Edinburgh

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St Giles' Cathedral, with its distinctive crown steeple, stands on the High Street section of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland

Victoria Street curves down from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street covers Scottish history, science and world cultures, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

About Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, is built across a series of volcanic hills and ridges overlooking the Firth of Forth. Its medieval Old Town runs down a narrow spine from the castle rock, while the orderly Georgian New Town was laid out to the north in the eighteenth century. Together they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city has long been a center of law, learning and the Scottish Enlightenment.

Edinburgh Castle crowns the Old Town, and the Royal Mile slopes down from it past St Giles' Cathedral, closes and courtyards to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland. Curving Victoria Street leads into the Grassmarket, and the National Museum of Scotland sits nearby with wide-ranging collections. Behind Holyrood, Arthur's Seat rises within Holyrood Park, offering a rewarding climb with views over the city and sea. Calton Hill is an easier viewpoint dotted with monuments. Princes Street Gardens separate the two towns, watched over by the Gothic Scott Monument, and the New Town's grid of elegant streets leads toward Dean Village and the Water of Leith walkway.

The city suits walkers, history fans and festival-goers. August is dominated by the Fringe and other festivals, which fill accommodation. Weather shifts quickly, so a waterproof layer is useful.

Best seasonMay to September for longer days; August for festivals, booked well ahead.

Ideal stayThree days covers the Old and New Towns, plus a hill walk.

ArrivingEdinburgh Airport links to the center by tram and bus, and trains arrive at Waverley station.

WiserMap travel guideEdinburgh Scotland Royal Mile Holyrood and Arthurs SeatPlan Edinburgh: the castle and Royal Mile, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill, Dean Village, Leith and festival season, plus food, areas and transport tips.Read the guide

Top 12 Experiences in Edinburgh

Landmarks 4

Edinburgh Castle

Perched on an extinct volcanic plug, the castle has dominated the city for centuries and is Scotland's most visited paid attractio...

The Royal Mile and St Giles' Cathedral

Running downhill from the castle to Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mile is a chain of streets lined with tall tenements and dozens of na...

Palace of Holyroodhouse

At the foot of the Royal Mile, Holyroodhouse is the British monarch's official residence in Scotland and has royal links stretchin...

Princes Street Gardens and the Scott Monument

These gardens fill the valley below the castle, where the Nor Loch was drained in the 18th and 19th centuries, and divide the Old...

Museums 2

National Museum of Scotland

On Chambers Street, this museum pairs a Victorian building with a grand glass-roofed Grand Gallery and a modern sandstone extensio...

Royal Yacht Britannia

Launched in 1953 and decommissioned in 1997, the former royal yacht is now moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith. An audio tour leads...

Neighborhoods 4

Victoria Street and the Grassmarket

Curving downhill from George IV Bridge, Victoria Street is a two-level street of brightly painted shopfronts with a terrace walkwa...

Edinburgh New Town

Planned from 1767 to a design by James Craig, the New Town is one of the finest examples of Georgian town planning anywhere and fo...

Dean Village and the Water of Leith

Just a short walk from the West End, this former milling village sits in a steep valley along the Water of Leith, where watermills...

The Shore, Leith

Leith was Edinburgh's port for centuries, and The Shore is its historic quayside where the Water of Leith meets the docks. Old war...

Viewpoints 2

Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park

The main peak of an ancient volcano rising 251 metres in the middle of the city, Arthur's Seat is the centrepiece of Holyrood Park...

Calton Hill

Rising at the east end of Princes Street, Calton Hill offers one of the best and easiest viewpoints in Edinburgh. Its monuments in...

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