Edinburgh, Scotland Destination Guide
Section 1: Intro to Edinburgh
Edinburgh is Scotland’s cultural center and there’s no better place to soak up the history of this beautiful country than its equally stunning capital. With its characteristic stone buildings and historic architecture, together with its contemporary arts, music and food scene, Edinburgh really is the perfect blend of old and new. But there is more to this city than the spectacular castle and the eclectic festival culture. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find experimental gastronomy, a blossoming literary scene, and secret gardens.
Which of the Following Phrases Best Describes this Destination?
Cultured, Historic, Relaxed
What’s the Destination Known For?
History! The city is brimming with echoes from the past, whether it is the imposing Edinburgh castle, the atmospheric streets, alleyways and catacombs of the Old Town, or the ghostly Greyfriars Kirk.
Edinburgh has a thriving gastronomic scene, as a number of Michelin-starred chefs have flocked to the city in recent years to open new exciting restaurants. The food scene in Edinburgh is laid back, with a focus on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is one of the world’s biggest arts festivals and attracts an international audience – not to be missed!
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – a military spectacle that combines music, ceremony, theatre and dance.
Edinburgh is a student town, and the city has a discernable student character, filled with reasonably-priced bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants.
The sea! It’s easy to forget when you’re in the town center, but Edinburgh is perched on the Firth of Forth, and just a stone’s throw from some magnificent and dramatic (if rather chilly) beaches. It is for this reason that the city also boasts such great seafood.
Getting There
EDI Edinburgh Airport:
Location: Ingliston, close to the city of Edinburgh, 8 miles west of the city center
Located 9 miles west of the city
Visa: US Citizens receive a 90 day tourist visa upon arrival.
Train: There are no trains from Edinburgh airport
Bus: The Airlink bus service departs approximately every 10 minutes and runs to Waverley Bridge in the town centre. Journey take 30 minutes, single ticket £4.50.
Car: you can reach the airport by the A8 Glasgow Road, close to the M8 and M9 motorways
Tram: Regular tram services depart the airport, serving a variety of destinations in the city center. Adult single ticket is £6
Location: Waverley Bridge (near Princes Street)
Location: Elder Street
Tipping: It’s common tip approximately 10% in restaurants (but not bars), and for tour guides
Greeting: Keep eye contact while shaking a person’s hand (although handshaking is generally less common than in other European countries)
Gestures:
To ask for the bill, mime the motion of signing a check with your hand
Avoid political, religious, or controversial conversation topics in public
Words/Phrases to know: The Scottish speak English, but there are a few common slang phrases that may come up in conversation:
Dinnae fash – Don’t worry
Ah dinnae ken – I don’t know
Dreich – Drab, grey weather
Braw – Brilliant, great, fantastic
Messages – Groceries
Fizzy juice - Soda
Temperatures:
Spring:
High: 52F / 11C
Low: 39F / 4C
Summer:
High: 64F / 18C
Low: 50F / 10C
Fall:
High: 55F / 13C
Low: 43F / 6C
Winter:
High: 45F / 7C
Low: 34F / 1C
Elevation: 154ft / 47m
The best month for swimming is August, the average sea temperature is 59F. The wettest month of the year is September.
The weather is best between May and June, with the sunshine lasting between 5 and 6 hours per day. Fantastic months for warm weather and not so many crowds would include May and June, before the Festival-goers arrive for the summer. In winter, the temperature drops significantly, although January and February can often be crisp, cold and sunny, with low rainfall.
How to dress: Scotland’s climate is notoriously wet, and a rain shower is never far away, so be prepared!
Getting Around
In-city transportation:
Adult Single: £1.70
Adult Day Ticket: £4
Family Day Ticket (2 adults and 3 children): £8.50
Adult (City zone): Single £1.70, Return £3.20
Adult (Airport): Single £6, Return £8.50
Uber/Lyft: Uber operates in Edinburgh
Bikes: Edinburgh is a very bike-friendly city, with many specially designed bike lanes and other bike priority measures
City Card: The Edinburgh Pass is the most popular tourist card, and offers free or reduced entrance to many different attractions and tours. However, be warned – the Edinburgh Castle is not included.
Cards may be ordered online, picked up at the Visit Scotland tourist center on Princes Street.
Price: One Day: Adult £45, Child £20; Two Days: Adult £55, Child 26; Three Days: Adult £65, Child £30.
