Edinburgh

Understand

History

This was an exciting place to be 300-350 million years ago, as volcanoes raged and flared across the region. The biggest was what we now call Arthur's Seat, with smaller cones at Castle Rock, Calton Hill, and elsewhere. Then they fizzled out and started to be buried by other rock layers. Much later came the Ice Ages, the last some 20,000 years ago. Vast glaciers from the west scoured away the surface, but where they hit Castle Rock they had to divide and flow around. They left the Rock intact with a scooped-out hollow to its north, west and south, and a tail of stone debris dumped in its lee to the east. This created an obvious defensible spot for early settlement. By the 12th century Edinburgh was the chief city of Scotland; the Old Town grew up with the Castle at its head, the Royal Mile stretching down the debris tail, and Holyrood Palace at its foot. And up and up it grew: space was limited, so buildings became taller, ten or more storeys high even in medieval times. But no lifts or pumped water of course, and sanitation was taken care of by opening a window, shouting "Gardyloo!" and letting gravity do the rest. Every medieval city stank, but Edinburgh became known as "Auld Reekie" from the distinctive stench of sewage mingled with smoke from coal, mined and burned here from early times. Edinburgh lost much of its importance after 1707, when Scotland united with England and political power ebbed away to London. But in the mid-18th century it revived, when it broke out of the confines of the Old Town, by creating a graceful New Town to the north. The intervening midden, the "Nor Loch", was drained, bridged, and an earth mound pushed across. There was similar expansion on the south side. Victorian times saw an industrial boom fuelled by the coal deposits nearby to the east, and by shale oil produced to the west. Canals and then railways brought in materials and a labour force. Glasgow grew bigger, but Edinburgh remained the cultural capital of Scotland, and the Edinburgh International Festival was launched in 1947. A year later the first Military Tattoo was performed at the castle and soon became an official part of the Festival. In 1993, the first Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party was held as an organised event. And from 1998 Edinburgh is in a stronger sense a capital city again, as the Scotland Act (and subsequent legislation) established a devolved Scottish Parliament and civil Government. These, based in Edinburgh, are responsible for governing Scotland excluding reserved matters such as defence and foreign affairs which remain with the Westminster Parliament in London. Between 1999 and 2004 the Scottish Parliament Building (designed by Enric Miralles, the Spanish Catalan architect) was constructed. The debate about full independence for Scotland continues.

Orientation

Edinburgh has two principal spines, both running east-west. The spine of the Old Town is the Royal Mile, which starts with the Castle perched atop its volcanic crag, and the Esplanade commanding the best overall view of the city. From here the Royal Mile slopes down east, variously called Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate, to end at Holyrood Palace. George IV Bridge spans south from Old Town to the University quarter, Meadows and Southside, while the Mound and North Bridge span north to New Town. The newer spine is Princes Street (one "s", no apostrophe, named for the princely sons of George III). Princes Street Gardens fill the depression between the Street and the Old Town heights, with the railway tracks at their base and the Mound crossing midway. The grid pattern of the New Town starts with Princes Street and stretches north, with George Street and Queen Street its main boulevards. Close to the east end of Princes Street are the main railway station Waverley, and the main bus station St Andrew Square. The street ends in Waterloo Place, historic terminus of the A1 to London, A7 to Carlisle, A8 to Glasgow, and A9 to John O'Groats - no modern motorist should ever heed these directions. The small hill just east of Princes Street with an ersatz Acropolis is Calton Hill, while the looming crags further SE are Arthur's Seat. The Firth of Forth glitters to the north, merging into the open North Sea.

Literary tradition

Edinburgh is noted as a long-lived literary capital of the English-speaking world. The great Scottish historical novelist Sir Walter Scott was born in the city and has his great monument on Princes Street. Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were also natives of Edinburgh. Edinburgh has also variously been the home and inspiration for such well-known modern writers as Muriel Spark (author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), Irvine Welsh (author of the 1993 novel Trainspotting, set in the gritty district of Leith), Ian Rankin (a crime writer best known for the Inspector Rebus series, set in Edinburgh), Alexander McCall Smith (The No. 1 Lady Detective's Agency and several novels set in the Scottish capital) and J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame.

