Christmas at The Real Mary King’s Close

As the nights start drawing in towards the darkest days of the year, we have set up a special Christmas tour to get you in the festive spirit.

An Appointment with the Saw Doctor

Your guide for the tour will be Mr Chesney, the latest character to be brought back from the dust of Mary King’s Close. The colourful Mr Chesney was the close’s resident ‘saw doctor’ but today he brings his history to life in order to shock, amaze and entertain our guests. Step back in time to discover how Christmas came to be the celebration we so dearly love today.

Christmas, but not as we know it

Christmas in the back streets of Edinburgh was not the light-hearted festival we know today. Our tour tells the story of Christmas as Mr Chesney himself would have experienced it. Most working people could not afford to take a leisurely Christmas break. For them, Christmas Day was just like any other working day, with Hogmanay being the day they would allow themselves to put their feet up. In fact, the celebration of Christmas was officially banned in Scotland between 1575 and 1958. So much for the season of good will!

The Daft Days

This doesn’t mean that Christmas in Mary King’s Close was all work and no play – quite the contrary. The Victorian era saw the birth of many of the traditions we think of as quintessentially ‘Christmas’. Enter the Christmas tree, popular Christmas carols, Santa Claus and the Christmas pudding. Let Mr Chesney talk about Christmas through his eyes, at a time when the feast day was undergoing some drastic changes.

Step into the ‘daft days’ of Christmas, a twelve-day period when the usual rules of society were turned upside down and mischief and merriment ruled the day. Discover the roots of playground games such as ‘blind man’s buff’ and the humble working-class origins of the sumptuous Christmas meals we enjoy today.

Get into the spirit of Christmas on one of our special historical tours between 19th and 23rd December. Book your tickets online today or pop by the ticket office to book in person.

Christmas Gifts at The Real Mary King’s Close

With the festive season rapidly approaching, we invite you to join us for some Christmas cheer at The Real Mary King’s Close. However, Christmas wasn’t always as cheery for the residents of Mary King’s Close as Christmas was an ordinary working day, with the celebrations happening in the New Year instead.

These days, visitors to Mary King’s Close can expect a glittering welcome to the old streets of Edinburgh. Our gift shop is a great place for getting unique Christmas gifts, vouchers and mementos for anyone interested in Edinburgh’s history. The old days are (thankfully) long since passed, but we carefully stock our gift shop to hopefully capture some of the spirit of the remarkable men and women whose stories illuminate the Real Mary King’s Close.

Traditional and quirky Christmas gifts

Step into the Old Borough Courtroom to browse our extensive selection of historically inspired gifts. We stock a wide range of specialist books dealing with Scottish history, architecture, folklore, ghost-stories and much more. You will also find clothing, home-ware and jewellery from quality household names such as Celtic Spirit, St Justin and Harris Tweed. We carefully handpick all our products to give you a slice of true Scottish culture.

Gift Vouchers

Give someone special the gift of history this Christmas! We offer £5 or £10 gift vouchers that can be used for admission to The Real Mary King’s Close, as well as for purchases in our Gift Shop. Stop by our attraction or give us a call on 0845 070 6244 to order your vouchers.

Edinburgh’s Christmas

If you are looking to add some sparkle to your Christmas shopping, come have a look at our unique Christmas tree which incorporates features of Edinburgh’s dark history. Look closely and you will see decorations including rats and body bags. Part of the Christmas Tree Trail, you can then move on to discover what hidden surprises other participating attractions have. There’s lots of fun to be had in Edinburgh this Christmas – just check here for more details.

We look forward to seeing you soon at The Real Mary King’s Close.

Festive Experience at The Real Mary King’s Close

Christmas is around the corner, and what better way to kick-start your Christmas celebration than on an unforgettable tour of The Real Mary King’s Close. Make this Christmas memorable in the best way possible by taking part in one of our Christmas tours and learning what life used to be like. Christmas in the forgotten underworld of Old Edinburgh was a world away from the celebrations familiar to most of us today as it was in fact a normal working day! Book your bespoke festive tour with us and step back into an alternative Christmas with the denizens of the Real Mary King’s Close.

Types of Tours

We have a range of bespoke tours to choose from to guarantee you and your group have a wonderful time. As well as our Christmas tour, you can enjoy a murder mystery evening, discover the dark truth on a late night tour or even book out the close for your own private party. We have so many options, so browse the types of tours on our website to learn more about them.

Have a Drink With Us

To make the tour of The Real Mary King’s Close even more exciting and eventful, you can choose to pre-order a delicious festive drinks reception with pastries and drinks of your choice. You and your tour party can take part in this offer before the tour and even after if you wish. This reception will add a little something extra to your overall Christmas tour experience.

Character Tour Guide

Need a tour guide with a difference? You are in luck! You don’t have to wait until you arrive to start your foray into Edinburgh’s murky past. You and your party can pick your own historical character tour guide to meet you at your chosen location. We can collect you at your hotel, a restaurant, workplace or elsewhere, and walk with you to Real Mary King’s Close.

More Information

The Christmas tours at Real Mary King’s Close are a popular winter attraction as we aren't ever affected by weather conditions. Each tour can accept a maximum of 20 people or 12 people for drinks and canapés. Give us a call on 0845 070 6244 for more details and to find out about group bookings.

Celebrating the Darker Side of Scottish History

Those interested in history should head to Edinburgh this November to experience a programme of thoroughly fascinating events with Scotland’s History Festival. Running between 13th and 30th November, the festival brings new ways of appreciating and understanding history to people of all ages. The underpinning ethos of the festival is that ‘every table should have a spare seat devoted to history’. Join us as we celebrate and relive the darker side of Scotland’s history at The Real Mary King’s Close.

The Dark Truth

We are honoured to be included in the festival, as we aim to give our guests only the facts during their historical tour of our underground warren. Due to roaring success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we have chosen to put on some special performances of our Dark Truth Tour on Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Sunday’s during the November’s festival. The first show kicks off at 6.30pm on Sunday 16th November and you can pre-order your tickets from our website for only £14 per person.

Our Dark Truth Tour is full of dark and deathly deeds, as your tour guide recalls just how cruel the Old Town could be. You will meet various characters, such as the Witch Pricker and the Craig Family. Be careful though, as they are infected with the plague! However, you should feel safe in the hands of the good Doctor George Rae and his assistant Foul Clenger, who fully intend to protect you from the vile disease. Oh, and they are also on hand to make sure you don’t run into Burke and Hare, the notorious grave robbers and murderers who sell their cadavers to the hospitals.

Gather your friends

Each tour has a limited amount of space, with a maximum of 20 people allowed on each tour. Your unique experience begins around 6.30pm, when you are transported back to the 16th century to journey through the stories and histories of Edinburgh’s dirty and dangerous past. Come and join us for a spooky trip down memory lane.