Guided tour

Edinburgh: Real Mary King's Close Guided Tour

4.6  / 52483 reviews
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Guided tour
Edinburgh: Real Mary King's Close Guided Tour
4.6  / 52483 reviews
Likely to sell out

Explore Edinburgh’s hidden history beneath the Royal Mile on a fully-guided tour of the Real Mary King's Close. Discover what it was like for the people who lived, worked, and died on the Close.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Duration 1 hour
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights

  • Discover Edinburgh's only preserved 17th-century street
  • Follow former residents and uncover their real stories
  • Experience over 400 years of history
  • Enjoy a 1-hour fully guided tour
  • Go on a tour that is voted Scotland's Best Heritage Experience

Full description

Step down into Edinburgh’s hidden history at The Real Mary King’s Close, voted Scotland’s Best Heritage Tourism Experience. Discover over 400 years of history and learn about the intriguing stories of Edinburgh’s past residents.  From the deadly plague epidemic to a famous royal visitor, there is a myriad of tales just waiting to be told. Journey through time and find out why the Close, once open to the skies and bustling with trade, came to be underground.  An experience rooted in social history, this 1-hour character-guided tour also includes an immersive walk-through of the city’s uniquely preserved streets and spaces, all located underneath Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. Expect a truly unique glimpse into the city’s past. 

Includes

  • Entrance fee to the Real Mary King's Close
  • Food and drinks
  • Photographs

Not suitable for

  • Children under 5 years
  • People with claustrophobia
  • Wheelchair users

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

2 Warriston's Close, Royal Mile, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PG.

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Important information

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Cameras
  • Smoking
  • Intoxication
  • Unaccompanied minors

Know before you go

  • For health and safety reasons, children under 5 years old cannot be admitted. Children under 16 years old should be accompanied by an adult
  • The Real Mary King's Close is unsuitable for wheelchair access
  • Due to uneven surfaces and some steep inclines, sturdy footwear is recommended
  • There are 58 steps to climb down and 38 to climb up as part of the tour
  • Many areas are dimly lit, and some visitors may experience disorientation or claustrophobia
  • Due to the site’s underground nature, visitors with asthma are advised to bring any medication/inhalers
  • Visitors under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted
  • Tour guides are equipped with a radio, so any visitor needing to leave may do so under escort from the duty manager
  • No photography is permitted during the tour

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.6 /5

based on 2483 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.7/5
  • Value for money
    4.4/5
  • Service
    4.5/5
  • Organization
    4.5/5

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By star rating

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D
Dawn – United StatesOctober 10, 2024  – Verified booking
Sam was a wonderful guide, very informative and loved his character. A great tour of the history in Edinburgh
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A
Aoife – IrelandOctober 10, 2024  – Verified booking
one of the best tours and attractions I've been too. Our guide, Sam, was amazing, he really didn't miss a thing and was so entertaining. would highly recommend for anyone!
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E
Eibhlin – IrelandOctober 8, 2024  – Verified booking
It was a very interesting and informative tour. Alex was a great tour guide & was great fun! However, the display screen to view our photo at the end was broken. I would have loved to have seen it & maybe bought it.
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Product ID: 76378

Activity provider:The Real Mary King's Close

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