Post Overview: Best Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
I don’t think I was adequately prepared for how beautiful Edinburgh is. I’ve traveled to many interesting places over the years, but Edinburgh is one of the most interesting and beautiful cities I’ve seen to date.
Wandering the streets aimlessly is an adventure in and of itself — and thanks to the iconic monolithic structures and hills encircling the downtown core, it’s hard to get (too lost).
Likewise, the city is very easy to navigate. Divided clearly into two prime sections (Old Town & New Town) worth exploring for anyone visiting Edinburgh for the first time.
But look at me already getting ahead of myself. Without further ado, let’s cover the best things to do in Edinburgh.
If helpful, here’s the hotel we stay at when visiting Edinburgh because of the epic castle views Here’s the hotel I’d splurge on for a special occasion.
Tour Edinburgh Castle
Dating back to 1103, you can’t miss Edinburgh Castle even if you tried. This monolithic masterpiece looms over the city and can be seen from most vantage points.
The castle, one of the oldest fortified buildings in Europe, has had many past lives. It’s been used as a royal residence, military garrison, prison and fortress. Today, it’s a well-decorated castle open to the public.
Attracting more than 2 million visitors per year, Edinburgh Castle is the most visited castle in Scotland. The entire structure is a sight to behold, sure, but nothing beats a chance to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland in person (used by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1543).
The grounds are impressively preserved and touring the royal rooms is a fascinating endeavor.
Alas, it’s not hard to see why this would be one of the best things to do in Edinburgh for those that love history, architecture or culture.
Edinburgh Castle is open for tours year-round, book tickets early because they sell out in advance (especially in summer).
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Catch sunset at Calton Hill
There’s no better place to take in the grandiose beauty of Edinburgh than from Calton Hill.
A steep but scenic hike will take you to the summit and expose you to panoramic city views, best experienced at sunset.
The monolithic monument before you is the Dugald Stewart Monument, dedicated to the Scottish philosopher for his influence during the Scottish Enlightenment.
You’ll be rubbing elbows with young locals and tourists alike, everyone eager to take in the stunning perspective of the city from this high vantage point.
If you’re keen to do some exploring, wander around the area for a bit. Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish Government, swing by the Scottish Parliament Building and Holyrood Palace to admire the stunning facade.
Hike Arthur’s Seat
It’s no secret that many people visit Scotland for the nature alone. Verdant hillsides, moody skies and peaceful meadows create a unique scenery folks travel thousands of miles to see.
Luckily, those visiting Edinburgh need not go far to get a taste of the great nature Scotland is known for. Located right off the Royal Mile (in the downtown core), Arthur’s Seat is a phenomenal 2.4 mile hike that can easily be done in an afternoon.
Taking visitors to the summit of an extinct volcano in Edinburgh, the panoramic views are unparalleled — which is why so many visitors consider this hike one of the best things to do in Edinburgh during a first visit.
Grab a drink at 1820 Rooftop Bar
It’s safe to say that Johnnie Walker needs no introduction. Heck, you don’t need to be a scotch enthusiast to realize this is a household name.
Johnnie Walker hails from Scotland and has become one of the most recognizable scotch brands in the world. Recently, they opened an incredible facility right in the heart of the city, the icing on the cake?
The epic rooftop bar overlooking Edinburgh Castle. Serving creative high quality cocktails, this is the only place you’ll want to be while visiting Scotland on a warm summer day.
After visiting myself, I’d say that popping in for a visit is one of the best things to do in Edinburgh. Reservations highly recommended.
Walk the Royal Mile
You’ll hear a lot of talk about the Royal Mile if you ask any locals about the best things to do in Edinburgh.
Our taxi driver make it very clear that all first time visitors had to stroll the charming street peppered with cute shops, quaint pubs and good restaurants.
The Royal Mile is a sequence of streets that link the two royal castles in town (Edinburgh Castle & Holyrood Palace), which are found one mile apart.