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Price: £17.10
Walking: Edinburgh is a compact, walkable city, and most of the main attractions can be accessed on foot.
Section 2: What to see, do and eat
Breakfast
Swedish; Bakery
$
Location: Quartermile, 27 Simpson Loan
Times: Monday to Friday 7:30-19:00; Saturday & Sunday: 9:00-19:00
Casual dress
This Scandi-inspired café brings traditional Swedish baking to a slick, modern venue
Best dish: The traditional crispbreads and cardamom rolls should not be missed!
Café
$$
Location: 104 Nicholson Street
Times: Monday to Friday: 7:45-20:30; Saturday & Sunday: 8:30-20:00
Casual dress
The owner of this student-friendly café is award-winning barista, Jonathan Sharp
Best dish: The all-day breakfast is excellent, but the real star of the show is the coffee – the best place in Edinburgh for your cup of morning Joe
Café, Scottish
$
Location: 10 Bath Street, Portobello Beach
Times: Daily 9:00-17:00, Breakfast served until 11:30
Casual dress
The perfect place for a cozy breakfast after a bracing morning walk on Portobello beach
Best dish: Kippers with cider and apple lime butter; all the filled croissants
Brunch
Café; Scottish
$
Location: 15 Blackfriars Street
Times: Monday to Friday: 8:00-16:00; Saturday & Sunday 9:00-16:00
Casual dress
This superb café prides itself on using only the finest locally sourced, Scottish ingredients
Best dish: The legendary brunch, including an excellent vegetarian haggis
Café
$
Location: 232 Morrison Street
Times: Monday to Friday: 7:30-16:00; Saturday 8:00-16:00; Sunday 8:00-15:00
Casual dress
This unassuming West End café has some of the best chocolate brownies in the city
Best dish: The epic chorizo breakfast burrito with comté cheese and scrambled eggs
Café; Healthy; Gluten-Free
$$
Location: 94b Fountainbridge
Times: Monday to Friday 7:30-17:00; Saturday & Sunday: 8:00-17:00
Casual dress
This Edinburgh institution has a great range of vegan and gluten-free cakes, in addition to providing an all-day brunch menu in a tranquil setting
Best dish: The superfood pancakes
Lunch
Thai; Street Food
$$
Location: 8-9 Teviot Place
Times: Sunday-Thursday 11:30-20:00; Friday & Saturday 11:30-23:00
Casual dress
This laid-back restaurant serves authentic Thai street food from its open-plan kitchen
Best dish: Ped nam pueng – pan-seared duck breast in a honey and tamarind sauce
Seafood; Gastropub
$$
Location: 36 Shore, Leith
Times: Sunday to Thursday 10:00-24:00; Friday & Saturday: 10:00-1:00 am
Casual dress
The Kingswark is a modern gastropub housed in a 15th-century building, which previously functioned as the residence and armory of King James I.
Best dish: Fresh West coast mussels, freshly caught; don’t miss the extensive menu of local Scottish gins
Mexican; Street Food
$$
Location: 64 Thistle Street
Times: Sunday to Thursday 12:00-22:00; Friday & Saturday 12:00-24:00
Casual dress
El Cartel stocks an impressive list of nearly 80 tequilas and mescals
Best dish: The baja cod tacos and the chamoy chicken wings
Dinner
Scottish; Nordic
$$$
Location: 10 Lady Lawson Street
Times: Tuesday to Saturday 12:00-14:00; 17:30-21:30
Smart casual
The six-course pescetarian dinner, paired with specially selected wines, consists of carefully sourced local produce, with herbs, vegetables and edible flowers grown on site
Best dish: Lamb tartare, with seaweed, sorrel and duck yolk
Scottish; Gastropub
$$
Location: 1 Comely Bank Road, Stockbridge
Times: Monday to Friday: 12:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Saturday & Sunday: 8:30-22:00
Smart casual
This popular gastropub was created by two of Scotland’s finest Michelin-starred chefs and aims to serve the finest seasonal produce in a laid-back setting.
Best dish: The Scran & Scallie steak pie
Scottish; French
$$$
Location: 352 Castlehill
Times: Daily: 12:00-23:30
Smart casual
Located in a 16th-century building at the top of the Royal Mile, the Witchery is the most ornate, historic, and atmospheric restaurant in the city.
