The 9 Best Ghost Walking Tours in Edinburgh

1.Haunted Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,183 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33Our pick

Meet your guide on the Royal Mile for a short history walk before descending into Edinburgh’s underground vaults. Expect stories of poverty, torture, death, and reported paranormal activity. Guides such as James, Louisa, Dom, Aimee, and Brendan bring plenty of humor and theatrical storytelling.

“Informative and super interesting look at the Edinburgh vaults. Louisa was a fantastic tour guide! Definitely recommend!”

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2.Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,702 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Walk Edinburgh after dark with guides such as James, Diva, Darren, Jordan, and Brendan. Hear the stories behind Greyfriars Graveyard, then descend into South Bridge’s warm, damp vaults. Expect history, paranormal tales, humor, and a few narrow steps, but no theatrical jump scares.

“This Tour was so good! Darrin was awesome and a great storyteller. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and glad we chose the after dark time. Thank-you”

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3.Dark Secrets of the Old Town Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,671 reviews · 2 hours · from $24

Join guides such as Jen, Sonia, Tommy, Gavin, or Niamh for a two-hour English, German, or French walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Expect graveyards, plague stories, witch trials, Burke and Hare, Scottish faeries, local jokes, and views from the Calton Hill area.

“The overall length of the tour was good, however and a bitterly cold evening maybe a couple more places to visit as it felt very cold while listening intently. This though is not a criticism as each stopped was fairly detailed. Jen the tour guide was very knowledgeable and descriptive.”

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4.Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,290 reviews · 1h 15m · from $24

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town with a costumed witch guide such as Hazel, Juniper, or Angelica. Hear the painful stories of people accused of witchcraft, pass historic closes and wynds, and finish at Grassmarket, the site of public executions. Expect history, humor, and a few spooky moments.

“Hazel was a lovely and knowledgeable guide , it was very interesting to know more about the history of the city and its witches. We just wish it would be a little longer or maybe with deeper explanations of other aspects of history maybe considering the price. But overall it was a nice experience.”

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5.Witches & Haunted History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 632 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Walk from St Giles’ Cathedral to Grassmarket with guides such as Juniper, Hazel, and Angelica, hearing stories of witch trials, warlocks, executions, Mary Queen of Scots, and Edinburgh’s darker past. Expect lively storytelling, steep cobbles, outdoor stops, and a compact route in English.

“A little walking, not too bad. Very informative, not your typical talk, covered history of thr area from a unique perspective!”

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6.Guided Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 289 reviews · 1h 15m · from $26

Follow a costumed Spanish-speaking guide from the Royal Mile to Greyfriars Graveyard and the 18th-century Niddry's Wynd vaults. Expect gruesome true stories, underground passages, cemetery lore, and a lively presentation from guides such as Lafayette or Rosa Mari.

“Me ha gustado mucho, hemos recorrido diferentes puntos de la ciudad”

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7.Dark History Royal Mile Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 271 reviews · 2 hours · from $20Best value

Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town and Canongate with an English-speaking guide such as James, Robert, Lydia, or Kieran. Expect true stories of murder, theft, witch trials, plague, executions, and strange local customs, plus a visit to Canongate Graveyard. This is dark history, not a theatrical ghost show.

“The tour takes you through some of the well know places and streets of Edinbrugh, so it's a good starter of your holiday to get a grip of the city. And ofcourse the guide explains a lot about the dark history of the city, and there is some juice to spill... Our guide Robert was very dedicated: even though it was very cold, he stond there in his kilt and Scottisch attire. He was enthousiastic in telling all the story's and was especially good in recalling names of historic figures and witches. Would recommand !”

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8.Edinburgh Ghosts & Gore Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 208 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $22

Join deceased cemetery director Alexander Clapperton for a 1.5-hour walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Hear stories of witchcraft, plague, torture, executions, and invasion while actors add comic timing, gruesome detail, and a few well-placed scares. The tour costs $22 per person and suits families with older children.

“Had a brilliant evening with my 16 year old daughter; she had her hand chopped off but it’s reduced the amount of time she spends scrolling so not an issue ;) really informative tour and such a good laugh. Highly recommend. Thankyou to both of you.”

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9.Ghosts, Ghouls & Gallows :The Original Bristol Ghost Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 76 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $20

Follow an English-speaking guide from William III’s statue in Queen Square through Bristol’s Old City, St Nicholas Market, and historic harbourside. Expect urban legends, reported hauntings, dark crimes, an interactive quiz, and a final chilling story. The walk costs $20 and lasts 90 minutes.

“Excellent - Xander was a great guide and really knowledgeable. Would highly recommend.”

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