Edinburgh: Attractions with map from the expert (2021)

An overview of Edinburgh’s top attractions with insider tips and map. Plus: best time to visit, festivals, shopping, history and more.

Info on Edinburgh:

” Sightseeing
” Shopping
” Festivals
” best time to travel
” accommodations
” Tram, Bus & Train
” worth knowing
” history

“Auld Reekie” was what the people of Edinburgh once called their city – the “old smoky one”. For after the Industrial Revolution, factory chimneys fogged the air. Today, however, the smoke has long since cleared, revealing a view of this beautiful city with its medieval buildings. Green parks allow residents and visitors to catch their breath; smoky, on the other hand, is now only the whisky that runs down throats in the pubs.

Many visitors spend a few days in Edinburgh at the beginning or end of a Scotland tour. It’s a good idea to counter the wild nature of the Highlands with a cultural contrast.

What visitors can do in Scotland’s capital, which places are particularly worth seeing and what else you should know about Edinburgh are all here.

Highlights: Edinburgh’s most important sights

The top ten Edinburgh sights at a glance

These are the ten must-sees for a first visit to Scotland’s capital. Below that, though, it’s worth scrolling on, as there are many more must-sees to follow. All of them and more, by the way, are also included in the MyHighlands Edinburgh travel guide.

1 – Edinburgh Castle

Naturally THE structure that towers above all others on Castle Hill in Edinburgh. Every August, the large square in front of the gate serves as the stage for the Military Tattoo, the grand parade of military bands and dancers.

For about 17 pounds the visitor is allowed inside the castle – and it is worth it. For on the one hand he can catch a beautiful view from the walls over the Princes Street Gardens and the New Town of Edinburgh, on top of that he gets insights into the interior as well as the history of Edinburgh Castle and its former inhabitants.

A spectacle is the “one o’clock gun” cannon shot, fired from the castle walls every day except Sunday. It once gave the sailors down in Leith harbour the exact time. The tradition continues today with military precision.

TIP: To avoid the queue you can buy tickets online at Getyourguide. Just click here (Advertisement).

Opening hours:
Summer Apr-Sep: daily 09:30-18:00
Winter Oct-March: daily 10:00-16:00
Last admission one hour before closing
Tours at 10:30 and 14:30
Admission: approx. £16 adults, approx £10 children
Address: Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG
Web: www.edinburghcastle.scot

2 – Calton Hill

Eastwards, Princes Street runs towards one of Edinburgh’s seven hills: the Calton Hill. On its crest are numerous monuments such as the National Monument, the Nelson Monument or the Dugald Stewart Monument, photographed in so many pictures. In addition, you can also find an observatory on Calton Hill.

At sunset, people gather here and look west across the city. As the sky turns orange and the city lights slowly come on, Edinburgh shines with a glow all its own.

More on Calton Hill here.

By the way, at the bottom of the hill, when you get to the Princes Street extension, Waterloo Place, there’s a hidden cemetery, Old Calton Burial Ground. If you like cemeteries, pay it a little visit

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Opening Hours:
Hill always accessible
Opening Hours Observatory:
Thu-Sun: 10am-4pm
Admission: free
Web: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/city-observatory
Opening Hours Nelson Monument:
Currently closed due to pandemic
Admission: Free
Web: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/nelson-monument
Address: Calton HillEdinburgh EH7 5AA

3 – Holyrood Palace

At the gates of the palace, the Royal Mile now ends. Holyrood Palace was originally built as the guest house of an abbey, but over the centuries Scottish and British kings expanded it into a stately castle.

Today it is the official residence of the British royal family in Scotland, which the Queen also occupies at least once a year.

Visitors can tour part of the palace, including the historic apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots. Behind the palace, incidentally, already rise the Salisbury Crags with the famous Arthur’s Seat.

To avoid the queue you can buy tickets online at Getyourguide. Just click here (Advertisement).

Opening hours:
Nov-March: 09:30-16:30
Apr-Oct: 09:30-18:00
Last admission one hour and 15 minutes before closing
Admission: approx £17 adults, approx £10 children
Address: Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX
Web: www.rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse

4 – Princes Street Gardens

Again, across from the shopping opportunities, between Princes Street and Castle Hill, stretch the Princes Street Gardens – a long, green park where, when the sun is shining, Edinburgh residents relax on park benches and the green spaces.