What's inside

South Queensferry is nowadays governed as a city district, but retains its own identity as a town and is separately described.

Getting there

By plane

1 Edinburgh Airport (EDI IATA), Ingliston EH12 9DN (off A8 Glasgow Rd), ☏ +44 131 357 6337. This is Scotland's main airport, with direct flights from most major cities in West Europe, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean. There are seasonal flights from Calgary, Halifax, Toronto and New York. Gulf flights are from Dubai in UAE and Doha in Qatar. Domestic links include Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Derry, Exeter, Islay, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Kirkwall, Manchester, London (City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, and Stansted), Newquay, Orkney Islands, Southampton, Shetland Islands, Stornoway and Wick. The airport has a single terminal with the usual facilities including car hire. The only drinking water fountains are airside immediately to the left when you exit the duty-free shop. Currency exchange land- and airside is operated by ICE, with rates for major currencies about 20% off the official rate: poor, but average for a UK airport. (updated Apr 2025) Airport hotels: four are within walking distance and another handful within a ten-minute shuttle ride, see Edinburgh/West#Sleep. Onward transport: Buses to the city, and to Glasgow, Fife, and West Lothian, leave from stops just outside Arrivals. The tram station and shuttles to off-site car parks are at the east end of the Terminal, beyond the multi-storey car park. There's no railway station, the nearest (Haymarket and Waverley) are in the city centre. Buses to town changed their route numbers in April 2025, and not all signage has caught up. Airlink 100 runs to city centre from airport stop A via Haymarket and Princes Street to Waverley Bridge, just outside the main railway station and close to the bus station. It's a bright blue double-decker, which runs daily 24 hours every 10-20 minutes and takes 20-30 minutes. Adult fares as of 2026 are £6 single, £8.50 open return. Pay the driver in cash (exact fare only) or by contactless debit or credit card. The buses have free Wi-Fi, sockets for charging electrical equipment, CCTV allowing top-deck passengers to monitor their luggage, and "next-stop" info screens. Lothian Bus 17 (formerly 200) is for the north side of the city and Leith. This runs from airport stop B via Corstorphine down to Newhaven seafront and Leith Ocean Terminal - it doesn't pass anywhere near the city centre. It runs daily every 30 min, 5AM-midnight towards Leith and 4AM-11PM out to the airport, taking an hour. You only pay standard city bus fares on this, see Get Around.

