Salem

Salem trip ideas

Historian's Guide to the Salem Witch Trials

Badge of ExcellenceSalem, USA

From $25.00

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Salem, Massachusetts

Satanic Salem Walking Tour

1,218

from $25.00

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem History Lovers Walking Tour

from $28.00

Salem, Massachusetts

Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Salem

166

from $5.99

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

This tour will talk about the darker side of Salem's history: the reality of the witch trials (both within and out of Salem), the Old Witch Gaol, the old County Jail, and the victims of the Salem witch trials. Your witchcraft-specialized historian will take you on a journey back in time to revisit some of the most tragic moments in the city’s past.

Learn about the dark side of Salem on this adults-only tour
Visit local sites like the Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Hear the shocking history involving curses, witchcraft, and crimes
Walk around the city with a local historian specializing in witchcraft

What's Included

History Information

Everything else

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Captain William Driver Park
309 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970, USA
This is a small bricked area directly across from the Witch House at 310 Essex St.

End point

Salem Witch Trials Memorial
24 Liberty St, Salem, MA 01970, USA
Here we will talk about the Salem Witch Trials and some of the victims

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

48 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 48 reviews

Great experience

Cheryl_M, Nov 2023

My guided tour was on Halloween. Had a great time and guide was great and very knowledgeable about the town and time period of the Salem witch trials

Rice family

Judy_R, Oct 2023

The guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the walking tour a great experience.. Unfortunately, rainy weather resulted in a shortened tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

I'm so sorry the rain affected everything. We were still able to go over everything but you didn't get to fully see the last two spots. I'm glad you still had a great time, though.

Awesome! Book with Krystina!

Tracey_M, Oct 2023

Krystina was very knowledgeable and had great energy! She told us such interesting stories and facts and kept our attention the whole time! It made the rest of our experience around Salem that much better because we learned personal history. Bonus, she’s funny! :)

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Don't mind me, I'm just going off to brag to my husband who REFUSES to say I'm funny as a way to spite me. Haha. Thank you so much!

Looking for Witch Trails? This is it!!!

BucketCheck, Oct 2023

Have you ever had that one favorite class/teacher where you just loved the subject. Well if Witch Trails is what you want to know about, you will know most everything by the time you finish this tour. She literally knows what seems to be everything and anything about Salem as well. Your have a great time book the tour 😊

Response from Host, Oct 2023

That's actually an unbelievable compliment. Thank you so much

Krystina was wonderful!!...

Kathleen_B, Oct 2023

Krystina was wonderful!! She provided good history with a healthy side of humor. We really enjoyed all she shared.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much!

Incredible & informative

heidi_s, Sep 2023

Krystina was entertaining and so informative!! She really has so much passion! Krystina gave such insight to the tour that you felt you were living it! Would definitely recommend and ask for Krystina!! Made it worth walking in the rain!

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it

Absolutely fantastic

Anna_J, Aug 2023

I had an absolutely fantastic time and learnt so much! Krystina is an amazing guide and a very knowledgeable historian- she was able to answer even the most detailed questions and clearly her expertise is broader than Salem witchtrials and so she was able to provide wider historical context as well. She has a very engaging way of presenting the history and was able to really bring it to life. I’d definitely recommend this trip to anyone visiting Salem! Thank you again Krystina for making my trip to Salem unforgettable

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you so much Anna, I really appreciate it. Keep doing what you're doing as well. The world needs more people like you.

Fantastic tour!

Janet_A, Aug 2023

Krystina was an incredible storyteller. Our tour was informative and fun. We would recommend this tour to everyone!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you, Janet!

Salem Witch Trials Tour

Robert_M, Jul 2023

Five Stars for Krystina! Very knowledgeable local historian provided a thorough account of the Salem Witch Trials, no gimmicks involved. We started at the Witch House and ended at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. Krystina’s presentation had my husband, my 17 year old daughter and myself hooked. Thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you so much!

great tour

MAYRA_D, Jun 2023

it was a great experience and kristina was fastastic and very knowledgeable. I would do it again. Recommended to all my friend

Response from Host, Aug 2023

That's so kind! Thank you so much!

