Mercat Tours
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
A guided walk down into Edinburgh's old underground vaults, mixing real history with a few deliberate ghost-story chills.
This is a walking tour that takes you off the Royal Mile and down into the Blair Street Underground Vaults, the old storage chambers built into the city's bridges. You start at the Mercat Cross and get led through the Old Town's history before heading underground, where the guides lean into the haunted reputation of the place for the ghost tour version. It's a proper story-telling tour rather than a hands-on museum, so it suits kids who can stand still and listen for a while rather than ones who need something to climb on.
Nobody under 5 gets in, no exceptions, which the site is quite firm about for health and safety reasons. That's worth knowing if you've got a mixed-age group and were hoping to bring a younger sibling along for the ride. There's no storage for luggage or prams either.
Tickets are limited to keep the groups small, which is nice for the experience but means booking ahead is the sensible move rather than turning up and hoping. Turn up more than 15 minutes late and you won't get in at all, they're strict on that because it disrupts everyone else. The vaults themselves stay warm and still all year round.
Parking near the start point is on-street on Blair Street, and there are only about 10 spaces, so don't bank on driving right up. The vaults aren't wheelchair accessible, though there's an audio-visual display in the Vaults Museum built with no stairs for anyone who needs that instead.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 and up, kids who'll happily listen to ghost stories and history
- Booking
- Book in advance for best price
- Parking
- Pay and display on-street on Blair Street, approximately 10 spaces, Ringo/phone/mobile app payment
- Wheelchairs
- Blair Street Underground Vaults not wheelchair accessible
- Dogs
- Registered guide dogs (for blind, hearing, medical detection) only
- Worth knowing
- Returning visitors receive £2 off next booking per previously purchased ticket
- Book ahead if you can, groups are kept small and tickets do sell out
- Cancel or transfer up to 24 hours before for a full refund, after that it's non-refundable
- Only registered guide, hearing or medical detection dogs are allowed, not emotional support animals
- Toilets are at the Blair Street premises but there's a step to access them
- Book eight or more tickets by phone or email rather than online
Plan your visit
How old do kids need to be?
Five is the minimum, no exceptions, even for a few minutes of the tour.
Do we need to book in advance?
Booking ahead gets you the best price and guarantees a spot, since group sizes are kept small. You might get a walk-up ticket at the Mercat Cross with card payment, but only if there's availability.
What if we're running late?
A few minutes late is fine, the team at the Mercat Cross will help you catch up. More than 15 minutes and you'll miss too much to join.
Is there parking nearby?
Pay and display on Blair Street, but there are only around 10 spaces, so it's not guaranteed.
Can we bring a pram or leave luggage somewhere?
No storage on site for prams, luggage or anything large, so you're carrying it all round the vaults.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs?
The Blair Street Underground Vaults themselves aren't wheelchair accessible. The Vaults Museum has an audio-visual display designed with no stairs, and carers get complimentary tickets.
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