Lothian Bus 18 (formerly 400) is for the south side of town. This runs from airport stop C via Gogarburn, South Gyle, Wester Hailes, Oxgangs, Kaimes, Royal Infirmary and Niddrie to Fort Kinnaird / Newcraighall near Musselburgh - it doesn't pass anywhere near the city centre. It runs daily every 30 min from 5:30AM to 9:30PM. Like Bus 17, you only pay the standard fare. At night Airlink 100 still runs to the city centre every 20 min, and the 17 and 18 each make a single run out to the airport at 3AM, arriving by 4AM. Trams run from the airport through city centre, taking 40 min via Edinburgh Park, Murrayfield, Haymarket, and along Princes St to Waverley railway station and York Place; then continue northeast to Leith and Newhaven. As of May 2025, adult fares are £7.90 single, £9.50 open return, child £4 / £5. Consider buying a multi-day ticket valid for all tram and daytime buses: adult fares are £20 for 3 consecutive days, £22 for 4 and £24 for 5, children half-price. Buy tickets from machines at any tram stop within 30 minutes of starting travel (cards accepted, no change given).. Trams run daily every 8-15 min, to city centre 6:20AM-10:45PM and out to the airport 5:30AM-11:30PM. Or walk! If you only have light baggage, it's a fine day and you want to save money, you can walk the mile-and-a-half footpath between the airport and Ingliston Park & Ride. This brings you within the City Zone tariff, so the single tram fare (as of June 2026) to the city centre drops to £2.40 adult, £1.20 child (£4.60/2.30 return), and a day ticket for all trams and buses is £5.50/£3. Coming out from the city, do not be tempted just to buy a City Zone ticket and stay aboard to the airport, as ticket inspectors always patrol this section. Out of town: Buses run from airport stop C to Glasgow Buchanan Station. This is the Citylink Air takes an hour, and running daily from 6AM to 11:30PM every 30 min. Bus 902 takes 80 min to Glasgow via Livingston, and this run hourly through the night. Buses run from airport stop G across the old Forth Road Bridge to Inverkeithing and Halbeath in Fife. This is the Stagecoach Jet 747 bus which takes 45 min to Halbeath. It runs daily for 24 hours, every 20 minutes in the daytime. Change at Inverkeithing for trains to Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. First Bus 600 runs from airport stop E every 30 min into West Lothian, via Ratho, Newbridge, Kirkliston, Winchburgh, Broxburn, Uphall, Livingston and Whitburn. Local buses pass by on the A8, a mile south of the airport. These run from Edinburgh out to Ratho, Kirkliston, South Queensferry, Linlithgow, and Falkirk. Other airports you might consider:

Glasgow (GLA IATA) has a few destinations not linked to Edinburgh, such as Dubai, Reykjavik and several Hebridean islands. Manchester (MAN IATA) has much better connections to North America and the Gulf. It has a direct train to Edinburgh.

Getting around

On foot

Walking should always be your first choice within central Edinburgh. The centre is compact - most sights and attractions are on or near the Royal Mile in Old Town or Princes St in New Town. But factor in the hills, barriers such as the railway tracks and deep glen of Water of Leith, and bridges that span lower streets without a connection.

By bus

The suburbs stretch out for several miles. Attractions that are too far to walk (especially with children) include the Zoo, the Botanic Gardens, Leith and the Royal Yacht Britannia, Craigmillar Castle and the Pentland Hills. For these, first choice is the bus. Lothian Buses are distinctive burgundy and cream-coloured. There are 37 daytime city routes, three airport routes, and 17 night buses. Another 18 routes link nearby towns such as South Queensferry. Their online network map shows real-time positions of buses, and central stops have displays of approaching buses - not all buses serve every stop. Buy tickets on boarding the bus either with exact fare in coins (no change is given) but better still with a contactless credit or debit card. This not only avoids keeping the right change, but if you make three or more journeys on the same day and same card, your fare is automatically capped at the day-ticket price. A single ticket is a flat fare regardless of distance and with no transfers - if you change to another bus, you need another ticket. In 2023 these cost £2 adult, £1 for under-18s. A day-ticket can also be bought on boarding the bus, for £5 adult, £2.50 child, or £10.50 for a family of 2 adults and 3 children. These cover the city but exclude sightseeing buses, night buses and the airport - though you can ride the airport bus within the city, say to the zoo. At night a single ticket is £3, and a "Late ticket" pass from 6PM to 4:30 AM is £4.50. Ridacards for regular travellers are available from Travel Hubs at Shandwick Place in the west end, Waverley, and Musselburgh - bus drivers can't sell these. The minimum period is one week, for £22 adult, £19 student, £15 5-15. You can also buy bundles of single M-tickets to display on your phone, but with no saving over the standard price. McGills buses mostly serve west of the city, for instance to Falkirk. Hop-on-Hop-off are the city sightseeing buses. Fares start from £16, with more expensive tickets covering entry to attractions.

