Here’s our pick of the best things to do in Edinburgh from the Gothic atmosphere of the Old Town to the Georgian grandeur of the New Town and beyond…
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The best things to do in Edinburgh
Here’s our pick of the best things to do in Edinburgh from the Gothic atmosphere of the Old Town to the Georgian grandeur of the New Town and beyond…
Words by Sally Coffey
The best things to do in Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle
If Edinburgh were to have its own monarch, it would be its castle, which lords over the city from atop Castle Rock, like a king or queen upon their throne. It’s certainly attracted its fair share of royals, good or bad. Robert the Bruce had the castle torn down in 1314 after reclaiming it from the English (though another castle soon replaced it). Henry VIII tried to burn it down during his Rough Wooing of Mary, Queen of Scots, and later, the Scottish queen retreated here to give birth to her son, the soon-to-be King James VI, after the murder of her secretary David Rizzio at the nearby palace.
Today, as well as visiting Edinburgh’s oldest building within its walls – St Margaret’s Chapel, dedicated to King David I’s mother and the only surviving building of Robert the Bruce’s time – most people come to visit the Honours of Scotland (Scotland’s Crown Jewels) and the Stone of Destiny. The latter will move to Perth in 2024.
Even if you never set foot beyond its walls, the castle will be ever-present on your visit to the city as it can be seen from almost everywhere, and you will no doubt hear the One O’Clock Gun, fired from the castle’s ramparts every day except Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.
Camera Obscura
Renowned for being the oldest purpose-built attraction in Edinburgh, this tall building opposite the Scotch Whisky Experience has changed a fair bit since first opening to Victorian visitors in the mid 19th century.
The camera obscura – an early form of moving images that uses a periscope and pinhole camera to project street scenes from down below onto a screen up above – is still up top and is fascinating to see (it’s also a great spot for taking in panoramas of the city’s skyline). But on the way up, there is a World of Illusions that includes a maze of mirrors and lots of head-scratching tricks that is a lot of fun for kids, both big and small.
The Scotch Whisky Experience
Just a short hop down the hill from the castle, this attraction gives a great introduction into the world of whisky. The experience starts with a barrel ride through the history of whisky making in Scotland, and a choice of tours offer different levels of nosings and tastings at the end – depending on how much of an aficionado you are, and how much you are willing to spend. If you don’t fancy a tour, you can still visit the excellently stocked whisky shop, or dine on Scottish tapas in the Amber Restaurant, where the dishes draw on ingredients sourced from Scotland’s abundant larder.
St Giles’ Cathedral
About midway down the Royal Mile stands this cathedral, whose unusual spire marks it out as one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
It was here, in September 2022 that Her Majesty The Queen lay in state, guarded by the Royal Company of Archers – the monarch’s bodyguard in Scotland. Though the stained glass inside is beautiful, The Thistle Chapel with its decorative ceiling and detailed carvings around each of the 16 stalls of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle, is the star attraction.
The Order, Scotland’s highest order of chivalry, meets here biennially and counts Princess Anne and Prince William among their number. King Charles III, formerly a Knight, is now Sovereign of the Order.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
At the opposing end of the Royal Mile from the castle is the palace, the King’s official residence in Scotland and where Scotland’s Royal Week celebrations (Holyrood Week) take place each year from late June to early July. The ornate State Apartments, which include the Royal Dining Room, the King’s Bedchamber, and the Great Gallery – where Bonnie Prince Charlie once held decadent balls – are a must. The highlight of a visit though is surely Mary, Queen of Scots’ bedchamber in the northwest tower – scene of murder, intrigue, and scandal.
rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse
Mary King’s Close
Virtually opposite St Giles’ Cathedral is this award-winning underground attraction, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and offers a snapshot into life in Edinburgh in the 1600s. Once a busy community, the street’s close quarters, named after a former resident, were mysteriously covered up, possibly to stem the spread of the plague. Today the tours, led by a costumed guide, tell the stories of some of its past residents, including ‘Annie’, a small child who is said to haunt the close and who visitors have been leaving dolls for in the site’s 17th-century preserved house for decades. Of all the paid-for attractions in Edinburgh, this one seems to sell out the fastest, so make sure to book well in advance.
The Scottish Parliament Building
Just across from the historic palace, this modern building is conspicuous in its daring design. The jury is out on whether the building, which first held debates by Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in 2004, is a welcome addition to the cityscape. You can’t argue with the sense of occasion though, and being able to take a free guided or self-guided tour of the building where Scottish decisions are made or watch the First Minister field questions from other MSPs every Thursday feels like a real privilege. Just make sure you book.
