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Only after living in Scotland for 11 months, did we make the trip down to Edinburgh, Scotland and see what all the hype was about. We aren’t huge fans of visiting cities, so in all honesty, we didn’t expect many things to do in Edinburgh, but visiting Edinburgh couldn’t have been a lovelier surprise. Scotland’s capital brings in some rich history. Edinburgh was declared the capital of Scotland in 1437, so it’s easy to understand there are loads of historic places to visit!
We found ourselves visiting Edinburgh time and time again bringing family and friends to the city and even just using it as a pitstop while driving through Scotland. This list of 21 things to do in Edinburgh is a compilation of many trips to the city.
13 Free Things To Do In Edinburgh
Wander Down Circus Lane
You know those places you get inspired to see from seeing other traveler’s pictures.. yep, this is one of those places! Circus Lane has absolutely nothing to do with a circus, but has everything to do with picturesque Edinburgh full of charm! Walking down Circus Lane gives you an idea of how Edinburgh may have been when visiting neighbors was done with just knocking at the door, not scheduling play dates.
Stroll Down The Water Of Leith Walkway
The Water of Leith Walkway goes straight through Edinburgh from Balemo to Leith. It holds some rich history for Edinburgh. Along the walk, you’ll find old watermills, historic villages and more. You can even download audio guides to explain the walk as you carry along. The stretch from Stockbridge to Deans Village is a gorgeous one, and is quite popular as an escape from the city.
Visit Dean Village
This picturesque village along the Water of Leith Walkway is the perfect stopping place for a little rest. Keep in mind, there aren’t any places to eat or use the toilet at Dean Village, after all, it is just a residential zone in Edinburgh!
You can either walk here from the center of Edinburgh (this is what we did, and it made for a great walk). Alternatively, take a cab or bus here.
Read More | A Complete Guide to The Dean Village Walk
Stroll Through Princes Street Gardens
The Princes Street Gardens are right below the Edinburgh Castle and offer a special escape from the hustle and bustle of tourist on the Royal Mile and buses and cabs on the high street. Picture yourself trying to invade the Edinburgh Castle as you sit just below the cliffs the castle is built upon.
Traveler’s Tip… Grab a £3 meal deal from Tesco, and enjoy a rather cheap, but filling lunch in the park!
Calton Hill At Night
Visiting Calton Hill at night isn’t for the faint at heart or those traveling solo (unless you stick to the main marked trails). This place can be full of people drinking and doing inappropriate things around corners at night, but it also offers some lovely views of the city all lit up!
Use your own judgment here, and maybe find a few people to visit Calton Hill at night with you to see Edinburgh come to life with the city lights.
Marvel At St. Giles’ Cathedral
St. Giles’ Cathedral was founded in 1124, and while it took a hard beating and burning as with much of the rest of Edinburgh, it is beautiful. The church still holds meetings, though is also open to visitors.
Traveler’s Tip… Be respectful in the church. If you’re wearing a hat or beanie be sure to remove it before heading in and be mindful of the clothing you’re wearing too!
Find The Pipers In The City
I can still remember exactly where we were and what we were doing the first time we heard a proper Scottish piper, and I can tell you, it’s something not to be missed! You’ll find pipers on the Royal Mile, by Princes Street, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to enjoy some bagpipes being played up on Calton Hill.
Just follow the sound of the bagpipes heard near and far and then watch how much of an art playing the pipes truly is!
Sunset On Calton Hill
If visiting Calton Hill at night to see the city lights isn’t your thing, and even if it is, you can’t miss sunset on Calton Hill! It’s absolutely stunning!
Check Out The View From The Castle
You can walk up to the castle for free + visit the visitor’s center too. The views of Edinburgh are lovely from the castle grounds. You can see Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill, and the busy Princes Street too!
Traveler’s Tip.. You can use the bathrooms at the castle for free too! Just walk through the gates like you’re going to pay to visit the castle, then pop over to the left side and enjoy some clean public bathrooms!
Visit The National Museum Of Scotland
We didn’t visit this place until our final trip to Edinburgh where we experienced nothing but rain.. no better time to walk around a museum! The National Museum of Scotland is absolutely amazing. It’s massive and has so many different areas and subjects, that it would take a month to see it all! This museum in Edinburgh is a great way to spend a rainy day—and it’s free! Nothing better!