At the junction with The Mound, gardeners have been greening what is known as the Floral Clock with up to 30,000 plants every summer since 1903. A little below it is the small Gardener’s Cottage, which is well worth seeing.

Opening hours:
Daily 07:00 opening, depending on the time of year the park closes in the evening from 17:00, in summer until 21:00 at night approximately
Admission: free
Address: Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2HG
Web: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory-record/1208325/princes-street-gardens

5 – Greyfriar’s Bobby & Kirkyard

Probably Scotland’s most famous dog was Greyfriar’s Bobby. The story goes like this: A man’s dog sat at his owner’s grave in Greyfriar’s Cemetery for years after his death. Then one day he died himself. But a bronze statue was erected in his memory. The pub behind it took his name. Even if historians now set the dog’s story somewhat straight, the legend itself is just too beautiful.

Note: Please don’t rub the dog’s nose. The graveyard, by the way, is a little way down the road that goes down in front of the pub towards the Castle.

More info on Greyfriars Kirkyard and Bobby here.

Opening Hours:
Always
Address: Edinburgh EH1 2QQ

6 – St Giles’ Cathedral

After the first major cross street crosses the Royal Mile, you reach a square with a cathedral – this is St Giles’ Cathedral. A small church stood here as long as about 900 years ago, but it wasn’t until the 14th century that it was greatly enlarged in the Gothic style.

Inside you can see rooms and buildings from different periods. Very beautiful is the Thistle Chapel, a smaller chapel at the end of the cathedral. The interior is decorated with elaborate carvings.

For detailed info on St Giles’ Cathedral, see here.

Opening hours:
Mo-Sat: 10am-1pm
Admission: free
Address: High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RE
Web: stgilescathedral.org.uk

7 – Royal Yacht Britannia

Because this is where the Royal Yacht Britannia is anchored. The luxury ship once sailed the royals around the world. In 1997, however, it was decommissioned and is permanently moored just behind a large shopping centre. From here, the Queen s yacht can be visited today, which is definitely recommendable. Detailed info in the post on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

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I saw the Britannia still in action in the mid 1990s, by the way. The picture was taken in Thurso and is scanned from a slide.

To avoid queuing you can buy tickets online from Getyourguide. Just click here (Advertisement).

Opening Hours:
Sep-Jun: 10am-3:30pm
Jul-Aug: 9:30am-4pm
Admission: Adults approx £17, Child approx £9
Address: Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ
Web: www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk

8 – National Museum of Scotland

Just when it’s raining, the National Museum is a real alternative. Wonderful exhibits from throughout Scottish history can be seen here. A few highlights: Dolly the cloned sheep; the Lewis Chessmen; the history of Scotland, with many finds; furniture, clothing and design from the last few centuries; and, of course, the beautiful Victorian entrance hall.

As with many museums in Scotland, admission to the National Museum is free. All that is asked for is a donation – which enthusiastic visitors are also happy to give.

More info here.

Opening Hours:
Daily 10:00am-4:30pm
Admission: Free
Address: Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Web: www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/

9 – Mary King’s Close

There are always “closes” leading off to the left and right of the Royal Mile. There are narrow lanes leading down the hill, often already overbuilt by houses. Mary King’s Close was walled off in such a way that, over time, it went underground.

Today it is a tourist attraction. Guides talk about historical findings as well as hauntings that go around here.

Opening hours:
weekdays: 10:00-18:30, May and June also during the week
Admission: 
Ed. approx. 19 pounds, child approx. 13 pounds
Address: Warriston’s Close, 2, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1PG
BOOK ONLINE IN ADVANCE!
Web: www.realmarykingsclose.com

10 – Arthur’s Seat

What capital city has its local mountain right in the centre? Edinburgh. Arthur’s Seat, as a part of the Salisbury Crags, rises right behind Holyrood Palace. So if you are fed up with the city centre, climb up the mountain – either directly or via the detour along the Crags. From everywhere, there are great views over Scotland’s capital. But be careful: If you want to get to the top, you have to be able to handle a little climbing at the end. Sturdy shoes are advised.

