Jack's Top Tips for Visiting Edinburgh

Gather round everyone, time for local knowledge direct from Jack about visiting the ‘burgh!

General Info

Weather wise it wont be hot, even in the summer you can expect cooler weather and a fair amount of rain. If you’re lucky most days we get nice spells of sunshine. But bring gloves and scarves or be prepared to shop for them! Edinburgh is a pedestrian city, you’ll walk a lot or get used to riding the brilliant buses and trams.

Don’t hire a car in the city, you can’t park it and wont need it. If you are taking trips outside the city, then book it just for the days you’ll need it. Cabs from the airport are cheap, or ride the tram, it doesn’t take long and drops you right in town.

Edinburgh Castle

Obviously it’s a highlight. It costs bucks to get in so do book, once you are in its mostly museums and memorials plus some great views. They fire a gun (Lucy’s note, it’s called Mons Meg) from up there daily at 1pm so worth being there for that. Personally I would stroll up to the gates and take some nice pictures but maybe skip paying to go inside unless you are super keen. Plenty of good free better museums and other things to do.

Carlton Hill

A small hill (it’s a steep but short 5 min climb up some steps) just by the main train station in the city – all the postcards are taken from the summit. Its very pedestrian, all concreate paths and steps etc. Totally free and not to be missed. Really nice restaurant on top called The Lookout Edinburgh. It’s a tad fancy, we usually go for lunch. But if you’re booking ahead then try to time if for sunset as the views and lights are great.

Royal Yacht Britannia

Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia! Does afternoon tea, I’ve never been on board, I’m told its great. You can see it from a few angles on the dock, otherwise you;ll need to pay to get a view. Not worth travelling there unless you’re going aboard (or have a local guide to show you how to sneak on to the viewing platform).

Open Top Bus Tours

There are loads of them, lots of different routes. Edinburgh Tour is a good one. These are a great way to find your bearings and if you’re going to Leith and other places further out then you may as well go on the hop on hop off bus and learn something on the way!

Holyrood Palace

The royal residence in the city, the lovely Holyrood Palace. I prefer a visit here than the castle as it’s less crowded. Lovely grounds to roam around and great views up to Arthur’s Seat. Check when its open as sometimes the king will be there sleeping over!

Arthur’s Seat

Some folk insist on scaling this dormant volcano to the very top. I’ve been a few times, the view is great on a sunny day, skip it if it’s cloudy as you wont see much. Unless you want some exercise. It’s a popular early morning joggers route to the summit before breakfast if you’re keen!

Scott Monument

The largest memorial in the world to an author (unless you count Harry Potter World for JK Rowling!) You can climb the Scott Monument, it’s like going up the statue of liberty, very claustrophobic and narrow twisting staircases! But I’m told (too fat for narrow stairs) that its wonderful at the top.

Mary Kings Close

Mary King’s Close is the city under the city. Re-creation tour and museum where you can go in under the city to the old vaults. Pretty spooky so not for young kids. Fascinating look back into how grim life must have been!

Royal Mile

Runs from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace and is the tourist high street. Plenty of tourist focused shops and businesses there Hard to avoid, but not much shopping to be had. I can give you lists and list of places to drink along here. The Worlds End Pub is a special one, if not the best

Victoria Terrace

The iconic curving street in the city – my own wedding photos were taken up on the terrace looking down! Great full Scottish breakfast to be had in Howies

I’m sure there are many more places to visit in the tour books and I’m certainly missing some. We’ve got a great National Museum, Art Galleries and so on. Helps on a rainy day and the café under the National Gallery is brilliant.

If you are taking tours out of the city then go see the Three Bridges at South Queensferry. I’m pretty sure one of the open top bus routes includes these, otherwise you can go by train (lots of stairs once you arrive) or city bus. If you do get out there, make sure you get along to Scotts at the marina, another place great to be as the sunset is drawing in. I recommend arriving and getting photos of the bridges in the daylight and then leave when the bridges are all lit up.

Rabbies Tours will do bus trips from Edinburgh out to all the tourist spots a bit further afield – we hear good things though I haven’t been on tours with them as far as I can recall .

