 9 am to 6 pm on weekdays and from 10 am to 6 pm on weekends.
However, booking tickets online eliminates the need to visit their office.
How long does the tour take
The duration of the Edinburgh Vaults tour varies depending on the tour package.
Most standard guided tours last around 1 to 2 hours, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the chambers and detailed explanations of their historical context and usage over the years.
Specialized tours, such as those focused on paranormal activity or historical details, may have different durations.
The unique atmospheric conditions in the vaults and the rich historical information provided ensure an engaging and memorable experience.
Best time to go on tour
Tours of the Edinburgh Vaults are available during the day, evening, and night.
Nighttime tours, particularly those focused on the paranormal, enhance the atmospheric experience, while daytime tours allow for clearer views of the architectural details.
Consider visiting on a weekday for a more intimate experience with smaller crowds.
The summer months (June to August) feature milder temperatures and longer daylight hours, making them popular among tourists, which can result in larger crowds.
For a quieter visit, consider the shoulder seasons of spring (April to May) or autumn (September to October).
Reviews
Mercat Tours to the Edinburgh Vaults are highly rated on Tripadvisor.
We share two of Edinburgh Vaults Tripadvisor reviews, which give you an idea of what to expect.
Most Interesting Tour
I was uninterested, but my wife was all for it, so off we went. How wrong my original thoughts were. It is A FASCINATING AND INTERESTING TOUR with many historical stories of doom and gloom and how the people lived and endured squalor in those ancient times. Take this tour. It is fantastic and made even better by the most interesting and knowledgeable guide, Nicky. Well worth it. – Nick, Penarth, UK
Doomed, Dead & Buried
We had a fabulous guide called Helena. She gave a lot of information and made it fun. The vaults and the graveyard were cool. You felt all included, and it was interactive, but only a little. I highly recommend it; make sure you are prepared to walk a little, not massively far, but still walking. – Anna P, Sheen, UK
Edinburgh Vaults history – the story of underground ghosts
We must first understand the city’s history to understand the Edinburgh Vaults or South Bridge Vaults.
Impact of Flodden Wall on the city
The English kept invading the Scots regularly; the biggest battle was the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
After this battle, Edinburgh decided to build the Flodden Wall.
Key to the map above:
A: Edinburgh Castle
B: Flodden Tower
C: Greyfriars Kirkyard
D: Netherbow Port
E: Waverley station
Orange line: King’s Wall (1450-1475)
Red line: Flodden Wall (1514-1560)
Purple line: Telfer Wall (1620)
Blue overlap: Approximate spread of the former Nor Loch
With the Nor Loch swamp forming one line of defense and Edinburgh Castle forming the next, the city decided to build a wall (the red line in the map above) to protect them from surprise attacks.
While the Flodden Wall and the region’s natural geography helped protect the city from English attacks, they didn’t allow it to expand with time.
As a result, the residents started living on top of one another.
In a way, the birth of modern skyscrapers can be attributed to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh’s Layout
Edinburgh is built on seven major hills, with Castle Hill, home to Edinburgh Castle, and Calton Hill, the most visible today. The other five hills are concealed by bridges, which level out the city’s terrain.
Hidden Tunnels and Vaults
Beneath these bridges in Edinburgh’s Old Town lie eight hidden tunnels and vaults: South Bridge Vaults, Mary King’s Close, Gilmerton Cove, Waverley Vaults, Scotland Street Tunnel, The Crawley Tunnel, and Innocent Railway Tunnel. South Bridge Vaults and Mary King’s Close are the most popular among tourists.
South Bridge Vaults
South Bridge, built to connect Old Town’s High Street with the University buildings, began construction in 1785 and opened in 1788. The bridge spans 305 meters and has 19 arches, though only the Cowgate arch is visible. The inauguration was marked by the death of an elderly woman who was set to open it, leading to a superstition that the bridge was cursed.
Merchants initially built shops along the bridge, and the arches were used for workshops and storage. Over time, these vaults became overcrowded with the poor and were used for criminal activities. By 1820, the vaults were deemed uninhabitable and were closed.
In the 1980s, Norrie Rowan rediscovered the vaults. History teacher Des Brogan then began offering ghost tours, leading to the establishment of Mercat Tours, which now holds exclusive rights to tour the Edinburgh Vaults.
FAQs about Edinburgh Vaults
Here are some frequently asked questions about Edinburgh Vaults:
Do I have to book the Edinburgh Vaults tour?
The tour operator sells limited tickets to ensure the best small group experience. Remember to book your tour in advance to avoid last-minute disappointment. Book in advance to guarantee your place on the tour of your choice.
Where does the Edinburgh Vaults tour start?
All vault tours start at the Mercat Cross, an octagonal stone monument on the Royal Mile opposite the City Chambers. You can also find it by using the postcode EH1 1RF.
Can I turn up and pay cash before the Edinburgh Vaults tour?
The tour takes place in small groups. Small groups mean tickets are limited, so we recommend booking your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. There may be tickets available at the Mercat Cross office, and they accept card payments, depending on availability.
What should I wear for the tour?
The vaults can be cool and damp, so wearing comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes is recommended. Dressing in layers is a good idea.
Are the vaults wheelchair accessible?
The Edinburgh Vaults have limited accessibility due to the site’s historic nature, with uneven surfaces and stairs. Thus, the tour is unsuitable for wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments.
Popular Ghost Tours Nearby
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City of the dead tours and Auld reekie tours also have their section of vaults that are different to Blair Street.
http://www.cityofthedeadtours.com