By tram

A tram line links city centre with the airport west and Leith east. It passes through New Town along Princes Street and Shandwick Place to Haymarket, then takes an off-road track through the western suburbs. Thus it links the airport, rugby stadiums, both mainline railway stations, the bus station and Princes Street. in 2025 a single journey (excluding the airport) costs £2.20. Day tickets cost £5.20 and can also be used (or purchased) on Lothian Buses. A single to or from the airport costs £7.90, with a return ticket costing £9.50, so it's more expensive and slower than the Airlink bus. You must buy a ticket before boarding the tram. The machines at tram stops accept credit cards and coins (5p to £2 coins, no change is given). Holders of the Scottish National Entitlement Card (free travel for locals over 60) can only travel for free on the tram if their card was issued by Edinburgh Council. The PLUSBUS rail ticket add-on allows you to travel on the tram but not to the airport. When the tram line opened in 2014, it was to widespread scorn, as it was way over-budget and long-delayed, with protracted disruption of city streets. Gradually it has won people over, but it's limited to the single east-west route. The east section to Leith and Newhaven was cut when the budget ballooned, but was eventually completed in June 2023.

See

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles

Old Town has most major sights: Edinburgh Castle sits on the crag at the top of Old Town. In summer it often sells out, best book online. Royal Mile is the long street descending from castle to palace. The best of it is High Street, the broad upper traffic-free section, with medieval "closes" (alleys) descending steeply on either side. Holyrood Palace is sumptuously furnished and still a royal residence. Scottish Parliament meets in a modern building near the palace, and you can look in on debates. Arthur's Seat is the extinct volcano looming over the city: you have to go round to its far side for the simple ascent. National Museum of Scotland is in Chambers St half a mile south of High St, an amazing free collection that will absorb a whole afternoon. New Town: Princes Street is architecturally dull, but has a great view of the castle and Old Town. National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery are side-by-side midway along Princes St. Modern One & Two are modern art galleries a mile beyond Haymarket. Calton Hill is the miniature Arthur's Seat at the east end of Princes St, much more accessible for city views. Elsewhere:

The Botanic Gardens are in Canonmills. Their glasshouses are closed until 2025. Royal Yacht Britannia is permanently moored in Leith. Craigmillar Castle is an extensive medieval ruin in the south. If you are staying in Scotland a while, consider buying membership of one of the heritage organisations such as Historic Scotland, see Scotland Page for details. National Trust members get free entry to National Trust for Scotland properties and vice versa, but in general there's no reciprocity between these organisations, and you have to see several sites to make a saving on the regular admission price. Doors Open Day throws open historic or important buildings across the country, free of charge though you may need to book. Many are not otherwise open, so it's a rare opportunity to visit them. It's usually on the last weekend in September. Scotland's Gardens similarly opens up private gardens once a year, with all proceeds going to charity. There are about 25 participating gardens across the city, dates staggered so there's one open most weekends in summer.

Do

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles

Performing arts

Edinburgh has an excellent concert and theatre life. The Usher Hall (Lothian Road, Old Town) has weekly orchestral concerts all year round with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Queen's Hall (South Clerk Street, South) is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The Lyceum (Lothian Road, Old Town) offers theatre performances. The Festival Theatre (Nicolson Street, Old Town) frequently hosts opera and ballet. Europe's largest theatre, the 3000-seat Edinburgh Playhouse (top of Leith Walk, New Town) hosts major West End shows. For a cheaper option, the excellent Bedlam Theatre (Old Town) regularly puts on good student theatre and is the home to Scotland's oldest improvised comedy troupe, The Improverts. Experience traditional Folk Music at one of the pubs in the Old Town or Leith which host regular sessions.

Research your ancestors. The National Register lists all births, marriages and deaths in Scotland from 1841. It's in General Register House at the east end of Princes St opposite Waverley Station, but always start your search online. You'll need to pay for extended access to look back beyond 1841, for instance in parish records mostly held at West Register House in Charlotte Square. Central Reference Library on George IV Bridge in Old Town has old newspapers and other publications, many of them digitised.

