Mercat Tours

23/04/2025

Would you prefer a graveyard now, or 200 years ago?

Keep in mind, in 1820s Edinburgh, that digging you hear might be the sound of body snatchers...

✨ Join us on tour to stand amongst history and hear it play out around you.

Carefully curated sounds—the rhythmic hammering of a farrier at work, the echoes of poetry, or the distant clatter of carriages—chosen by your master Storyteller will immerse you in the atmosphere of the past.

🕯️ Traditional storytelling gets a modern twist. Join us for a brand new, immersive way to explore Edinburgh’s past.

[ID: Two videos showing an 1840s black and white photo of Greyfriars Kirk fading into a modern-day photo taken at the same angle. The 1840s photo includes the sounds of a bustling market area and gravedigging, while the modern-day image has sounds of tourists and cars. End ID]

22/04/2025

Happy Earth Day! 🌍

It's no surprise that as a walking tour company, sustainability & wellbeing are at the heart of what we do.

We provide a healthy, environmentally friendly way to enjoy Edinburgh that's good for you and our local community.

We also choose very carefully when it comes to who we work with to ensure we support responsible businesses in our supply chain.

Learn more about how we’re promoting a healthy planet on our website. 👉https://ow.ly/sRy950VEIMA

20/04/2025

Spring has arrived in Edinburgh and we’re excited for it! 🌹

We hope you enjoy this Easter weekend and can join us for a walking tour to take advantage of the warming weather.

18/04/2025

Who cares about dinosaurs and dresses, show us the interesting stuff!!

Okay, we must admit that dinosaurs and mantuas are, in fact, also interesting. But what are the lesser-known displays at the National Museums Scotland?

Here are some of our favourites, including:
⛪ A brass lectern from Holyrood Abbey
🧹 Thumb screws from the Scottish Witch Trials
⚔️ Swords (big ones!)
🥃 Whisky stills
🦄 Saint Andrews Cross and unicorns

Curious to learn more about Scotland’s past? Join us on Museum Day on 18 May for Symbols of Scotland tour of the National Museum of Scotland. EH residents go free!
✨Learn more here. https://ow.ly/atI850VCPMP

[ID: a video taken at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, which shows displays for all of the objects mentioned in the caption. End description]

16/04/2025

Ever wondered what 19th-century Edinburgh looked & sounded like?

While today the city is full of cars and bagpipes, centuries ago it would have been horse-drawn carts and market sellers. Swipe to the end for a comparison of the exact same spot on the Royal Mile: the John Knox House, 1840s vs today.

✨ Join us on tour to stand amongst history and hear it play out around you.

Carefully curated sounds—the rhythmic hammering of a farrier at work, the echoes of poetry, or the distant clatter of carriages—chosen by your master Storyteller will immerse you in the atmosphere of the past.

🕯️ Traditional storytelling gets a modern twist. Join us for a brand new, immersive way to explore Edinburgh’s past. bit.ly/43RWmzX

13/04/2025

Happy tartan day!

One tartan that’s gotten lots of attention lately is the new Witches of Scotland tartan. Designed by the creators of the Witches of Scotland podcast, it incorporates important aspects of the Scottish Witch Trials into its design.

This tartan is helping bring the very real stories of the Scottish Witch Trials to light.

One of those stories is that of Geillis Duncan. Geillis was not just a character in Diana Gabaldon's novels, she was a real person executed for witchcraft in the 1590s' so-called ‘Witch Craze’.

Learn the real history behind her and the Scottish Witch Trials on an Edinburgh history tour and on the Witches of Scotland podcast. https://ow.ly/Rvka50VxvHl

[ID: a 90-second video exploring the design of the Witches of Scotland tartan and the history of the Scottish Witch Trials, illustrated by animations and videos around Edinburgh. End ID]

12/04/2025

🦄Symbols of Scotland🦄
18 May 2025 @ 10:00am

Scots are associated with all sorts of symbols: the saltire, the unicorn, the thistle. What are these symbols and what do they signify?

Join us on Museum Day at National Museums Scotland and we’ll answer all your questions and share the stories behind these objects.

As part of Mercat Tours’ 40th birthday celebration programme, EH residents can use code Celebrate40May to book a free Symbols of Scotland tour ticket!

👉Learn more here. https://ow.ly/LmBs50VxqyP

11/04/2025

Only a few tickets left! 💥

Explore the real Jacobite history of the Outlander novels and visit the historical locations that were used in the filming of the TV series.

Edinburgh Outlander Experience
👉26 & 27* April 2025; 1:30pm

*27 April tour only: EH residents can use code Celebrate40April to book a free Edinburgh Outlander Experience tour ticket.
🔗Learn more through the link in our bio.

09/04/2025

Did you know that the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal? 🦄 Happy Unicorn Day!

The unicorn has been a heraldic symbol in Scotland since at least James I.

A Scottish unicorn is restrained with a collar and chain around its neck. This represents faithfulness and trustworthiness, especially in matters of trade.

