Things to do in Edinburgh: 29 amazing ideas
There are plenty of things to do in Edinburgh, whether you’re after a fun day out packed with adventure or a relaxed stroll through historical haunts. For a start, wander down the Royal Mile (actually one mile and 107 yards long), the name given to the road that runs along the crest of the ridge linking the Castle with Holyroodhouse, a working 17th-century palace where Mary Queen of Scots once lived. Art lovers, meanwhile, should head to the National Galleries of Scotland on the Mound or the Gallery of Modern Art a few minutes away from the West End. For museums, there’s Dynamic Earth, which was built to celebrate the millennium, and the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street, which features important artefacts from Scottish History. If you’re after a shopping spree and a bite to eat, try the new St James Quarter, or for great pubs and restaurants, head to Leith and the Shore. To marvel at the city’s beauty, take a stroll up Calton Hill or Arthur's Seat, from where there are excellent views out to the sea.
How many days should I spend in Edinburgh?
We recommend spending two to three days in Edinburgh to give yourself ample time to explore all the nooks and crannies this historical city has to offer. From hiking up Arthur's Seat and looking out over Edinburgh to shopping in the city centre, these are the best places to visit in Edinburgh.
The best things to do in Edinburgh
Jonathan Cohen / Alamy Stock Photo1. Watch the sunset from Calton Hill
This is one of the city’s best vantage points. Head to the top of the hill as the sun begins to set to see the capital bathed in a vibrant light of purples and pinks. The picturesque Old City Observatory on the hill earned the city its title as 'The Athens of the North'. It was designed by William Henry Playfair in 1818, inspired by a Greek temple – and it was here that astronomer Royal Thomas Henderson discovered how to measure the distance between stars in 1834. Bring a flask of something hot to keep warm and gaze across the city’s rooftops. And while you’re up there, pop into the contemporary art gallery Collective which has a fantastic programme of exhibitions, walks, and events.
Address: Old City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Website: collectivegallery.net
Getty Images2. Explore Leith
This waterside neighbourhood has come into its own recently, with city slickers looking for a slower pace of life flocking to nab property before others catch on. Spend an afternoon shopping on Custom Lane and on the boutique stores along the shorefront or wandering along the Water of Leith. Rewarding your efforts with a pint at Teuchters Landing, the renowned pub at the docks serving some of the city’s best pints. Spend cosy afternoons in cafés and bars along the shore, or book into one of a couple of Michelin-starred spots for dinner – Martin Wishart uses fresh Scottish ingredients and French techniques to create a stellar European menu.
Address: Teuchtars Landing, 1c Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU; Martin Wishart, 54 Shore, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6RA
Website: teuchtersbar.co.uk; restaurantmartinwishart.co.uk; customlane.co
3. Visit a food market
As well as being home to some of the best restaurants in the UK, Edinburgh has some seriously tasty food markets. On Sunday mornings, head to Stockbridge, just west of the New Town, for the weekly street food and farmers’ market. Casa Roble’s paella stand is a reliable favourite, and the queue for Harajuku Japanese Kitchen’s udon noodles is worth it – but don’t forget to take home a bag of Scotch & Co’s Scotch eggs for their gooey soft centres. The Leith Market on Dock Place, meanwhile, is open every Saturday with a regularly rotating line-up of stalls and guest traders. During the summer months, locals gather on the Stockbridge playing fields for live music, drinks and street food from Scottish vendors at Neighbourhood Market.
Address: Stockbridge Market, Saunders Street, Edinburgh EH3 6TQ; The Pitt Market, 125-137 Pitt Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 4DE
Website: stockbridgemarket.com; thepitt.co.uk
iStock4. Visit Edinburgh Castle
Visit imposing Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the city's skyline. St Margaret's Chapel is the oldest surviving part of the castle and dates back to the 12th century. Summer festivities bring with it gigs that fill the castle esplanade from famed stars such as Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, and Paolo Nutini. During August’s Fringe Festival the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo play twice-daily to a sold out crowd on the castle grounds.
Address: Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG
Website: edinburghcastle.scot
John Bracegirdle / Alamy Stock Photo5. Go to the Museum of Scotland
Scotland's story, from geology to sociology, is told in a fresh and lively style in a bold new building in the romantic Old Town.
Address: Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Website: nms.ac.uk
Keith Hunter6. Discover amazing artists at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
The work of many major names in 20th-century painting, from German Expressionism to American Pop Art, plus an impressive collection of Scottish Colourists are housed here. Plus, you can spend time on the dramatic lawn at the front of Modern One, designed by landscape architect Charles Jencks.
