Edinburgh Old Town: Witches & Lost Close Tour

Uncover the stories of Scotland’s real-life witches on this captivating walking tour through Edinburgh’s Old Town. Explore underground vaults and learn about the injustices suffered by those accused of witchcraft.

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • St Giles’ Cathedral - Who was St. Giles… find out and more as you learn a bit of Scot’s history including Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox… and discover why it’s perfectly acceptable to spit on the floor in Parliament Sq.
  • Royal Mile - Look down the Royal Mile towards East Lothian and hear a tale of the North Berwick Witches.
  • **Lady…
What's Included
  • Access to the mysterious Vaults at The Lost Close
  • Engaging character guide for an immersive experience
  • Guided walking tour of hidden historical sites
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through Scotland’s intriguing and enigmatic history with this enthralling walking tour of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Guided by a charismatic character, this tour seamlessly combines history and storytelling for a truly memorable experience.
Discover the tales of Scotland’s alleged witches, delving into their lives, the accusations they…

Location
Caffè Nero
Meet outside Caffé Nero, 1 Parliament Square. Arrive 5-10 minutes early to check in for your tour. We are unable to provide refunds for no-shows. The start of the tour cannot be delayed due to operational reasons. If you anticipate running late, please contact us as soon as possible.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(591 Ratings)
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Gregmv3588ml
Oct 5, 2025
Informative and fun tour - We thoroughly enjoyed the tour with our guide Juniper. She was informative, entertaining, and fun. We highly recommend the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emogene_s
Oct 4, 2025
We had such a great time!... - We had such a great time! Angelica was our guide and she was so knowledgable and fun! Highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Viator
Marian6555
Oct 4, 2025
Fun and Informative - Our witch, Juniper, was entertaining but also very informative. I enjoyed learning about the history and also learning the stories of some of the witches of the past. Unfortunately the weather was horrendous but Juniper did a great job anyway. The visit to The Lost Close was an added bonus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amanda_k
Oct 3, 2025
Absolutely Amazing! - Juniper was our guide today and not only was she beyond knowledgeable, but an absolute delight! I'm from Massachusetts and very familiar with the witch history of Salem, and was able to be given more insight on that history through Juniper. The weather was a bit rough today with the storm, but I was so engaged and with Juniper and hanging on her every word, I barely noticed the hurricane like winds. What a truly great and insightful Tour. Thank you again Juniper!
Review provided by Viator
688debraa
Oct 3, 2025
Fun Tour and Knowledgeable Guide - Juniper is a charming and amusing guide and I enjoyed listening to her describe the history of witches in Scotland. Recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karin_a
Oct 2, 2025
Juniper did a wonderful... - Juniper did a wonderful job on our witches tour! She made us all feel very welcome, had seemingly endless knowledge and did a great job keeping us all together on the busy Royal Mile. She is very passionate about this tour and the history she provided. I would absolutely recommended this tour to my friends and family!
Review provided by Viator
Y1273tichloes
Oct 2, 2025
Passionate, powerful and moving experience - The Witches Tour was incredible, but Juniper made it truly unforgettable. Their passion, energy, and courage in telling the stories of those (85% women) who suffered during the witch trials was moving and powerful. Juniper gave these voices dignity and respect, and we left feeling inspired. If you get Juniper as your guide, you’re in for something very special!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephany_c
Sep 30, 2025
Best tour we had in Edinburgh! Juniper was lovely! - This was such an amazing tour! Juniper, our guide, was so knowledgeable but also funny - the time just flew by!
Review provided by Viator
Aabbate
Sep 30, 2025
Wonderful and informative peek behind the cauldron! - My husband and I are on holiday in Edinburgh and decided to take the Witch Tour with Juniper. It was completely magical and very fun. Juniper is a fantastic guide and imbued this troubling history with humor and insight. I have done ghost tours before and this one really stood out. Her manner is winning and she gave us some really interesting historical context with passion and purpose. We expected the city's rich witch history to be told with fun anecdotes but in the end we got to take a peek into both the horror of the atrocities and the strength and courage of some very brave women through out history. Although the focus of "witch hunts" primarily affected women, men were also targetted and her description, while always entertaining, gave a context that modern audiences should appreciate. There were children and adults in the group and she catered her talk to include and delight all ages. She was very very good. I will recommend this tour for anyone who wants to see "witches" as more than a fun Halloween costume. We should all take this tour and continue to advocate for people and especially for women, who are courageous enough to dare to be different.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Frances
Oct 5, 2025
Could not hear/understand the guide - Part of the problem was the wind. Part of the problem was the guide’s thick accent. Part of the problem was that my hearing isn’t as good as it once was (I’m 71). I could not understand a word the guide said. So me and another participant who also couldn’t understand the guide, skipped out after about 15 minutes. So it was a bust for me although the guide seemed very sweet
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $24
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).