Spooky things to do in Edinburgh

A view of Edinburgh Castle from below. There are terraced buildings in the foreground.

With its cobbled streets, old buildings, dark history and eerie underground vaults, Edinburgh is one of the spookiest cities to visit. From ghost tours to haunted castles, here’s your guide to the best spooky things to do in Edinburgh during Halloween. Read on, if you dare!

Spooky tours
City of the Dead Tours: Join the Haunted Graveyard Tour to explore the iconic Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you might encounter the infamous Mackenzie Poltergeist at his mausoleum. Visitors have reported fainting spells and mysterious bruises appearing without explanation.
Mercat Tours: Descend beneath the city with the Haunted Underground experience, where you’ll uncover one of Edinburgh’s most haunted vaults. Listen as your cloaked guide shares chilling tales of murder, torture, and restless spirits.
The Ghost Bus Tour: Hop aboard and explore Edinburgh’s historic streets, taking in iconic sights such as the Grassmarket, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mile, and the Old Town. Along the way, uncover the haunted past of some of the city’s most famous locations.

Greyfriar's Kirk in Edinburgh. It is night time but the church is lit up.

Dark History
Discover Edinburgh’s dark history and its characters.
Burke and Hare: Learn about the infamous body snatchers who murdered over 16 people and sold the bodies to the medical school. Visit Edinburgh’s Surgeon’s Hall Museum for more on this gruesome duo. 
The Real Mary King’s Close: Discover over 400 years of history with a guided tour, leading you through underground streets as you hear gripping tales of plague and murder. You may even meet Annie, a ghostly child said to haunt the close. 
The Edinburgh Dungeon: An unforgettable interactive experience for a bit of scary fun. Visit and uncover the city’s gruesome past. Step into a reimagined Dr. Knox’s Anatomy Theatre to see what life was like for a 19th-century medical student, face judgment in a 17th-century style courtroom, and enter the Torture Chamber to discover the torturer’s favourite tools.

The Real Mary King's Close in Edinburgh, it is a preserved underground town with streets and rooms. There is washing lines with clothes hanging off them.

Fun family activities 
Join in the many spook-tacular, family-friendly Halloween events happening across Edinburgh.
Dalkeith Country Park: Halloween Happenings is set to be a frightfully good experience with the Restoration Yard’s Wicked Cookie & Craft Workshops or follow the maze through the Spooky Wood at Fort Douglas.
Camera Obscura & World of Illusions: Enjoy spooky decorations, projections and photo ops. Take part in their Halloween Hunt where you can try to spot their mascot, Dizzy, who will be dressed as different spooky Halloween characters and hiding throughout the tour route.
Dynamic Earth: Follow the Monsters and Myths trail to discover the legendary creatures that inspired tales of unicorns, vampires, and the Loch Ness Monster.

At Camera Obscura world of Illusions in Edinburgh. There is an optical illusion of a head on a table.

Film screenings
Silent Screen Scotland: The Institut français d’Écosse is hosting a candlelit screening of Nosferatu accompanied by live score.
Usher Hall: Experience the beloved 1980s film Ghostbusters with a live score preformed by Scotland’s National Orchestra.
Filmhouse: Their programme of horror classics such as Don’t Look Now, The Host and Nosferatu, is sure to be a hit with horror film buffs.

Make sure to check out our other blogs, such as Things to do in Leith, What to do on a rainy day in Edinburgh and Autumnal things to do in Edinburgh, if you're looking for more ideas for things to do throughout the year. 


Image copyright: 
Samantha Sheppard
VisitScotland/Kenny Lam
The Real Mary King's Close
Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

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