Address: Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 75 Belford Rd, Edinburgh EH4 3DR
Website: nationalgalleries.org
Ian Dagnall / Alamy Stock Photo7. Visit the National Galleries of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
European paintings from the Renaissance to post-impressionism, plus important Scottish artists, have a home in the National Galleries of Scotland, a classical gallery that's a work of art in its own right. At the National Portrait Gallery, the men and women who helped shape Scotland, from Bonnie Prince Charlie to Sean Connery, were painted by modernists such as Oskar Kokoschka and old masters such as Van Dyck.
Address: National Galleries of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL; Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JD
Website: nationalgalleries.org
Getty Images8. Go on a day trip
While there’s plenty to do in the city itself, it would be a shame not to explore some of the charismatic towns and villages just outside Edinburgh. Half an hour’s train ride from Waverley Station, North Berwick has recently garnered a foodie reputation. There are independent coffee shops littering the cobbled streets, while the seaside Lobster Shack sells lobster, crab, sea bass and line-caught mackerel straight from the harbour. Venturing further north, a trip to St Andrews makes for a busy day exploring the medieval ruins, university grounds, old pubs and windswept beach. OM
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9. Eat at the city’s most celebrated restaurants
The city may be small in size but the number of incredible restaurants in Edinburgh may well surprise you. Classic options include the long-established Michelin-starred The Kitchin, a perennial favourite with locals and visitors alike, and the eponymous Martin Wishart, where classic French haute cuisine is combined with fresh Scottish produce. Since opening in 2012, Timberyard has gained a reputation as the go-to for those looking for a sustainable and seasons-led menu. It’s housed in a former warehouse and run by a family who prioritise local suppliers, with many of the ingredients on the menu foraged from just outside the city. The Little Chartroom, an intimate bistro on Bonnington Road, is run by a husband-and-wife duo and has caused waves on the Edinburgh foodie scene due to its bold and innovative offerings.
Address: The Kitchin, 78 Commercial Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6LX; Restaurant Martin Wishart, 54 Shore, Edinburgh EH6 6RA; Timberyard, 10 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DS; The Little Chartroom, 14 Bonnington Road, Edinburgh EH6 5JD
Website: thekitchin.com; restaurantmartinwishart.co.uk; timberyard.co; thelittlechartroom.com
Getty Images10. Book tickets to The Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is actually several festivals. Since 1947, the International Festival has been an annual forum for the finest music and drama from around the world. Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which grew up around it, ranges from student Am Dram to accomplished world premieres. The book, art and jazz festivals are sophisticated yet unpretentious and the TV festival is more of a media trade fair.
Website: edinburghfestivalcity.com
Getty Images11. Hike up Arthur's Seat
The climb to the top of this ancient, extinct volcano from its base in Hollyrood Park takes only 45 minutes. From the summit, there are city-wide views: spot the clocktower of Edinburgh’s grandest hotel, The Balmoral, the Nelson Monument and the imposing bulk of Edinburgh Castle.
Address: Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh EH8 8AZ
Ruth Clark12. See some contemporary art at the Fruitmarket Gallery
Originally a fruit and vegetable market built in the 1930s, the Fruitmarket Gallery has been one of the city’s most impressive spots for contemporary art since the 1970s, when it was transformed into a warehouse-like gallery space. Exhibitions have included works by American-French sculpturist Louise Bourgeois and Canadian sound-installation artist Janet Cardiff, but you’ll also find pieces by up-and-coming artists. Skip exiting through the gift shop in favour of leaving by route of the café, which serves up cake, coffee and dishes with the freshest of ingredients. In 2021, the Gallery reopened after a period of redevelopment, adding to its space a cavernous warehouse which has since hosted music, theatre and club nights.
Address: The Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DF
Website: fruitmarket.co.uk
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Getty Images13. Get green-fingered at the Royal Botanic Garden
Set in 72 acres just outside the city centre, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh started life as a 17th-century physic garden. This urban jungle now has thousands of plant varieties, an enormous, slightly otherworldly lily pond and a serene Chinese garden on a hillside. But the biggest draw is its Victorian glasshouses: made up of 10 huge structures, each with a different climate, they teem with ancient palm trees, giant lily pads, orchids and more. Keep an eye out for any special events running at the gardens, too.
Address: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ
Website: rbge.org.uk
14. Go guilt-free shopping
The city is packed with cute stores, with plenty of second-hand shops to choose from. Among the independent sellers of Stockbridge, Treen is a vegan fashion retailer with an ethos of living ethically and sustainably. Visit for a curated collection of clothing, homeware, skincare products and shoes on one of Edinburgh’s prettiest streets.
