Must See Edinburgh Tourist Attractions

Be the King of the Castle

Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House, two famous royal palaces connected by centuries of often bloody and turbulent history, one at each end of the Royal Mile.

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the most iconic of all Scottish castles. It dominates the city skyline sitting atop the outcrop of volcanic rock that provided the first inhabitants of Edinburgh with a safe, defensive location.

Admission £11, open 7 days a week 9.30am – 6pm (5 in the winter). www.edinburghcastle.biz

Holyrood House

Founded as a monastery in 1128, home of Mary Queen of Scots during her brief but eventful reign and still the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Open most days 9.30am – 5pm (3.30 in the winter).

Admission from £9.80. www.royal.gov.uk

Soak up some culture

For lovers of art and culture Edinburgh has a plethora of museums and galleries including the National Gallery of Scotland, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of Edinburgh. Many have free admission. For more information try www.cac.org.uk

Go for a Walk in the Park

There are lots of green spaces where you can take time out, sit on a bench and watch the world go by. Princes Street Gardens run along the opposite side of the road from the bustling shopping area, perfect for a quiet ten minutes before plunging back in to the hurley burley. The Royal Botanic Gardens (www.rbge.org.uk ) has woodlands to stroll through, a collection of glass houses containing some of the word’s oldest plants, Alpine and Chinese gardens and a café for tea and cake. The Waters of Leith (www.waterofleith.co.uk) offers a gentle riverside walk while Holyrood Park sandwiched between Holyrood House and Arthur’s Seat offers crags, moorlands and glens within a stones throw of the Royal Mile.

Build a Sandcastle

Head to Portobello beach, Edinburgh’s seaside. Take the No 26 Bus from the City Centre to Portobello High Street then head for the shore! If you can’t make it that far without a pit stop there are pubs and cafes on the way.

Have a wee dram

Edinburgh is without doubt a city that knows how to party. Wherever you are you won’t be far from a swift half or medicinal mouthful but there are a few distinct areas worth mentioning. Walk along Rose Street a narrow, lively, pedestrian street which runs parallel to Princes Street and you will find more pubs and bars than you can shake a stick at. With a watering hole every few yards for almost a mile you are unlikely to be walking in a straight line by the time you reach the end. There are also a good number of pubs along the Royal Mile, perhaps the most well known of which is Deacon Brodies, where along with the European, transatlantic and Australasian accents you may be lucky enough to hear some local dialect. The Grassmarket also offers opportunities to rest your weary feet boasting a number of establishments that date back to the g(l)ory days of Burke and Hare.Go to a Festival: If you are a festival goer Scotland hosts the two most famous festivals north of the Border. During August the Capital’s usual population doubles in size when the Edinburgh International Arts Festival comes to town. Three weeks of theatre, dance, music and opera culminate in an exuberant firework finale. Accommodation and tickets for popular shows are at a premium so plan well in advance. At the other end of the year is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. This is a four day festival culminating in a huge street party with live music, dancing and fireworks on New Years Eve.

Visit www.edinburghshomanay.org for further information and tickets.

Go to a Festival

If you are a festival goer Scotland hosts the two most famous festivals north of the Border. During August the Capital’s usual population doubles in size when the Edinburgh International Arts Festival comes to town. Three weeks of theatre, dance, music and opera culminate in an exuberant firework finale. Accommodation and tickets for popular shows are at a premium so plan well in advance ( www.eif.co.uk ). At the other end of the year is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay .This is a four day festival culminating in a huge street party with live music, dancing and fireworks on New Years Eve.

Visit www.edinburghshomanay.org for further information and tickets.

Take in some views

Edinburgh is a city of hills and for the energetic there are some spectacular views on offer. Climb Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano which at 250 metres is the city’s highest climb. Take any of the footpaths from Holyrood park and in around 30 minutes you will be enjoying panoramic views. Monument covered Calton Hill can be accessed via the steps from Waterloo Place at the end of Princes Street. This unique part of Edinburgh’s skyline offers a wide vista of the city and beyond. Finally in the west end of the city Dean Bridge provides good views across the water of Leith and Dean Village.

Go down to the Waterfront

Take a trip out to Leith to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Waterfront Development with its shops, bars and restaurants. Catch the No 22 bus from the city and visit one of the most famous boats in the world, remembering to pick up some of the fudge made onboard. Open daily, Admission £9.50,( booking advisable during July and August). www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk

Explore the Old City

Edinburgh is a UNESCO World heritage site and wandering through the medieval Old Town and georgian New Town reveals historical and architectural gems around every corner. There are guided city walking tours which will help you get the most out of this fascinating place but even wandering on your own is more than worthwhile. For those who like a thrill to add to the history lesson there are ghost walks that concentrate on the Old Town area (www.scotland.org.uk ) or crime lovers can follow in the footsteps of Inspector Rebus (www.rebustours.com ).

Shop ‘til you drop

Edinburgh is a fantastic place to shop (sorry guys). The long wide pavements of Princes Street make looking around the high street names a positively enjoyable experience while the New Town and West End areas provide boutique shopping in an atmospheric historical setting. There is also the bonus that with numerous pubs and bars sprinkled around pitstops are easy and bored boys can take time out while you are in the changing rooms. Princes Street and surrounds will give you the more upmarket Harvey Nicks, Armani and Louis Vuitton as well as Zara, Gap and H&M. For quirky or vintage items look to the New Town, West End and Stockbridge.