Arthur’s Seat
Overlooking the palace, this ancient volcanic hill in Holyrood Park offers a little taste of what the Highlands have to offer, right here in the capital. As you might imagine, the views of the city from its peak are fabulous, but it does involve some proper walking, so it’s not to be underestimated. Before you set off, visit the Holyrood Lodge Information Centre, which will give you a bit of history of the park that surrounds it and its fellow hills and staff can offer advice on reaching the top, or you can join one of the ranger-led walks.
historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/holyrood-park
National Museum of Scotland
Most museums in Scotland are free, though you may have to pay for some special exhibitions, and this, the country’s largest, is no exception. Inside, there are all kinds of artefacts and treasures among its 12 million items that tell Scotland’s story, from some of the Lewis Chessmen – beautifully carved 12th-century ivory chess pieces found on Uig on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides – to Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell.
Don’t miss the 7th-floor roof terrace for amazing city views.
Greyfriars Kirk
Just a short walk from the National Museum is this churchyard, scene of many crucial moments in the city’s history, not least when Scottish Covenanters were locked up here. Today though there are two main reasons people visit: to visit the graves that are thought to have inspired JK Rowling in the creation of some of her Harry Potter characters, and to see the grave of Greyfriars Bobby, a little terrier whose devotion to his owner – he is said to have taken his cue from the One O’ Clock gun each day and legged it through the city to sit at the grave of his late owner – has made him a local legend. A statue of him is just outside the churchyard.
Victoria Street
Harry Potter fans often hotfoot it to this curved street that leads from the George IV Bridge down to Grassmarket – a historic cobbled square – as it is supposedly the place that called to JK Rowling’s mind the iconic, cobbled wizarding street, Diagon Alley. It’s not the only place in the UK to make that claim, but true or not, its colourful shop fronts and selection of good pubs and restaurants make it more than worthy of your time.
ewh.org.uk/street-stories/victoria-street
Johnnie Walker Princes Street
The latest addition to Edinburgh’s whisky scene, a visit to this New Town attraction is highly recommended. Through an interactive tour you’ll learn more about whisky in 90 minutes than you ever thought possible. The price of the standard tour includes three cocktails, and whether you head there afterwards or book a seat without doing a tour, don’t miss a visit to the 1820 rooftop bar, which boasts possibly the best view of the castle in the city.
johnniewalker.com/en-gb/visit-us-princes-street
The Scott Monument
On the other side of Princes Street Gardens from the Old Town, this huge memorial to one of Scotland’s most cherished writers marks the entry point to the New Town. Sir Walter Scott was instrumental in romanticising Scotland in the eyes of outsiders, helping fire-start tourism here, so it’s fitting that he should be celebrated in such a big way. While many visitors make do with admiring the Gothic-inspired landmark from afar, for a small fee (£8) you can take a tour to the third floor viewing platform for a closer look.
edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/scott-monument
The National Gallery: Portrait
Edinburgh has lots and lots of excellent art galleries, but this one in a neo-Gothic building in the New Town – the world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery – is our favourite. One of the city’s three ‘National Galleries’, it houses the most important portrait collection in Scotland and indeed is seen by many as a shrine to Scotland’s heroes and heroines. The painted frieze featuring many famous figures from Scottish history that you see on entry is truly spectacular and is like a love letter to Scotland.
nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-portrait-gallery
Dean Village
Another surprise find in Edinburgh lies a little to the west. Dean Village, an old watermill village, is like a little piece of Amsterdam right here in Scotland. There’s not much to do here except admire the old buildings that line the Water of Leith before walking the riverside path all the way to Stockbridge, where on the weekend you will find a tempting food market, but sometimes doing little is what we like doing best.
ewh.org.uk/world-heritage-sites/dean-village
Calton Hill and the National Monument
If you’ve ever wondered what that Romanesque building you can see atop a hill to the east of Waverley Station is, then you need to climb Calton Hill to find out. The National Monument is an incomplete monument to lives lost during the Napoleonic Wars and is a reminder of the city’s rare folly as it was considered an ambition too far in pursuit of the city’s desire to be hailed the Athens of the North. Whilst here, pop into the Collective – a modern gallery in the city’s old observatory buildings – or book a table for a lavish lunch at the glass-fronted Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage.
ewh.org.uk/world-heritage-sites/calton-hill
This is an extract, read the full feature in our July/August 2023 issue of Scotland Magazine. Get your copy here.
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