During August, the vibrant city of Edinburgh almost doubles in population as thousands of visitors from across the world head to the cultural hub that is Edinburgh Fringe festival.
While you’re never short of things to do or see, it’s always important to pack some time into your busy schedule to soak up some of Edinburgh’s rich history and venture further afield for things to do.
Visitors need look no further than The Real Mary Kings Close, hidden beneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile lies an abandoned world, eager to tell its story.
Mary King’s Close was once vibrant and bustling with life, filled with traders and Old Town residents. When the plague arrived during the 1640s, the street’s close quarters made a perfect breeding ground for infection, permeating its homes and affecting the lives of the residents.
Today, The Real Mary King’s Close is one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions, inviting curious souls to journey underground, encounter fascinating former residents, and relish in secrets and stories never told before.
Since opening its doors in 2003, The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours and continues to provide both tourists and locals in Edinburgh with a fascinating history of the city’s dark past, the extreme living conditions and harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17th century.
Visitors are given the chance to come face-to-face with former residents including Mary King’s daughter, Jonnet Nimmo.
Also, Dr Arnott, who was one of the wealthiest residents of The Close. With a flair for the nitty gritty, Dr Arnott had some rather unique methods of diagnosis.
His favourite technique was to analyse his patients’ urine for its colour, smell and … TASTE!
Suitable for the whole family, Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation is a hands-on workshop inviting the public to diagnose Dr Arnott’s patients using his favourite 17th century method, examining their urine.
Following their 1-hour guided tour of The Close, guests will be invited to use all of their senses (including taste) to diagnose Dr Arnott’s latest patients and create their own concoction to cure their ailments using authentic remedies from the time period.
Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation runs every Saturday throughout the year.
Tours run at 12.00, 13.30, 15.00 and 16.30.
Tickets are £29/adult and £22/child (5 to 15 years old)
The Real Mary King’s Guided Tour runs from 9.00 till 22.00 during July-August, 7 days a week.
Tickets start from £21/adult and £15/child (5 to 15 years old)
Pre-booking is strongly recommended for all tours as places sell-out quickly, especially during the festival period.
For more information and bookings please visit: