When you inevitably ramble down the Royal Mile keep your eyes peeled for the many hidden closes and dark passageways that run off this main thoroughfare. Interestingly, if you examine a medieval map of the city, you will see why many people say that Edinburgh resembles the bones of a fish, with the Royal Mile acting as the spine and the narrow alleyways featuring as the rib bones.

Bakehouse Close

Bakehouse Close is a picturesque well-preserved passageway located at the eastern end of the Royal Mile and it’s one which also has many ties to the Old Town’s more sordid past. In the 1700s a document called the ‘Ranger’s Impartial List’ was created for gentlemen visiting the city wanting to procure a lady of the night. It listed different criteria for each woman and where to locate them, with one such place being ‘The Cock and Trumpet Pub’ which was located in this very close. You can still find the Cock and Trumpet emblem above the doorway of the courtyard at Archeson House, which is now the home of the Edinburgh World Heritage Organisation.

Advocate’s Close

The steep narrow passageway known as Advocate’s Close is thought to date back to around the 1500s and is located opposite St Giles Cathedral. Due to its high vantage point is creates a truly unique view of the Scott Monument and with the ornate lamplight in the foreground, it makes for a perfect shot. If you only have time to visit a few of these medieval closes then this would be top of my list for the views alone. Plus, if you are looking for a pit stop, head into the quirky cocktail bar called the Devil’s Advocate, which stocks over 300 whiskies for you to try!

Milne’s Court

I would recommend that you view the arduous Milne’s Court from the bottom of the steps on Lawnmarket. Here you can admire the beautifully carved stonework which burrows under this historic building. In my opinion this is one of most impressive closes to see due to its unique architectural formation.

The Underground Vaults

The Blair Street Vaults were formed in the late 1700’s, when Edinburgh’s South Bridge was completed. The arches underneath the bridge created many chambers, which businesses started using as their workshops and store houses. Unfortunately, these dark vaults experienced frequent flooding causing many of the businesses to move out and a much more squalid clientele to move in. The area soon turned into a sordid underworld filled with illegal activities including brothels, gambling and unlicenced taverns. It even provided housing for some of Edinburgh’s most exceptionally poor residents, with at one time, an estimated 3000 people living in these unsanitary and disease-ridden slums.

During the mid-19th Century the vaults were sealed off to prevent any further access and the underground network was all but forgotten, until, due to a chance excavation they were rediscovered in the1980s.

To gain access you must book one of Edinburgh’s many guided vaults tours, which will take you into what are now said to be the city’s most haunted spaces. Your guide will take you deep within the caverns, guided only by candlelight whilst immersing you in the horrid historic tales which these walls enclose. It is even believed that in the 1800’s the infamous murderers Burke and Hare would pray on their victims in these vaults. All this makes for a fascinating and totally spooky experience, which can be quite unnerving at times!

Tip: If you enjoy exploring underground, make a visit to The Real Mary King’s Close. An experience where you are transported back to medieval Edinburgh and are able to discover a warren of underground streets which have been frozen in time.