Shopping

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles

Princes Street in New Town is the main shopping street, lined by chain and department stores. George Street, parallel to Princes Street, has more upmarket stores. The Royal Mile near the castle is mostly an overpriced tourist trap. Cockburn Street and Victoria Street in Old Town have small independent stores. Grassmarket at the foot of Victoria Street has more, plus castle views. Multrees Walk has upmarket labels. It's next to the bus station in New Town. Other malls include St James Mall east of Princes Street, and Ocean Terminal in Leith.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles Edinburgh has a great selection in all price ranges, cosmopolitan cuisines, and caters for diets such as vegan, halal and GF. Good areas for value food are Elm Row at the top of Leith Walk, Rose and Thistle streets flanking George St, along South Bridge including the "Little Cairo" around the Central Mosque, Forrest Rd by Greyfriars Bobby, Tollcross and Lothian Rd, and west end from Queensferry St to Haymarket station. Overpriced areas to be cautious are the Royal Mile from castle to Tron Kirk, Princes St and the Grassmarket.

The Scots are well known for having a penchant for fried food which has resulted in such gastronomic delights as deep fried pizza, deep fried hamburgers, deep fried Black Pudding (a type of blood sausage), deep fried haggis and deep fried Mars bars, which are not just a myth. If you're up to it, be sure to drop by a chippy (fish and chip shop) and experience these Scottish delights. Edinburgh chippys are unique in the UK for offering salt'n'sauce as standard in place of the salt'n'vinegar usually provided elsewhere in the country. The sauce is a kind of runny, vinegary version of HP or Daddys style brown sauce. Most chippys will provide vinegar on request if you prefer, but you really should try salt'n'sauce at least once! Edinburgh Rock is a soft confectionery, made from sugar and cream of tartar with various flavourings and colours, including peppermint and ginger. It can often be seen in tourist shops in tartan boxes.

Drink

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles For a non-alcoholic beverage give Scotland's second national drink a try Irn-Bru. It's a great cure for hangover. As for Scotland's first drink, you will find The Scotch Whisky Experience at the top of the Royal Mile, which offers an interactive "tour" of the history and practice of whisky distilling. For a less touristic experience simply enjoy your whisky in one of the many pubs. The closest single malt whisky distillery to Edinburgh is the Glenkinchie Distillery out in the country towards Haddington. The North British Distillery in Edinburgh (near Murrayfield) produces grain whisky which is all used in blending and the distillery is not open for visits. There are a few gin distilleries opened in and around Edinburgh producing Pickering's Gin, Edinburgh Gin or NB Gin (from North Berwick). The two major local beer breweries are the Caledonian Brewery and Stewart Brewing.

There are lots of (traditional) pubs all around the city and many of them offer - next to all the standard choices - a changing selection of guest ales. The bartenders can usually give you detailed taste information about each guest ale and are often willing to let you try a small sample. Most pubs also have a great selection of whiskies. As with eating, the Grassmarket and upper Royal Mile are overpriced. Clubs are on George Street and around The Cowgate.

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles Edinburgh has been established as a tourist destination for centuries, so there is a huge choice of accommodation available for travellers. If you're planning a visit during festival time (Aug), around Christmas and New Year, or on the weekend of a Scotland home game in the 6-nations Rugby (Mar/Apr, 2 or 3 matches per year), then you will find that all types of accommodation get booked up well in advance, and a premium may be applied to the room-rate. It's not impossible to get somewhere to stay at short notice at these times, but you won't be able to be fussy and it will probably be expensive. The average cost of hotel accommodation in Edinburgh is higher than anywhere else in Scotland. All short-term accommodation in Scotland must be registered, otherwise it's illegal and probably a flea-pit or fire-trap. This applies throughout Scotland but is especially pertinent to Edinburgh, where demand far exceeds supply and encourages exploitive providers. The law (which does not apply to England) was introduced in 2022 but there is considerable wriggle room until July 2024, so for the time being proprietors can reasonably say that their registration is still being processed. Be increasingly sceptical as the deadline approaches. It's unwelcome extra bureaucracy for B&Bs, campsites and so on but in the long-term should better protect travellers and honest providers.