History from a woman’s point of view

jaime_f, Jun 2023

Educational tour from a feminist’s perspective. This was informative and refreshing. Krystina shared well researched stories about the victims of the witch trials. The tour was good for liberal adults, not for children.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Definitely not for children, I completely agree. This is a dark adult tour for anyone reading. Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed your time!

Great experience

JenniferCurry_M, May 2023

Christina gave a wonderful tour. It was informative and entertaining, and I felt i got my money's worth for the experience. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you so much for your review and I'm so happy that you had a great time!

This walking tour was...

Racquel_H, Oct 2022

This walking tour was very entertaining and educational. Our guide Krystina, was amazing. She brought out a sense of humor that made learning fun.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Making learning fun is always my goal. Thank you so much!

Amazing!

Hernan_A, Oct 2022

Incredibly informative and showcased that the historical facts behind the Salem witch trials don't require any embellishments to qualify as true horror. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you so much! That is so amazingly kind and I appreciate it. I always think that actual history is way more terrifying and I'm glad you agree.

Ccc, candles, curses and chaos

Johnathan_M, Oct 2022

Stories of the people and learning commonalities of deaths between the people. The history was really interesting.

Highly recommend

Erin_R, Sep 2022

Krystina was knowledgeable and such a nice person. There were a few things that I didn't know about Salem and was cool to learn!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you so much! I'm so happy you enjoyed your tour and that you learned some new information. That is always my goal at the end of the tour

Love this tour

Cara_P, Aug 2022

Krystina was amazing. She took her time and gave us all kinds of extra details you don't get on other tours.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Thank you so much! I so enjoyed giving your tour!

Disappointed.

Diana_K, Nov 2021

We did not see ANY historical monuments. We went to places where everything had been torn down and rebuilt with modern structures. We lost our tour for a full segment of the tour, AND we could hardly hear the guides stories >> even with her microphone. We now understand why it’s the least expensive tour on the Salem agenda.

Response from Host, May 2022

Hi! I'm not understanding how we didn't visit historical monuments when we went to the Witch House (built in the 1640s), First Church of Salem (built in 1629), the Old Salem Jail (built in the 1800s),and we walked right up to the Witch Trials monument which is right next to Old Burying Point, the second oldest cemetery in the United States. I can't control that Old Witch Gaol was torn down in the 1950s; that Bridget Bishop's home and orchards were also torn down and replaced by Lyceum Hall, originally built in 1831, which is now a restaurant; and that due to the crowds Halloween weekend I didn't want to risk the safety of our group to go into crowded Essex Street to look at the Gardner Pingree Mansion built in 1804 (but I did give a lot of information about it and suggested that groups should explore it individually). From what I gathered observing other tours, these are all popular stops on many tours in Salem. I can't control the history, but I strive to tell it accurately and sometimes that history is what was originally on the land. As far as you getting lost, that is very unfortunate but I anticipated that that may have happened on Halloween weekend when we have hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, which is why I gave directions to where we were heading before each stop, gave everyone small candles that stood out, and periodically stopped to allow the group to catch up. Regarding not being able to hear me, I can see why that would be frustrating. That's why I deliberately moved the group to places that were quieter, encouraged everyone to move close and stand in front of me and wandered in front of everyone as I spoke. If you would have communicated with me that you were unable to hear, I would have made sure that there was space for you in the front. But, alas, unfortunately I am not a mind reader. And to address your last statement concerning my tour being the least expensive tour on the Salem agenda, I create my own prices, not tripadvisor or the city of Salem. It was less expensive than some other tours because I had a sale going on for Halloween weekend. Knowing that so many people were choosing to spend most likely thousands of dollars on their trip, I wanted to offer an affordable tour that would give a good sense of the history of the town. Thank you for your feedback. Krystina

Informative and sarcastic

Melissa_G, Oct 2021

She was sarcastic which was funny and she knew her stuff. Very informative tour. It rained during but she powered thru

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Me? Sarcastic? Nooooooo. Thank you so much for enduring the rain with me. I hope it made it a memorable experience and that your shoes have finally dried out. I really appreciate your feedback and I hope you had an amazing stay in Salem.