Address: Treen, 2-4 Stephen Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 5AJ
Website: shoptreen.com
15. Go on a historic cinema trip
The Cameo Cinema stands as a timeless gem and a testament to the city's rich cinematic history. With its charming facade and vintage interiors, it’s a welcome change for modern-day moviegoers who seek an aura of nostalgia. As one of the oldest and most iconic cinemas in Scotland, the Cameo has been an integral part of Edinburgh's cultural landscape for over a century. Its carefully curated selection of films caters to diverse tastes, from contemporary blockbusters to thought-provoking indie gems and stellar lineups for Halloween and Christmas.
Address: 38 Home Street, Edinburgh EH3 9LZ
Website: picturehouses.com
Alamy16. Take a walk on Portobello Beach
Portobello – or Porty, as it’s known to locals – lies three miles east of the city centre. Home to Georgian crescents, a promenade and a tight-knit community of creatives, it’s filled with interesting shops and cafés. Visit the bakery of Bross Bagels, Edinburgh’s famous Montreal mouthfuls, sample a Twelve Triangles doughnut, stroll on the beach with its views of the conical peak of North Berwick Law, or stop for a tipple in The Espy – it’s an Edinburgh institution. If the sun is shining, do as the locals do and order a delicious Civerinos pizza and frozen margaritas for an elevated beach picnic.
Address: Portobello Beach, Edinburgh EH15 2DX
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Sarah Cooke17. Browse the independent book shops
It’s home to literary stars, including Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith, not to mention a prestigious international literary festival, so it is little wonder that Edinburgh has a range of incredible independent bookshops. Opened in 2019, Toppings is the largest independent bookstore to open in Scotland in decades: with multiple library ladders, hand-crafted shelves and more than 70,000 books to leaf through, don’t turn up in a rush. Housed in a former fishing-tackle shop, The Portobello Bookshop is well worth a browse too; as is Golden Hare Books in Stockbridge (pictured) and Lighthouse, Edinburgh’s radical bookshop – both firm favourites of local bookworms. Rarebirds is a new bookstore that spotlights female authors in a colourful corner of Stockbridge, regularly hosting panels, poetry evenings and workshops for women and non-binary people.
Address: Toppings, 2 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh EH7 5JH; The Portobello Bookshop, 46 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh EH15 1DA; Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AQ; Lighthouse, 43-45 W Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DB
Website: toppingbooks.co.uk; theportobellobookshop.com; goldenharebooks.com; lighthousebookshop.com
Peter Dibdin18. Sample a different Scottish spirit
Sure, you’ve heard of Scottish whisky but did you know Scotland is actually one of the biggest gin producers in the world? Dutch jenever, a precursor to gin, flooded into the port of Leith in the 1700s and recently, after a late-20th-century hiatus, the capital has re-established itself on the scene with its many small-batch distilleries. Go for a tour or tasting at the new Holyrood Distillery on St Leonards Lane, visit the Summerhall Distillery in the old veterinary hospital where they make Pickering’s Gin or book a tour at the Edinburgh Gin distillery.
Gerald Haenel/Laif/Camera Press19. Venture into haunted vaults
Scare the bejeezus out of yourself on a spooky candlelit tour of Edinburgh at night. The Underground City of The Dead tour follows in the footsteps of 18th-century bodysnatchers Burke & Hare, digging up the dead for the School of Anatomy, down beneath the city in dark vaults said to be haunted by a malevolent presence.
Address: Underground City of The Dead tour, 26b Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1 2QE
Website: cityofthedeadtours.com
20. Get yourself a bespoke kilt
As Scottish souvenirs go, this beats shortbread. Edinburgh designer Howie Nicholsby has managed to turn the traditional Scottish skirt-for-men into something millennial and manly. As well as plaids and tartans, he uses leather, pinstripes, camouflage print and gold for his 21st Century Kilts designs. Mario Testino has got one, and so has Lenny Kravitz (in black leather, of course). If you’re less leather, more traditional tweed and tartan, however, you can’t beat Walker Slater on Victoria Street. Its two stores sell an extensive range of tailored items for both men and women.
