The Real Mary King's Close

Book Real Mary King's Close tickets and get the full Edinburgh experience...

If you're looking for things to do in Edinburgh and want to  learn all about the city's dark history, we recommend a visit to The Real Mary King's Close:

• 1-hour guided tour of The Real Mary King’s Close
• Flexi admission ticket - tickets allow you to change the date and time of your booking up to 9.00am on the day of your visit
• Discover Mary King's Close, a den of streets kept as they were in the 1600s, with an eccentric, in-character guide
• Learn about the infamous plague doctors and hauntings, and take the chance to snap some atmospheric photos
• eTickets sent instantly by email and text

A labyrinth beneath Auld Reekie's streets

The poignant history, alluring myths, and horrific murder tales are what make The Real Mary King’s Close a remarkable attraction to explore. 

Lose yourself in the chilling events that took place within its warren of homes, streets, and passageways.

Nestled in the Old Town of Edinburgh, the dimly lit Close is named after a well-known businesswoman and single mother of the same name. At that time, Closes were only named after reputable citizens of the city, and never a woman – proof Mary was a big influence.

But this experience isn’t just for the history buffs. Whether you’re visiting on your own, as a family, or as a couple seeking a thrill-inducing adventure - the tales of 17th-century Edinburgh and the frightful Close are irresistible to all.

A ghoulish guide

There are some that still call Mary King’s Close their home; people of the past come to wander these pathways once again.  

They now have slightly different jobs, serving as your guides for the hour-long tour.

Will it be Agnes Chambers who greets you, the former maid of the merchant Alexander Cant? Or perhaps it’ll be poet and literary icon Robert Fergusson?

Whoever it is, they’ll tell you all about the mystery surrounding the Close’s origins, and the crippling hardships of living in the plague-riddled environment.

It won’t be long until warm candlelight catches your eye. Surrounding resident plague doctor, Joannes Paulitius, the flickering light illuminates his mysterious mask as he recalls the past.

The local ghost

There’s something indescribable about being surrounded by a once-forgotten part of the city.

This is most intensely felt when you hear the eerie tale of little Annie.

Although she’s never appeared in the history books, her presence was felt by a visiting psychic in the 1990s who was able to communicate with the little girl. She claimed Annie lost her doll, and after the psychic bought a new one for her, Annie was said to have finally found comfort.

You could also leave something for Annie – stop by the gift shop and pick up a brown bat finger puppet. It’d make great company for all the other toys left from visitors worldwide.

After all that exploring, we think a well-deserved cappuccino at the Royal Exchange Coffee House is deserved.

Packed with gripping stories and interesting characters, The Real Mary King’s Close is the perfect experience for those intrigued by the ghastly times of Edinburgh’s grizzly past.