The scariest and notoriously most haunted underground location in Edinburgh! Experts in Ghost/Historical Tours.
Explore our haunted underground vaults dating back to 1700s, where the poor and destitute once lived alongside the criminal underworld, thieves, and witches who practiced there. A journey into the dark side of old Edinburgh's history. You will feel and sense the terrible slum conditions where the poor and destitute once stayed, in an underground area with no natural lighting, water or sanitation.
10/04/2026
Delve deep into Edinburgh’s dark history on our historical guided walking tour, the Vaults Tour, running from 10 am - 4:30 pm everyday.
Hear tales of how the poor and unfortunate lived in these former slums, and explore the dimly lit vaults, once the haunt of criminals and even bodysnatchers.
Book now to secure your space.
Edinburgh, haunted, history, guided tours, things to do, historical tour, walking tour
Our tour guides are the bravest of them all e
Did you know the Edinburgh Vaults are believed to be one of the most haunted locations in Scotland? Hear tales of the cursed stone circle, the banshee, and the 6ft shadow figure known as The Watcher on our Haunted Vaults Tours, running 5pm and 7pm every day
Edinburgh, Scotland, Haunted Sites, Haunted Places, Ghost Hunting, Storytime, Paranormal, Supernatural
Experience a tour like no other in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
With a focus on immersive storytelling, our expert and highly-rated guides will take you along the iconic Royal Mile to Edinburgh’s infamous haunted sites: Greyfriars Kirkyard and the South Bridge Vaults.
Hear tales from about m*rders, witches, and the people who inhabited these supposedly haunted locations.
On our Vaults Tours, see the Wiccan temple (an authentic ritual space left from a coven in the 1990s), and our 17th Century t0rture exhibition (featuring tools used in capital punishment dating back to the 1600s).
On our combined Graveyard and Vaults Tour, unearth tales of bodysnatchers and the dreaded poltergeist known as Bluidy Mackenzie. Then venture deep into our 18th century vaults, built into the South Bridge.
Our tours run daily 10 am - 10 pm, please book in advance as spaces may be limited.
02/04/2026
We’re in high spirits seeing that we’ve made it into The Hotlist in the latest edition of ’s in-flight magazine ✈️
If you’re catching a flight, the iconic South Bridge Vaults are a must to add to your itinerary.
Constructed in the late 18th century, the South Bridge was designed to expand the city, and the vaults were used by nearby merchants to store goods. However, due to the porous material the bridge was made from, the vaults were soon abandoned and the most vulnerable members of society moved in. These vaults became a hotspot for criminal activity such as illegal gambling taverns, illegal whisky distillery and possibly event bodysnatchers.
If you would like to learn more, book a tour - running daily from 10 am through to 10 pm.
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01/04/2026
In the early hours of this morning, a tour group came face to face with a terrifying sight. As the guide’s torchlight hit something white in the corner of his eye one member of the group let out a bloodcurdling scream, another bravely pulled out their phone and took this photo…
A huge congratulations to the team behind Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’, which won three of the nine awards it was nominated for during the Oscars ceremony on Sunday. The film won best costume design, best makeup & hairstyling, and best production design.
‘Frankenstein’ was filmed in Edinburgh during September 2024, utilising the city’s historic Old Town to capture a gothic atmosphere. Del Toro chose Edinburgh for its “gothic and literary heritage” and its 1800s architecture, which remained ideal for the period.
If you’d like to learn more about Edinburgh during the 1800s, why not join one of our walking tours? Running daily 10am to 10pm.
Gothic horror | Oscars | Awards Season | visit Edinburgh
edinburgh
A huge congratulations to the team behind Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’, which won three of the nine awards it was nominated for during the Oscars ceremony on Sunday. The film won best costume design, best makeup & hairstyling, and best production design.
‘Frankenstein’ was filmed in Edinburgh during September 2024, utilising the city’s historic Old Town to capture a gothic atmosphere. Del Toro chose Edinburgh for its “gothic and literary heritage” and its 1800s architecture, which remained ideal for the period.
If you’d like to learn more about Edinburgh during the 1800s, why not join one of our walking tours? Running daily 10am to 10pm.
