How to choose in a minute
- You want to go underground: take a vaults tour.
- You are an adult and want a proper scare after dark: the late-night Terror Tour.
- You want stories and streets rather than one building: an Old Town ghost walk.
- You have children older than five, or a group that wants a laugh: the ghost bus.
- You are a Harry Potter fan: a Potter walk. If you are not, a history walk will serve you better.
Lengths below are from the listings on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026. Operators set their own age limits, start points and booking rules, so read the listing you pick before paying.
Underground vaults tours
The vaults sit inside South Bridge, which was finished in 1788. It has 19 arches, but only the one over the Cowgate is visible now. The hidden arches hold around 120 rooms, says Wikipedia. Taverns and tradespeople used them first, then damp drove the businesses out from 1795. Later the poorest residents moved in, in rooms with no sunlight, ventilation, running water or sanitation. They were rediscovered in the 1980s and dug out by hand in the 1990s.
A tour is the usual way in, and Wikipedia says the north side of the Cowgate arch is mainly used for ghost tours. Auld Reekie Tours lists a 60-minute Vaults Tour (not suitable for under-5s), a 90-minute Vaults and Graveyard Tour and a 60-minute Haunted Vaults Tour (both not suitable for under-12s), and the 75-minute Terror Tour. It meets at 300 Lawnmarket, asks you to book online in advance and does not take bookings at the start. Its Terror Tour is strictly for over-18s and includes a medieval torture exhibition.
The one-hour tour is the better choice for most people. You get the real history of the place at a manageable length. The late-night Terror Tour is for adults who want to be frightened. If you only want history, skip it.
The operators’ pages we checked gave no accessibility details for the vaults, so ask before booking if stairs or uneven ground are a problem.
We earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure). Prices, ratings and review counts are from GetYourGuide, checked 14 October 2026. They change often, so check the live price before you book.
Old Town ghost walks
A ghost walk stays outdoors. You follow a guide through the Old Town, hearing stories tied to its streets, closes and graveyards. Expect to be out in whatever the weather does, so wear proper shoes and a waterproof.
The best walks use real places. If a route includes Greyfriars Kirkyard, for example, Wikipedia notes that night tours can visit the Black Mausoleum. After the 1679 Battle of Bothwell Bridge, about 400 prisoners were held in a field beside the kirkyard.
At two hours, the listed walk is longer than the vault tours and the bus. That suits adults who want depth, but it is a lot of time outdoors for young children. No age limit was published in the information checked, so read the listing.
Choose a walk over a vaults tour if you would rather see the city than a cellar, or if you want to cover more ground. Choose a vaults tour if the weather is poor.
We earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure). Prices, ratings and review counts are from GetYourGuide, checked 14 October 2026. They change often, so check the live price before you book.
The ghost bus
This is theatre on wheels. The Ghost Bus Tours site describes a vintage 1960s Routemaster double-decker, a “creepy conductor”, live acting and special effects, and a comedy horror show with jump scares, loud noises and atmospheric smoke. It lasts about 75 minutes, depending on traffic.
The route passes Edinburgh Castle, St Cuthbert’s Graveyard, the Grassmarket, Greyfriars Bobby, Greyfriars Kirk and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It departs from outside Central Library on George IV Bridge. Seats are not reserved, so arrive at least 15 minutes early.
On suitability, the operator does not recommend the tour for ages 1 to 5, though parents may choose to bring them at their own risk. Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult. The buses are not wheelchair accessible, and the show is in English only. It often sells out days ahead.
It is entertainment first and history second, and you see the city through a window. That makes it a good wet-weather option and a good pick for a family with older children.
We earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure). Prices, ratings and review counts are from GetYourGuide, checked 14 October 2026. They change often, so check the live price before you book.
History and Harry Potter walks
A Potter walk is a roughly two-hour walk around the Old Town, led by a guide. A comparable two-hour walk listed on Headout shows a route through Greyfriars Kirkyard, Victoria Street and the Grassmarket, with a house sorting and a trivia quiz. Check your own listing for its route and start point.
Be clear about what you are getting. Most of the Edinburgh links are about where J.K. Rowling wrote or may have found names. Forever Edinburgh says the Elephant House cafe, where she wrote in the 1990s, reopened in December 2025 after a 2021 fire. VisitScotland says it is unclear whether the Greyfriars headstone names of Thomas Riddell, McGonagall and Moodie were coincidence or inspiration. It also describes the Victoria Street link to Diagon Alley as an association, not a confirmed fact.
The film locations VisitScotland lists, such as Loch Shiel and Rannoch Moor, are outside Edinburgh. Go for the stories and the streets, not for film sets.
If you want history without the wizards, the free Royal Mile guide lets you do much of the route yourself.
We earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure). Prices, ratings and review counts are from GetYourGuide, checked 14 October 2026. They change often, so check the live price before you book.
Fitting a tour into your day
Timing matters more than most people expect, because the vault tours and the ghost bus run on different clocks. Auld Reekie Tours’ site lists its Vaults Tour from 10am to 4:30pm, every 30 minutes, which makes it the easiest tour to slot in around a palace visit. Its evening Vaults and Graveyard Tour starts between 5:30pm and 8pm, and its Terror Tour starts at 9pm, 10pm and 11pm (checked October 2026). The ghost bus does not list departure times on its Edinburgh page, so use the booking link.
A simple plan for a first visit is the palace in the morning, a stroll down the Royal Mile in the afternoon, and one tour in the evening. See the tickets and tours page for the palace side of that day.
The tours side by side
| Tour type | Listed length | Setting | Children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaults tour | 1 hour | Underground | Auld Reekie’s one-hour tour is not for under-5s |
| Late-night Terror Tour | 75 minutes | Underground | Auld Reekie says over-18s only |
| Old Town ghost walk | 2 hours | Outdoors | Check the listing |
| Ghost bus | 75 minutes | Vintage bus | Not recommended for ages 1 to 5 |
| Harry Potter walk | 2 hours | Outdoors | Check the listing |
Free alternatives
You do not have to pay to understand the Old Town. Walk the Royal Mile yourself, and the Scottish Parliament is free to visit with no booking. Historic Environment Scotland runs ranger walks in Holyrood Park, including the free Arthur’s Amble on selected dates until 7 March 2027. See the Arthur’s Seat guide. For the palace itself, the tickets and tours page compares your options, and the best time to visit page helps you pick the season.