More on Arthur’s Seat here.

Opening Hours:
Always Open
Admission: Free
Address: Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh EH16 5HX

Discover-more-sights-in-edinburgh-that-you-must-know

Grossly, Edinburgh is divided into two areas: There’s the old city, which stretches along the ridge of Castle Hill down to the foot of Salisbury Crags. The Royal Mile is the backbone of this old city, with streets or just so-called closes going off to the sides – these are narrow alleys and enclosed passageways. Everything seems to have grown quite organically here.

The second part is the New Town. It lies opposite the Old Town, separated by Princes Street Gardens. Geometric streetscapes dominate here. The neoclassical buildings with their magnificent columns eventually earned Edinburgh the name “Athens of the North”. Crowning this new part of town is Calton Hill with its monuments.

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Both areas of the city are worthwhile. The Royal Mile and surrounding area can tolerate as little as a day or two – depending on how much you want to shop. The New Town can also be explored in about a day. In addition, Edinburgh then has other more remote and very interesting parts of the city, all of which are mentioned below.

By the way, one way to explore the old town at night is on the guided tours with a creepy factor. They usually start at Mercat Cross near St Giles Cathedral, and you can pick up flyers there during the day and ask about prices.

Map: Edinburgh’s sights

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Where is what located? The map will show you. And following that, there are more points of interest in detail.

Old Town: Royal Mile, Castle, Shopping

Royal Mile

The Royal Mile runs from the Castle in the west down to Holyrood Palace in the east, actually covering a mile, or about 1.5 kilometers. It not only connects the Castle and the Palace, but was once the backbone of medieval Edinburgh. This is why there are still some interesting sightseeings at its way – and of course also many shops. You can reserve a whole day for them alone, including shopping and dinner.

Here’s the rundown of the most important and beautiful sights on the Royal Mile, lined up from west to east:

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Have you ever ridden a ghost train in a wooden barrel? You can at the Scotch Whisky Experience. And you don’t even have to be afraid of the ghosts here. The tells during the ride in the barrel namely, how the “water of life” – the Scotch whiskey – is created.

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After the ride, there’s a “dram” to drink, which is a glass of whisky, and a look at the largest collection of whisky in the world. The exit is right in the attached shop with many whisky varieties.

It’s a fun place to visit. However, you may be able to save it if you already plan a distillery visit on vacation before or after. Because at each distillery, you learn about the production process and usually get a tasting sip as well.

Opening Hours:
Daily 11am-5pm
Admission: Tours from £17 upwards depending on whisky tastings
Address: The Royal Mile, 354 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE
Web: www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk

Camera Obscura

Just across the street from the Whisky Experience is the house with the “Camera Obscura” and the “World of Illusion”. Here visitors will find optical illusions, have a view over Edinburgh from the roof and can see the old camera obscura in the building’s tower projecting an image of the city onto a table.

Opening hours:
Daily opens entw. 09:00 or 09:30, closes between 20:00 and 22:00
Admission: Adults approx. £18, child approx. £14
Address: Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2ND
Web: www.camera-obscura.co.uk

The Hub

At the junction of Johnston Terrace from the Royal Mile rises a large church – at least it looks like a church, because the building was never actually consecrated. It was the home of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly in the mid-19th century. But from the 1980s onwards, the building stood empty until it was converted into “The Hub” in 1999.

Today, it hosts the annual “International Festival” in August, when artists from the fields of opera, dance, and theater gather and give performances. Outside of that time, there are conferences, weddings and other events.

There is also a cafe inside.

John Knox House

A little further down the Royal Mile, the road narrows at a house with chalky white bay windows. This is the John Knox House. John Knox was effectively the Martin Luther of the Scots, that is, a reformer of the church.

The house is one of the few buildings that still shows the typical appearance from the Middle Ages. It is said to have been built as early as about 1470. A famous and long-time resident was James Mosman, the jeweller and goldsmith to Mary, Queen of Scots. He lived here for about twenty years before being executed as a loyal supporter of the queen in 1573.

John Knox himself, incidentally, only lived here for a very short time, probably in 1572, but that was enough to save the house from demolition. Lucky for today’s visitors, who can see old rooms inside with lots of little historical details.

