A castle on a volcano, a medieval Old Town and a Georgian New Town, all within walking distance: Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe.
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and one of the most beautiful and dramatic cities in the world. It is built on a series of hills and extinct volcanoes, with a great castle perched on a rock at its heart. Its medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, side by side, together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city has been the seat of Scottish kings, the home of great thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment, and the inspiration for writers from Robert Louis Stevenson to J.K. Rowling. Every August it hosts the largest arts festival in the world. This guide covers twelve things to see and do, followed by the festivals, where to eat, where to stay, a weekend plan and how to get there. Visiting in August? Read our festival guide.
1. Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle stands on Castle Rock, the plug of an extinct volcano, high above the city. There has been a fortress here for more than a thousand years, and it has been besieged more times than almost any other place in Britain. It is the most visited paid attraction in Scotland.
Inside the castle is the Crown Room, where the Honours of Scotland are displayed. They are the crown, sceptre and sword of state, the oldest crown jewels in the British Isles. St Margaret’s Chapel, built in the twelfth century, is the oldest building in Edinburgh.
Every day except Sundays and some holidays, the One O’Clock Gun is fired from the castle, a tradition that once helped ships in the Firth of Forth set their clocks. Mons Meg, a huge medieval cannon, stands on the ramparts. The Scottish National War Memorial remembers Scots who died in war.
The views from the castle ramparts over the city and the Firth of Forth are wonderful. The castle is very busy, so book tickets in advance and arrive early. Every August, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is performed on the castle esplanade.
2. The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is the main street of the Old Town, running downhill for about a mile from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is made up of several streets, each with its own name. It is lined with historic buildings, shops, pubs and attractions.
Off the Royal Mile run dozens of narrow alleys, known as closes and wynds, leading to hidden courtyards and steep stairs. Exploring them is one of the joys of Edinburgh. Each close has its own story.
St Giles’ Cathedral, halfway down the Royal Mile, has a distinctive crown shaped steeple and the beautiful Thistle Chapel inside. The Real Mary King’s Close, beneath the City Chambers, takes you underground into streets that were buried when new buildings were built on top. The Camera Obscura, near the castle, has a Victorian device that projects live views of the city, and floors of optical illusions.
At the bottom of the Royal Mile stands the Scottish Parliament, a striking modern building opened in 2004, which offers free tours. The Royal Mile is very busy in summer, especially during the festival. Early morning is the quietest time.
3. The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, at the foot of the Royal Mile, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The King stays here for a week each summer for royal events. The palace has been a royal residence for centuries.
The palace is closely linked with Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived here. In her rooms in the old tower, her secretary, David Rizzio, was murdered in front of her in 1566 by a group of nobles including her husband. The story is one of the most dramatic in Scottish history.
The state apartments are grand, with tapestries, paintings and fine furniture. Beside the palace stand the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, founded in the twelfth century. The King’s Gallery, next door, shows exhibitions of art from the Royal Collection.
The palace is open to visitors for much of the year, except when the royal family is in residence. An audio guide tells its story. The gardens are lovely in summer.
4. Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Park
Arthur’s Seat is the main peak of a group of hills in Holyrood Park, just beside the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is the remains of an ancient volcano, and it rises about two hundred and fifty metres above sea level. Climbing it is one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
The walk to the top takes about an hour from the palace, following paths up the grassy slopes. The final climb is rocky, so wear good shoes. From the summit, the views over the whole city, the Firth of Forth and the hills beyond are breathtaking.
Holyrood Park also has the Salisbury Crags, a line of dramatic cliffs, with a path along their base called the Radical Road, which has been closed at times because of falling rocks. The ruins of St Anthony’s Chapel stand above a small loch. It is amazing to find such wild landscape in the heart of a capital city.
The park is free to visit and open all year. It can be very windy at the top, so take a warm layer. Sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful.
5. The National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland, on Chambers Street, is one of the best museums in Britain, and it is free to enter. It tells the story of Scotland and the world, with collections of natural history, science, art and history. There is something for everyone.
The museum’s Grand Gallery is a spectacular Victorian hall with a glass roof. Among its treasures are Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, and some of the Lewis Chessmen, a set of medieval chess pieces carved from walrus ivory. The Scottish galleries tell the story of the nation from prehistoric times.
The museum has interactive galleries for children, and displays of animals, dinosaurs and inventions. You could easily spend a whole day here. It is very popular on rainy days.
