10 Edinburgh Ghost Tours That Will Freak You Out in 2023

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Do you want to learn about the spooky side of Edinburgh? Then check out our selection of the best Edinburgh ghost tours! 

These tours will take you on a journey through some of Edinburgh’s most haunted locations and tell you all about the weird and creepy stories behind them. From mysterious murder scenes to hauntings by the paranormal, these tours are sure to give you a good scare.

Luckily, I’ve spent lots of time in Edinburgh while studying abroad in Europe for five months and have compiled the perfect list of Edinburgh ghost tours just for you.

Top Picks: Best Ghost Tours in Edinburgh

Best Edinburgh Ghost Tours

The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour 15 minutes | ✅ Includes: 75-minute walking tour, guide, terrifying stories along the way | ⚡ Book now

This Edinburgh scary tour is one of the most popular to book in the city! It lasts a little over an hour long and explores Edinburgh’s dark past through an evening tour that touches all of the spookiness you don’t know about the city yet.

Throughout the tour, you’ll stop at places like Greyfriars Kirkyard, the Edinburgh Vaults, the Royal Mile, and more throughout Old Town. Because of the tour’s content, everyone must be above the age of 5, though it is a family-friendly tour.

Along the way, you’ll hear mysterious stories about the city’s past, including hauntings! Plus, the tour guide dresses up in a way that will really make you feel like you’re going back in time.

Ghost Bus Tour of Edinburgh

⭐️ Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour | ✅ Includes: Professional guide, transportation | ⚡ Book now

Next is another of the great Edinburgh haunted tours, a ghost bus tour! This is definitely a more unique way to go around the city and explore some of its haunted past. Similar to the underground ghost tour in Edinburgh above, this ghost bus tour is just about an hour long.

The tour includes a bus tour and a professional guide and departs from Edinburgh Lawnmarket near Deacon Brodies Tavern. Along the tour, you’ll pass by some popular spots in the city, including Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Old Town, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Grassmarket, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Even though the tour is supposed to be creepy, the tour guide often infuses lots of humor into the tour, making it one that will stand out amongst the rest. Think of it more like comedy horror!

Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour and 20 minutes | ✅ Includes: Well-trained guide | ⚡ Book now

Another of the best Edinburgh ghost tours is this extreme paranormal underground ghost tour! It’s slightly shorter than an hour and a half long and includes Edinburgh’s Old Town, the South Bridge vaults, and Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Unlike some of the other tours on this list, this ghost tour in Edinburgh isn’t great for children or those who can’t handle hearing about the grueling history. However, it’s perfect for those who love the supernatural and want to learn more about Edinburgh’s spooky past.

As you might expect, the tour guide gets all dressed up for the occasional, and the tour is at night. So, you’ll genuinely be exploring Edinburgh at its creepiest, and who knows, maybe you’ll even find a ghost or two along the way!

Fright Night Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour and 15 minutes | ✅ Includes: Tour guide in period costume who tells stories | ⚡ Book now

This tour might just be the best Edinburgh ghost tour! It’s roughly an hour and fifteen minutes long and includes spots along the creepiest places throughout Edinburgh. Plus, your guide narrates the entire thing while dressed like a historical person of Edinburgh who has died!

Another great thing about this tour is that it is actually suitable for families, unlike some other tours on this list. Of course, make sure the younger children are okay with at least being a little frightened along the way.

The majority of the tour is along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh Old Town. You’ll also descend into the underground vaults that you’ve probably heard about in Edinburgh!

Edinburgh Dark History Tour

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 2 hours | ✅ Includes: In-person guide | ⚡ Book now

This ghost walk Edinburgh is perfect for those who want a bit of a longer tour during their trip to the city! It’s around two hours long and, just like other tours on this list, includes tons of stops throughout Edinburgh Old Town.

Some of the stops along the way include Cannongate Graveyard, St. Giles Cathedral, Mercat Cross, and The Heart of the Midlothian. Of course, as you see each of these attractions, you’ll get to hear all about the history of what you’re looking at from your guide.