Opening Hours:
Daily Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm, last admission 5pm
Admission: Adults approx £6, Child approx £1
Address: Scottish Storytelling Centre, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SR
Web: www.scottishstorytellingcentre.com/john-knox-house/

Canongate Tolbooth

Just beyond the John Knox House, a fine old clock sticks out from the tower on a building. It served from the 16th century as the courthouse, jail and meeting hall of the old Canongate district, which was once just outside Edinburgh’s city walls.

Today it houses “The People’s Story Museum“, which shows the lives of ordinary people from the 18th century onwards in Edinburgh.

Opening Hours:
Currently closed due to pandemic
Admission: –
Address: The Royal Mile, 163 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN
Web: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/peoples-story-museum

Kirk of Canongate

It seems only a sight on the outskirts: the Kirk of Canongate with the youthful statue in front of it. However, it does after all function as a parish church, whose area includes Holyrood Palace, the Scottish Parliament and even the distant Edinburgh Castle. No wonder, then, that Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter was married in it in 2011.

Built in the late 17th century at the behest of James VII. Inside, some celebrities have found their final resting place. For example, Adam Smith, the famous economist, or even the poet Robert Fergusson, who can be seen as a bronze statue in front of the church gate.

Opening Hours:
Currently Closed Due to Pandemic
Admission: –
Address: 153 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN
Web: www.canongatekirk.org.uk

White Horse Close

Caution: many overlook this sight. A nondescript front entrance underneath a rather modern-looking building takes you back in time about 300 years after just a few steps. For in the backyard is the White Horse Close with its white old houses. Today, it is a welcome and somewhat calmer side trip from the Royal Mile. In addition, a wonderful photo motif and especially in the evening also provided with a special atmosphere.

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Opening Hours:
Always Open
Admission: –
Address: 10 White Horse Cl, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Scottish Parliament Building

After all the medieval architecture, the modern Scottish Parliament building stands out conspicuously. Indeed, in recent years and decades, many administrative functions have been transferred from faraway London back to Scotland. Of course, the Scottish representatives of the people needed a big assembly building. Designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles, construction work began in 1999, and five years later it was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II. It is, after all, just across the road from the Queen’s residence in Edinburgh, Holyrood Palace.

Opening Hours:
Currently closed due to pandemic
Admission: –
Address: Edinburgh EH99 1SP
Web: www.parliament.scot

New Town: Princes Street, George Street and Calton Hill

Parallel to the Royal Mile, in the newer part of Edinburgh runs Princes Street with its hectic traffic and many clothes shops. The new tram also runs through here. A bit further you find the noble George Street with more shops. And in between runs the food mile of Rose Street.

But aside from the shopping, there are some sights to see here as well.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street

Quite freshly, the Johnnie Walker Experience will open on Princes Street in summer 2021. Operator Diageo has completely transformed an old Art Deco department store building for the purpose. There are several bars offering whisky and cocktails – each with a view of the old town opposite or even towards the sea. The Explorers’ Bothy offers rare bottlings to whisky connoisseurs. Tours also lead to the Sensory Tasting Room, where there’s then an excursion into the different whisky flavours.

Opening hours:
yet unclear
Admission:yet unclear
Address: 145 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 4BL
Web: www.johnniewalker.com/en/visit-us-princes-street/

National Galleries of Scotland

Under the motto “Art for Everyone,” the Scottish National Gallery exhibits works from various eras. These include artists such as Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and Roy Lichtenstein.

Admission is free.

Opening Hours:
Daily 10:00-17:00 (from July 2021)
Admission: Free
Address: The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Web: www.nationalgalleries.org

Scott Monument

This is an author the Scots are proud of, Sir Walter Scott. That’s why, in 1846, they immediately built him the largest monument ever erected to a writer anywhere in the world. The Victorian tower is 61 metres high. Visitors can climb up to the viewing platform for an entrance fee, but only a certain number per person per hour are allowed all the way to the top.