The rooftop terrace has wonderful views over the Old Town to the castle. It is a lovely place to take a break. The museum is a short walk from the Royal Mile and the Grassmarket.
6. Calton Hill
Calton Hill, at the eastern end of Princes Street, is one of the best viewpoints in Edinburgh. It is a short but steep climb from the city centre. From the top, you can see along Princes Street to the castle, over the Old Town, and out to the Firth of Forth.
The hill is crowned by several monuments. The National Monument, built to look like the Parthenon in Athens, was never finished because the money ran out, and it is sometimes jokingly called Edinburgh’s Disgrace. The Nelson Monument, shaped like an upturned telescope, has a time ball that drops at one o’clock each day.
The Dugald Stewart Monument, a small round temple, frames one of the most famous views of the city. The old City Observatory has been turned into an art gallery and restaurant. The hill is a lovely place to watch the sunset.
Calton Hill is free to visit and open all the time. It is especially popular at sunset and during fireworks displays. It is a short walk from Waverley station.
7. The New Town and Princes Street
The New Town, north of the Old Town, was built in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as a planned city of wide streets, squares and elegant Georgian houses. It was designed to give the wealthy an escape from the overcrowded Old Town. It is one of the finest examples of Georgian town planning in the world.
Princes Street, the southern edge of the New Town, is Edinburgh’s main shopping street, with views across Princes Street Gardens to the castle. The Scott Monument, a huge Gothic spire in the gardens, is one of the largest monuments to a writer in the world. You can climb its narrow stairs for views.
George Street and the streets behind it have shops, restaurants and bars. The Georgian House, in Charlotte Square, is a restored townhouse that shows how a wealthy family lived in the early nineteenth century. It is looked after by the National Trust for Scotland.
Dean Village, a short walk from the West End, is a picturesque old mill village in a deep valley on the Water of Leith. Stockbridge, nearby, is a lovely neighbourhood of independent shops, cafés and a Sunday market. The Water of Leith Walkway runs along the river through the city.
8. Leith and the Royal Yacht Britannia
Leith, Edinburgh’s port, is a lively area north of the city centre on the Firth of Forth. Once a separate town, it has been transformed from a working port into a neighbourhood known for its restaurants, bars and waterfront. It has a character all of its own.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith, served the royal family for more than forty years. You can explore its decks, the state rooms, the royal bedrooms and the engine room. It gives a fascinating glimpse of royal life at sea.
The Shore, Leith’s old waterfront, is lined with restaurants, some of them among the best in Scotland. Leith Walk, the long street linking Leith with the city centre, is full of independent shops and cafés. The trams now run from the city centre to Leith and Newhaven.
Newhaven, a former fishing village beside Leith, has a harbour and seafood restaurants. Portobello, further east along the coast, has a long sandy beach and promenade. Both make lovely trips out of the city centre.
9. The galleries
Edinburgh has some of the finest art galleries in Britain, many of them free. The Scottish National Gallery, on the Mound between the Old and New Towns, has a superb collection of paintings, from Raphael and Titian to Rembrandt, Monet and Van Gogh, alongside the best of Scottish art. It is free to enter.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, in a striking red sandstone building on Queen Street, has portraits of famous Scots from Mary, Queen of Scots to the present day. Its great hall is decorated with a painted frieze of Scottish history. It is free and fascinating.
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, in two buildings set in parkland to the west of the city, has modern and contemporary art, with sculptures in the grounds. It is free to enter. The walk there along the Water of Leith is lovely.
The Royal Scottish Academy, next to the National Gallery, holds major exhibitions. The galleries are especially busy during the festival. They are a perfect escape on a rainy day.
10. Greyfriars, the Grassmarket and Victoria Street
Greyfriars Kirkyard, just south of the Old Town, is one of the most atmospheric graveyards in the world. It is famous for Greyfriars Bobby, a little Skye terrier who, according to the story, guarded his master’s grave for fourteen years. A statue of Bobby stands outside the kirkyard.
The kirkyard is full of old gravestones and tombs, and it has many links with the Harry Potter stories, as J.K. Rowling wrote some of the early books in Edinburgh cafés. Visitors look for gravestones with names that appear in the books. Ghost tours visit the kirkyard at night.
