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Monday 9am - 10pm Tuesday 9am - 10pm Wednesday 9am - 10pm Thursday 9am - 10pm Friday 9am - 10pm Saturday 9am - 10pm Sunday 9am - 10pm

Mercat Tours

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Mercat Tours

'History is a damn good story, what it needs is a damn good telling' - and Mercat does! Local, indep
(1469)

'𝙃𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙣 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙣 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 '

𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣! �
Enjoy immersive storytelling experiences as you explore Edinburgh's Old Town.

𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 �
You'll have a deep connection with the people and places of the past and build remarkable memories of Scotland's ancient and beautiful capital.

𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪, 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 �
Choosing us, a local, independent family

business and Living Wage employer, means you support an ethical 'Good to Go' team rooted in our local community since 1985. We respect and support like-minded people to ensure everyone's experience of Edinburgh is the very best it can be.

17/08/2025

Do you remember either of these Fringe posters?

Both are from 1985, which also happens to be the year Mercat Tours began!

On the first poster, you might recognise some of Edinburgh’s landmarks around the breakdancing Shakespeare: St Giles’ Cathedral, the Heart of Midlothian, tenement buildings.

The second poster is from the 1985 School Campaign.

Do you remember any past Fringe posters?

14/08/2025

Ever wondered what Edinburgh’s landmarks looked and sounded like 150 years ago?

In honour of Sir Walter Scott’s birthday, we’re recreating this 1880s photograph of the Scott Monument and comparing it to today.

✨ Stand amongst history and hear it play out around you.
Carefully curated sounds and songs, chosen by your Master Mercat Storyteller, immerse you in the atmosphere of the past: from steam trains to the whispers of ghosts. Join us for a new multi-sensory experience.

🕯️Return to your Edinburgh memories again and again with a special Mercat Tours playlist, sent right to your inbox after your tour. Relive the stories, hear the music and return to the closes and cobbles of Edinburgh. https://ow.ly/9w2V50WFUv5

[ID: A video comparing a 19th-century photograph and modern-day photo of the gothic Scott Monument, the structure looking the same with the buildings around it having changed. The second slide is a half-and-half comparison of the historical and modern photos, split down the middle. End ID]

13/08/2025

🎉 We’ve done it again! 🎉

Thanks to you, our amazing visitors, we’ve received a 2025 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award!

This means we’re in the top 10% of attractions worldwide for the experiences, stories & memories we share in Edinburgh every day.

Every review, every kind word and every visit helps us keep the history and stories alive. This award belongs to you as much as it does to us.

Here’s to another year of unforgettable stories!

12/08/2025

🌍 International Youth Day is all about empowering the next generation. And we’re proud to be a Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Pledge Partner!

With the DYW Pledge, we commit to supporting young people in Scotland as they prepare for the world of work: helping build skills, confidence and connections for their future.

Our goal is to make the workplace an open door, not a closed one.

It’s not just good for young people, it’s good for business, too. A generationally diverse team brings new ideas, energy and perspectives, while helping us grow the skills we’ll need in the future.

On , we celebrate the young people we’ve met, supported and learned from. And we look forward to continuing our pledge to help them succeed. 🧡

Image 1 ©️ Tony Marsh

09/08/2025

What's your favourite book set in, inspired by, or written by someone from Edinburgh?

It’s hard to choose just one: from classics like Jekyll & Hyde to the newer Murder Ballad by Lucy Ribchester.

We’ve been lucky enough to host book events with the likes of Lucy and Alex Howard in the past.

Which books would you add to these piles?

02/08/2025

This bank holiday weekend, take advantage of the warm temps!

Join us for a walking tour that'll let you escape the crowds while exploring the city’s lesser-known history.

As a treat, you’ll also visit Holyrood Palace for free.

🏰 Visit the places that were once home to Mary, Queen of Scots and uncover the secrets of Canongate on our August Feature Tour tomorrow, 3 August.

Tour sold out? join us in the Edinburgh vaults instead to cool off and find some peace and quiet!
👉Buy your ticket here. https://ow.ly/PQEN50WttsU

01/08/2025

Every summer, the Edinburgh Royal Mile turns into a sea of people.

Weave through the crowds and you’ll find musicians, magicians and entertainers alike.

And make sure you have a free hand to accept the dozens of flyers that will inevitably be foisted upon you.

