Above & Below Edinburgh
Above & Below Edinburgh is a unique two-part experience which combines an immersive underground tour with a guided walk through the historic streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town!
About Above & Below Edinburgh
From the hidden closes below to the stories above ground...
Two perspectives. Two expert teams. One journey through Edinburgh’s layered past.
Above & Below Edinburgh is a unique two-part experience created in partnership by The Real Mary King’s Close and The Lost Close. It combines an immersive underground tour with a guided walk through the historic streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town, offering a richer, more complete picture of the city’s past.
Your experience begins beneath the Royal Mile at 11.10 with a guided tour of The Real Mary King’s Close. Led by a storyteller guide in period dress, you will explore original 17th-century streets and spaces, discovering the real stories of the people who lived, worked and survived here. This one-hour tour brings Edinburgh’s social history to life in the very place it happened.
At 12.10, you will return to street level, with time to pause, explore, grab a bite or browse the shop before the next part of your journey.
At 12.30, the experience continues above ground. Meeting at the James Braidwood Statue behind the Mercat Cross, you will join an expert guide from The Lost Close for a walking tour through Edinburgh’s Old Town. This includes approximately 40 minutes of guided walking, followed by around 20 minutes exploring The Lost Close itself, a series of underground vaults rediscovered in 2019 and located directly opposite The Real Mary King’s Close.
Together, these two experiences reveal what lies beneath the city, and what still lingers above.
What’s included
• 1-hour guided tour at The Real Mary King’s Close (11.10–12.10)
• Guided Old Town walking tour led by The Lost Close (from 12.30)
• Time to explore The Lost Close underground vaults
• Two distinct storytelling styles delivered by two expert teams
Need to know
• Tours are conducted in English
• Involves stairs and uneven surfaces
• Not suitable for children under 5
• Audio guides are not available for The Lost Close walking tour
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