Best dish: Loin of Cairngorm venison with honey roast root vegetables
Other
Café; European; Cocktails
$$
Location: 23/24 Sandport Place, Leith
Times: Brunch: 10:00-16:00; Dinner 16:00-22:00
Casual dress
Roseleaf is perhaps best known for its ‘pot-tails’ – cocktails served in a teapot!
Best dish: Sample their fabulous range of eggs benedict for brunch
Café; Organic; Healthy
$$
Location: 121 Hanover Street
Times: Monday to Friday 8:00-17:00; Saturday to Sunday 9:00-17:00
Casual dress
This zen, minimalist café serves fabulous seasonal produce, including a wide range of healthy smoothies, superfood salads, and unusual, organic teas.
Best dish: Lamb, pistachio and feta koftes
Mediterranean; Middle-Eastern; Fast Food; Pizza
$
Location: 22 Nicholson Street
Times: Sunday to Thursday 12:00-2:00 am; Friday & Saturday 12:00-3:00 am
Casual dress
Probably the most famous and best-loved late night kebab shop in Edinburgh, known for its quality food, low prices, and succulent kebabs; a favorite with Festival employees
Best dish: Their falafel wraps are the best in Edinburgh, and an ideal hangover cure
Top things to See and Do
Edinburgh Castle is perched on top of an extinct volcano in the center of town, and dominates the city skyline. This imposing castle is brimming with Scottish history, and the site has operated as a seat of Scottish kingship since the 11th century. Tours guide visitors through the buildings, often recreating significant events in Scottish history in staged performances.
Main attractions: The crown jewels, the luxurious royal palace, and ‘Mons Meg’, one of the greatest guns in medieval Europe.
Location: Castlehill
Opening hours: April-September: 9:30-18:00; October-March 9:30-17:00
Price: Adult: £18.50; Child: £11.50; Concessions: £15
The other extinct volcano in Edinburgh lies just a few miles from the Royal Mile, and offers unparalleled views over the city.
Main attraction: The peak offers a satisfying yet manageable walk, and don’t forget to pass by the 15th century St Anthony’s chapel on the way up.
Location: Holyrood Park
Opening hours: daily 24/7
Price: Free
On May 1st, it’s traditional for women to wash their faces in the dew on top of Arthur’s Seat – an unorthodox beauty regime!
Yet another iconic part of the Edinburgh skyline, this Gothic monument to Sir Walter Scott is one of the largest monuments to a writer anywhere in the world. It is a masterpiece of Victorian gothic architecture, and provides fantastic views of the castle and the city center.
Main Attraction: The view from the top, and the fantastic stained glass windows in the Museum Room.
Location: Princes Street
Opening hours: Daily 10:00-21:00
Price: Adult: £8; Child: £5; Concessions: £6
The National Galleries complex includes the National Gallery at the heart of the city, and the Portrait Gallery and National Gallery of Modern Art, meaning that there’s something for all tastes.
Main Attraction: The stunning building that houses the National Gallery; Titian’s Venus Anadyomene
Location: National Gallery: The Mound; Gallery of Modern Art: 75 Belford Road; Portrait Gallery: 1 Queen Street
Opening hours: Daily 10:00-18:00
Price: Free entry to permanent collection; £10-£15 for visiting exhibitions
This dazzling hall of mirrors is Edinburgh’s oldest purpose-built tourist attraction. The maze of mirrors and lights in the Camera Obscura hosts one of the largest hologram exhibitions in Europe.
Main Attraction: The Camera Obscura Show will change your perspective on the whole city.
Location: Castlehill, Royal Mile
Opening hours: Daily 9:00-21:00 (seasonal opening hours may vary)
Price: Adult: £15.50; Child (5-15): £11.50; Concessions: £13.50; Under-5s go free
A favorite among crime writes, the Surgeon’s Hall museum is possibly the goriest museum in Scotland. The museum is linked to the Royal College of Surgeons, and contains the personal collections of many of Scotland’s most famous doctors and anatomists, including Sir Charles Bell and John Barclay.
Main attraction: The gruesome tools used by doctors and dentists across the ages, including the inhalers used for early anesthesia.
