7 Best Things To Do in Edinburgh

By AlexST | Feb 27, 2019
Europe > United Kingdom > Scotland > Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a great, magical, magnetic place for tourists to visit. Year by year, the number of visitors increases, This is the list of our most beloved things to do in Edinburgh! We hope that it inspires you to look at this magnificent city form a different perspective.

Climbing the Arthur’s Seat

We have a perfect proposition for you if you like to spend your free time or holidays actively. The Arthur’s Seat is a crest of an extinct volcano, with an 823 feet (251 m) height. This hill has a fantastic panoramic view over Edinburgh, Firth of Forth, Lothians and Fife. What’s more, it's totally free!

The Arthur's Seat is located in the centre of Holyrood Park, a city park that is adjacent to the Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament. You can easily get there from the centre of Edinburgh - you just need to take a short walk down the Royal Mile and turn right in front of the palace. In this nice and easy way, you can start, the most popular hiking path leading to the top of an extinct volcano.

According to mythology, this hill is associated with a possible location of the Camelot, the legendary King Arthur’s Castle, so this information adds even more charm and magical atmosphere into the enjoyable outdoor walk.

Did you know that through the summer Historic Scotland is doing a free (but booking essential) guided walks? How possibly could you miss that?

Experience the Ghost Tour

Everyone likes to feel a bit of gooseflesh sometime, don’t you? So what you say about the Ghost Tour? Some people consider Edinburgh as one of the most haunted cities in Europe. The history of this dusky city of Scotland is full of terrifying events such as murders, plague, witchcraft, public executions and gruesome tortures.

All this makes Edinburgh a perfect place to experience a night Ghost Tour during which you will be able to find out more about the grim figures, hear sinister stories and walk along haunted alleyways. You never know, but maybe you will witness some mysterious shadow in the dark corner of the street, and this adventure will change your life forever… So feel the fear and do it anyway!

The spectacular advantage of the Ghost Tours in Edinburgh is that you can choose from various types of tours and you can even find the free ones.
In case if you’re more into the Vampire thing, you also can find something for yourself in the spooky Edinburgh.

Have a nice stroll around the Old Town

If history is your cup of tea, you can easily find an ideal place for yourself in the heart of Edinburgh where you can discover the Old Town - a place full of historical vibe. During the walk around the Old Town, you can sightsee places such as St Giles' Cathedral - with stunning stained glass windows and crown-like peak, Camera Obscura - with a wonderful periscope which give you the 360-degree view of the city and a spectacular Edinburgh Castle - with a one o’clock gun called Mons Meg.

There is also a place where you can spit without the feeling of shame. The Heart of Midlothian is a mosaic in the pattern of the heart located on the street of the Edinburgh on which you can spit with the wish of gaining the best of luck.

The Old Town in Edinburgh can also delight you with the magnificent National Museum of Scotland, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Scottish Parlament, Holyrood Palace, Museum of Childhood, a sweet bronze figure of a dog called Bobby and many more attractions which is impossible to experience in just a one day trip. However, it is worth to at least see the main ones.

Visit the local pubs

For those who prefer a more static way of spending their free time, we have an excellent idea to relax with a pint. However, it is not only about drinking a hectolitre of beer, but also about the experience the live music events in the best pubs in Edinburgh. It doesn’t matter if you more into folk, rock, jazz or even pop, here you can find anything you can ask for.

Places such as Sandy Bell’s and Whiski Bar with the best folk music, Jazz Bar and The Voodoo Rooms with a great jazz live music as well as Bannerman’s bar with a rocking gig will take you to the different level of experience. Note that this is only a little part of the fantastic live music shows, which are happening every night through the city of Edinburgh.

There is so much to see, so you should no longer waste your time, but start exploring the vibrant nightlife of Edinburgh.

Celebrating the Special Time

Who doesn’t like a good party? We believe that Edinburgh has so much to offer regarding a special event that everyone will easily find something for themselves. We love Hogmanay - which stands for the New Year but as everyone knows we like to play hard and this celebration during the last day of the year is also an epic one. However, Edinburgh has also its magical festivals.

The world well-known one is called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and it is a multicultural extravaganza which involves a display of military forces and their musical prowess. We are sure that you have never experienced something as huge as this! The beauty of colours, sounds and visual effects will knock your socks off!

In Edinburgh, we can also invite you to experience a fantastic International Magic Festival and International Film Festival in July, spectacular Art Festivals and International Book Festival in August, great Foodie Festival and Craft Beer Revolution in November and many, many more. That’s why we love this city!

Walk down a Portobello Beach

For the beach enthusiast, we have something more than just wonderful sand. What you say about taking a dip in the sea on the brisk morning or evening? Who said that you should swim in the sea only in summer? Try this refreshing activity in every season of the year. After the nice dip, you can warm up by grabbing a delicious Waffles at the Espy and hit the dance floor at Dalriada where you can experience live music.

For a little more gambling fun you can visit Noble Leisure and finish your night out by eating a traditional fish and chips at the St. Andrews Restaurant or trying a sample beer at The Skylark.

Portobello Beach has much more to offer! It is a perfect place for a day or night out, and we believe that everyone will be satisfied with the amusements which you can find there.

Discover the Dean Village

Edinburgh also has something for the architecture lovers. Dean Village is a piece of World Heritage which you can visit while you are in Edinburgh. It is a magnificent place looking like the one taken from the painting.

This peaceful green oasis located only five minutes walk from Princes Street can take you away to the different world. Dean Village is based on the Water of Leith, the same which flows into the sea at Leith.

It is a beautiful, somewhat sleepy area with nice stone buildings, greenery and of course the river in the centre. The Dean Bridge from 1831 built by Thomas Telford is a part of this marvellous place.

If you want to experience a charming walk along old, historical avenues, it is a perfect spot to visit in Edinburgh.
We know that this list only partly scratches the surface of the vast range of attraction which Edinburgh has to offer.
However, let us know what you think about our list, how you like it? What’s more let us know what is your favoured, the most beloved thing to do in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

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Written by AlexST
Founder of Scotland Traveloholic, travel photographer and videographer. A head full of dreams and ideas 🙂 Part of spreadit.studio – Travel Content Marketing & Digital Strategy Agency In Scotland.

There is 1 comment
Tara

Tara
Apr 5, 2022 at 13:20

We are traveling to Scotland as a family (6 adults) in September- love your lists! Trying to find a hotel near Princes street in Edinburgh that will give a great view of the castle at sunrise for camera shots- any ideas? We are doing the ghost tour and meeting on Princes Street-


Thoughts? Questions?

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