Areas of Edinburgh

Edinburgh famously is the Old Town (Edinburgh Castle and old windy streets) and the New Town (Georgian structured streets) but in fact there are a handful of villages inside the city that you don’t want to miss:

Leith

Where Edinburgh meets the sea, this is where the cruise ships dock and the fishing boats go out. It’s a really superb seafront with bars and cafes and some of the best restaurants in the city. Its about a mile north from the city centre, you’ll get there by tram in 20 mins or on an open top bus tour. Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed here, you can go for afternoon tea if you like, there’s the super cool brand new Leith Distillery with great food, then walk 15 mins east to get to the seafront proper for more food and drink!

Bruntsfield & Morningside

A 2 mile stretch of independent shops, delis, take out food, cafes, restaurants & bars. Starts on the south west edge of the Old Town at the Kings Theatre and shoots south west, finishing up at the Canny Mans, one of the best pubs in the city You can then jump on a bus back to the city centre as its all uphill to get home!

Stockbridge

North West of the Old Town beyond the Dean Village and straddling the water of Leith. Stockbridge is the artsy bit of the posh bit of town. Again loads of nice shops, food, drink etc. feels like being in a wee village really as all clustered around main street over the river. Has a cool food market on Sundays. Get lunch at The Scran and Scallie, you’ll need to book ahead. If you are walking you can do it from Princes Street in about 15 mins, and can go via the two Modern Art Gallery buildings which also have nice cafes.

Willam Street District

Relatively new addition to the villages in the city, William Street has some fancy designer boutiques and cool places for drinking and eating. I like Indigo Yard but if you don’t fancy it’s relaxed USA style then head to Voyage of Buck instead. It’s super cool though needs to be booked as it’s small

Harry Potter District

I made this one up, but if you are at all into Harry Potter then there is a very specific area of the city which shows where J K Rowling got her inspiration from. Greyfriars Kirkyard houses many of the names she used in the books while Heriots School is an inspiration for Hogwarts and can be seen from the south of the school on Lauriston Place – though you can’t go in unless you are a student!

The Elephant House (currently closed due to a fire) is where she is reported to have written some of the books, in fact she used to write from her brother in laws café Nicholsons – which is across town past the museum (if you really want to out geek anyone).

If you’ve watched the films or read the books you’ll know Diagon Alley – this is Victoria street and Candlemaker Row which zigzags across the south of the old town and is a great walk with some superb shops along it. For me the original Harry Potter shop is W Armstrongs , this is the only place that would have been open back when she was writing that could have inspired the sort of shops she describes.

Mr Woods Fossils is also there and Bill Baber Knitwear just around the corner on the Grassmarket!

Food and Drink

Bars not to miss… there are hundreds, but not everyone is an alcoholic like me so I’ll keep it short.

Bow Bar

The Bow Bar one of the most authentic little whisky bars in the city. It’s a drinking establishment – not for food!

Johnny Walker Experience

While this is not a whisky I drink, the rooftop bar is an amazing place to see the city from and they do great cocktails.

Sandy Bells

Sandy Bells has live folk music each night, it’s a tiny place. Standing room only

Teuchters Landing

Teuchters Landing is in Leith but it’s a worthwhile trip!

Best combo of food and drink in the city

The Sheep Heid Inn

South West of the city under the crags of Arthurs Seat is The Sheep Heid Inn, a great old coaching inn, with a Victorian bowling alley in the back. Superb food, but a little out of the city.

Salisbury Arms

The Salisbury Arms is in the main student area of the city, south west of the university district. Nice plcae for lunch/dinner and good staging point for Arthurs Seat if you are climbing the mountain.

Restaurants

So many are worth a visit – there are hundreds!

Secret Garden at the Witchery

Iconic place – tis fancy but not pretentious, you wont regret it. Book the secret garden and you’ll need to book.

Mother India’s Cafe

If you like Indian food in small plates, tapas style.

Howies

Very solid local fare. Good shout for trying haggis

Oink

Not a restaurant – but not to be missed, a whole pig sits in the window being made into rolls with stuffing and applesauce!

For Afternoon Tea

Palm Court at the Balmoral