Location: Nicolson Street
Opening hours: Daily 10:00-17:00
Price: Adults: £7; Concessions: £4
St Giles’ is the historical church of Edinburgh city and is an important Scottish historical monument. The current building dates from the 15th century, although the foundations of the church are much older, going back to the Middle Ages.
Main Attraction: The beautiful stonework, stained glass windows, and the famous Thistle Chapel
Location: High Street
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-19:00; Saturday 9:00-17:00; Sunday 13:00-17:00 (closes at 17:00 weekdays during the winter)
Price: Free entry, £6 for rooftop tours
Although it’s commonly referred to as a cathedral, St Giles’ is in fact a church, as there are no bishops in the Scottish Church.
Festivals/Parades
Edinburgh International Festival
One of the most famous arts festivals in the world, the Edinburgh Festival attracts an international crown, transforming the city during the month of August.
Main Attraction: Too many to mention, but don’t miss the spectacular outdoor concerts that mark the beginning and end of the festival
Location: Various locations across the city
Date: August
Opening hours: Varied
Price: Tickets range from free entry to hundreds of pounds, depending on the performance
Book early! Edinburgh fills up very quickly during the festival and prices for accommodation are likely to rocket.
The success of the Edinburgh Fringe festival has, arguably, eclipsed the Edinburgh International Festival, and is now one of the largest arts festivals in the world. Known particularly for its comedy and subversive theatre, the Fringe has launched innumerable careers in the arts.
Location: Various locations across the city
Date: August
Opening hours: Varied
Price: Tickets usually start at around £5
Be prepared! Edinburgh’s weather can be unpredictable, and you may have to queue for tickets in the open air.
There’s only one place to be in Scotland on New Year’s Eve: the Hogmanay street party on Edinburgh’s Princes Street
Main Attraction: Watching the fireworks explode over Edinburgh Castle at the stroke of midnight.
Location: Princes Street
Date: December 31st
Opening hours: 19:30-2:00 am
Price: £31
Nightlife
This tiny club holds only 100 people at a time, but don’t let that put you off. Sneaky Pete’s is the best venue in town to see up-and-coming artists from across the world.
Main Attraction: The music is everything – most British big-name acts played at Sneaky Pete’s on their path to fame.
Location: 73 Cowgate
Opening hours: daily 23:00 - 3:00 am
Price: Entry starts at £6 (depending on the gig)
Be sure to book in advance – Sneaky Pete’s fills up quickly
The Devil’s Advocate offers food and drink, but this converted Victorian pump house is perhaps best known for its fantastic cocktail menu. The perfect place for a post-dinner drink.
Main Attraction: The incredible selection of over 200 whiskies.
Location: 9 Advocate’s Close
Opening hours: daily 12:00-1:00 am
Price: Cocktails start at £7
A cocktail bar with a twist – this venue is located in a converted 19th century church, and has an atmosphere to match.
Main Attraction: The animatronic Frankenstein that descends from the ceiling every hour, swirling in smoke and flashing lights, in addition to the excellent selection of beers in the Bierkeller downstairs.
Location: 26 George VI Bridge, Old Town
Time Open: Monday to Thursday 12:00-1:00 am; Friday to Sunday 12:00-2:00 am
Price: $$
The regular, horror-themed quiz night is not to be missed!
Hidden Gems
Every evening, starting at the Royal Mile, groups of local guides provide tours of the city that uncover Edinburgh’s dark past. Lasting approximately an hour and a half, the tour takes visitors through haunted alleyways and across the city’s ghostly streets.
The story of Burke and Hare, the Westport murderers.
Location: Royal Mile
Opening hours: Daily 17:00, 19:00, 21:30
Price: Free
Often filled with sunbathing students and dog walkers throughout the summer, the Meadows offer a respite from the busy Edinburgh streets. This beautiful leafy expanse of grass and trees is the perfect place to relax.
Collect a picnic from one of the many excellent nearby delis, and enjoy the (rare!) sunshine.
Location: Marchmont
Opening hours: daily 24/7
Price: Free
Head here during the Fringe to enjoy street performers, a huge market, and even a circus!
This is a real Edinburgh gem – an atmospheric second hand bookshop in the historic bookseller’s quarter of the city. Lined floor to ceiling with a whole host of literary finds, you may stay longer than you expected.
Main Attraction: The overflowing boxes of rare books on the floor
Location: 72-74 West Port
Time Open: Daily 10:00-18:30
Price: $
