The 9 Best Cemetery Tours in Edinburgh
Do you love graveyards? Why not take one of the best cemetery tours in Edinburgh to fuel your love of exploring Gothic tombstones that line several of Edinburgh’s most historic cemeteries?
Edinburgh is known for its incredible architecture and history, cobblestone streets, gorgeous cemeteries, and graveyards.
From the dark history of an open-air prison in a graveyard to the haunting poltergeist that taunts visitors as they walk among tombstones, Edinburgh’s historic cemeteries have it all.
Edinburgh is perfect for taphophiles and tombstone tourists, with graveyards dating back hundreds of years. Full of people who made Edinburgh what it is today.
If you are interested in Edinburgh’s history, a taphophile and tombstone tourist, or just want to learn more about the Scottish capital’s historic graveyards, then I highly recommend taking a graveyard tour in Edinburgh.
I have taken every cemetery tour in Edinburgh and gathered the best cemetery tours for you to choose from.
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The 9 Best Cemetery Tours in Edinburgh
1. Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour
Looking for one of the best cemetery tours in Edinburgh? Head to Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh’s most famous graveyard, on the Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour.
The tour visits Edinburgh’s haunted Niddry Street vaults and Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you will hear about the loyal dog Greyfriars Bobby, the “grave robbing” duo Burke and Hare, and the terrifying George Mackenzie.
Not only is this one of the best cemetery tours in Edinburgh, but it is also one of the best vault tours in Edinburgh too, so it is like a two-for-one deal! The tour takes you through Edinburgh’s stunningly beautiful, historic graveyard, where you will pass Gothic mausoleums.
You will learn about its grim history, notable burials, body snatchers and the horrors of the Covenanters Prison as you wander through the macabre setting of an over 400-year-old cemetery.
Book here: Edinburgh: Haunted Underground Vaults and Graveyard Tour
2. Edinburgh Darkside Ghost Tour of Mysteries and Murder and Legends
Visit the Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard on a cemetery (and more) tour with the Edinburgh Darkside Ghost Tour of Mysteries and Murder and Legends. This is more than a cemetery tour as it also takes you through Edinburgh’s Old Town and Calton Hill.
You’ll explore either the Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard, and you will hear about Edinburgh’s grisly history. Stories include the horrific history of Scotland’s Witch History, vampire folklore and the truth behind Edinburgh’s body-snatching history.
The tour visits the Old Calton Burial Ground, one of Edinburgh’s most chilling cemeteries. See the imposing mausoleum marking the final resting place of David Hume, who is said to have made a deal with the devil, and perhaps hear about the infamous body snatchers Burke and Hare.
The other graveyard that the tour sometimes visits is the Canongate Kirkyard. This cemetery dates back to the 17th century and has some pretty gruesome stories tied to its history. It’s also the burial place of several of Edinburgh’s most influential people, including the poet Robert Fergusson.
The tour is loads of walking, so be prepared! It is also perfect for people interested in real history rather than theatrics. The tour guide, Alasdair, is funny and knowledgeable, blending humour with historical accuracy while keeping you engaged throughout.
Book here: Edinburgh Darkside Ghost Tour of Mysteries and Murder and Legends
3. Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders
Wander through the same alleys and closes as the people who lived in 17th-century Edinburgh on the Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders Tour. One of Edinburgh’s best cemetery tours, it takes you through Old Calton Cemetery and Canongate Kirkyard. You will hear the macabre history of how people lived, died and were buried during the Black Death.
As you wander through Edinburgh’s historic graveyards, you will learn about the 19th-century black market, where corpses were sold off under the cover of darkness. Expect tales of witches, fairies, serial killers and corpses that mysteriously went missing.
The tour was incredible, and the tour guide was knowledgeable and engaging.
Book here: Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders
4. City of the Dead: The Double Dead Tour
Why settle for one spooky spot when you can have two? If you’re after the best cemetery tours in Edinburgh, the City of the Dead: The Double Dead Tour delivers a graveyard and a vault tour all in one!
First, you’ll head down into the South Bridge Vaults. You will learn the vaults’ history, as their hidden arches were meant for shops and workshops. However, the dampness and cold from the rainy Scottish weather made them unbearable, so people experiencing poverty moved in instead.
Then the tour heads to Greyfriars Kirkyard, which contains the Covenanters’ Prison, accessible only on tour!