For those on a budget, there are cheap youth hostels available with prices from £20 upward. The private, independent hostels centre around the Cowgate area, the lower Royal Mile and its side streets. The hostels of the HI affiliated Scottish Youth Hostel Association can be booked on-line and are an especially good deal during summer, when the SYHA rents student accommodation as summer hostels: Single rooms in the city centre for a very modest price. There are guest houses and small hotels dotted around almost every part of the city, however there are high concentrations in two areas, namely around Newington Road and Minto Street on the South side, and on Pilrig Street and Newhaven Road in Leith. Both areas are within a brisk 15–20 minute walk of the city centre and both have excellent round-the-clock bus services. If arriving in town without having booked accommodation, it may be worth heading for one or the other of these areas and looking out for the "Vacancies" signs, though probably not during the festival or around Hogmanay. Some of the guest houses and even hotels can be booked for as little as the hostels at certain times of year, while more upmarket accommodation ranges from boutique B&Bs, with just a few rooms, lovingly run by a family, to world-renowned large 5-star hotels. Another good alternative for accommodation is self-catering holiday apartments. Edinburgh has a wide offer of short term holiday apartments steps away from its main tourist attractions. It is a great opportunity to experience the city as a local. Apartments can be booked on-line. For summer months, especially August, it is highly recommended to book well in advance as most tourists tend to make their bookings in February for this period. Due to the excellent and frequent rail links between the two cities, savvy travellers can cut the costs by basing themselves in Glasgow, where deals in mainstream chain hotels are easier to come by – and you get the advantage of being able to "do" both cities. Bear in mind of course when your last train leaves - though hourly coaches run through the night if you do stay out too long!

Stay safe

In general Edinburgh is a safe destination. Take care of valuables, especially in crowded places where pickpockets operate. Swerve clear of drunks, especially after football matches and at pub closing times, and don't get drunk yourself. Like every other city, there are rundown areas where you have simply no reason to go. Examples are Niddrie and Craigmillar in the southeast, Saughton, Sighthill and Wester Hailes in the west, and Muirhouse and Pilton in the north. In an emergency call 999. The non-emergency police contact number is 101.

In emergency, dial 999 (preferably from a landline, a free call from any phone including payphones), 112 also works. For advice on non-emergency medical problems, you can ring the free 24-hour NHS 24 service on 111 or for textphone users 18001 111.

Hospitals and clinics

1 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (R.I.E.), 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road (On the southern fringe of the city, it can take up to 30 min from the city centre in a bus or taxi), ☏ +44 131 536-1000. 24 hour opening. The R.I.E. hosts the main Accident and Emergency (A&E) facility for the city. 2 Minor Injuries Clinic, Crewe Road South (at Western General Hospital), ☏ +44 131 537-1330. Daily from 08:00-21:00. No appointment is necessary. Last patient admission 30 min before closing time.

Go next

Edinburgh is so well-connected that anywhere in Scotland is a reasonable destination to go next. Here are some highlights within a day trip. Going west:

South Queensferry is an old harbour with the iconic Forth Bridge for rail, and two modern road bridges crossing to Fife. Linlithgow has a ruined Palace, abode of Mary, Queen of Scots. Falkirk has the ingenious Falkirk Wheel to lift boats between two canals. Stirling is a miniature Edinburgh with its castle perched on a crag and ancient streets. Glasgow is a lively city, Scotland's largest, deserving a longer stay. Going east:

Gullane has an excellent beach, backed by sand-hills and a great golf course. The Museum of Flight is a few miles inland. North Berwick is a fishing village near the sea-bird reserve of Bass Rock and the 14th century Tantallon Castle. Dunbar is a charming harbour town, birthplace of conservationist John Muir. Going north:

More pictures of Edinburgh

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.