Edinburgh is the small, hilly capital of Scotland. It boasts a beautiful medieval Old Town in addition to a lovely Georgian New Town with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Edinburgh Castle, which houses Scotland’s crown jewels and houses the Stone of Destiny, which is used to enthrone Scottish kings and queens, dominates the city. In Holyrood Park, Calton summit crowned with monuments and memorials, while Arthur’s Seat is a prominent summit with panoramic views.
Arthur’s Seat is a hike
At the base of this extinct volcano that is 350 million years old, Holyrood Park is where the hunt for Edinburgh’s remains begins. With the same heathery uplands, untamed loch stretches, basalt cliffs, and diminutive glens as a trip to the Scottish Highlands, it’s a time-constrained alternative. Aim to reach its 251-meter bald summit by sunset. The climb will take you just over an hour.
Observe the world’s best performance.
A platform for the “flowering of the human spirit” was promised in the 1947 program for the inaugural Edinburgh Festival. Despite the introduction of genre-defying acts like drag queens in zombie form, swearing puppets, and other such things, not much has changed. Every August, the Fringe features approximately 3,500 shows, 1,900 or so premieres, and 55,000 performances spread across 300 city center venues. It’s a lot to take in. Plan ahead for at least three to four days, rely on word of mouth, and keep in mind that spontaneity is important. Look for the days that offer two-for-one tickets at the beginning of the festival to smugly double the number of performances you can see.
Scale Scott Monument
Whatever you imagine this memorial to Sir Walter Scott to look like—a gothic space rocket, a Victorian Thunderbird—the top balconies’ vistas of Edinburgh Castle, the tram-trundling Princes Street Gardens, and Calton Hill will soothe your soul. You’ll catch peekaboo glimpses as you ascend its 287-step corkscrew staircase, and then it’s back down to a ground level to play “Guess who?” with all the marble statues. Mary Queen of Scots, Lord Byron, and Robert Burns are a few of the well-known names.
Walk the Royal Mile
This kind of street belongs in every city. The Royal Mile in Edinburgh is a compact collection of shoulder-width alleys, uneven nooks, and crooked tollbooths that serves as both an open-air museum and a venue for a circus. St. Giles’ Cathedral or the more sedate Museum of Edinburgh are excellent stops to make on your way downhill to the Scottish Parliament. The World’s End or the oak-paneled Royal Mile Tavern both have a lot of character and are frequented by a variety of local characters; drink a cask of ale there afterward. Allow a guide to show you the highlights of the area.
Imagine the Britannia, the Royal Yacht
A visit to the former Queen Elizabeth II yacht can occasionally make one feel as though they are entering a scene from an episode of The Crown. It serves as a reminder of the era when the royals enjoyed sailing. From the ballroom, where Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Ronald Reagan were entertained, to the sunroom, where Her Majesty enjoyed breakfast, the royal flagship, which was in service from 1954 until 1997, is brimming with glitz. It has five levels of state apartments. In the Royal Deck Tea Room, reserve a table in advance for champagne and scones.
Introducing the next generation of distillers
These days, drinking a fine grain malt or gin with juniper infusion while in Edinburgh is a must because both spirits are experiencing a renaissance there. Before learning how to blend at one of the many distilleries, start by sipping a single malt on the Royal Mile. While the underground Edinburgh Gin Distillery and the enormous Johnnie Walker Princes Street are located in the West End, the polished Holyrood Distillery and the beloved Pickering’s Gin are located in Newington. If not, take a mouthwatering Edinburgh food and drink walking tour.
Stroll along the Water of Leith
A glimpse of Edinburgh suburbia, from gentrified Murrayfield to bistro-friendly Stockbridge, is offered by this lovely city’s hidden river pathway, which burrows into deer- and wild-life-filled woods. Alongside it, some of the city’s least-visited attractions appear. Don’t miss Dean Village, a hidden historic mill town, and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Last but not least, a pleasant surprise: freshly brewed coffee and snacks at Stockbridge Market or craft beer and buffalo wings at Pitt Market. Both are only accessible on weekends.
The Royal Botanic Gardens
When visiting Edinburgh, it’s difficult to forget that the Scottish capital is one of the UK’s greenest cities. Just take a look at the ridiculously beautiful Botanic Gardens, which have 13,000 different plant species and a three-million-stem herbarium. Since 1670, the gardens have been available to the public, and the view of Edinburgh’s steeple-studded skyline from in front of Inverleith House is one of the most romantic in the entire city.
The Edinburgh Castle time machine
Edinburgh Castle looms like a flag-waving British bastion from its crag-top perch. The Honours of Scotland, the oldest regalia in the British Isles and first worn by Mary Queen of Scots, the daily one o’clock gun fired from the ramparts, St. Margaret’s Chapel, and other historical sites are all worth booking tickets for.
Enter the world of the Harry Potter series.
Most people don’t get much closer to falling down the rabbit hole into the wizarding world of Hogwarts than the crooked wynds and medieval alleys of the Royal Mile. Rowling, based in Edinburgh, is said to have drawn inspiration for the books from places like Victoria Street, Candlemaker Row, George Heriot’s School, and the Elephant House, where she wrote a large portion of the first book. Greyfriars Kirkyard is also said to have inspired the books due to its eerie stories of witchcraft. A private walking tour will allow you to learn the story behind the Harry Potter origin myth while avoiding the crowds of Gryffindor scarf-wearing tour guides who congregate on Chalmers Street.
