Edinburgh halloween 2023: Balmoral Concierge reveals 'most haunted' ghost tours in city centre

These are some of the most spooky experiences in the city. Not for the faint-hearted!

Edinburgh is rich in ancient secrets and terrifying mysteries. Few are better placed to give tips on the city's most haunted places to explore than expert and Chief Concierge at The Balmoral, David Musk. The iconic Edinburgh hotel first opened its doors in 1902, and is filled with over a century of stories.

Mr Musk has worked at the Balmoral, a Rocco Fort hotel, for more than thirteen years and is a proud owner of the Clef d’ors ‘keys to the city’, awarded to the best concierges in the world. Ahead of Halloween Mr Musk has shared his insights for the city’s best ghost tours, both above and below ground.

Underground City of the Dead

David Musk has unveiled terrifying and mysterious spots in city

During The Underground City of the Dead tour, guests can venture into the most haunted part of the underground city, where people once lived. Pitch black and filled with incredible history, these vaults were forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed. Underground City of the Dead is researched and written by the award winning novelist and historical author, Jan-Andrew Henderson. The story of this hidden metropolis is told in his book The Town Below the Ground.

Hidden & Haunted

During the Hidden and Haunted ghost tour, guests are taken on a dark and eerie journey through Old Town’s sinister wynds and closes before descending into the haunted Blair Street Underground Vaults. During the tour tales, which are described as not fit for the glare of daylight, will be told – perhaps what’s spookiest of all, is that these twisted tales of history are all true stories. The ghost tour begins above ground, before making its way along the city’s narrow cobble-stone streets where murders, misdeeds and mischief once took place before entering the haunted vaults buried beneath ground.

Fright Night Tour

The evening walking tour begins on the Royal Mile, where visitors are introduced to a costumed guide. The guide then reveals their identity which can be an unscrupulous surgeon or a misunderstood witch. Whatever their identity, they are filled with stories which will be told as visitors traverse the High Street, leaving behind the comforting streetlight to enter Greyfriars cemetery, one of the most haunted places in Edinburgh.

The Double Dead Tour

This tour ventures into the South Bridge Vaults and the Covenanter’s Prison in Greyfriars Graveyard, where the infamous Mackenzie Poltergeist lives. An encounter with the poltergeist is the highlight of the tour, with hundreds of people claiming to have been attacked by the entity. The MacKenzie Poltergeist is renowned as the best-documented supernatural case of all time, with it being the subject of books as well as television documentaries and newspaper articles.

Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour

The Extreme Paranormal Underground Ghost Tour was created for those who are extremely brave. During the tour, visitors will explore some of Edinburgh’s most haunted locations both above and underground. Begin by visiting old wynds which lead to one of the world’s most haunted graveyards, along the way ghost stories about terrifying tales of hangings, torture, murders and witches, will be told.

Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Walking Tour

The Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile takes guests on a journey through time, unveiling fascinating secrets behind the historic Old Town. Through stories told by the expert guides, guests can learn all about Edinburgh’s residents from past generations and historical figures, such as Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns.