The Best View in Edinburgh!
Just a short walk away from the bustle of Princes Street is a quiet haven of green with the best view of the city! Take a look at this, come on, you know we’re right! In our opinion no visit to Edinburgh is complete without a trip up Calton Hill to marvel at the best view of the city we’ve seen.
The Duguld Stewart Monument and the City of Edinburgh from Calton Hill
Dotted with monuments and follies, Calton Hill (pronounced Carl-ton) is an eclectic place to visit with plenty to see and explore once you are up. Our favourite folly is the National Monument which was intended to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, alluding to Edinburgh’s reputation as “the Athens of the North”, back in the 19th century. However the project ran out of money and the monument was left in perpetuity with only twelve columns, not quite the acknowledgement of the Scottish men who fought in the Napoleonic War that it was intended to be!
The National Monument on Calton Hill
You can also take a look at the old City Observatory (the new one being on Blackford Hill), a monument to Lord Admiral Nelson and the Greek temple style and oft-photographed Duguld Stewart monument (a Scottish philosopher who was commemorated by the Royal Society of Edinburgh which he had chaired in life).
The Nelson Monument on Calton Hill
The Observatory led to Calton Hill being the place for astronomy and timekeeping in Edinburgh (very useful to the nearby Port of Leith), the Observatory building now hosts a free contemporary art centre and The Lookout Restaurant, run by the team behind the amazing The Gardener’s Cottage on London Road Gardens.
Arthur’s Seat and the Crags from Calton Hill
But the true beauty of Calton Hill is the incredible views over the city it commands, Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town, the New Town, the Firth of Forth and the whole of the city are laid out before you in a stunning vista. Yes there are some steps to climb to get up there and you may be cursing us as you ascend, but once you are there we think you’ll agree that the view is well worth it! There are two routes to get up to the top of the hill, one is all stairs while the other starts with stairs and then winds around the hill to reach the top. There is also limited blue badge parking at the top of Calton Hill but access has to be gained for your vehicle via a service road.
The Steps at Calton Hill
Much of the Calton Hill we know today was designed by William Henry Playfair, a Scottish architect from the 19th Century who also designed the National Gallery on Princes Street, the University Old College, the Royal Institution, Advocate’s library and large parts of the New Town. Calton Hill is also well know locally for being a great place to watch the festival fireworks from (there’s always some clever soul who’s brought a radio along so you can hear the accompanying music). Plus the incredible Beltane festival takes place each year and the hill and is a riot of colour, fire and Celtic tradition. Be sure to take a torch though if you’re brave enough to try these experiences!
Robert Louis Stevenson was also very taken with a visit to Calton Hill (although he did take the time in his reminisces to have a go at the number of Robert Burns memorials across Scotland) and claimed it was “perhaps the best” view of Edinburgh as both the Castle and Arthur’s Seat are visible. He waxes lyrical about the history and architecture that can be viewed from this spot and even recommends returning at night to play at astronomer yourself. (As above, not endorsed by us at Bill Baber as there’s no lighting and we don’t want to be held accountable for any mishaps!)
Best View in Edinburgh – Calton Hill
However we highly recommend taking the time to wander up Carlton Hill and enjoy these stunning views, surrounded by gorgeous historical monuments. What’s not to love? (OK the hill part, we get it, but WORTH IT!) Make sure to go when you visit Edinburgh, this is not to be missed!
We were also very excited to find out that you can rent a holiday home up on Calton Hill for a truly unique experience in Edinburgh!
Best View in Edinburgh – Calton Hill
If you’d like to read more about Calton Hill and Edinburgh history check out:
Calton Hill at Edinburgh World Heritage
Calton Hill at Undiscovered Scotland
Calton Hill Site History at Collective Edinburgh
William Henry Playfair at Undiscovered Scotland
Robert Louis Stevenson’s thoughts on Calton Hill at Undiscovered Scotland
Calton Hill Accessibility Review at Euan’s Guide