Take a trip back in time... and visit Edinburgh’s streets in 17th Century

KATIE Scott is a character tour guide for Edinburgh tourist attraction The Real Mary King’s Close. She shows visitors the preserved, hidden streets of Scotland’s capital dating back to the 17th Century.

She says a voucher for the attraction makes the ‘perfect gift’ for anyone wanting to know more about Edinburgh’s history – or what life was like in the past.

Her character is Jonet Nimmo – born in 1622 and the youngest daughter of Mary King who was a merchant burgess, meaning she had voting rights, and had the close she lived on named after her. She guides tourists from around the world through a labyrinth of streets frozen in time and describes the people who lived there, what they ate and drank and the diseases they suffered.

Katie, 21, says: ‘It is something different and the tour appeals to everyone. Once you are on the tour and in the houses and streets it is hard not to imagine what life would have been like in the 17th Century.

‘Although some of the history is dark, it is not a scary tour. We do not jump out at you – instead we focus on the real people and their history.’

Vouchers can be bought in £5 or £10 values and redeemed against entry tickets (£14.95 for an adult) or at the gift shop. What experience would Katie choose for Christmas? She says: ‘If it was Edinburgh-based, it would have to be Camera Obscura, but if it was worldwide definitely Disneyland in Florida or Paris.’

Vouchers for other tours – such as football stadiums, the trail of Jack the Ripper or a prison – can be bought from websites such as virginexperiencedays.co.uk, redletterdays.co.uk and lastminute.com.