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500 Years of Crime and Punishment: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

4 (24)
Aberdeen, GB
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500 Years of Crime and Punishment: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

4 (24)
Aberdeen, GB
Share
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Experience the dark and intriguing history of Aberdeen with the 500 Years of Crime and Punishment: A Self-Guided Audio Tour. From bodysnatching to witchcraft, this immersive tour will transport you back in time as you explore the city's landmarks and learn about its darkest chapters. With the freedom of an audio guide, you can start, pause, or restart the tour at your own pace, allowing you to soak up every fascinating detail. Follow the GPS audio cues on your smartphone and let Scot Free Tours guide you through the city's history of baffling and unjust laws. Discover the chilling stories behind Aberdeen's gaol, the Mercat Cross, and the Anatomy Rooms, among other important locations. This 3km walking tour takes approximately 45 minutes to complete, but you can pause anytime to truly absorb the atmosphere. Don't miss the chance to uncover Aberdeen's secrets and immerse yourself in its rich history of crime and punishment.

About this experience

  • Free Cancellation For a full refund cancel at least before the start of your booking
  • 45 minutes - 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Suitable for 1-15 Participants
  • Self Guided Experience & Audio Guided
  • Discover Aberdeen's dark history of crime and punishment
  • Explore major landmarks and learn their chilling stories
  • Experience a self-guided tour with the freedom to pause
  • Learn about the fascinating world of bodysnatchers and witches
  • Immerse yourself in the hipster enclave of The Green
  • Lifetime access to this tour in English
  • VoiceMap app for Android and iOS
  • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
  • Smartphone and headphones
  • Transportation
  • Food and drink
  • Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

How long before the event do I need to book?

  • You can book at any time before the event

Vouchers accepted in the following formats

  • Mobile

Is an adult required for the booking?

  • At least one adult or senior required per booking

Your Itinerary

The Tolbooth Museum

(Pass by)

Now a museum, this used to be the gaol, where criminals in Aberdeen were kept. We’ll point out where public hangings used to take place as we start off our tour on crime and punishment in Aberdeen.

Castlegate

(Pass by)

The Mercat Cross is where public announcements would be made – and public punishment would be handed out. The structure is decorated with carvings of Scottish monarchs and we’ll be focusing on the story of one queen and how she dealt with an outbreak of treason.

Salvation Army Citadel

(Pass by)

The tower of this impressive building is modelled on the one at Balmoral Castle. We’ll pass by it on the tour and it makes a great photo stop.

St. Andrew's Cathedral

(Pass by)

We’ll pass through Seabury Court next to St Andrew’s Cathedral to give you a sense of the winding streets Aberdeen used to have.

Marischal College

(Pass by)

This used to be part of the University of Aberdeen and was traditionally where medical students would study. We’ll take you round the back to the Anatomy Rooms where dissections would take place and tell you all about Aberdeen’s relationship with bodysnatchers.

St. Nicholas Churchyard

(Pass by)

An atmospheric graveyard, filled with lots of history. We’ll point out the grave of one doctor whose morals left a lot to be desired. You'll also see the ‘mither kirk’ of Aberdeen, which used to be the centre of early Aberdeen. Learn about horrible church punishments and how witches were imprisoned.

Aberdeen Harbour

(Pass by)

Aberdeen grew up around its harbour - so it only makes sense that over the years it has been used for some particularly unpleasant punishments.

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

(Pass by)

The Maritime Museum is a delightful little museum that helps you get to grips with Aberdeen’s maritime past, from fishing to the oil industry. We pass it on our tour and there is a chance to go in and explore for yourselves.

Aberdeen

(Pass by)

This self-guided audio tour takes place in Aberdeen.

More about this experience

Introduction

500 Years of Crime and Punishment: A Self-Guided Audio Tour is an immersive experience that takes you on a fascinating journey through Aberdeen's dark and intriguing past. On this tour, you'll explore the city's major landmarks while delving into the gripping stories of crime and punishment that unfolded over the last five centuries. From notorious bodysnatchers to witchcraft trials and unjust laws, this audio tour offers a unique perspective on the city's history.

What to expect?

During the 45 to 135-minute adventure, you can anticipate an enthralling exploration of Aberdeen's hidden secrets. With the help of your smartphone's GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, the tour will play audio automatically, guiding you to the exact locations where historic events occurred. You'll witness iconic sites like Marischal College and the Mercat Cross, while immersing yourself in the gripping narratives of crime and punishment that took place there. This self-guided tour allows you to set your own pace, pause whenever you like, and resume at your convenience.

Who is this for?

