Investigate real offences committed on Mary King’s Close…

Join our True Crime Tours to discover the darkest side of Edinburgh’s history.

The closes of the Old Town have been shrouded in shocking tales of crime and punishment for centuries… but our True Crime Tours reveal a more honest story, rooted in fact. As is often the case, the reality ultimately proves darker and more fascinating than any amount of fiction.

Prepare to gain an investigative insight into the nature of Edinburgh’s criminal activity on this 1-hour social history tour. With a special “True Crime” guide to lead you through Edinburgh’s forgotten streets, discover how the people of the closes were just as compelled by the dark details of criminal misdemeanours as we are today.

Confronting themes such as eviction, addiction, and the criminal lack of legislation in place to protect residents, the True Crime Tours examine how real offences affected life in the vicinity. Discover what the rise of the witch trials meant for ordinary people living on the closes. Also, learn of the intriguing link that Mary King’s Close has to the infamous character that likely inspired The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde…

This is a tour for only for the most undaunted visitors.

***** Google review | October 2024: “We joined a historical true crime version of the tour which seemed to have a lot more emphasis on fact and exploring the victims and inequalities of an historical Edinburgh. It was extremely entertaining and we learned a load (and we are locals!).”