Real Mary King’s Close After Dark

After-hours in a sealed 17th-century street beneath the Royal Mile.

A genuine 17th-century Royal Mile street — tenements, shops and homes — preserved beneath Edinburgh’s City Chambers when the upper storeys were demolished in 1753 and sealed for around 250 years. Named for cloth merchant Mary King, it reopened in 2003 and is voted Scotland’s Best Heritage Tourism Experience, with the plague-doctor stories and the legend of ‘Wee Annie’.

We hire the close for three evenings after normal hours. A twilight family tour, a lantern-led standard evening, and a Premium experience that weaves the real stories into one extended after-dark visit. The VIP Out-of-Hours evening on Halloween goes deeper still. This is a historical experience told with atmosphere and care — not a jump-scare attraction.

What’s included

Twilight Family Tour in early evening. Lantern-Led Standard after hours. Premium extends the visit with the fuller story cycle. VIP Out-of-Hours (31 Oct) adds an exclusive small-group late session.

Dates & times

Sat 24, Thu 29 & Sat 31 October 2026. Gates open in the early evening; standard close around 10:30pm. Exact tier timings are shown at checkout and on your ticket.

Where

2 Warriston’s Close, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PG. Please allow extra travel time — several of our venues are rural, with limited public transport.

Good to know

• Age policy varies by tier (see each ticket option). Photo ID may be requested for age-restricted tiers.
• These are genuine historic buildings — expect cold, dark, uneven floors and, at some venues, steep stairs and limited step-free access.
• Bring a torch, warm layers and flat, sensible shoes.
• No physical contact takes place; all vigils are guide-supervised, and every activity is optional.

🦇 Early Bird — 30% off all tickets, for a limited time.