Opening Hours:
Currently Closed Due to Pandemic
Admission: –
Address: E. Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh EH2 2EJ
Web: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/scott-monument

Balmoral Hotel

A real gem is the Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street next to Waverley Station. It dates back to 1902 and has hosted many world famous guests. J.K. Rowling finished writing the final installment of the Harry Potter series in a suite now named after her

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At night, Balmoral is beautifully illuminated. Only the beautiful tower clock should not be relied upon: for it is always three minutes fast, to ensure that passengers reach the train safely. Only on New Year’s Eve does the clock show the correct time.

Opening Hours:
Always Open
Admission: –
Address: 1 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ

Periphery: Old Houses and Ports

Dean Village on the River Leith

Until the 19th century, Dean Village was an independent community. Today, however, it is part of Edinburgh, lying to the northwest of the city centre. The Waters of Leith Path runs along here. On it you can walk along the river past the old houses of Dean, through a graveyard to the Scottish National Galleries of Modern Art and back again.

For a detailed photo report and tour info for the walk, check out here.

Opening Hours:
Always Open
Admission: –
Address: Dean Path, Edinburgh EH4 3AY

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Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

While the Scottish National Gallery still tends to have the classics in its repertoire, the Gallery of Modern Art shows paintings and sculptures of more recent history. Picasso, Matisse, Warhol and many more are among them.

Also like most state museums, admission is free. However, some special exhibitions may have admission fees. The buildings are located just outside the city centre about 15 minutes walk from Princes Street.

By the way, this can be combined with a walk through Dean Village.

Opening Hours:
Daily 10:00-17:00 (from July 2021)
Admission: Free
Address: 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
Web: www.nationalgalleries.org

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Inverleith spreads the splendour of 100,000 species of plants. Some of them sheltered in greenhouses, such as the Victorian Palm House. A star of the botanic gardens is the Titan’s Root and Devil’s Tongue, which even have their own Twitter profile.

More on the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in this post.

Opening Hours:
Daily 10:00-17:00
Admission: Gardens free, Gas Houses currently closed
Address: Arboretum Pl, Edinburgh EH3 5NY
Web: www.rbge.org.uk

Leith: Edinburgh’s harbour

At the mouth of the River Leith lies the village of the same name, which is now a district of Edinburgh. It has always been important to the capital, for Leith was and is Edinburgh’s port. So important, in fact, that the once independent town was incorporated against the wishes of its inhabitants. Today, restaurants and pubs line the tranquil promenade waterfront, now charging upmarket prices.

Further towards the sea but Leith is still a functional port with docks housing large ships.

And another ship lies in Leith harbour …

Portobello Beach: Edinburgh’s beach

Leith is Edinburgh’s gateway to the sea, whereas Portobello is Edinburgh’s beach. And what a beach it is! For miles it stretches golden along the old seaside resort, which is only about six kilometres from the city centre. It can be easily reached by bus in half an hour.

Shopping in Edinburgh: Some Tips for Shopping

On the Royal Mile, there tend to be the tourist-savvy shops that offer lots of souvenirs or “typically Scottish” items – shortbread, Harris Tweeds, kilts, etc. But beware: it’s worth comparing. We were offered the same handbag for completely different amounts each time all along the Mile.

A real highlight stands right at the beginning of the Royal Mile at the Castle: the Tartan Weaving Mill and Experience seems like a small shop at first when you enter. But then, after passing through, the following shopping centre reveals itself:

At about The Hub, a staircase heads south down the hill, ending on Victoria Street. This street leads down to the Grassmarket and here you can find small antique shops, clothing boutiques and also whisky shops behind colourful facades. Strolling around here alone is fun.

Back down the Royal Mile a bit past John Knox House and before the Tolbooth, you’ll find the Fudge House. If you like the quintessentially British sweet fudge, you’ll find new flavor variations here such as “rum and raisin,” “pecan nut,” “triple chocolate” or “spicy ginger.”

Slant across the road from the Fudge House you’ll find Cadenheads, the oldest independent bottler of whisky in Scotland. Usually three to four casks of a noble variety are open here, which are then bottled in desired bottle sizes for the customer. However, one does not buy brands like Talisker or Caol Ila here, but regions. The producers are mostly not named. Some find the shop untidy and dingy, others urgemütlich (I belong to the latter and have acquired some very tasty bottles there).