The guide mixes horror with humour, and the tour groups are always small, so nobody gets lost in the dark.
Book here: City of the Dead: The Double Dead Tour
5. Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour
Visit the Blair Street Underground Vaults and the Canongate Graveyard with Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour.
This tour is one of the best cemetery tours in Edinburgh, descending below the city streets into the Blair Street Underground Vaults. You will hear about the creepy history and ghosts that hide in the vaults’ chilling darkness and shadows.
Then you will be guided to Canongate Graveyard. You will visit the final resting place of well-known historical figures in Edinburgh’s history. You’ll learn about Adam Smith and David Rizzio, and the history of the “cannibal of the Canongate”.
This is an adult-only tour and one of the best ghost tours in Edinburgh. So, if you want to hear all about the darker side of Edinburgh’s history without children tagging along. I highly recommend this tour.
Book here: Edinburgh: Underground Vaults & Graveyard Evening Tour
6. Edinburgh: Dark History – Royal Mile Walking Tour
Stroll through Old Town and the Canongate Graveyard and learn about all the ghost tours tied to the graveyard on one of the best cemeteries in Edinburgh – The Dark History – Royal Mile Walking Tour.
The stories told on the Dark History Tour include the history of the Royal Mile. You will learn about its most famous figures, including the real Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, who was said to help improve the gallows that hanged him in 1788.
Tour guide Mike is charismatic, funny and knows his Scottish history. Other tales you will hear include the plague and Scottish witch history.
And learn why human waste used to run rampant through Edinburgh’s streets and ever heard the phrase “gardyloo!”? On this tour, you’ll learn what the warning means.
This is not a ghost tour. So, if you are looking for a graveyard and history tour without all the haunted history, I highly recommend the Dark History Royal Mile Walking Tour!
Book here: Edinburgh: Dark History – Royal Mile Walking Tour
7. City of the Dead Haunted Graveyard Tour
If you want to step inside the terrifying Covenanter’s Prison in Greyfriars Kirkyard, I recommend the City of the Dead Haunted Graveyard Tour. City of the Dead is the only tour company in Edinburgh with keys to the once-brutal prison, so it’s the only way to enter.
On this tour, you will hear about the supernatural and infamous Mackenzie Poltergeist, known to touch ghost tour guests! He was nicknamed “Bloody Mackenzie” for how he treated the Covenanters. The guided tour takes you through Edinburgh’s historic closes, covering the dark history with a bit of humour before heading to Greyfriars Kirkyard.
According to the ghost tour company, they have recorded over 900 attacks by the Mackenzie Poltergeist on their tours alone since someone broke into his grave in 1998.
So, not only is the tour fantastic, but the tour guides are great storytellers. You may leave with a few scratches from a poltergeist!
Book here: City of the Dead Haunted Graveyard Tour
8. Edinburgh: Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour
If you want a tour of Greyfriars Kirkyard that goes beyond the most well-known people and stories, I recommend the Edinburgh: Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour.
Your guide will take you to the graves of lesser-known individuals buried in the well-known Greyfriars Kirkyard. You will hear tales about people like the mysterious Miss Cathcart. You will also visit the grave of one of Edinburgh’s best-selling authors.
Your guide will decode the skulls, hourglasses and other cemetery symbolism on these historic tombs. So, if you want to learn about the carvings and inscriptions on historic tombstones and gravestones, this tour is perfect for you.
The tour also takes you to several burial sites that inspired characters from Harry Potter, and you will learn all about the famous dog, Greyfriars Bobby. The tour group stays small, so you will get a nice intimate tour where you can take in everything you haven’t heard about Greyfriars.
Book here: Edinburgh: Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour
9. Private Greyfriars Kirkyard History Tour
Are you considering going on a graveyard tour in Edinburgh but prefer to have the tour guide all to yourself? I recommend the Private Greyfriars Kirkyard History Tour.
The tour takes you through Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you will learn about the people buried below. Tour guide Robert is incredibly passionate about Greyfriars Kirkyard history and is captivating, adding humour to his storytelling.
The tour takes place in Greyfriars Kirkyard. So, it is perfect for anyone looking for a cemetery tour with less walking than other cemetery tours, as others include walking around Old Town or down into the vaults.
Book here: Private Greyfriars Kirkyard History Tour
Do you want to visit any other graveyards, burial grounds and cemeteries around Edinburgh? I wrote a post about the historic cemeteries in Edinburgh. Check it out and see them all!