Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tour

The South Bridge Vaults

When the South Bridge opened in 1788 to carry traffic over the deep Cowgate valley, its 19 stone arches were enclosed and divided into dozens of vaulted chambers. At first they were workshops and stores for the traders in the shops on the bridge above, including cobblers, cutlers and cloth merchants.

The sandstone was porous, though, and the vaults soon became damp and airless, so businesses moved out. An Edinburgh vaults tour takes you through these low, candle-lit rooms, where you can still see the original stonework and drainage. Is the Edinburgh vaults tour worth it? For anyone interested in the hidden side of the city, it is one of the most atmospheric experiences in Scotland.

Life, Legends and Ghosts in the Vaults

By the early 19th century the abandoned vaults had become shelter for Edinburgh's poorest residents, with families living in total darkness in rooms without water or sanitation. Over time the vaults were filled in with rubble and forgotten, and were only rediscovered and excavated in the 1980s.

Since then the vaults have gained a reputation as one of the most haunted places in Britain, and several paranormal investigations have been held here. Our guide mixes documented history with the stories told about particular rooms, leaving you to decide what to believe. The chambers are dim and cool all year, so bring a warm layer.

The Torture Exhibition (Evening Tour)

The default evening tour includes entry to a Torture Exhibition, which presents the instruments and punishments used in Scotland and across Europe in earlier centuries. It explains how the justice system of the past worked, from public shaming to the trials of people accused of witchcraft, which were especially common in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Because of its graphic content, the evening tour is not suitable for children under 12. If you are travelling with younger children, choose the daytime vaults tour, which focuses on the history of the vaults without the exhibition. The evening departures give the underground chambers an extra sense of atmosphere.

Edinburgh's Old Town and the Royal Mile

The vaults lie in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, which, together with the Georgian New Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Squeezed along a ridge between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the medieval town could only grow upwards and downwards, creating tall tenements, narrow closes and hidden spaces like these vaults.

The meeting point is a short walk from the Royal Mile, so the tour is easy to combine with a visit to Edinburgh Castle, St Giles' Cathedral or the Grassmarket. The best time to visit Edinburgh's Old Town is early morning or evening, outside the busiest hours, especially during the summer festival season in August.