Edinburgh Underground, Ghost and Castle Tours Compared

For an underground and ghost tour of Edinburgh, four guided walking tours are listed on WizardTrip. Two explore the old town and its vaults; two lead to the castle with an entry ticket. They have between 5,895 and 10,989 reviews, with ratings from 4.6 to 4.9 out of 5 (as of 18 October 2026).

All last between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes. They differ in what they show: the underground and a cemetery, a witchcraft temple, or the castle grounds. Here are their meeting points, accessibility, minimum age and reviews, then which to choose.

Edinburgh underground and ghost tours: what to know

All four tours start from a fixed meeting point. Three begin on the Royal Mile; the ghost tour listing gives only the Old Police Box, in front of a Starbucks. All four listings provide a full refund for a cancellation made 24 hours before departure.

The evening ghost tour: alleys, cemetery and vaults

The underground ghost tour is the most reviewed listing in the selection: 10,989 reviews, for a rating of 4.6 out of 5. It lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, in the evening, with 28 participants at most. The guide plays a real figure from Scottish history.

The meeting point is the Old Police Box, in front of a Starbucks; arrive 10 minutes early. The route follows the alleys of the old town, passes through Greyfriars Kirkyard, then descends into the South Bridge vaults.

The stories announced cover hauntings, murders, executions and cannibalism. The 6:45 pm tour is presented as family-friendly. It runs in all weather, with no cancellation for lack of participants. The fitness level required is moderate.

Michael finds in September 2026 that the group is too large for the cramped spaces: “a group half the size would be ideal”. A 2-out-of-5 review describes an underground section limited to one alley and a few rooms. It laments the jump scares and gimmicks.

The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour4.6(10,989 reviews)From €23From€23View activity

The candlelit vaults tour, with a stone circle

The guided tour of the underground vaults is shorter, 1 hour, and focused on the underground. It gets 4.7 out of 5 from 9,540 reviews, with 36 participants at most. The guide is in costume.

The meeting point is the red telephone box and tourist information office at 300 Lawnmarket, opposite Deacon Brodie’s Tavern. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early: the tour leaves on time.

According to the listing, the vaults extend beneath nineteen stone arches of South Bridge. The program includes four places:

• Niddry’s Wynd: a candlelit street, missing from modern maps.
• The witchcraft temple: recently used by a coven, with its former sanctuary.
• The stone circle: the listing advises listening to the guide before entering.
• The Haunted Vault: the site of most reported sightings.

Access requires stepping over a threshold 60 cm high, then a spiral staircase. Staircases of 5 to 7 steps link the levels. The listing warns that the terrain can be difficult for people with reduced mobility. There is no luggage storage and no toilets during the tour.

The tour is not recommended for children under 5 and banned for children under 2. Some content may be disturbing: torture, hangings, death. Alcohol and drugs are prohibited.

A September 2026 review mentions a group of only four people. Another, at 4 out of 5, finds the pace fast and suggests the evening slot. A 1-out-of-5 review faults the guide’s welcome.

Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town4.7(9,541 reviews)From €29From€29View activity

Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle, leaving from Advocates Close

The guided walking tour of the castle with entry ticket lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, for 30 participants at most. It is rated 4.8 out of 5 from 6,925 reviews. It is the only one of the four to offer a guide in French, in addition to German, English, Italian and Spanish.

The meeting point is in front of the Advocates Close entrance, opposite St. Giles’ Cathedral. Look for the black umbrella with a yellow logo. The tour ends inside the castle.

The castle entry ticket is included. The guide cannot enter the buildings: the guided part takes place outdoors, on the castle grounds. The listing announces 1 hour 10 minutes for this part and mentions the Royal Palace and the 16th-century Great Hall.

Afterward, you explore the buildings on your own (museums, Royal Palace, prisons) until closing time. According to the listing, the castle has three museums, two prisons, a dogs’ cemetery and St. Margaret’s Chapel.

In rain, the tour stays outdoors. Infants and young children are accepted in strollers. Departures in Spanish take place every day at 10 am and 1:30 pm, those in German on Thursdays and Saturdays. The listing does not detail the French departures.

A September 2026 review warns of many climbs and descents on steep slopes and cobblestones. A 1-out-of-5 review reports a missed tour because of roads closed for a marathon.

Edinburgh Castle: Guided Walking Tour with Entry Ticket4.8(6,925 reviews)From €50From€50View activity

Castle tour with skip-the-line access: leaving from the Royal Mile

The guided castle tour with entry tickets has the best rating in the selection: 4.9 out of 5 from 5,895 reviews. It is the only listing to mention skip-the-line access, because the organizer collects the tickets in advance. It lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, with a guide in English or Spanish.

The departure is not at the castle. The meeting point is at 192 High Street, in front of the Café Nero, near the statue of Adam Smith, on the Royal Mile. Staff hold green and white umbrellas with the Little Fish logo.

The listing announces 3,000 years of the castle’s history. The guide does not go into the buildings, which you then visit on your own. The ground is uneven and sometimes steep, because the castle is built on the core of an ancient volcano. You must stay standing throughout the tour.

Children aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. If you are late, call or message on WhatsApp between 9 am and 5:15 pm, UK time. People with reduced mobility may not fully enjoy it.

Dawn warns in September 2026: “The wind at the top of the hill can be relentless”. A 3-out-of-5 review reports a castle closed on the day of the tour, seen through the gates. Check the opening days before booking.

Edinburgh Castle Guided Walking Tour - Entry Tickets Included4.9(5,898 reviews)From €47From€47View activity

The four tours compared

Children, rain, mobility: what the listings say

The ghost tour excludes children under 5, but presents its 6:45 pm slot as family-friendly. The vaults are not recommended for children under 5 and deal with torture. At the castle, one listing accepts strollers; the other requires an adult up to age 15.

In rain, the ghost tour runs in all weather. At the castle, both tours stay outdoors. The vaults listing says nothing about the weather.

On mobility, the vaults require stepping over a 60 cm threshold, then a spiral staircase. The castle is built on uneven, steep ground.

Which one to choose?

• You want an evening outing with Greyfriars cemetery, from age 5: the ghost tour.
• You want to see the vaults in detail, in 1 hour: the candlelit vaults tour.
• You want a French-speaking guide at the castle: the guided walking tour with entry ticket.
• You want skip-the-line access and the highest rating: the castle tour with skip-the-line.
• You have a stroller: the castle tour leaving from Advocates Close accepts infants.

Edinburgh’s tours and excursions are gathered on the page Things to do in Edinburgh. For the rest of the country, see the page Scotland.