If you’ve ever wondered “Is Edinburgh good for Halloween?” the answer is a very easy yes. Few cities feel quite as made for Halloween as Edinburgh. Cobbled streets, towering closes (some now buried underground!), centuries of eerie history, and famously haunted vaults beneath the Old Town, Scotland’s capital sets the stage perfectly for a spooky October.
Our hotel team love this time of year. The crisp air, golden leaves in the West End (and right outside our door in Drumsheugh Gardens), cooler evenings offering another reason to cosy up with a dram of whisky, and a little buzz of excitement knowing that soon our surrounding Georgian streets will be full of people in colourful costumes.
Regardless of whether you’re here with the family looking for pumpkins and stories or visiting with someone ready to dive into late-night ghost tours, Halloween in Edinburgh offers a little bit of everything.
Here’s our guide for how to make the most of it …
Halloween Events in Edinburgh
So, what actually happens here in October? Every year, Edinburgh comes alive with events that mix old Celtic tradition with modern celebrations. For visitors searching for something wonderfully Scottish, The Samhuinn Fire Festival on Calton Hill is one of the city’s highlights.
For families, there are pumpkin patches, storytelling workshops, and themed days at local attractions. Meanwhile, for adults, Halloween in Edinburgh often means ghost tours, pub events, or late-night parties in atmospheric venues. It’s worth booking ahead, as tickets for the most popular tours and events vanish quickly.
A few highlights for your calendar …
1. Conifox Adventure Park, Kirkliston (EH29 9ER) – The Witches’ Labyrinth & Funhouse of Fear
Just about 15 minutes outside Edinburgh, Conifox hosts its Halloween Days Festival, which includes two mazes: Witches’ Labyrinth and Funhouse of Fear. It’s ideal for families and switches up intensity later in the evening.
In addition, Conifox runs a more adult-oriented horror experience called Terror at Conifox Scream Park with multiple scare mazes (Redneck Rampage, Blackout, Sadistic Circus) from 18th to 31st October. This event is strictly for adults aged 18 and over. Due to intense scares, disturbing themes, and mature content, it is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Valid photo ID will be required for entry. Tickets must be pre-booked online, and they note it will not be possible to purchase tickets on the door.
2. Cairnie Fruit Farm, Cupar, Fife (KY15 4QD) – Torchlight Maze
This one’s a bit further out (in Fife) but worth a trip, especially for those seeking a darker maze. Cairnie runs a Halloween Torchlight Maze across ~6 acres: an evening labyrinth guided only by torches. It’s recommended for ages 8+ and runs 27th, 29th, and 31st October.
3. Samhuinn Fire Festival – Calton Hill
What’s so special About Halloween in Scotland (and Edinburgh.) Well, it has roots that go deeper than costumes and sweets. In Scotland, the festival ties back to Samhuinn, marking the shift from summer to winter. Each year, the Beltane Fire Society reimagines this on Calton Hill with fire juggling, drumming, and theatrical storytelling.
Tickets for Friday 31st October
4. Distillery After Dark at Holyrood Distillery
The perfect way to combine your love for dark stories and Scottish tipples!
Across two nights, gests will be welcomed with a rum toddy before delving into Edinburgh’s shadowy past, where the distillery stands on ground steeped in eerie tales of surgeons, murderers, and witches. In the Spirits Lab explore the dark origins of gin and craft your own “Perfect Specimen” cocktail while hearing of Burke and Hare’s grim legacy. The journey continues in the Whisky Distillery with a tasting of Black Cork, an experimental spirit inspired by a long-lost Edinburgh beer, as stories unfold of medieval alewives and Scotland’s buried brewing traditions. The evening concludes in the candlelit Cask Room for a Bothy Session of whisky and folklore, featuring legends of the Wizard of the West Bow, Deacon Brodie, Bald Agnes, and the Wee Red Cap.
Book the Holyrood Distillery tour
5. Mary King’s Close Lantern Led Tours and True Crime Tours
This October, The Real Mary King’s Close has introduced two special tours for visitors to the city: an atmospheric lantern-led that leads you down the (now underground) historic steps from The Royal Mile onto Mary King’s Close. Here you’ll see the homes of real people living here in the 17th century and hear about the lives and death of those who used to roam the streets of Edinburgh.
Their True Crime Tour, meanwhile, guides you through the city’s forgotten streets, telling the tales of eviction, addiction, and the lack of legislation in place to protect residents of the close.
6. Halloween at the LEGO Store
Everyone will say that this is for their children, but we all know a big kid who loves Lego! The St James Quarter LEGO store is turning their site into a ‘mini haunted playground’, offering a range of free experiences and exclusive Halloween goodies from 24 to 31 October 2025.
Expect pumpkin hunts, Halloween LEGO builds, and Frankenstein headband giveaways (to name just a few.)