Legend has it that if a King of Scots dreamt of a unicorn the night before his wedding, his wife-to-be would be pure of heart.

🦄 This unicorn here can be found at the top of the Mercat Cross, where all our tours begin.

It’s a Victorian reconstruction of the original medieval cross and is still the site of royal proclamations.

👉Discover more of the Symbols of Scotland this Museum Day, 18 May, FREE for EH residents! Book here. https://ow.ly/hVkW50Vxjen

08/04/2025

Grassmarket Community Project joined us for a perfect spring tour! ☀️🌳

When you support Mercat, you also support our vulnerable communities through Our Stories, Your City.

Your donations give those cut off from Edinburgh's culture a warm welcome back into their museums, their palace and their castle. They hear and own their stories and their city again.

Donate when you buy a tour ticket. ✨ https://ow.ly/eTsP50VwlpP

[ID: 6 Grassmarket Community Project members and a Mercat Storyteller smiling next to St Giles’ Cathedral. In the first photo, GCP members wear Mercat Tours headphones and lanyards. End ID]

05/04/2025

Win an unforgettable luxury weekend getaway for two in Edinburgh! 🤩

The grand prize includes:

🏠A Two-Night Stay at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel — Relax in 5-star luxury with breathtaking city views at this iconic Edinburgh landmark.

🍹Exclusive Experiences — Experience the city’s spirit with Edinburgh Gin’s Decadent Duo: Gin and Chocolate Pairing. Be immersed in the stories of the city with Mercat Tours’s Secrets of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile tour, including entry to the majestic Edinburgh Castle.

☕Decadent Local Dining — Savour a sparkling afternoon tea in the elegant Tea Rooms of Edinburgh Castle.

🚌Effortless Exploration — Discover the city with Edinburgh Bus Tours Grand24 tickets, offering access to three hop-on, hop-off bus tours: CitySightseeing Edinburgh, Edinburgh Tour, and Regal Tour. Travel even further with ease using award-winning Lothian Buses, named Operator of the Year.

🧡 Join us on tour as we celebrate our 40th birthday for the chance to win. Find out how to enter through the link in our bio!

This competition is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, or Meta.

04/04/2025

Celebrate end of term with our special kids’ tour!

The tour takes you to some of the city’s most horrible haunts including a visit to the famous Blair Street Underground Vaults. Be immersed in the sounds, smells and stories of the past.

Hear what jobs were available for younger members of society and get a glimpse at what a family ‘home’ might look like.

✨Book during the school holidays, available now! https://ow.ly/18gE50Vs9Zn

04/04/2025

We were lucky enough to welcome the Scotsman on tour with us this week to experience our new immersive, multi-sensory tours! Safe to say, it was a hit. 🤭

Read about it here. 👇

Janet Christie’s senses are assailed by the sights, sounds and smells of Edinburgh’s past

02/04/2025

The secret is out! 🤫🤭

We can finally announce a groundbreaking innovation to mark our 40th anniversary.

Get ready to experience technology as it blends seamlessly with tradition!

👉Our new spring and summer programme will introduce the UK's first fully immersive multi-sensory walking tours, combining traditional storytelling with authentic sounds and scents from Edinburgh’s rich history.

Read the full press release here. https://ow.ly/Lrov50Vsalh

Join the award-winning guides of Mercat Tours for a history walk or ghost tour - the perfect introduction to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city.

29/03/2025

We’ve just won not one but TWO Scottish Excellence Awards!

We’re thrilled to have taken home awards for Team Engagement and Team Wellbeing on Thursday. What a great way to round off Scottish Tourism Month.

Swipe to see how Lorri and Jonathon really feel about it. 😌

Tourism Cares Scottish Tourism Alliance

28/03/2025

Geillis Duncan was not just a fictional character!

Many people recognise her name from the series, Outlander. But Geillis Duncan was a real victim of the Scottish Witch Trials.

We’re glad that Geillis Duncan has become a bit of a household name, but we also think it’s important to recognise and respect her real story as well.

If you want to learn more about the very real history of the Outlander series, join us for an Edinburgh Outlander Experience tour this April. You can see the history & sites behind the books and TV series.

👉And if you’re an EH resident you can even join for free. https://ow.ly/VrTo50VqhIG

27/03/2025

Looking for a thoughtful, last-minute gift?

Pop into our office at 28 Blair Street for the perfect gift for anyone, whether it’s a Worrywart, an Edinburgh colouring book or a candle made from the recycled wax once burned in the vaults. 🎁

Pick something out for yourself, for a friend or for whoever you’re celebrating this Mother’s Day! 💐

21/03/2025

We’re thrilled to be celebrating our very first ! 🥳

We even got to welcome delegates on a Mercat Tour as part of the B Corp and Beyond conference programme!

Tourism is a force for good and we love being part of the B Corp team who prove it.

Tourism Cares Scottish Tourism Alliance Visit Edinburgh B Lab B Corp UK VisitScotland