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Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option
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Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option
Mercat Tours Historic Underground Vaults, Edinburgh
Mercat Tours Historic Underground Vaults, Edinburgh
Mercat Tours Historic Underground Vaults, Edinburgh
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From $12.61

$25.23  Save $12.62

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon1 hour 15 minutes  (Approx.)
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English

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Overview

Discover the Edinburgh Vaults—aka South Bridge Vaults—18th-century underground chambers that lie far below the city. On this underground walking tour with an entertaining and informative guide, hear tales of this dark and almost-forgotten place built below one of Edinburgh’s busiest thoroughfares. See evidence of excavated storage spaces, human habitation, taverns with wine vaults and more!
  • Edinburgh Old Town vaults walking tour
  • Historic afternoon walk through the underground vaults of South Bridge
  • Choice of two afternoon tour times
  • Professional local guide
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From $12.61

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Small group experience
Award-winning local storytellers
TourTalk radio receiver to enjoy immersive storytelling at safe distance
Exclusive access to Blair Street Underground Vaults
50% Discount until 18/2 as part of the VisitScotland Days Out Scheme

Departure Point

High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RF, UK

Mercat Cross, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RF. Look for the 8 sided monument with white Unicorn on top. You will find a member of our visitor services team waiting here to check you in. They will be dressed in black, holding an iPad, wearing an orange lanyard & holding a black & orange umbrella.

Return Details

28 Blair St, Edinburgh EH1 1QR, UK

Mercat Tours, 28 Blair Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QR. This tour ends after a visit to our Blair Street Underground Vaults.

Far below Edinburgh’s bustling city streets lie the Edinburgh Vaults—a series of dark chambers formed under the 19 arches of the South Bridge in the late 18th century. Set out on a walking tour of underground Edinburgh with a professional guide and learn about this subterranean expansion of historic Old Town.

As your guide sheds light on the fireplaces, wine vaults and artifacts in the excavated vaults, hear about the 100 or so businesses—including taverns and trades—that once thrived at the South Bridge and used the concealed space for their workshops and merchandise. 

Listen to haunting tales of Infirmary Street, the former site of Edinburgh's medical school, where it is said that the notorious duo, Burke and Hare, sold the bodies of their murdered victims. Search for signs of human habitation when city residents reportedly lived in, then vacated, the cavern-like vaults, and imagine life underground before you breathe fresh air again!
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Mercat Tours
Get exclusive access to the city’s oldest, deepest Blair Street Underground Vaults. Discover secrets & stories of Edinburgh’s underworld. See and touch 19th century artefacts. Visit our Discovery Room with 3D model & display.
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Duration: 45 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Mercat Cross
Tour meeting point.
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Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Royal Mile
Explore the closes and understand the buildings of the historic Old Town of Edinburgh, before descending into the Blair Street Underground Vaults
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Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Pass By:  
Edinburgh Old Town
See the sites of the Old Town as you walk towards the Blair Street Underground Vaults
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  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
  • Children over 5yrs only
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Tours are guaranteed all year round, so please dress for the weather, with comfortable shoes.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Mercat Tours
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option?
A:The policy on face masks and attendee health is:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
See all safety measures taken by Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:

  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
See all safety measures taken by Small Group Edinburgh Underground Vaults Historical Walk with Private Option.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "Really well organize Emma our guide really knows her stuff and keeps your engaged with it all, easy location to find starting point right on the royal mile" See review

Reviews

4.5
star-4.5
667 Reviews
5 stars
476
4 stars
125
3 stars
37
2 stars
18
1 star
11

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 667 reviews
star-5
We chose Mercat Tours...
Elliot_G
, Dec 2021
We chose Mercat Tours Historical Walk because of the reviews and it did not disappoint. The tour lasted 75 minutes, approx 20 mins above ground and 55 mins in the vaults themselves. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, engaging, friendly and certainly knew how to set a scene! We would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is in Edinburgh.
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star-4
Great history lesson
lesley_m
, Nov 2021
Fran was brilliant and very informative, wear flat comfy shoes, uneven ground in the vaults. Lots of standing around.
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star-4
Wow! Who’d have known??
Victoria_C
, Oct 2021
Wow! Truly unbelievable- literally. To think people lived down there. Scary times. Very interesting commentary - very passionate tour guide. Dark and bumpy - but that just added to the experience. Hard to picture what it was like. But so interesting. You’d never know they were there from the street. A hidden bridge!
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star-5
Fantastic tour
Sukhdev_G
, Oct 2021
Very good and very informative tour, but at the same time entertaining. The tour guide really helped paint a picture in your mind as she told us about the history of the tunnels under Edinburgh.
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star-5
Edinburgh surprise!!
Susan_C
, Oct 2021
This was brilliant and our guide was very informative about all the history of the place, (sorry can’t remember her name but it 2pm Wednesday 13th) she made it fun as well as serious. Would highly recommend
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star-5
Fascinating!
Jane_L
, Sep 2021
We had a wonderful experience with Fred who gave a fascinating overview of the vaults and life in Scotland. I would recommend to anyone.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Great experience in Edinburgh
Kate_B
, Sep 2021
Great tour with a knowledgeable and interesting guide. Lots of social history. Well worth an visit to see another side of Edinburgh.
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star-5
Interesting tour
John_M
, Sep 2021
Excellent tour by Simon - interesting throughout well done Lasted a little over an hour Would recommend
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star-4
Edinburgh’s Tunnels
Konrad_C
, Sep 2021
Simon was our guide, he was informative, amusing and easygoing. It was an interesting tour with a good snapshot of Edinburgh’s history.
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star-5
Walking Tour with vaults
Francis_M
, Aug 2021
We did a vaults day time tour In Edinburgh- the guide was very knowledgeable and brought to life how the vaults were used. Would recommend to others visiting Edinburgh
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