Mercat Tours

Who they are

Mercat Tours has run guided walking tours of Edinburgh's old town since 1985. Its tours leave from the Mercat Cross, the market cross on the High Street. They are the only walking-tour company with access to the Blair Street vaults, 18th-century chambers under South Bridge, and they have a small museum there with objects found in them and an audiovisual.

What their tours are like

There are two families. The history ones, in the morning and afternoon, such as Historic Vaults, which walks through the old town and then goes down into the vaults, or Secrets of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, an introduction to the city with the option of entering the castle. The ghost ones, in the afternoon and evening, such as Haunted Underground, in the same vaults, or Evening of Ghosts & Ghouls, which ends with a whisky or a soft drink in a candlelit cellar.

The guides, whom they call Master Storytellers, speak through earpieces handed out at the start. The vault tours last 1 h 15 min and add up to between 650 and 900 steps, depending on the route. All are in English and admit children from age 5; the ghost tours tell of real crimes and warn that they do not stage scares.

Booking and prices

You book on their website by choosing a day and time. In November 2026, the two vault tours, Historic Vaults and Haunted Underground, cost £30 for adults, £27 concession and £24 for children; the Secrets of Edinburgh's Royal Mile walk, an hour and a half, £32, £29 and £26. Companions of people with disabilities go in free by calling +44 131 225 5445. If you book with them directly again, each previous ticket takes £2 off. For private groups, write to [email protected].