7. Greyfriars Booby in AI Wonderland – Barnton Bunker
Edinburgh’s former secret World War II radar station and Cold War nuclear bunker, the Barnton Bunker under Barnton Quarry, is one of Edinburgh’s most unique tourist places, and this Halloween they are hosting a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland (with famous Bobby the dog as Alice.)
Choose from either their ‘Scary’ or ‘Not-so-Scary’ (aimed at kids) tour.
8. Edinburgh Ghost Tours and Haunted Vaults
Ask anyone who’s been here at Halloween and they’ll tell you – ghost tours are the thing to do. Operators like Mercat Tours and City of Edinburgh Tours lead groups through shadowy lanes, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and into the famous underground vaults.
The Edinburgh haunted vaults have a reputation for being one of the scariest spots in the city. Stories of strange noises, cold spots, and unexplained encounters are common, and they only feel more convincing in the dark. If you’re looking for an extra thrill, try an Edinburgh ghost tour underground. The combination of history and atmosphere is enough to make you keep glancing over your shoulder.
Explore Mercat’s special Halloween Tours
Do You Need to Book Ahead for Halloween events in Edinburgh?
The short answer is yes! Ghost tours, especially those in the vaults or Mary King’s Close, sell out weeks before Halloween. The Samhuinn Fire Festival is hugely popular too. Even family-friendly events like pumpkin trails can be ticketed, so if you’ve got your eye on something, book it sooner rather than later.
Spooky Edinburgh Stories
Halloween in Edinburgh wouldn’t feel complete without a few ghost stories. The city is overflowing with them, whispered down closes and etched into folklore. Scotland’s capital overflows with ghost stories, and the ones tied to Greyfriars, the vaults, and Castle are among the most persistent. Let’s dig a bit deeper …
One of the most notorious is the Mackenzie Poltergeist in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Sir George Mackenzie, nicknamed “Bluidy Mackenzie” (for his brutal persecution of the Covenanters in the 17th century) is said to still haunt his mausoleum.
Since the late 1990s, countless visitors have reported unexplained scratches, bruises, sudden fainting, and eerie cold spots near his tomb. The legend of the Mackenzie Poltergeist grew in part after incidents of break-ins and disturbance of the tomb.
The Headless Drummer Boy at Edinburgh Castle
According to legend, in 1650 servants at the castle saw a young boy circling the courtyard, drumming a steady beat. Upon closer inspection, they realised he had no head.
The boy is said to have appeared before calamities: the drumming supposedly precedes danger. Staff claim, even now, that in the dead of night a faint “rat-a-tat-tat” may still echo across castle stone.
The Lost Piper Boy in Edinburgh Castle Tunnels
Another twist: when tunnels under Edinburgh Castle were discovered, legend says a young piper was sent in to play bagpipes as he made his way through the tunnels to guide people on the surface. Midway, the music suddenly stopped … and he vanished. Some claim his skeletal remains were later found in a sealed chamber.
Nighttime visitors sometimes report hearing distant bagpipe echoes under the Royal Mile.
Mary King’s Close & Annie’s Room
Mary King’s Close, the subterranean streets beneath the Royal Mile, has long been a hotspot for ghost lore. One of the more persistent tales is that of “Annie” – a little girl ghost said to haunt a former kitchen in one room of the Close. Visitors and psychics have claimed to see her standing in corners, or to find dolls left behind as little offerings. Today, you’ll find an enormous pile of children’s toys left for the little girl and her fellow spirits.
Edinburgh Vaults, Shadow Figures & the Witches’ Temple
Beneath South Bridge lie the Edinburgh Vaults (sometimes called the South Bridge Vaults). These once housed taverns, shops, and in later years, slum dwellings. They’re associated with rumours of body snatchers, illicit activities, and dark rituals.
Within the vaults, one particular chamber sometimes called the “Witches’ Temple” (used by a small modern coven) is said to have produced sudden drops in temperature, visual reflections of white figures stepping from mirrors, and strong uneasy feelings among visitors.
Other vault tales include scratching noises in the walls (sometimes attributed to a chimney sweep who died inside) or sudden shadows darting just out of sight.
Practical Tips for Halloween in Edinburgh
A few tips to make the most of your trip:
- Book early: Tours, Dungeon events, and Samhuinn tickets sell out quickly.
- Wrap up warm: Nights in October are chilly, especially if you’re on Calton Hill or in a stone vault.
- Transport: Trams and buses run late, but taxis are often the easiest way back after midnight. From The Bonham, you can walk home from the Old Town in 20 minutes.
- Plan your timing: Ghost tours can run an hour or more (factor in time for a meal before or after.)
Where to Stay in Edinburgh at Halloween
When the ghost stories are told and the festivals wind down, you’ll want somewhere peaceful to retreat to. The Bonham offers a quiet base in the West End, tucked away from the busiest crowds but still close enough to walk into the Old Town. After an evening of vaults, fire festivals, or spooky tales, returning to a warm townhouse and a nightcap at the bar is the perfect way to end your Halloween in Edinburgh.