Sam Heughan Had Every Reason to Be ‘Terrified’ By This ‘Outlander’ Filming Location

Sam Heughan, beloved for his role as Jamie Fraser in the hit series Outlander, recently opened up about his favorite travel spot in Scotland—Mary King’s Close. Located beneath the bustling streets of Edinburgh, this underground warren is not just another historical site; it’s also been named the most haunted place on Earth.

Heughan’s fascination with the location isn’t casual; it’s rooted in a spine-tingling experience from his teenage years. With Heughan gearing up for the final season of Outlander, he has a hauntingly good reason to be on edge.

Sam Heughan’s favorite Scottish destination is also super spooky

In a recent conversation, Heughan opened up about his top travel destination in Scotland. As it turns out, his favorite place to visit is the mysterious Mary King’s Close. 

This particular area, located beneath Edinburgh’s vibrant streets, holds a reputation that would give anyone the chills. And that includes the Outlander star. 

According to Yahoo, Heughan finds the place captivating for a reason; it’s been officially dubbed the “most haunted place in the world.”

This unsettling label isn’t just hearsay. Travel aficionados at Planet Cruise meticulously combed through countless TripAdvisor reviews, data, and other metrics before declaring Mary King’s Close the globe’s most hair-raising locale. 

For Heughan, the site’s ghostly reputation adds an extra layer of allure. Because of this, Heughan makes it a must-visit spot whenever he finds himself in the Scottish capital.

‘Outlander’ star Sam Heughan opens up about his favorite haunt

The revelation follows Heughan’s disclosure about a teenage trip to the spooky location that genuinely scared him.

Attending both James Gillespie’s High School and the Edinburgh Steiner School, he recounted the trip as being “terrifying.”

The actor, known for playing Jamie Fraser in Outlander, likened the atmosphere at Mary King’s Close to something you’d encounter in a Harry Potter story. He also strongly urged those who haven’t visited Edinburgh to do so.

“It’s like something out of Harry Potter, it really is. And if you haven’t been, please visit Edinburgh,” he stated.

Heughan is no stranger to diverse Scottish locales, given that he’s shot scenes for Outlander all over the country. The show itself has been a significant contributor to Scotland’s tourism.

As for the final season of Outlander, it remains uncertain whether filming will take place in Edinburgh. But should it happen, Heughan has a compelling reason to feel a sense of dread.

A closer look at Mary King’s Close 

Heughan is far from alone in his fear of the eerie Mary King’s Close, tucked beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

This labyrinthine network served as a home and workplace for people from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Interestingly, fresh research designates it as the globe’s most haunted location. It’s garnered impressive mentions as “scary” and “spooky,” tallying 583 and 497, respectively.

Additionally, the location’s high TripAdvisor score of 4.5 attests to its bone-chilling reputation.

Planet Cruise has compiled a list of the top ten most haunted places worldwide, and Mary King’s Close takes the number one spot. Following closely are other spooky locations like the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia and The Stanley Hotel in Colorado.

The list also features haunted places such as Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast and Bhangarh Fort in Rajasthan, India, among others.