This self-guided audio tour is perfect for history enthusiasts and curious explorers alike. Whether you're a local looking to uncover hidden tales or a visitor eager to immerse yourself in Aberdeen's rich history, this tour is designed to captivate and educate. It's an ideal activity for individuals, couples, friends, or families with older children who appreciate historical stories filled with suspense, intrigue, and a touch of the macabre. Don't miss this opportunity to discover Aberdeen's fascinating past in a unique and immersive way.

Why book this?

Unleash your inner detective and embark on a thrilling journey through the darker side of Aberdeen's history. This self-guided audio tour provides the freedom to explore at your own pace, offering a truly personalized experience. With the VoiceMap mobile app, you'll be transported back in time as the audio narratives unfold precisely where they happened. The engaging storytelling, combined with the city's iconic landmarks, creates an immersive adventure unlike any other. This tour allows you to unlock the secrets of Aberdeen's past and gain a deeper understanding of its culture, traditions, and the resilience of its people.

Good to know

Before embarking on the tour, make sure to download the VoiceMap mobile app and enter the provided code in advance. The self-guided audio tour starts outside the Tolbooth Museum on Union Street, easily accessible via public transportation. The tour covers a total walking distance of 3km, taking approximately 45 minutes without stopping. However, feel free to pause or take your time exploring each location. Remember to bring your smartphone and headphones to fully enjoy the immersive audio experience. Get ready to uncover the secrets of Aberdeen's intriguing past in a way that fits your schedule and interests.

Reviews

Previous participants rave about their engaging and immersive experience on the 500 Years of Crime and Punishment audio tour. They commend the audio narratives, which bring the stories to life, and appreciate the ability to explore at their own pace. Travelers particularly enjoyed visiting the iconic landmarks and learning about the fascinating and often unseen history of Aberdeen. Many rate this self-guided tour with five stars, calling it an exceptional way to learn about the city's past, all while feeling like a true adventurer. Don't miss out on this captivating journey through time.

Reviews

(24)

4 (24)

Charlotte_H

My husband and I were able to take the tour at our speed, stopping where we wanted to stop and adjust as we saw fit. This was perfect for getting to know a new area with the stories and history. It is my absolute favorite way to see a city. I will definitely be checking out more as we travel in our future. Thank you.

68sarab

This was my first time working with GPS specific technology. Loved the information, delivered in an easy to listen to and engaging tone. Witch trials, beheadings, body snatchers, Mary Queen of Scots and and anatomy school! Really fascinating. Route was interesting with varied terrain. Personally had a bit of a fail as was unable to access the church yard as it was locked, but may have been doing my tour a little late. Found my way back on route without too much bother and peered through the railings. One of the other buildings referred to has, I think been demolished since the tour was recorded (little disorientating). I think that this is well worth doing if you have an hour or two to spend. Would recommend.

376arweng

This was excellent and I'd highly recommend it. So good to be able to go at a time that suited us and the app installation was very straightforward. The tour itself was really interesting, well narrated and a good length, with opportunities to stop and look at things in more detail. Very good value for money.

Cheryl_S

Super frustrating Could not find where to start even with asking 4 locals After 30minutes of walking around i gave up

Jo_P

Great story but a bit ‘ify’ in parts for the directions at points & possibly due to a combo of locus & poor connectivity. However when you pass the multi storey flats its a point of danger. These flats are rife with crime & not sure that tourists should be alone here. Im a native & had concerns. That aside, the commentary was great, very informative & plenty to learn from the tour itself

Andreia C

The facts about all the history of crimes and punishments were gruesome but very interesting. However the app kept stopping for me and saying I was going off course... my partners however kept working well.

Anneke_S

I was pleasantly surprised by this tour. We really enjoyed it and learned a lot while walking the streets of Aberdeen anyway.

awurschmidt

The directions were clear and easy to follow. The map was nice just in case. The whole experience was very enjoyable and I would happily try a tour like this again Date of experience: June 2022

Vshambrook

Fun experience walking around being told a little of the history of Aberdeen, One important note though, it uses a fair bit of phone battery running the app due to gps, make sure your phone is fully charged or have a portable charger ready, otherwise a great activity to kill a couple of hours.

Mary Lynn M

The tour was easy to follow, and we could go off the beaten path whenever we wanted to, we particularly enjoyed walking through the St Nicholas cemetery, but the Tolbooth museum was closed, so I was disappointed that we couldn’t go in, also since this is in a busy downtown area I would not recommend taking this tour alone nor if you have difficulty walking as there are many stairs and cobblestone walkways that could be challenging
Collected by Evendo, Tripadvisor & Viator
2024-03-28 23:30