Think about the best pieces of art created in Scotland.
Visit the Scottish National Gallery for some beautiful works of art by well-known artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Botticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Constable, and Turner, as well as lesser-known Scots like Ramsay, Raeburn, and Wilkie. There is so much to see that it is dispersed among two collections of neo-classical art: the National Gallery and the Royal Scottish Academy. Just as stunning is the exterior doric columns and detailing.
Find Rosslyn Chapel’s link to the Knights Templar.
This 15th-century tabernacle outside of Edinburgh’s city limits served as the setting for the conclusion of The Da Vinci Code, according to author Dan Brown, who called it “the most mysterious and magical chapel on earth.” Give your brain a break and let a guide make the assumptions as you try to decipher the mystery and significance of the more than 200 keystone carvings that cover the nave, apse, and altar.
Visit the Real Mary King’s Close underground.
Real Mary King’s Close, a dimly lit underground maze of formerly troubled streets that stirs with jumping dark shadows and ghostly breezes, appears to have been dug out of the earth. The preserved 17th-century street is a time capsule of Edinburgh as it once was, so it’s the history rather than the ghost stories that will really capture your attention. Avoid it if you have accessibility issues or young children with you. Tours yo-yo up and down nearly 100 worn-out steps.
Calton Hill offers a beautiful view of the setting sun
From the landmark Calton Hill in the city center, you won’t be able to see the entirety of Edinburgh, but it will feel that way. It’s important to brush up on the history, and there are plenty of monuments and statues to admire, including the Nelson Monument, the City Observatory, and the National Monument, which has an Athens-like appearance. The beautiful Dugald Stewart Monument is where you should be looking. Don’t go back to your hotel just yet; instead, take advantage of the architecturally stunning area with a private tour guide. It’s only a short walk to the equally captivating New Town to the north.
Discover the history and future of the country
Some cities have dull parliaments, but Edinburgh has a striking building that combines abstract modernism with glass, steel, and rock. Leave your political opinions at the door to explore the Scottish Parliament’s inner debating chamber and jigsaw-like lobby. Next, puzzle over the exterior, which is said to reflect the nearby nooks of Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat. Free guided tours offer a venue to highlight works of art, buildings, and history that have had a significant impact on the country.
Set out for Inchcolm Abbey
A boat trip from the city’s Three Bridges to Inchcolm Abbey takes you from bobbing beneath the longest cantilever bridge in the world to strolling between a monastic priory and beaches frequented by seals. All tours include a stop at the pink Forth Rail Bridge and Queensferry Crossing, and they are available from April to October. A late-afternoon boat tour will allow you to avoid the crowds; just keep in mind that it will take you 35 minutes to get to the city center from your departure location. Your Firth of Forth adventure begins in South Queensferry, a tangle of takeout joints serving fish and chips and cafés with bridge views.
Splurge on cuisine with a Michelin star.
Edinburgh, which is located directly on the North Sea coast, is a chef’s paradise, with waters for freshly-caught shellfish, fields for seasonal foraging, and herb gardens in the Pentlands’ foothills. Like the locals, make reservations in advance for coveted tables on The Shore or farther away in hip Leith and the West End. Restaurants Martin Wishart, Fhior, The Little Chartroom, and Aizle should be at the top of your list.
Scott
You shouldn’t be concerned, as many people are unaware of how to consume Scotland’s national beverage (hint: you shouldn’t add cola). The slick Scotch Whisky Experience, which houses the largest collection of scotch in the world, overlooks the Royal Mile and offers visitors the chance to learn the easy way from those who know best. You’ll soon be able to distinguish between subtle Speysides and peaty Islays, as well as how to pronounce “uisge beatha.”. If at all possible, come on World Whisky Day in May or on St. Andrew’s Day on November 30; no one will bat an eye if you have a dream in the middle of the morning.
Join a ghost tour
Numerous spooky tours are available through the city’s picture-book cemeteries and Cowgate underbelly. This is not unusual because Edinburgh’s history is rife with accounts of murders, body snatchers, witch trials, and executions, as well as the locations where they occurred. The PG-rated, all-ages tours for families and children over five are unique. In the burgeoning wildflowers at Old Calton Burial Ground or Canongate Kirkyard Cemetery, you’ll get the idea.
View the other castle in Edinburgh
Scotland’s capital is home to a wide variety of breathtaking buildings, including the adrenaline-inducing Edinburgh Castle and the 19th-century New Town. Craigmillar Castle, a toothy ruin with a tower house, great hall, and exceptional views of the city, is lost among all of this. Three miles southeast of the city center, it is accessible by public transportation. Alternatively, you can arrange a guided tour to see it and the other undiscovered attractions of the city.
Listen to the origins of rock and roll.
Although Edinburgh’s music resume is more polished than you might initially think, Glasgow frequently receives praise. Further, the best way to understand the scene, which spans record stores, seedy clubs, and folky pubs, is to take a trivia-filled walking tour of the city’s streets. Discover bands like the Incredible String Band, Young Fathers, Shirley Manson, and more, then return for a rowdy folk performance at Sandy’s Bell or the Royal Oak.