Victoria Street, a curving street of colourful shopfronts, is said by some to have inspired Diagon Alley. It leads down to the Grassmarket, a wide square beneath the castle, once a place of public executions and now lined with pubs and restaurants. It is lively in the evenings.
The Old Town is full of stories, and a walking tour is a great way to discover them. Many tours focus on ghosts, murders and the dark side of the city’s history. They are great fun.
11. The Royal Botanic Garden
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, just north of the city centre, is one of the finest botanic gardens in the world. It was founded in 1670 as a garden for medicinal plants, and it moved to its present site in the nineteenth century. It covers seventy acres.
The garden has plants from around the world, including a famous rock garden, a Chinese hillside and a huge collection of rhododendrons. Its glasshouses have been closed for a major rebuilding project, so check what is open. There are wonderful views of the city skyline and the castle.
Entry to the garden is free. It is lovely in every season. There is a café and a shop.
The garden is a peaceful escape from the busy city, and a lovely place for families. It hosts events and exhibitions through the year. It is a short walk from Stockbridge.
12. Day trips from Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a brilliant base for exploring Scotland. Rosslyn Chapel, about seven miles south, is a fifteenth century chapel covered in extraordinary carvings, made famous by The Da Vinci Code. It is one of the most mysterious buildings in Scotland.
The Forth Bridges, about ten miles west at South Queensferry, are three great bridges spanning three centuries. Boat trips sail under them. North Berwick, on the coast to the east, has beaches, a harbour and the Scottish Seabird Centre, with views of the Bass Rock and its huge colony of gannets.
Stirling, with its castle and the Wallace Monument, is about an hour away. The Pentland Hills, just south of the city, are lovely for walking. Further afield, the Highlands, Loch Lomond and St Andrews are all within reach for a day trip.
A driver for the day is the easiest way to explore beyond the city, without worrying about parking or directions. See our seven days in Scotland for ideas for a longer trip.
Where to eat and drink
Edinburgh has one of the best food scenes in Britain. Leith has several of the finest restaurants in Scotland, many of them specialising in Scottish seafood. Stockbridge and Bruntsfield have lovely neighbourhood cafés and restaurants.
Try haggis, neeps and tatties at least once, the national dish of spiced lamb with turnips and potatoes. Edinburgh has many whisky bars, where you can taste whiskies from across Scotland, and the Scotch Whisky Experience, on the Royal Mile, tells the story of the drink. Old pubs in the Old Town and the Grassmarket are full of character.
The festivals and Hogmanay
Every August, Edinburgh hosts several festivals at once, including the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, with thousands of shows in hundreds of venues. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is performed at the castle. The city is packed and buzzing. See our festival guide.
At Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, Edinburgh hosts one of the biggest New Year celebrations in the world, with a torchlight procession, a street party and fireworks over the castle. Accommodation for August and Hogmanay books up months in advance.
Where to stay
For a first visit, stay in the Old Town or the New Town, where you can walk to most of the sights. The Old Town is atmospheric and close to the Royal Mile, while the New Town is elegant and close to the shops and restaurants. Leith and Stockbridge are quieter and good for food.
Edinburgh is hilly and its streets can be steep and cobbled, so bear that in mind if you have heavy luggage. A car booked to your hotel door saves dragging cases over the cobbles.
A weekend in Edinburgh
On the first day, start at Edinburgh Castle, then walk down the Royal Mile, exploring the closes and visiting St Giles’ Cathedral. After lunch, visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, then climb Arthur’s Seat for the view. In the evening, have dinner in the Old Town and a drink in the Grassmarket.
On the second day, visit the National Museum of Scotland, then walk through Greyfriars and Victoria Street. In the afternoon, explore the New Town, Princes Street Gardens and Dean Village, and end the day watching the sunset from Calton Hill, followed by dinner in Leith or Stockbridge.
Getting there and getting around
Edinburgh Waverley station is in the heart of the city, between the Old and New Towns, with trains to London King’s Cross in around four and a half hours, to Glasgow in under an hour, and across Scotland and Britain. The Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London Euston. Haymarket station serves the west of the city.
Edinburgh Airport is about eight miles west of the city centre, linked by tram in around half an hour. The city centre has a low emission zone, which some older vehicles cannot enter without paying a charge, and parking is limited and expensive.
A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Edinburgh, the airport and the stations with luggage, especially to hotels on hilly, cobbled streets, and for day trips to the Forth Bridges, Rosslyn and beyond.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Edinburgh, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.