While the Royal Mile has a historic feel, the Edinburgh visitor will find many modern clothing shops in the New Town starting from the Princes Street Gardens.

Princes Street and George Street are home to quite a few clothing stores.

Between the two major streets, another small alley, Rose Street, runs parallel. Here pubs and restaurants line up one after the other.

Extra tip: There are many small antique shops in Edinburgh. I report on our experiences of this here.

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Festivals: Theatherculture-and-street-art-dominate-in-summer

In August, Edinburgh is packed.No wonder, as this is the time when Scotland’s capital becomes a festival city, with 25,000 artists descending on the city to perform at more than 1,000 shows. Running almost simultaneously throughout the summer:

• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the square outside Edinburgh Castle
• Edinburgh International Festival at The Hub
• Fringe Festival across the city
• Edinburgh International Book Festival in Charlotte Square Gardens

The Fringe festival is, after all, considered the largest cultural festival in the world. At this time of year, the downtown streets are firmly in the hands of many street performers, with clusters of onlookers forming around them. In addition, there are theaters and stages where art and comedy are shown for an admission fee.

The International Festival at the Hub, on the other hand, is all about classical disciplines like theatre, musicals, ballet and opera.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo features bagpipe bands, military groups and dancers mainly from Scotland, but always with international guests. Each year the Tattoo attracts over 220,000 people to the Scottish capital. Tickets are coveted and expensive. Tickets start at 25 pounds and poor visibility and go up to 300 pounds on the “Royal Gallery”. You can find a review of the tattoo here.

And the Edinburgh International Book Festival brings readers together with authors around the theme of books.

On April 30 and October 31, two related processions take place in Edinburgh: Beltane welcomes spring, Samhuinn marks the coming of winter. Both times, painted carnies parade through the town with lots of fire until they reach a stage where the final spectacle takes place. For an experience report with lots of pictures of Samhuinn (Halloween), here.

As early as mid-November, the Christmas Market in Edinburgh begins, running until January 5. There is a Ferris wheel, other rides also for children and, of course, stalls with food, drink and bric-a-brac.

Finally, the Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration, or more specifically Hogmanay is still an experience all its own, when torchlight parades, live stages and ceilidh dancing send the city into a New Year’s frenzy over three days from December 30 to January 1.

There are many more festivals that focus on science, fine arts, blues & jazz and more. For a complete overview, see here.

Climate & Weather: The Best Time to Travel

Edinburgh is located on the east coast of Scotland, the adjacent sea is North Sea. The advantage is that the rain usually comes from the west – by the time you get to Edinburgh, the clouds have mostly cleared. One reason why Glasgow has to endure twice as much rainfall a year than Edinburgh.

The best time to visit Edinburgh is, admittedly, summer. However, don’t forget that August is just when all the festivals are on, the city is very crowded then and the hotels are fully booked.

Purely in terms of travel time, May offers an interesting alternative: little rainfall, lots of sunshine and not so many tourists yet. Since the sun sets quite late in May, visitors also have plenty of time to take in Edinburgh’s sights at their leisure – only those that don’t have opening hours, of course.

Here’s the climate chart for Edinburgh:

Note: A climate graph summarizes measured values from previous years and only tells you something about probability. I’ve had a rainy June and a glorious November. Edinburgh in particular has so much to see and do, even when it’s raining or cold.

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Accommodations in Edinburgh

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For a list of places to stay in Edinburgh, check out Booking.com. (link and map widget are adn)

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Public transport: Tram, bus & train – on-the-go in Edinburgh

While Glasgow is the only city with a subway, Edinburgh has been countering for some years with a tram – the Edinburgh Tram. Among other things, it connects the airport with the city centre. It is also modern: it offers its passengers free WLAN on the journey

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How to get from Edinburgh Airport to the city:

Edinburgh Airport is located about 10 kilometers from the city center. The Edinburgh Tram runs directly from the airport to the city centre. The journey time is about 35 minutes from the airport to Princes Street in the city centre. It runs approximately every seven minutes and costs £5.50 one way, £8.50 return. Children £3 and £4.50 (as of 2018)

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Alternatively, Lothian Busses’ Airlink 100 runs. It takes about half an hour from the airport (stop area D) to Waverley Station directly into the city centre. It runs every ten minutes and costs £4.50 one-way, £7.50 return (as of 2018)

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For the Airlink bus to and from the airport, you can already buy tickets online at Getyourguide. Just click here (Advertisement).