Address: 21st Century Kilts, 48 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
Website: 21stcenturykilts.com21. Try the city's best ice cream
Step into the nostalgic world of Mary's Milk Bar, a retro gelato parlour ranked number one in Scotland. Here you can explore Mary’s boundless imagination of flavours, from an exotic fusion of cumin and mango ripple to an indulgent scoop of gorgonzola and fig. The magic lies in the use of fresh ingredients, handcrafted into delectable ice cream each morning, ensuring a taste that is nothing short of heavenly. The menu changes regularly, so a second visit is advised. Relish your delightful sweet treat while seated on the Vennel Steps, right next to Mary's, where you can savour the most underrated view of Edinburgh Castle.
Address: 19 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HS
Website: marysmilkbar.com
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Liz Hasell22. Explore a secret garden full of creatures
Find herons, butterflies and frogs in the meadows flowering in the world's smallest inner-city wildlife reserve. Victorian town planner Sir Patrick Geddes, whose motto was 'By leaves we live', started The Johnston Terrace Garden behind Edinburgh Castle in the early 1900s. Usually, the gated secret garden – now run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust – is locked shut; but there are occasional open days as well as other events which warrant a visit.
Address: The Johnston Terrace Wildlife Garden
Website: scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
23. Go to the city's best drag show
Edinburgh’s Cowgate, famed for its underground music scene, has a little extra sparkle now with Casablanca Cocktails Club’s raucous drag queens. Hailed as being “gloriously outrageous”, The Majesties of Mayhem have created the city's most celebrated drag night. Sip on the master libations by Casablana’s mixologists, while trying not to burst into joyous laughter as cheeky (literally) behaviour unfolds before you. Stay for a classic disco party afterwards.
Address: 235 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JQ
Website: casablancacocktailclub.com
DDP/Camera Press24. Get blow-you-away views
Find out why author Bill Bryson called the monument to Walter Scott “a Gothic rocket ship” and climb up inside the spire to send your Instagram followers a sky-high 360-degree panoramic view of Edinburgh. Not for claustrophobics, the spiral staircase has 267 steps and narrows as you climb, but there are viewing platforms along the way for a breath of fresh air. The Scott Monument is closed in high winds.
Address: Scott Monument, E Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh EH 2 2EJ
Website: edinburghmuseums.org.uk
Karol Kozlowski / Alamy Stock Photo25. Gaze up at the stars and down at the city
In the city’s south side, The Royal Observatory sits high atop Blackford Hill. Dating back to 1786, the observatory is now one of the UK’s top centres for astronomical research. Book a session online to spend the evening learning about the night skies and galaxies above – the observatory has regular open evenings – check out gostargazing.com to check out the weather conditions and light pollution before you visit.
Address: Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ
Website: visit.roe.ac.uk
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26. Learn how to drink whisky properly
Head to The Vaults in Leith, where you can taste what Scotland does best with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Or try mixing your drinks with the Scotch Whisky Experience, where you can take a ride in an oak barrel (bit cheesy but, hey, it's kind of educational too) before enjoying a whisky sour or a Hebridean Sunset cocktail - whisky shaken with Grand Marnier, Cointreau, lemon, orange and grenadine - which glows as crimson as late-night midsummer sunset in the far north.
Address: Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ; The Scotch Whisky Experience, 354 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE
Website: scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk
Maciej Kawka27. Catch a band or DJ at Sneaky Pete’s
Glasgow may officially be a UNESCO City of Music, but Edinburgh has plenty to offer by way of music thanks to its terrific grassroots venues. One of the city’s best – and most intimate – is Sneaky Pete’s, located in the Cowgate area just minutes from the Grassmarket. Here, you might just catch a musician on the cusp of something huge (Lewis Capaldi played here in his early days), as well as the best local acts around and world-renowned DJs.
Address: Sneaky Petes, 73 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JW
Website: sneakypetes.co.uk
Mihaela Bodlovic28. Get arty in an old animal hospital
A vibrant and bustling multi-arts complex, Summerhall is home to everything from art exhibitions and unmissable gigs to a microbrewery and a radio station. With its diverse programme of events and activities, this hub is popular amongst the city’s creatives, but the Royal Dick pub is also a welcoming space to grab a coffee or pint in a chilled-out setting.
Address: 1, Summerhall, Newington, Edinburgh EH9 1PL
Website: summerhall.co.uk29. Have a laugh at the Monkey Barrel
The Fringe isn’t the only time of year to catch the world’s best comedians in Edinburgh – Monkey Barrel boasts a year-round programme of popular regular nights featuring local comics as well as extra-special guest stars on tour. Since opening in 2017, this alternative comedy venue has played host to everyone from Cat Cohen and Richard Gadd to John Kearns and Josie Long.
Address: Monkey Barrel Comedy, 9-12 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR
Website: monkeybarrelcomedy.com