We made it a priority while visiting Edinburgh and instantly understood the hype. Edinburgh has an undeniable charm to it (grungy and real), and the Royal Mile offers a high concentration of stunning Gothic architecture for a full mile.
Admire the Tron Kirk
While exploring the Royal Mile, you’ll notice a striking monolithic church with a towering spire called Tron Kirk. Standing firm in the heart of Old Town for nearly 400 years, this is one of the most iconic landmarks in Edinburgh.
The church was built between 1636 and 1647 and served as the principal parish church in Edinburgh.
It closed in 1952 and became abandoned for over 50 years before being transformed into a tourist information center and now leased a handful of independent local artists.
Pop in to see if any of the crafty stuff on display catches your eye, we saw some stunning paintings and beautiful handmade jewelry during our visit.
There’s plans to breathe new life into the building and restore its former glory, a project that should be breaking ground in the near future.
Enjoy a meal at Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips
Touristy? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely.
Our taxi driver also recommended Bertie’s for lunch, so we popped in. We visited before the lunchtime rush and were promptly seated. It didn’t take long to scour the menu, we knew what we were after – a classic order of the fish and chips.
Now, I’m hardly the first to tell you that a popular tourist-centric restaurant can go one of two ways. First (and most common), it ends up being lackluster at best.
Rushed service, mediocre food and high prices — but at least you can check the box (I enjoy visiting popular/touristy places in new-to-me cities!).
The second way the experience of eating at a touristy restaurant can go is the start opposite — you might be pleasantly surprised!
That’s how we felt about Bertie’s. The meal was an easy 10/10, everything cooked to perfection, arguably some of the best fish and chips we’ve ever had. So with that said, I think visiting Bertie’s is one of the best things to do in Edinburgh for foodies.
Enjoy a beer at a traditional pub
You can’t visit Edinburgh without popping into a traditional pub for a proper pint and classic pub fare. There’s so many pubs in the downtown core to choose from, it’s hard to go wrong.
If you’re not keen on aimless wandering, I suggest popping into Jolly Judge, The Bow Bar, The Abbotsford and Oxford Bar.
But honestly, just find the liveliest pub while walking around and pop in for a good time. Enjoying local beer at various charming pubs ended up being one of our favorite things to do in Edinburgh.
Sign up for the Scotch Whisky Experience
Scotch is one of Scotland’s most important exports, so why not take a moment to learn more about it? Thankfully, you need not go far.
Located along the Royal Mile, the Scotch Whisky Experience has one simple mission in mind: teach folks everything there is to know about whisky without boring them to death.
Opened in 1988, this experience became a smashing success and now welcomes an average of 300,000 visitors per year. Effectively making it one of the most popular things to do in Edinburgh.
You’ll get an opportunity to learn about Scotch production, while better understanding the different regions and history of this beloved drink. The entire experience is an interactive exhibition lead by highly-trained whisky professionals.
My husband knows a ton about scotch, but considered the Scotch Whisky Experience one of his favorite things to do in Edinburgh.
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Marvel at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Edinburgh during the month of August, I can’t recommend getting tickets for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
A tattoo is performance of music and display of armed forces, this particular one is performed by the British Armed Forces.
Dating back to 1949, Edinburgh’s Military Tattoo is considered one of the best in the world, which is why folks flock from all over the world to experience this masterpiece performance.
With more than 220,000 people gathering on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle to attend the performance every year.
Suffice it to say, this is one of the best things to do in Edinburgh and tickets sell out months in advance. In fact, the Tattoo had sold out 22 seasons in a row (beginning in 1998).
Visiting Edinburgh Advice: You can learn more + purchase tickets by visiting the official website here (looks like 2024 tickets are available!)
Tour Hollyrood Palace
The Hollyrood Palace is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland since the 16th century.
Marking the end of the Royal Mile, Hollyrood is located on the opposite end of Edinburgh Castle (you can easily walk between the two castles).