Photograph The Edinburgh Castle From The Vennel
The Vennel is a walkway just off the Grassmarket that offers great views of the Edinburgh Castle. Tucked away and honestly not busy at all, this little stone stairwell is a great place for photography! Find the Vennel on the map app in this travel app post here.
Walk The Royal Mile
If you’re going to walk the Royal Mile, you’ve got to do it from the beginning! Don’t make the mistake of stepping in the Royal Mile from a side street! Visit it with the full effect by starting near the Old Town Highstreet / Radisson Blu Edinburgh Hotel, and walking on up to the castle.
The true start to this stretch of road connects the Holyrood Abbey to the Edinburgh castle, but to get a look at Old Town Edinburgh, starting at the Radisson Blu will do just fine!
Window Shop On Victory Street
Connecting the Royal Mile to the Grassmarket, Victory Street is a great place for window shopping and the best place to find specialty items. Think, wool scarves, Harry Potter Stores, and stores for the knights.. you’ll find it all on Victory Street.
3 Things To Do In Edinburgh That Cost Money
Be Haunted On A Ghost Tour
There’s an entire underground life/city beneath the walking streets of Edinburgh. There are historic tours of these places, and evening ghost tours as well.
These tours sell out fast. Book your tour in advance here.
Visit The Holyrood Abbey + Palace Of Holyroodhouse
If you’d like to visit an abbey in Scotland and don’t get the chance to visit one of these seven abbeys in Scotland, Holyrood is just the place for you. It’s rather expensive to get in, but if you’ve always dreamed of visiting an abbey, there’s one right in Edinburgh!
Traveler’s Tip.. With the extremely high prices for visiting the abbey at nearly £20, if you can get to the other abbeys outside of Edinburgh, we’d really recommend those instead!
See The Crowned Jewels at The Edinburgh Castle
The Crowned Jewels, oh the Crowned Jewels… We had never even heard of them until our friends visited us in Scotland and were talking all about visiting Edinburgh Castle to see the Crowned Jewels. But, here’s the thing, while you can pay the fee to enter the castle, that doesn’t mean you’ll actually see the jewels.
There is typically a line down the Royal Mile to enter the castle, and another one throughout the castle to see the jewels! But, Edinburgh is the home to the Scottish Crowned Jewels, and if you want to see them, going in is your only bet!
Traveler’s Tip.. As we said above, the line to get to the castle can be quite long. We recommend purchasing your tickets ahead of time (saving you time and money), and then getting to the castle between 9:00-9:15 to get a good spot in line. Once you’re in the castle follow the signs and head straight to the jewels so you don’t have to wait in line again!
Traveler’s Tip…If you’re spending more time in Scotland and traveling to other places, we recommend skipping the Edinburgh Castle. It’s touristy, crowded, and honestly, there are much better and more impressive castles close by!
Food To Try In Edinburgh
This isn’t a complete list of food to try in Edinburgh, but instead are some of our favorite spots in the city. Be sure to check out our complete list of food to try in Scotland here.
Grab A Bite To Eat At The Grassmarket
The Grassmarket is a big open square smack in the middle of Edinburgh. With staircases leading up to the Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, the Grassmarket is easy to get to. It used to be a place of public executions and trials, though now just holds a lot of history and some really cute restaurants with outdoor seating!
Coffee At Cairngorm Cafe
Our favorite coffee shop in all of Edinburgh, serving up the best coffee with the sweetest staff, Cairngorm Coffee is a bit off the beaten path, but visiting this coffee shop will not only offer you the best cup of joe, but it will give you an insight into what local life looks like in Edinburgh.
Visit The Stockbridge Market
While wondering down to the Water of Leith Walkway, we stumbled upon the Stockbridge Market. This market is a pop-up market of local shops and homemade goods. You’ll find tasty tray bakes, drinks, fresh produce, and homemade bread and the like at the Stockbridge Market.
Traveler’s Tip…Grab food for your walk down the Water of Leith Walkway to Dean Village – both mentioned things to see above and have a picnic along the walk!
