Edinburgh Underground City of the Dead Tour: Exploring Damnation Alley's Haunted Tunnels

Uncover the secrets of Edinburgh’s haunted underground city on this award-winning guided tour. Explore Damnation Alley’s haunted tunnels and hear chilling stories of the city’s dark past.

Duration: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • City of the Dead Tours - This tour ventures into the most haunted section of Edinburgh’s legendary Underground City, where a population once lived in utter misery. Black as Satan’s jammies, with a fascinating history to match, these vaults were forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed.

This part of the South Bridge Vaults is known as Damnation Alley. With good reason. These dark tunnels and are stalked by a malevolent presence known as the South Bridge Entity.

What's Included
  • Local, expert guide
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to/from attractions
Additional Information

Join us on this award-winning guided stroll through the spookiest section of the historical Underground City in Edinburgh, often referred to as ‘Damnation Alley’. For centuries, this place lay forgotten, once acting as a ‘home’ to men, women, and children subjected to unbearable living conditions.

Delve into the grim history of Edinburgh below its city streets, hearing tales about the actual occurrences and entities that might still reside there…

• A comprehensive 80-minute walk through Edinburgh’s subterranean city, supervised by a knowledgeable local guide.

• Options for participating in the tour during the day or at night.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

During peak periods throughout the year, tours may be displayed as SOLD OUT even when spaces might still be unoccupied, to prevent overbooking. If the tour you are interested in is listed as SOLD OUT, please reach out to us to check potential availability.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Language: English only
  • Age: Minimum 12
Location
St Giles' Cathedral
High Street
All tours leave from the "Tree of the Dead" outside St Giles Cathedral on the pavement facing the Royal Mile. Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(207 Ratings)
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B4007gtsamueln
Sep 24, 2024
Very interesting history and eerie personal experience in the vaults underground - We had an amazing time on the Underground tour at night, wasn't overly scary but the history we learnt was very interesting. As me and my cousin were in the last vault we kept hearing footsteps behind us and around the corner of one of the other vaults we had just came out of. Plus our tour guide Ben was hands down one of the best tour guides I've ever come across, he is very knowledgeable and friendly, this man deserves a raise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Madeinthegrave
Aug 11, 2024
I'm ready to go back already! - Beth was a WONDERFUL tour guide! I'm a big fan of history especially when it's of the macabre variety, and Beth delivered! The tour taught us some of the history and included some ghost stories! Very much enjoyed!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
228adindat
Jul 7, 2024
Very good! - We had a nice experience. The guide was very friendly. We learned a lot about the history of Edinburgh. Definitely recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Venture54736993612
Jul 7, 2024
Recommended! - This tour was very interesting and scary. Shout out to our amazing tour guide Fiona. She really made the stories come alive. Not for the faint of heart. A must if you want to learn about Edinburgh's forgotten history!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Splicerkitty
Jun 28, 2024
Great tour - Ben was an absolute star! Very informative and very funny. Lovely tour into the spooky underground vaults. Would absolutely recommend.
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237fernandaf
Jun 23, 2024
Very interesting and educational! - Interesting, curious and educational. The guide Fiona told me mastery and a lot of knowledge about history from the beginnings to the present day. I loved it! Super recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zequem2024
Jun 9, 2024
Amazing tour with Lafayette - Very funny experience with Lafayette. Our ghost guide who added humor and suspense to the entire story and historical data. Great way to get to know a little bit of the secrets of this beautiful city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johanne
Sep 2, 2024
Scary and educating - Great tour by Beth, who seemed very knowledgeable. Interesting to learn about the history of the vaults and supernatural encounters. Quite the spooky finish to the tour as well, which left us shaken.
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Gs-explorer
Oct 3, 2024
NOT RECOMMENDED - Essentially we paid £38 to see 4 cellar rooms underneath local pubs. In each room (which had no mood lighting, candles or dressing of any kind), we stood for 15 minutes listening to an unrelated historical story about Edinburgh. Each story was repetitive and peppered with casual swearing. Not offended, just got a bit unnecessary and boring. Very disappointing. Don't waste your money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O0etwilliamf
Jul 11, 2024
Terrible - not worth the money - The tour did no more than take you through several underground chambers that had nothing in them. You went in one door and came out another door only about 30 metres apart. For a total tour time of approximately 90 minutes no more than about 40 minutes was spent underground. It could hardly be considered a form of ghost tour. The guide told a number of stories some of which were really not of any great interest. Was far too melodramatic. Not worth the money at all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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