This is Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is chaos, and we love it.

[ID: A 90-second video exploring the history of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, featuring video clips of busy streets during summer. End ID]

30/07/2025

Happy International Friendship Day!
Our pals are helping us (and you!) celebrate our birthday in style! 🎂

We’re grateful for the friends who’ve helped us put together a very special giveaway this year, including:
🏠 A two-night stay at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel, a 5-star, iconic Edinburgh landmark
🍹 Decadent Duo: Gin and Chocolate Pairing with Edinburgh Gin
🏰 Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile tour, including entry to the majestic Edinburgh Castle, with Mercat Tours
☕ Afternoon tea in the elegant Tea Rooms of Edinburgh Castle
🚌 Grand24 tickets, with access to three hop-on, hop-off bus tours: CitySightseeing Edinburgh, Edinburgh Tour, and Regal Tour with Edinburgh Bus Tours. Travel even further with ease using Operator of the Year, Lothian Buses

Visit our website for full details on how to enter. https://ow.ly/fime50WtsHU

28/07/2025

The Edinburgh Vaults Museum is the perfect place to end your tour!

In it, you’ll find:
📺Vaults Revealed: an interactive audio-visual display
🏺Artefact Touch Table: a place to handle real artefacts
🪧Informational displays: to learn more about the vaults
🪑Seating: to take a break after your walking tour ..and so much more!

Come join us on tour and discover a whole world you never knew existed.

27/07/2025

2 truths and a lie:
🏰 Holyrood Palace is the official royal residence in Scotland
👶 King James VI & I was born at Holyrood Palace
⚔️ Mary, Queen of Scots’s secretary was murdered at Holyrood Palace by her second husband

Do you know which is the lie?

Visit the Palace that was once home to Mary, Queen of Scots and uncover the secrets of Canongate on our August Feature Tour.

As part of Mercat Tours’ 40th birthday celebration programme, EH residents can use code Celebrate40Aug to book a free Treasures of the Old Town tour ticket!
👉Limited tickets left. Learn more here. https://ow.ly/4ste50Wsx9Z

25/07/2025

Why are there oyster shells in the Edinburgh vaults?!

There are a few answers:
🙍‍♂️ They’re used as building materials
The use of oyster shells in building was an early form of recycling.

🍻 The vaults used to house underground pubs
The Tavern Room in the Blair Street Underground Vaults was full of not only claret bottles when it was discovered, but also piles and piles of oyster shells, which was a popular and cheap food item in day.

🧙‍♀️ They kept witches away
It was believed that witches couldn’t cross running water. The oyster shells, taken from moving water, were like talismans to keep them away.

Escape the crowds and the weather. Join us in Edinburgh's underground vaults where history, archaeology and ghost stories collide.
Learn more through our bio.

[Video description: a 100-second video explaining why there are oyster shells in, and the history of, Edinburgh’s underground vaults, using video footage from the Blair Street Underground Vaults and animated illustrations. End description]

23/07/2025

How much has Edinburgh changed over the centuries?

Sometimes, it’s like it hasn’t changed at all. Visit Edinburgh Castle and take in centuries of sieges, conquests and royals.

✨ Stand amongst history and hear it play out around you.

Carefully curated sounds and songs, chosen by your Master Mercat Storyteller, immerse you in the atmosphere of the past: from centuries of sieges to the whispers of the dead. Join us for a new multi-sensory experience.

🕯️Return to your Edinburgh memories again and again with a special Mercat Tours playlist, sent right to your inbox after your tour. Relive the stories, hear the music and return to the closes and cobbles of Edinburgh.

[ID: A video comparing a 19th-century photograph and modern-day photo of the inside of St Giles’ Cathedral, featuring vaulted ceilings and a stained-glass window. End ID]

Address

Edinburgh

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 10pm
Tuesday	9am - 10pm
Wednesday	9am - 10pm
Thursday	9am - 10pm
Friday	9am - 10pm
Saturday	9am - 10pm
Sunday	9am - 10pm

Telephone

+441312255445

Website

http://www.mercattours.com/

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A passion for the past

We’re the original, largest, & only 5 star walking tour company in Scotland. For over 32 years, our award-winning history & ghost tours share the tales of the Edinburgh's past. For us - it’s all about telling the fascinating stories of Edinburgh’s people with passion, humour & flair.