Edinburgh
Discover Edinburgh
Edinburgh (Gaelic: Dùn Èideann) is the capital of Scotland, located in the Central Belt of the country. With a population of 526,470 in the urban area in 2021, and 901,455 in the metropolitans, Edinburgh fizzes with a cosmopolitan yet uniquely Scottish atmosphere. Old volcanoes ensure a dramatic natural setting, with the imposing castle atop one. The city combines medieval relics, Georgian grandeur and a powerful layer of modern life with contemporary avant-garde. Medieval palaces, Gothic churches and fascinating historical buildings rub shoulders with the best of modern architecture, such as the Scottish Parliament and the National Museum of Scotland. Variously dubbed "Auld Reekie" or "Athens of the North", but usually just plain "Embruh", it hosts great restaurants, shops, pubs, wild and mild clubs, and an unrivalled programme of events and festivals throughout the year. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1995. In 2004, Edinburgh became the first member of the UNESCO Creative Cities initiative when it was designated a "City of Literature".
What to Experience in Edinburgh
Taste of Edinburgh...
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.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Edinburgh into what it is today.
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....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options55.9486-3.36411 Edinburgh Airport (EDI ), 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....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
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. 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.
Where to Stay
Edinburgh has been established as a tourist destination for centuries, and 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.
Money & Budget
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.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
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. During normal shopping hours (M-F 9AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-12:30PM), you won't have any problem locating a pharmacy as they are dotted all around the city. Any row of local shops will usually include one.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Edinburgh
A short walk after finishing work up Calton Hill. I love these early Autumn nights.
gray concrete castle
brown concrete building near river during daytime
Edinburgh skyline taken from Calton Hill at sunset.
aerial photography of London cityscape
© Peter A. Cordes – Carlton Hill and Edinburgh at sunset.
Early sunset over Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. Summer 2019
Edinburgh🏴
Edinburgh Old Town, as seen from Princess Street Gardens. The imposing building third from the right end is the New College of the University of Edinburgh.
a view of a city with a clock tower
A short walk after finishing work up Calton Hill. I love these early Autumn nights.
gray concrete castle
brown concrete building near river during daytime