Gothic horror | Oscars Season | Awards Season | visit Edinburgh
edinburgh
We will not be held responsible for what happens to you if you ignore the tour guide 👀
The stone circle is a notorious, allegedly haunted and cursed man-made stone circle located within the underground South Bridge Vaults. Situated in a former Wiccan temple, it is rumored to have imprisoned a demonic entity, with visitors warned not to enter. Many who ignore our warnings receive scratches, strange dreams, fainting spells, and even bad luck long after they have left the vaults. So be careful...
Edinburgh Vaults | Haunted Places | Paranormal evidence | Wiccan | Witchcraft | Demon | Ghost on Camera | Haunted Sites | Visit Edinburgh
Venture underneath Edinburgh’s Old Town to see the infamous vaults hidden within the South Bridge.
Each vault tells a story. Stories of death, disease and crime and corruption, our five-star guides will enlighten you with all the grim details.
Although merchants originally used them for storage and workshops, by the end of the 18th century, the vaults had become a place for the homeless, illicit drinking taverns, and criminal dens.
You can also see a former wiccan temple, used during the late 1990s - 2014, preserved as its previous occupants left it.
Want to learn more? Our tours run daily from 10:00am - 10:00pm, spaces may be limited so book in advance.
We know this is controversial.
But what do we mean when we describe our tours as “underground”? 🤔
Edinburgh’s terrain is a confusing one, with many closes and wynds (alleyways) leading off its main streets. Bridges glue the city together and stairways lead you upstairs and down. This ground is uneven due to the natural landscape, with the city built upon an extinct volcano, and by the 18th century, the city had become overcrowded; it was time to expand outwards.
South Bridge was built in 1788 in order to connect the city over its treacherous terrain, with many merchants surrounding the bridge requiring storage space, leading to the creation of the vaults we now know today.
These could be described as subterranean as the vaults are situated INSIDE the walls of South Bridge, surrounded by many tenement buildings, meaning the only remaining visible arch of the bridge can be found on Cowgate. However, because the vaults are enclosed, below a street in which you can walk along, where there is no natural light or airflow, this location can also be classed as underground.
Due to the bridge being built using limestone (an incredibly porous stone) this resulted in damp conditions leading to damage the merchants’ stock. They were soon abandoned and despite not being designed for habitation the city’s most vulnerable residents to move in to avoid the dangers and punishments of being out on the street. With a lack of regulation, the vaults fell into ruin and became an area notorious for crime and poverty.
Edinburgh’s historic city centre can therefore be described as a lasagne, with many layers (both physically and metaphorically). You will find yourself upstairs and downstairs and there isn’t really a true “ground”. Book our tour to learn more.
06/03/2026
Ever wondered why there’s a mosaic heart on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile?
…and why do people spit on it? 🤢
Beside St Giles’ Cathedral once stood Edinburgh’s infamous Tollbooth Jail, a place feared for more than 400 years until it was demolished in 1817. Prisoners were held in horrific conditions, often wrongly accused, while torture and public executions were carried out from its balcony. Body parts were displayed on spikes, and offenders were chained to the outer walls as grim warnings.
Some notorious prisoners of the Old Tolbooth included Deacon Brodie, the 4th Earl of Morton, and John Porteous.
As well as serving as a jail, the Tollbooth also served as a toll collection point, courthouse, council chamber, and even a meeting place for Parliament all within earshot of unimaginable suffering.
So why spit on the Heart of Midlothian? It’s a tradition said to show contempt for the horrors once committed there and, according to local lore, it brings good luck too.
Just make sure you don’t step on it, or your luck could change for the worse…
travel story
Jokes aside, did you know you can actually stay overnight by hiring our vaults from midnight to 6am? There’s no reward though (sorry) other than having these 18th century vaults all to yourself to brave the dark, film some content or host your very own investigation. Get in touch through our bio.
Edinburgh vaults | walking tours | ghost tours | unusual venues | ghost hunt | paranormal investigator
| Monday | 10am - 10pm |
| Tuesday | 10am - 10pm |
| Wednesday | 10am - 10pm |
| Thursday | 10am - 10pm |
| Friday | 10am - 11pm |
| Saturday | 10am - 10pm |
| Sunday | 10am - 10pm |