Popular Edinburgh attraction Escape the Past has been officially recognised as one of the top escape room experiences in the world after receiving a prestigious Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for 2025. The award places the company among the top 10% of visitor attractions globally – a distinction earned through consistently outstanding feedback from real visitor reviews.
Escape the past’s Edinburgh escape rooms are well known for using the thrilling format of an escape game to tell stories from Edinburgh’s fascinating history in an engaging and immersive way.
Founder Chris Wood, highlighted this objective and the significance of the award:
“We’ve always strived to create experiences that feel authentically tied to Edinburgh’s past and time and again it’s amazing to see our guests responding so positively.”
With hundreds of five-star reviews praising the creativity, attention to historical detail, and the atmosphere of its games, Escape the Past has established itself as a must-do activity for both locals and tourists seeking something more than the typical day out.
The company currently offers two award-winning indoor escape rooms:
- The Anatomist – A chilling experience that plunges players into the depths of Edinburgh’s grave-robbing past to investigate the dubious dealings of an unscrupulous anatomist before he returns.
- The Deacon’s Cabinet – A thrilling historical heist inspired by the double life of Deacon Brodie, the city councillor turned master criminal who served as the inspiration for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
This year, Escape the Past expanded their offering beyond their city centre venue and onto with outdoor escape rooms in Edinburgh.
A hybrid between an escape game and a self-guided walking tour.
The first of these, A Trail of Burke & Hare, debuted recently and takes players through real streets and sites connected with Edinburgh’s most infamous serial killers. Participants follow in the footsteps of William Burke and William Hare while tackling puzzles that blend fact with fiction, creating an interactive experience that is equal parts sightseeing, history lesson, and mystery game.
This outdoor format has quickly proven popular with families, groups of friends, and tourists looking for a flexible activity that shows them parts of the city they might otherwise miss. It’s an ideal way to enjoy the city’s atmosphere while engaging in a story that feels thrillingly alive.
Escape the Past’s Travellers’ Choice Award is more than a badge of honour — it’s a reminder of how far the escape room industry has evolved. Once viewed as niche entertainment, escape games are now recognised as powerful tools for storytelling, education, and cultural engagement.
By blending authentic history with modern puzzle-solving, Escape the Past has carved out a unique space in Edinburgh’s crowded tourism scene. Whether exploring the claustrophobic world of an unscrupulous anatomist, outsmarting Deacon Brodie, or piecing together a mystery in the open air, visitors are guaranteed an unforgettable journey into the city’s darker past.
For those planning a trip to Edinburgh in 2025 and beyond, this award-winning attraction offers something different: a chance not just to hear about history, but to step into it.
