The Edinburgh Dungeon

Part of a family of attractions that also reside in London, York and Blackpool Tower (not to mention Amsterdam, Berlin and San Francisco), the Edinburgh Dungeon is a gory alternative to the somewhat sterilised version of history you might hear about in stately homes or royal residences. Unafraid to wade about in the muck and mire of the city’s inglorious past, the Dungeon invites groups of unsuspecting visitors to meet grisly figures plucked straight out of history (beheaded freedom fighter William Wallace, Edinburgh grave robbers Burke and Hare) and hear in their own words how horrible history really is. It’s all deliriously good fun: some of the more elaborate rides (the Sawney Bean boat ride especially) are giddily terrifying, and the actors inhabiting the historical roles are simultaneously eager to get in your face and aware of when to rein in their performances (kids aged eight and up are welcome).