Greyfriars Kirkyard Tickets, Prices & Opening Hours 2026: Visitor Guide
Greyfriars Kirkyard itself costs nothing to enter — the graveyard, the kirk, and the Greyfriars Bobby statue outside the gate are all free to visit, generally open from around 8am to dusk (later in summer). The only tickets that cost money are guided tours into the locked Covenanters' Prison: the popular evening ghost tour runs roughly £17-£19 per person, and a private daytime history tour of the kirkyard runs about £70 for one person or £90 for two. As of mid-2026, confirm current tour prices and any Kirk building hours changes directly with the operators before you go, since both are updated periodically.
This guide covers what actually costs money here, when to go to avoid tour groups, how long to plan, and the one thing almost every visitor gets wrong about the Covenanters' Prison.
What Is Greyfriars Kirkyard?
Greyfriars Kirkyard is a graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh's Old Town, established in 1561-1562 after the burgh council decided the city needed a burial ground further from the crowded St Giles' churchyard. It sits immediately next to George Heriot's School and the National Museum of Scotland, and it's a Category A listed site operated by the City of Edinburgh Council.
The kirkyard's darkest chapter dates to 1679, when roughly 1,200 Covenanter prisoners were held in a makeshift open-air prison in a field on its southern edge after the Battle of Bothwell Bridge — the National Covenant itself had been signed inside the kirk in 1638. That field was later enclosed with private burial vaults and is known today as the Covenanters' Prison, home to the domed tomb of Sir George Mackenzie, the judge who persecuted the Covenanters and whose "Mackenzie Poltergeist" is one of Edinburgh's best-known ghost stories.
Beyond the Covenanters, the kirkyard holds some of Scotland's finest 17th-century mural monuments and the graves of New Town architect James Craig and chemist Joseph Black. Its most visited grave, though, belongs to Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye Terrier said to have guarded his owner's grave here for years in the 1860s — his small headstone sits near the entrance, opposite the statue on Candlemaker Row. The kirkyard is also popularly linked to J.K. Rowling, who is said to have drawn character names, including a "Thomas Riddell," from headstones here while writing nearby; take that connection as neighbourhood lore rather than confirmed fact.
Greyfriars Kirkyard Tickets & Prices 2026
Walking the kirkyard, the kirk grounds, and visiting the Greyfriars Bobby statue and headstone is free — there's no admission gate and no ticket to book for general access. Donations toward the kirk's upkeep are welcomed but not required.
The Covenanters' Prison is different: it's kept locked to the general public and is only accessible on a licensed guided tour. The best-known option, City of the Dead's evening "Haunted Graveyard Tour," runs about £19 standard (roughly £17 booked online in advance), lasts around 90 minutes, and includes the Covenanters' Prison and Black Mausoleum. It departs from the Tree of the Dead outside St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, not from the kirkyard gate itself, so check the meeting point carefully when booking. For a daytime, non-ghost-focused option, private guided history tours of the kirkyard through independent local operators run roughly £70 for one person or £90 for two. Prices for both routinely change with demand — verify the current fare on the operator's own booking page before paying.
Opening Hours & Best Time to Visit
The kirkyard grounds are generally open daily from around 8am to dusk, with gates staying open later into the evening during the long summer daylight hours. The kirk building itself keeps a separate, shorter schedule: during its open season, roughly April to October, it's typically open 10:30am-4:30pm Monday to Friday and 11am-2pm on Saturday, with no general public visiting on Sundays when it's in use for worship. As of mid-2026, confirm both schedules on the official site before your visit, since kirk hours can shift with services and events.
Early weekday mornings are the quietest time to walk the graves — daytime walking-tour groups and photographers pick up from mid-morning, especially around the Greyfriars Bobby statue and the Mackenzie tomb. If you're set on the ghost tour specifically, book ahead: group sizes are capped and summer evening slots (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday around 9pm, shifting to about 8:30pm in winter) sell out on weekends.
How Long Do You Need at Greyfriars Kirkyard?
Budget 30-45 minutes for a self-guided walk through the main paths, the Bobby statue and headstone, and the exterior of the Covenanters' Prison enclosure. History-minded visitors who want to read the mural monuments and find specific graves — Mackenzie, Craig, Black — should allow closer to an hour.
