The 7 Dark History Tours in Edinburgh Worth a Late Night

1.Dark Secrets of the Old Town Ghost Walking Tour

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

Follow a local English, German, or French-speaking guide through Edinburgh’s old lanes, Canongate Kirkyard, and Old Calton Cemetery. Hear the grim story of Burke and Hare, learn how witch trials shaped Scotland, and pick up myths, plague tales, and local jokes along the way. Guides such as Jen, Sonia, Gavin, Tommy, and Niamh bring plenty of personality.

“it was amazing, really interesting our tour guide was called Ignas, he was brilliant, full of some amazing history and facts, and was very funny too! Overall a brilliant experience”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 814 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $22Top rated

Follow an English-speaking guide from Parliament Square to Canongate Kirk for a two-hour walk through Edinburgh’s darker past. Hear about executions, plague, notorious criminals, body snatchers, and the city’s strange old customs. Guides including Robert, Joe, James, Kieran, Lydia, and Chris bring a lively, often funny touch to the stories.

“Joe was a wonderful guide! He was knowledgeable, funny, and accommodating. Would definitely recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 762 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $22

Walk Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Old Calton Cemetery, and Canongate Kirkyard with guides such as Jen, Sonia, Gavin, or Joe. Expect stories of Burke and Hare, serial murder, witches, burial fears, and old city life. The tour costs $22.19, runs in English for about 1 hour 45 minutes, and finishes on the Royal Mile.

“Excellent, informative and passionate tour guide Sonia, whose love for the subject and Edinburgh too was clear for all to see! Keep us intrigued and interested on what was a bitterly cold evening. I’d highly recommend both the tour and tour guide. Just to prove it, I’m currently on the train home reading ‘How to kill a witch’ following the tour guides recommendation 😉”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Dark History Royal Mile Walking Tour

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

Meet your English-speaking guide under the white All-Star Guides umbrella by St. Giles Cathedral. Walk Edinburgh’s Old Town and Canongate for two hours, hearing factual stories of murder, witch trials, plague, executions, cannibalism, and the city’s notorious characters. Guides including James, Robert, Lydia, Joe, and Kieran bring the past alive without costumes or cheap ghost-tour theatrics.

“Learnt lots on tour and were made aware of things that you would otherwise walk past and take for granted . Great factual content delivered in a way that kept us engaged.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Edinburgh’s Dark History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 55 reviews · 1h 30m · from $21

Join Rob for a 90-minute English walking tour through Edinburgh’s darker past. Starting at the National Museum of Scotland, you’ll visit Greyfriars Graveyard, Grassmarket, Victoria Street, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Mile while hearing about witches, executions, plague, Burke and Hare, and Old Town tragedies. A digital guide is available in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

“Excellent. I had the best time on this tour learning all about the dark side of Edinburgh as well as so many historical and local information. Rob the guide was really fantastic and easy to follow and relatable. I can’t recommend this tour enough. Well worth it, book now!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Dark History and Ghost Tour of Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $22

Join Kieran, a professional storyteller, paranormal investigator, and podcast host, for a two-hour evening walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Hear grim tales of murder, torture, grave robbing, and ghosts at St Giles’ Cathedral, Victoria Street, Grassmarket, and Greyfriars Kirkyard. The tour is for ages 12 and up, with groups capped at 18.

“I got everything I was looking for in a Dark History & Ghost tour, and 10 times more! Kieran is a super guy. His storytelling is immersive, compelling, suspenseful, yet never over-the-top. He does not shy away from the grisly details of tortures, puRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Private Dark History Tour: Eerie Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $68

Join a private 90-minute evening walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town and hear grim tales of hangings, witches, crime, disease, and resurrection. Your guide can keep the tone mildly spooky or genuinely disturbing. German-language guiding is available with Stephanie, and the route ends at Canongate Kirk.

“Definitely book it, the guide explained everything in a very interesting, funny, and confident way. We laughed a lot and now know so much about the history of Edinburgh. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it a 100.”

Check availability →Read our full review