Why 'Auld Reekie' - This is the Victorian nick name for the city of Edinburgh. It translates as 'old smoky' or 'old smelly' and was used by locals and those who travelled to Edinburgh to describe the city.

Back in the industrial revolution Edinburgh was clogged with smoke and fumes from the steam engines rolling in and out of Waverley Station. The air would have been heavy with smog and clung to local buildings causing them to discolour. Towards the end of the industrial revolution the overall appearance of grand Edinburgh would have been slighted by pollution.

The fermenting slums of the old town also left a mark on the landscape and whispers of body snatchers raiding the graves of the recently deceased filled the lantern lit air. Our guides will take you on a journey through these exact streets and slums where you will hear all about life in old Edinburgh. For these reasons we believe that the name Auld Reekie's best suits our tours and their content.

We have been operating tours within the South Bridge vaults since 1995. Many a guide has come and gone and many have left with more than one story about the strange goings on in the underground. Our tours all begin at the Tron Kirk, located on the Royal Mile, in the centre of the city. From here your guide will collect you, introduce themselves and begin the tour from this historic place.

You may well just be visiting the underground section on one of our day tours. If so you shall experience the haunted vaults and torture museum. If you are participating in one of our evening tours you will experience old Edinburgh from both above and below ground.

Above ground you will walk around the streets of the old town hearing tales of witches' persecution, body snatching and local superstition. Then you will be walked into the vaults where the tales will continue. Once you have viewed our torture museum you will then be taken to your final stop - Nicol Edwards pub, reputed to be the most haunted in Scotland!

One of the stops on the tour is our torture museum. This has been added because our boss had loads of ancient torture instruments in storage (I've never asked why) and wanted to display them. The instruments were originally used in Nuremberg and Bamberg castles in Germany way back in the 1600's. Now they are on display in our torture museum for your viewing pleasure. Surprisingly this is a very popular stop on the tour and your guide will enlighten you to their various uses!

Our tours are designed to entertain! All our tours deal with the sinister aspects of Edinburgh's past. The vaults where we conduct our tours are located within the South Bridge, built in the mid 1700's. Once opened, these vaults soon fell into disuse due to damp and poor conditions. The wealthy merchants who once used them for storage soon moved out and the poor and disadvantaged moved in, making use of the cheap rent. They were not alone. Soon the conditions deteriorated and the place became a hive of criminal activity. People succumbed to the harsh conditions, disease and worse!

To help you understand this vivid history we imply a team of highly trained actors who will guide you through your tour. Each guide has their own unique personality, delivering their tour in their own specific manner. Some are sinister, some dominate yet all are terrified of the South Bridge Poltergeist. If you ask nicely they will more than happily tell you their personal tales about his antics. To find out more about our guides, please visit their dedicated page on this site.

Be Warned!! The vaults are dark and often damp. Also, the South Bridge Poltergeist has been known to attack. People genuinely experience health problems and stress within the haunted vault. You enter at your own risk.