How to achieve goals in Edinburgh

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There are also a great many buses that run across Princes Street and Waverley Bridge, taking you to all corners of the city. Main bus operators are the Lothians Busses, Service 13 and EMH.

The hub for rail connections is Waverley Station, which is also in the middle of the city and from where trains run partly underground under the nearby Princes Street Gardens. You can make it to Glasgow from here by train in about an hour. From there, travellers can get to the West Highlands, for example, via the wonderful West Highland Railway route, which runs through Rannoch Moor to Ft William and Mallaig.

Directly from Waverley, connections go to Fife and up the east coast via Inverness to Thurso. In addition, plenty of lines also connect the town with the suburbs from here.

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The Edinburgh Bus Station on Elder Street near St Andrews Suqare, a few minutes’ walk from Waverley Station, serves as a distributor also for the Citylink buses, which travel to all corners of Scotland.

While in Glasgow the hop on – hop off – sightseeing buses are great for hitting the sights, in Edinburgh they are only so-so. They are not allowed up to the Castle or St Giles Cathedral as these areas are traffic restricted. For this, some operators make up for it by going all the way to Leith or South Queensferry. This page gives an overview of several providers.

For the 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus from Citysightseeing, you can already buy tickets online at Getyourguide. Just click here (Advertisement).

By the way, taxis in the city are reasonably affordable and that’s why they’re a cozy alternative, especially for more than one person.

General info about Edinburgh

Geography: Where is Edinburgh located?

Edinburgh is located in southeast Scotland in the Lothian region. Lothian runs below the great North Sea bay of the Firth of Forth, to which Edinburgh also has a port in the district of Leith.

People: Scotland’s capital, but not the largest city

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Edinburgh is home to 492,680 people, according to the 2014 census, slightly less than a tenth of all Scots and around 100,000 fewer than Scotland’s largest city Glasgow. But Edinburgh makes up for this by being Scotland’s capital and the seat of the Scottish parliament, which largely exercises its own powers in the UK.

Criminalit: A safe big city

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As recently as 2015, various newspapers reported that the area in and around Edinburgh had the highest crime rate in Scotland – higher than Glasgow, which used to be considered the murder capital of the UK after all. Domestic burglary is one of the main crimes. But here, too, much has changed. In 2016, for example, the crime rate fell by around ten per cent thanks to courageous police work. And more importantly for us tourists, robberies have been steadily declining for a long time, murders and incidents involving firearms even drastically, and have been for years.

In short: You can feel quite safe in Scotland’s capital, as long as you keep in mind that big cities always pose some risk to tourists anywhere in the world – from pickpockets, for example.

Scots: dialect in Edinburgh

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For the most part, fairly clear English prevails in the centre, but in some areas you’ll hear a distinct variant of Scots. There, “Edinburgh” quickly becomes “Embra”, if you’re drunk it’s called “reeking” or you’re told to look at something with “deek”

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History of Edinburgh

Edinburgh also has a Gaelic name, “Dùn Èideann”, but otherwise the capital of Scotland has little to do with the Gaels of the Highlands to begin with, nor with the Pikes. It was the so-called Gododdin in the 6th century AD who coined Edinburgh under the name “Din Eidyn” or “Etin”. “Dun” or “Din” respectively stands for a fortification or castle.

Around 700 AD, however, Edinburgh was part of the kingdom of Northumbria, which enjoyed warring with the picts to the north. It was not until 973 that the city passed into the fledgling realm of the Scots.

There was no real upswing until King David I. He granted certain places the status of “burgh” and thus special rights in about 1130 AD – “Etin” became Edinburgh. It was around this time that the oldest building still to be found in the city was erected. In honour of David’s mother, St Margaret’s Chapel was built, which is now part of the Castle. St Margaret is now a saint, as the plaque on the chapel also proudly tells:

As a protected burgh, Edinburgh developed magnificently. Beginning at Castle Hill, small farmsteads stretched down the flanks of the sprawling castle hill. Thus the approximate form of the today’s old town with the Royal Mile was already formed, only that the Holyrood Abbey was far before the city gate at the end of the castle hill. In the picture here you can also already see approaches to the Burgh of Canongate, which exists today as a district on the Royal Mile.

