Edinburgh Old Town: Witches Walking Tour & Underground Vault

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.90 (706 reviews) 93% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/23

Duration1h 10m–1h 15m

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Witch stories echo through Edinburgh’s cobbled streets and hidden vaults

You’ll walk Edinburgh’s Old Town with a character guide who brings witch trial stories to life right on the Royal Mile. Explore hidden courtyards, learn odd local customs (yes, spitting!), and finish deep underground in The Lost Close vault—a place that feels both eerie and strangely intimate. It’s not just history; it gets under your skin.

1h 10m–1h 15m

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Edinburgh's witch history and landmarks

Learn about St. Giles and Scottish history
Look down Royal Mile and hear North Berwick Witches tale
Visit hidden courtyard and learn gruesome history
Discover Edinburgh origins and witch tales
See a missed gem and learn about a witch
Get bird's eye view and hear warlock story
Hear tale of infamous Edinburgh character
Visit The Lost Close underground vault

The Experience

I didn’t expect to feel a chill before the sun even set, but that’s what happened as soon as our guide—dressed like he’d just stepped out of the 1700s—gathered us on the Royal Mile. He had this way of pausing mid-sentence, letting the city’s old stones do half the talking. People hurried past, but we just stood there, listening to him describe how someone could end up accused of witchcraft for nothing more than a neighbor’s grudge. I caught a whiff of roasting coffee from somewhere nearby, mixing oddly with the damp smell rising from the cobbles.

We wound through narrow closes I’d never have found alone, ducking under arches and stopping in quiet courtyards where he told stories about Mary Queen of Scots and John Knox—names I vaguely remembered from school but never really pictured until now. At one point he showed us Parliament Square and explained why it’s apparently fine to spit there (I’ll let him tell you that one). Someone in our group tried saying “North Berwick Witches” in Scots; Li laughed so hard she nearly dropped her phone. It was all a bit surreal, honestly.

The last part—the bit everyone waits for—was stepping down into The Lost Close vault. You could almost taste the centuries in the air down there, all cold stone and something musty I still can’t quite name. Our guide lowered his voice for those final tales; it felt like we were intruding on secrets that belonged to another time. When we climbed back up into daylight, I kept glancing over my shoulder at those heavy doors. Not sure why—it just stuck with me.

What’s included

Your day includes guided storytelling through Edinburgh’s Old Town with an entertaining character guide, exclusive access to The Lost Close underground vault dating back to 1742, and plenty of tales about Scotland’s accused witches—all wrapped into a walking route starting right on the Royal Mile.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Enthral Experiences