What better place to delve into the world of the spooky and supernatural than the historic, captivating city of Edinburgh? Steeped in enough bloody history to satisfy the fancy of any paranormal enthusiast, the Scottish Capital offers visitors an array of entertaining and creepy ghost tours, allowing you to uncover its darker side.
Most of Edinburgh’s ghost tours take place within the soot covered, cobblestone alleys and crumbling undergrounds of the Old Town. Inspired by twisted characters, such as the notorious Burke and Hare and Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, plus its tragic history, including the Black Plague and infamous witch hunts, Edinburgh’s ghost tours are not for the faint hearted. Here is a selection of the best of Edinburgh’s ghost tours.
The Real Mary King’s Close is often cited as the best ghost tour in Edinburgh. Guided by a dark ‘character’ from the Close’s history, you are taken back in time, through a spooky subterranean labyrinth beneath the City Chambers. Here, in the 17th and 19th century, people lived, worked and died, until the area was sealed off for 250 years. As well as goose bumps and chills, this tour also provides a brilliant and historically accurate glimpse of Edinburgh life between the 16th and 19th centuries.
The City of the Dead Tours is another fascinating and hair-raising tour of Edinburgh’s spooky locations. Choose to tour the once forgotten, underground vaults, including Damnation Alley, or test your nerve with the haunted graveyard tour, which boasts the best-documented case of poltergeist activity ever studied.
If you are looking for a scare the whole family can enjoy, jump onboard the Edinburgh Dungeon. This dark tourist attraction gives a glimpse of the grizzly past of Edinburgh’s underbelly through the thrills and spills of themed rides and special effects. Whilst it might lack a little authenticity when compared to Edinburgh’s other ghostly attractions, it makes for a fun few hours.
Another of Edinburgh’s best ghost tours is run by Mercat Tours. The tours specialise in the works of witches and lost vaults underneath the city. Mercat tours also offer an overnight stay in the underground vaults for those thrill seekers who are really game.
If you are in search of paranormal activities and wicked ghost stories for your next city break, then Edinburgh is the city for you. As well as its spooky attractions, there are plenty of Edinburgh hotels in the city centre. A centrally-located hotel room will put you amidst the action and near the city's many excellent bars and restaurants. There are good transport links to Edinburgh from the rest of the UK and a whole host of intriguing historical and cultural attractions to fill a long weekend in the Scottish Capital.
Sean Burke writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