What To See Just Outside Edinburgh
See The Forth Bridge From North Queensferry
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is quite the thing to stand beneath as a train powers across overhead! While it’s not really recommended as a place to journey to if you only have a short time in Edinburgh, if you’re visiting for a while or are heading north out of the city, pop on down to Queensferry and visit the Forth Bridge!
Try Some Whisky At Glenkinchie Distillery
One of 12 free distilleries to tour in Scotland with the Friends of the Classic Malts Pass, this distillery is quite the tourist trap, but still is home to some good whisky tasting!
READ MORE | Which Distillery is Right for You?
Rosslyn Castle
Visit the Rosslyn Chapel seen in the Da Vinci Code, and walk around the castle for free. To see the chapel, you’ll have to pay a pricey entrance fee, thanks to the Da Vinci Code, but the castle is totally free to visit, and is an actual home too!
A Few Extra Tips On Things To Do In Edinburgh
Partake In A Festival
If you’re a fan of festivals, Edinburgh is the place for you! They have the Fringe Festival, a major art festival every year for three weeks in August dating back to 1947, beer festivals, tattoo festivals (not actual tattoos but music instead), fire festivals and more!
Be sure to check if any festivals are happening in Edinburgh while you visit! Head to this Edinburgh Festival website for more details!
Visit The Christmas Markets
Edinburgh changes scenes for the holiday time. With streets filled with colorful lights, and market throughout the Princes Street Gardens, and even a little Christmas play area for the bairns, Edinburgh during Christmas is a lovely time!
READ MORE | Visiting the Edinburgh Christmas Markets
Hike Arthur’s Seat
While living in Scotland, Jason wasn’t ever healthy enough to actually hike Arthur’s seat, but if we make a return trip to Edinburgh in better health, you bet we’ll be making this trek! The family over on earthtrekkers.com have a fantastic post about this trek! So we’ll let them share with you all the ins and outs of hiking Arthur’s Seat.
READ MORE | EarthTrekkers Arthur’s Seat Tips
Why You Should Skip Visiting Edinburgh
In light of full honesty, while we truly enjoyed Edinburgh and visited Edinburgh quite a bit after our initial visit to the city, there are much better places to explore in Scotland than Edinburgh!! The country is absolutely stunning, and the people are so friendly, especially when you get out of the cities! Try visiting some of Scotland’s Islands, or take a trip to the highlands to see the rolling hills and the famous highland coo!
When we lived in Scotland we traveled more than 10,000 miles in our van (16,093+ km), and documented it all. Our Scotland travel page is full of videos and posts on the best food to eat, best places to visit, and guides all across the county! Have a look yourself and get inspired to visit more than Edinburgh!
LEARN MORE | All Things Scotland, a collection of all our trips in one place!
Where To Stay In Edinburgh
Wild Camping
Wild camping is free to do anywhere in Scotland. Hike up Arthur’s Seat and camp at the top, or find a spot just outside the city at a park or trailhead! Just be sure to always clean up after yourself, leave no trace, and dig a flipping bathroom hole!
We’ve read that camping at Calton’s Hill isn’t advised, as not so nice advances have been made on multiple people while camping up there.
Hotel Stays
If hotel life is the life you fancy, then booking.com is what we recommend. There are great places right in the city and even on the Royal Mile, but do expect to pay more the closer you get to the Royal Mile.
Find your perfect hotel stay here.
Guest Houses
When not wild camping or sleeping in our van, we prefer to stay in guest houses. Rooms are typically a fraction of the cost of hotels, and you get to experience what life is like being a local in the area!
And better yet, there are so many full apartments in Edinburgh to rent out, that you and your mates could all have a full flat with a kitchen to yourself!!
Find a guest house in Edinburgh here.
Recommended Gear For Visiting Edinburgh
Camera
All photos in this post were taken with this camera. We usually shoot with this lens, though occasionally will throw on this wide angle lens, for night photography and wider shots.
Rain Jacket
Trust us when we say you’ll need a good rain jacket! It will help protect you from not just the wet rain but also the wind too!
Credit Card
You will inevitably buy something somewhere when traveling abroad, and this credit card basically pays you to use it and has no transaction fees!
Traveling Beyond Edinburgh
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