The tour guides for this tour, in particular, are known for being so informative, and they will answer absolutely any question that you ask.

Edinburgh Darkside Walking Tour

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 2 hours | ✅ Includes: Professional guide | ⚡ Book now

If you want a dark side of Edinburgh ghost tour, you’re in luck! This tour is approximately two hours long and even includes learning about local monster stories. What more could you possibly want?

It’s a walking tour and has stops at Calton Hill, North Bridge, Royal Mile, Canongate Kirk, and Old Calton Burial Ground. These are stops that some of the other Edinburgh ghost tours don’t necessarily include stops at, making this one very unique.

The tour normally starts in the evening right along The Royal Mile. The tour guide will provide tons of information and creepy stories that will keep you up at night between each stop along the way!

Ghost and Gore Walking Tour of Edinburgh

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1.5 hours | ✅ Includes: The Witchery Tales Book by Adam Lyal | ⚡ Book now

This is a great Edinburgh ghost walking tour that’s super affordable! It’s only about an hour and a half long but is super unique because the guide dresses up to the nines as a historic Edinburgh citizen named Alexander Clapperton.

You’ll learn all about ghosts, gravediggers, witches, and more along the tour. You’ll also get a copy of The Witchery Tales by Adam Lyal with your tour, so you can continue your historic studies even after the tour ends.

Spots on the tour include pretty much everything there is to see in Old Town. It’s incredibly interactive and fun for all ages, primarily because they work to bring all of the characters to life in a great way.

Afternoon Old Town and Underground Ghost Tour

⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour | ✅ Includes: Tour of Old Town and the underground vaults | ⚡ Book now

This is a super small group tour that’s maxed out at six guests, which makes it a lot more intimate experience than you may have at other tours on this list! Throughout the tour, you’ll learn all about Scotland’s dark history.

Another great thing about this tour is that it’s family-friendly and takes place during the afternoon instead of at night, so if you want to hear creepy stories without being in the dark, then this is the tour for you.

Like other tours, you’ll explore Edinburgh’s Old Town, including the underground vaults. The tour is about an hour long and is a perfect way to break up your Edinburgh itinerary, especially if you’re only there for a day or two.

Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults and Graveyard Ghost Tour

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1 hour and 45 minutes | ✅ Includes: Small-group experience, Tourtalk radio receiver | ⚡ Book now

This small-group tour is perfect for those who are obsessed with all things supernatural! This is another of the Edinburgh ghost tours that are a bit longer, as it’s just shy of two hours long. It leaves in the evening from central Edinburgh and includes many spots along the way.

The tour starts right at the Blair Street Vaults and then continues on to the Royal Mile, Canongate Kirk, St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh Old Town, and Mercat Cross. The stories include tales of interesting Scottish figures like James Douglas.

This is an adult-only tour, so only those over 18 years old are allowed to go on this tour. The tour is also offered year-round, so even if you visit in the dead of winter, this tour should still be available to book. The tour has a maximum of eighteen people so that you can hear the guide easily along the tour.

Haunted Vaults and Graveyard Walking Tour in Edinburgh

⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour length: 1.5 hours | ✅ Includes: Professional guide | ⚡ Book now

Last but not least is this haunted vaults and graveyard tour that lasts about an hour and a half. It includes tons of spooky stories that you’ll hear as it starts to get darker over Edinburgh, just adding to the creepiness.

The tour includes stops at Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, the Nidry Street Vaults, and more. Due to the nature and topic of the tour, it’s only open to those who are over the age of five. It’s a bit of a larger tour with around thirty people, but it’s still small enough that you’ll be able to hear the tour guide.

Historically, this has been a very popular tour among those visiting Edinburgh for the first time. So, if you’ve never visited Edinburgh before, then this is a great tour to book to get a bit more acquainted with the city!

Final Thoughts: Ghost Tours in Edinburgh

This post was all about the best Edinburgh ghost tours, so hopefully, you found the perfect spooky tour to book for your next trip to Scotland. Don’t forget to save this post and share it later in case others want to book a tour too!