Cities are a little like people, you can tell if you’re going to like them almost instantly. There’s a certain feeling that you get when you step foot in a favourite city – butterflies in your stomach that tell you, ‘you belong here’. It speaks to your heart and, despite the fact you’ve never been there before, it somehow feels like home. That’s how I felt the first time I visited Edinburgh, and the feeling has only gotten stronger each time I’ve visited since. So if you’re planning your own trip to this magical city, here are the things I’d recommend you don’t miss!
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1. Edinburgh Castle
We might as well get this one out the way. It’s Edinburgh’s biggest attraction and, sitting atop of a hill, looking down on the city, it’s hard to miss. The castle certainly has a magical feeling to it and is definitely worth a visit. There are great spots all across the city to snap a photo (one of which I’ll mention later) or you can actually enter the castle to take a tour.
Entry between 9:30am – 5:00pm (in the summer)
Tickets cost £19.50 at the gate or £17.50 online
2. Arthur’s Seat
Arthur’s seat is an extinct volcano, which is the main peak of a group of hills in the city. It takes about an hour to reach the summit, where you’ll find unparalleled views of the city.
3. Real Mary King’s Close
Mary King’s Close is a warren of old streets located under the Royal Mile, in the Old Town of Edinburgh. It gets its name from Mary King, a merchant Burgess who lived on the close in the 17th century. The streets have a reputation for hauntings and have featured in a number of television shows and books. Nowadays you can take tours around the close to learn some of its history!
Opening times vary so check the website for more details
Tickets cost £16.50
4. Camera Obscura
In 1827, Maria Short arrived in Edinburgh claiming to be the daughter of Thomas Short, making her the owner of his Great Telescope. She decided to open a popular observatory in 1834 for people to see it, which over the years grew to be one of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions. Now you can find all number of weird and whacky photo opportunities at the Camera Obscura museum.
Opening times vary so check the website for more details
5. Mary’s Milk Bar
Mary’s Milk Bar is a personal favourite. A small local shop, complete with dreamy window displays and terazzo tabletops, that sells weird and wonderful flavours of ice cream. If it’s a little cold, as it so often is in Edinburgh, try one of their excellent hot chocolates!
6. Palace of Holyroodhouse
Standing at the end of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh. Unlike many of the other palaces, it’s open for most of the year, so make sure to give it a visit!
Opening times vary seasonally so check the website for more details
Tickets cost £16.50
7. The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a group of streets that form most of the Old Town of Edinburgh. There’s plenty of restaurants, pubs, and shops telling tartan wares. It’s also one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland. Nearby you can find J. K. Rowling’s handprints at City Chambers.
For more Harry Potter spots in Edinburgh check out this blogpost!
8. Hogmanay Street Party
Hogmanay is the Scottish word for New Year’s Eve. The city becomes a huge party, making it one of the best places to celebrate the arrival of a new year.
9. Circus Lane
Circus Lane is perhaps the prettiest street in Edinburgh. Whilst there’s not necessarily anything to do here per-say, it’s the perfect place to wander around and take in the beauty of the city.
10. Try Haggis
A traditional Scottish dish, Haggis isn’t for the faint hearted. It’s a savoury pudding made of sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, with onion, oatmeal, and suet, traditionally encased in the sheep’s stomach. If you’re feeling brave, where better to give it a go than in the Scottish capital?
11. Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens are tow adjacent parks in the centre of the city. It’s the perfect place to chill out with a good book in the summer sunshine.
12. National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland is one of my favourite museums in the world. Not only is the building itself incredibly beautiful, it’s filled with some of the best exhibits in the world. A lot of them are super interactive, making them great for kids (or easily bored adults!).
13. Greyfriars Bobby
Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye Terrier who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died in 1872. Nowadays you can find a cute commemorative statue of the little pup in Old Town.
14. Christmas in Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s magic is magnified at Christmas – the whole city is festooned with lights and an amazing market opens up in Princes Street Garden. Gorge on doughnuts, take a ride on the waltzers, or buy some beautiful Christmas gifts for friends and family.
15. Calton Hill
Calton Hill is the perfect place to get some incredible views of the city. Several iconic monuments can be found on the hill, including the Robert Burns Monument, the National Monument, and the Nelson Monument.
16. Dean Village
Dean Village is one of the cutest spots in Edinburgh. Located near the Stockbridge area, it’s the perfect little fairytale village to explore when you’ve exhausted the city.
17. Victoria Street (Diagon Alley)
Lined with brightly coloured shops and restaurants, Victoria Street is located in Old Town and is said to have been the inspiration for J. K. Rowling’s Diagon Alley. Here you can find a number of Harry Potter inspired shops, such as Museum Context and The Boy Wizard, as well as a traditional joke shop.
18. Fringe Festival
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world, with people coming from all over the country to see the array of shows on display. In 2018, it spanned a whopping 25 days and featured over 55,000 performances. If you want to experience the best culture the city has to offer, this is the time to visit!
19. Harry Potter Tour
As you may have already noticed, Edinburgh is filled with Harry Potter inspired spots. J. K. Rowling actually wrote the books in the city, meaning that she took plenty of inspiration from its streets. Hop onto a Harry Potter walking tour to take a look at all of the areas that both inspired and were inspired by the magical wizarding world, including Voldemort’s grave, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts itself!
Want to know all of the best Harry Potter spots in Edinburgh? Check out this blogpost!
20. Heart of Midlothian
The Heart of a Midlothian is a cute heart-shaped mosaic that can be found on the Royal Mile. It’s traditional for people to spit on the heart, for good luck, although some suggest that this was originally done in scorn for the prison that used to lie in the heart’s location.
21. Royal Botanic Gardens
Edinburgh’s Botanic gardens are the second oldest in Britain after Oxford’s. They’re extremely beautiful, especially at Christmas when they host an incredible light display!
22. The Vennel
The Vennel is one of my favourite spots in the whole of Edinburgh. It’s a small passageway up Jean Brodie’s Steps (named after one of the city’s most famous literary characters), with the most beautiful view of the castle. It’s also surprisingly quiet, despite being a favourite amongst Instagram lovers.
23. Try a Fried Mars Bar
You’ve probably tried a Mars Bar before, but have you tried one that’s been deep fried? In 1995 a fish and chip shop in Stonehaven started selling them to their customers and they’ve since become a national favourite! Cafe Piccante in New Town is well-known for its deep-fried Mars bars, as is the Clam Shell chip shop on the Royal Mile.
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