If you're adding the evening ghost tour, plan for the full 90 minutes plus arrival time at the Royal Mile meeting point, and note it starts well after the kirkyard's own gates have typically closed for the day. Pair a daytime kirkyard visit with a walk up toward the Old Town's other icons and you've got a comfortable half-day in the area.
How to Get to Greyfriars Kirkyard
Greyfriars Kirkyard sits at the corner of Candlemaker Row and George IV Bridge in the Old Town, a short, mostly flat 5-10 minute walk from the Royal Mile and about the same from the Grassmarket. It's directly beside the National Museum of Scotland, so the two pair naturally into one stop. From Edinburgh Waverley station it's roughly a 15-minute walk south via George IV Bridge.
Lothian Buses serve George IV Bridge and Forrest Road with several routes stopping within a couple of minutes' walk of the gates. There's no on-site parking, and much of the surrounding Old Town has restricted vehicle access, so walking or public transport is the practical way in.
Visit Tips: Queues, Booking & Mistakes
- Book the ghost tour online in advance — group sizes are limited and weekend evening slots sell out, especially around Halloween and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
- Double-check the meeting point for the City of the Dead tour: it departs from St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, not from the Greyfriars gate — arriving at the kirkyard expecting to meet a tour there is a common mistake.
- The Covenanters' Prison is locked outside tour hours; don't plan a self-guided visit expecting to get inside it.
- This is a working graveyard and an active kirk — keep noise down and stay off table tombs and monuments, particularly around the Mackenzie tomb.
- Cobbled and uneven paths get slippery after rain; flat, grippy shoes make the walk more comfortable than the fashionable option.
Nearby Attractions
The National Museum of Scotland next door makes an easy free follow-on stop, especially if the weather turns. Heading north, the Royal Mile is a short walk up George IV Bridge, and from there it's a further climb to Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Old Town. If graveyards and hidden corners of the city are your thing, our guide to Edinburgh's hidden gems covers several similarly atmospheric spots nearby, and if you're weighing the ghost tour against other after-dark options, see our roundup of things to do in Edinburgh at night.
For the full range of sights within walking distance, the Edinburgh attractions hub covers other major stops worth combining with a kirkyard visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Greyfriars Kirkyard free to visit?
Yes. The kirkyard grounds, the kirk, and the Greyfriars Bobby statue and headstone are all free to visit with no ticket required. The only paid element is a guided tour into the locked Covenanters' Prison.
What are Greyfriars Kirkyard's opening hours?
The kirkyard grounds are generally open daily from around 8am to dusk, later in summer. The kirk building keeps shorter hours, roughly 10:30am-4:30pm Monday to Friday and 11am-2pm Saturday during its April-to-October open season, with no general visiting on Sundays. Confirm current hours on the official site before you go.
Can you visit the Covenanters' Prison at Greyfriars Kirkyard?
Not on your own — it's kept locked to the public. The only way in is on a licensed guided tour, most commonly the evening ghost tour that runs about £17-£19 per person and departs from St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, not from the kirkyard itself.
How long should I plan for a Greyfriars Kirkyard visit?
Budget 30-45 minutes for a self-guided walk through the main paths and the Greyfriars Bobby grave. Add closer to an hour if you want to read the mural monuments and find named graves, and add the full 90 minutes if you're joining the evening ghost tour.
Is Greyfriars Kirkyard connected to Harry Potter?
It's popularly said that J.K. Rowling, who wrote nearby, drew some character names — including a headstone for a "Thomas Riddell" — from graves in the kirkyard. Treat it as well-known Edinburgh lore rather than a confirmed fact, but it's a real reason many visitors come to look.
Greyfriars Kirkyard rewards a slow, quiet walk more than a rushed photo stop at the Bobby statue — most of what makes it worth the trip is free, and the only real spending decision is whether to add the evening ghost tour for a look inside the Covenanters' Prison.
Go early on a weekday for the calmest visit, book the ghost tour ahead if you want the prison, and confirm current tour prices and kirk hours on the official sources below before you plan your day.
For current visiting information, see the official Greyfriars Kirk kirkyard visitor page and opening times and accessibility page.