During the Scottish Wars of Independence under Robert The Bruce, Edinburgh was mostly occupied by the English. It was only afterwards that it became more and more important to the Scottish court as well. Moreover, with the port of Leith, Edinburgh established itself as an important trading post for import and export by ship. Thus the city grew steadily over the centuries, throwing off quite a bit of taxation in the process.

Reformation and Mary, Queen of Scots

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In 1561, the now famous Mary, Queen of Scots came to Scotland from France to establish herself as Queen. As a Catholic, however, she met with strong opposition, which was also fanned by the now equally famous reformer John Knox. John Knox, then, is something like Scotland’s Martin Luther.

Meanwhile, in place of Holyrood Abbey stood Holyrood Palace as the residence of the monarchs. Here a drama of jealousy was played out which had a considerable influence on the course of Mary’s career. Her husband Lord Darnley was so jealous of her private secretary David Rizzio that Darnely had him murdered – in the presence of the Queen. With 56 stitches the Italian was murdered. Darnley himself was murdered in 1567. When Mary then married Bothwell, one of Darnley’s suspected murderers and a Protestant, the measure was full. Because of the whole affair, Mary had to abdicate. Twenty years later, Mary was executed at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire.

In 1603, the Union of the Crowns came into effect, and the Scottish King James the VI became simultaneously the English and Irish King James I. He moved his court to London. However, the Scottish Parliament remained in Edinburgh.

The turmoil between the different churches, Presbyterian, Episcopalian and Catholic, continued for many years and was eventually fought out in the British Civil War with Oliver Cromwell. In 1650, the city was occupied by his forces before Cromwell was also defeated.

Union of the Crowns, Enlightenment and Industrialization

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In 1707, the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland became the Kingdom of Great Britain. So henceforth there was also only one great Parliament, which henceforth met in London. Edinburgh thus lost some of its importance.

In addition: The city was by now too densely populated. Narrow alleys, the “closes”, had formed and chamber pot contents were simply spilled into the street. Edinburgh in the 18th century was certainly not a pretty place, yet the residents stuck together even across the classes.

Nevertheless, something had to be done. After Bonnie Prince Charlie had briefly invaded Edinburgh too during the Jacobite Rebellion, but he lost a year later at Culloden, Edinburgh’s loyalties belonged entirely to the reigning Hanoverian George. To make the city more liveable, the New Town was built up almost rice-board style and streets were named entirely after the reigning monarch: Hanover Street for his nobility, George Street for his name, Queen Street for his wife, and Princes Street for his children. From 1750 onwards, more and more wealthy people moved down to the modern and much cleaner city. In addition, Canongate was incorporated. Edinburgh now not only grew more in population, but also expanded in area.

At the same time, many scholars established themselves in Edinburgh. There had been a university attracting students since as early as 1723. Now thinkers such as Adam Smith in economics, David Hume in philosophy and the historian Adam Ferguson were establishing themselves. Works such as the Encyclopædia Britannica encyclopedia emerged in Edinburgh.

But Edinburgh lagged behind in industrialization. Here its neighbour Glasgow, with its shipyards and Atlantic port, was better established.

Redevelopment of Old Town

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Meanwhile, a real problem arose in Edinburgh’s old town districts. The sanitary conditions, confinement and poverty were putting such a strain on the residents of this area that at last, from 1865 onwards, there were significant improvements. However, this in turn caused rents to rise and many poor people were forced to leave the inner city. It was in the wake of these improvements that Edinburgh acquired its present predominant townscape – most of the houses look older, but date from around 1870.

The lack of heavy industry had rather good effects during the two world wars. Edinburgh was not interesting enough for Hitler’s bombs – unlike Glasgow. In the years after the war, the slums were pushed even further out of the city centre, resulting in a relatively shiny inner city today.

When a Scottish Parliament and later a government also returned to Edinburgh in 1998, Edinburgh began to emerge once again as a proud capital.

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