CATEGORY · RAINY DAY APPROVED
Caves, Mines & Underground in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's underground streak is old vaults and ghost stories more than caverns. Mercat Tours takes you into the city's underground vaults for ages 5 and up, mixing real history with a few deliberate chills, while Auld Reekie Tours does a torch-lit version with a torture exhibition, fine for kids from age 2 who can cope with the dark. For something less spooky and more industrial, National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange lets former miners take you down into a real ex-colliery from £3.85. For younger children, Auld Reekie's low age limit and Mercat's daytime feel work better than The Edinburgh Dungeon, which is built for ages 8 to 15 and its live actors. Teenagers and adults have more choice: City Of The Dead Tours (12+) for graveyard ghost walks, or a longer trip out to Kirkcaldy for Wemyss Caves, a free guided walk to Pictish carvings and Macduff Castle ruins. If budget matters, St Margarets Cave in Dunfermline is a free guided tour, though it only runs on fixed slots across summer.
10 places 2 free to visit
from £20Auld Reekie Tours
Edinburgh · ages 2+
Torch-lit walks through Edinburgh's sealed-up underground vaults, with a torture exhibition and ghost stories for kids old enough to handle the dark.
Booking required
from £22Barnton Bunker
Edinburgh
A guided walk through a real Cold War nuclear bunker and the WWII RAF base above it, steep steps and all.
Toilets
City Of The Dead Tours
Edinburgh · ages 12+
Guided ghost walks through Edinburgh's graveyards, ending with the Mackenzie Poltergeist stories that give the place its reputation.
Mercat Tours
Edinburgh · ages 5+
A guided walk down into Edinburgh's old underground vaults, mixing real history with a few deliberate ghost-story chills.
Booking requiredGift shopGroup bookingsParking+1 more
from £3.85National Mining Museum Scotland
Newtongrange
A real ex-colliery where former miners take you down into the pit's history, with an audio option too.
Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+13 more
FreeSt Margarets Cave
Dunfermline
A free guided tour down into the underground cave where legend says Margaret used to pray, on fixed slots across the summer.
Booking requiredCaféParking
The Caves
Edinburgh
An underground vault space hosting live music and comedy nights beneath Edinburgh's streets.
Group bookingsFood on siteParty rooms
from £7.50The Edinburgh Dungeon
Edinburgh · ages 8-15
Live actors march you through 75 minutes of Edinburgh's grislier history, from courtroom trials to Burke and Hare.
Accessible toiletBooking requiredCard onlyGift shop+3 more
from £25The Scotch Whisky Experience
Edinburgh
A whisky tour and tasting experience in the Old Town, more suited to curious teens than young kids.
Dog friendlyGift shopRestaurantWheelchair accessible
FreeWemyss Caves
Kirkcaldy
A guided walk into sea caves to see Pictish carvings over a thousand years old, plus the ruins of Macduff Castle.
Booking required
Good to know: caves, mines & underground in Edinburgh
Are any of them free?
Yes, St Margarets Cave and Wemyss Caves are free to visit.
What does a paid visit cost?
Paid entry starts from £3.85 at National Mining Museum Scotland. Prices, ages and facilities are listed on every place page, taken from each venue's own published price list.
Whereabouts are they?
You'll find caves, mines & underground in Edinburgh, Newtongrange, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. Every place we list is in or around Edinburgh, and each listing has the full address and directions.
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