Edinburgh - Dark History

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...

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Old Town, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland

A walking tour down the Royal Mile of Edinburgh, where your guide will share with you the darker history of Edinburgh.

Stop At: Heart of Midlothian, 197 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PW Scotland

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: St Giles' Cathedral, High Street Historic Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1RE Scotland

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Mercat Cross, Parliament Square, Edinburgh Scotland

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2PB Scotland

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.

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: John Knox House Museum, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR Scotland

Learn about the architecture of 16th century Edinburgh, and witness one of the most "authentic" corners in the city centre.

Duration: 5 minutes

Stop At: Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN Scotland

Wander among graves of old, hearing about body snatchers, cannibals, and learn how ghost stories are born.

Duration: 40 minutes

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.