King Charles III spends one week at the beginning of every summer at Hollyrood Palace to carry out official engagement and ceremonies. When it’s not being used by the monarch, it’s open to the public for tours.
Getting to tour an official royal residence is not an opportunity that presents itself often, making this oneo fhte most unique things to do in Edinburgh.
The highlights of the tour (for me) was seeing the historic apartment of Mary, Queen of Scots and the Queen’s Gallery (which exhibits world-renown art from the Royal Collection).
Visit the The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Speaking of art, you can’t afford to miss the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art for one simple reason: There’s no admission fee, making this one of the best FREE things to do in Edinburgh.
Shocking, especially when considering the gallery is home to works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Degas and Vermeer. Big wigs aside, you’ll also see gems from beloved Scottish painters like David Wilkie and Allan Ramsay.
Designed to look like a Greek temple, The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art opened in 1859 to the delight of art enthusiasts. Note: Some of the temporary exhibitions may require payment.
Discover Mary King’s Close
The Old Town in Edinburgh is an absolute joy to explore because it feels authentic (touristy shops aside) and largely unchanged from its Medieval past.
One think you’ll notice while visiting Edinburgh are the little alleys sandwiched between buildings. These are referred to as a close (Scottish term for alleyway). Visitors are welcome to pop in and peer around the various alleys, some even have charming gardens!
One close you can’t afford to miss, however, is Mary King’s close because of the historic context. Back in the day, Edinburgh was ripe for exploration, crime and the Plague.
Do to the rampant disease, the city was in such a state of disrepair that eventually a drastic decision was made to build a new Royal Exchange building (City Chambers at present day) on top of this existing portion of the city. Yep, on top of (imagine!).
The logic being that traders and merchants should be able to sell necessities without risking contamination of disease (and filth).
The streets and alleyways below the building were built over, entombing them forever. Today, you can sign up for a tour to see the underground streets (with eight-story buildings, to boot!) for yourself.
You don’t have to be a history buff to realize this as one of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
Mary King’s close, unique things to do in Edinburgh: Book your tickets in advance, this tour is known to sell out.
Explore Greyfriars Kirkyard (Harry Potter Graveyard)
Dating back to the late 1500s, the Greyfriars Kirkyard isn’t a typical cemetery by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, touring it has become one of the most popular things to do in Edinburgh. So what gives?
For starters, there’s the famous statue of Bobby, the loyal dog who laid atop his owner’s grave for 14 years waiting for him to return. (It’s considered good luck to rub the statue’s nose).
Second, it has been said that the names in this graveyard inspired some of the biggest names in Harry Potter. Which is why you’ll hear it referred to as the Harry Potter Graveyard.
Located a stone’s throw from The Elephant House (where Rowling wrote the first book), Go on a scavenger hunt to find the following tombstones at the graveyard.
Go on a scavenger hunt to find the following tombstones:
- Robert & Anne Potter (inspired Harry’s last name)
- Thomas Riddell (Lord Voldmort)
- Margaret Louisa Scrymgeour Wedderburn (inspired Rufus Scrimgeour)
- William McGonagall (Minerva McGonagall, Professor at Hogwarts)
Visiting Edinburgh Best Things to Do (Post Overview)
In sum, here’s a list of the best things to do in Edinburgh.
- Marvel at the Royal Tattoo
- Tour the Edinburgh Castle
- Catch sunset at Calton Hill
- Enjoy a beer at a traditional pub
- Hike Arthur’s Seat
- Grab a drink at Johnnie Walker
- Sign up for the Scotch Whisky Experience
- Walk the Royal Mile
- Admire the Tron Kirk
- Tour Hollyrood Castle
- Visit the The National Gallery
- Discover Mary King’s close
- Tour The Royal Yacht Britannia
- Enjoy the fish & chips at Bertie’s
- Explore Greyfriars Kirkyard
Map of the best things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland
Cheers!
Antonina
