Looking Forward to a Family Friendly February

February half-term can be a bit of an anti-climax. There is none of the glamour and excitement of Christmas and none of the spring charms of the Easter holiday. Instead, money is still often tight after Christmas, and the country is still in the grey grip of winter. This might leave you wondering what to do with the kids to keep them entertained!

In February 2015, The Real Mary King’s Close ever popular family ticket will be available for the whole month. This offer includes two adults and two children up to age fifteen (although children under five years old are not permitted). We listened to what our visitors were asking and we have noticed a distinct increase in family groups over the last couple of years. We thought this was a great time to save you some money and bundle your tickets together, saving a family of four a nifty seven
pounds.

Real life stories

As a light-hearted, spooky and entertaining day out, Real Mary King’s Close has great reputation among tourists. However, despite all the myths surrounding the close, we try our best to bring you a historically accurate experience of life in old Edinburgh. We bring a modern audience the stories of real people who genuinely existed during the darkest history of Edinburgh and we will regale you with tales, stories and truths about this period of Scottish history.

Our stories take place largely between the 16th and 18th centuries when people lived, worked and died in the underworld of Edinburgh Old Town. The experience will give you a realistic feel of what it was like to live and suffer the fates of those poor enough to be stuck in dark, narrow and cramped streets.

Booking your visit

Every day in February you can get your family ticket between the hours of 10am and 5pm at a cost of £35.70. Click here to book your ticket in advance. We aim to give families both far and near the chance to spend time with us during the half term holidays. So come and join us for some spooky family fun this coming February.

Welcome to Edinburgh and University Life

January isn’t just a month for finding a bargain in the January sales; it is also the start of the academic year for many students. Some cities don’t notice the sudden influx of new students roaming around taking in the city sights, but Edinburgh does. Edinburgh pays close attention to all the newbies looking to find their way around and navigate their new home. In fact, as a city, Edinburgh welcomes some six or so thousand students each year, all of which come flocking to Edinburgh looking to soak up the culture on those off-days when studying is the farthest thing from their minds.

Things to do

Navigating your new hometown can be extremely confusing, especially when you don’t always know where to go and what to do. Gathering your new friends together and hitting the streets can be the best way to find your way around your new home town.

If you are looking to learn about the rich history of Edinburgh then you’ll love a day trip to The Real Mary King’s Close. We will guide you through the fearful and disease-ridden historical underground streets of Old Edinburgh. We will transport you back to the 1600’s when crime and mayhem were the order of the day. In those dark days, Edinburgh was an every man for himself kind of city, and these cramped houses were dark places to be. Thankfully nowadays Edinburgh is an extremely friendly city and you will find plenty of people willing to share their local knowledge.

Don’t worry if English isn’t your first language, we also do a Spanish tour allowing you to join in on the experience. Students can also enjoy discounted entry with a valid student ID, leaving some extra cash for a lunch stop at one of the many delicious cafes nearby.

As Real Mary King’s Close is at the top of the Royal Mile, we are in the ideal position to help you enjoy many other tourist attractions. Edinburgh Castle is only a 10 minutes away and we are only a short walk away from the intriguing Camera Obscura. Check out our Visiting Edinburgh pages for more ideas to help you plan a day in the city.

Great Days Out in Edinburgh: Bring the Family to Meet Mary

When visitors come to The Real Mary King’s Close, they find a hidden warren of the ancient streets of Old Edinburgh. As an attraction, The Real Mary King’s Close has welcomed thousands of intrigued locals and tourists that are looking to learn more about the history of our picturesque city.

Special Family Ticket Deals

During December 2014 and January 2015, we are offering a special deal for family days out. Every Sunday, you can purchase a family ticket at a purse friendly price of £35.70 for a family of four. This is a splendid time to bring the kids as the whole family can enjoy time off together. Younger kids might want to skip this attraction however as it can often be a bit a spooky for them.

Looking for something to do inbetween Christmas and New Year can often be difficult as there is a lull after the excitement of Christmas. However, we don’t just provide some good old fashioned fun, the kids can also learn a thing or two about history as real life characters bring your tour to life. They won’t even realise how much they are learning as they hear the stories of families that lived on these streets. You can even entice your hard-to-scare teenagers as you enter a room filled with teddy bears, dedicated to a ghost child nicknamed ‘Annie’. This spooky area was ‘discovered’ by Aiko Gibo, a Japanese psychic, who visited the spot in 1992 and spoke to Annie who told her she had lost her doll. This prompted a trend of visitors leaving a toy for Annie whilst others make a donation to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in her honour.

Other Edinburgh fun

There are so many things to see and do in Edinburgh that a day is never enough. Our website is full of helpful guides for planning your visit. We are only a stone’s throw away from Edinburgh Castle and the intriguing Camera Obscura and World of Illusions which can help complete a fun day of learning in Scotland’s capital city. We’ll see you soon!