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Oldest part of Edinburgh, Scotland
Photo: Herbert Frank from Wien (Vienna), AT, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Old Town is the original settlement of Edinburgh. At its core is the Royal Mile, the long street descending east from Castle Crag to Holyrood Palace. This medieval city was cramped for space so it built higher and higher, and stank higher still, hence its nickname of "Auld Reekie". From the 14th century it spread south to Grassmarket and Southside, north to Waverley, and west to Tolcross, and these historic districts are all described on this page.
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Iconic fortress perched magnificently on a volcanic rock above the city. The castle has been continuously used for 1100 years and is kept in excellent condition; it's still the ceremonial headquarters of the army in Scotland. Highlights include the Great Hall, the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels), the War Museum and the 12th century St Margaret's Chapel. The One O'Clock Gun is fired each day from Mills Mount battery. Audio guides available. It's mobbed with tourists and in summer often sells out, book online well in advance.
World of Illusions
Over 150 years old, the Camera Obscura projects light from the top of the tower onto a large dish in a dark room below, displaying a panorama of the city. The effect still works on overcast days or at night but is best in sunlight, when you can use a sheet of paper to "pick up" people seen in the streets and have them scurry in your hand. The tower also houses a gallery of optical illusions that wouldn't be out of place in Blackpool.
Thomas Gladstone was a wealthy merchant, and in 1617 he had this house refashioned to accommodate his family and to partly rent out. A "Land" means a tall narrow townhouse from the period when Old Town was cramped and the only space for development was upwards. Typically along the Royal Mile the ground floor was shops and trade, genteel folk lived on the first and second floors, and lower-income residents had to lump up many steps to the upper floors. It's now a museum run by the National Trust for Scotland exhibiting 17th century elite city life, richly furnished and decorated but with no running water. In the 18th century prosperous folk relocated to New Town, where the NTS property at 7 Charlotte Square continues the story.
This museum, in a tall house built in 1622, celebrates three Scottish literary giants: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. From 1719 the close was the residence of the widow of the 1st Earl of Stair, who ordered the Glencoe massacre.
It's often called a Cathedral, but the Church of Scotland brooks no such episcopal entity, and Charles I dubbing it "cathedral" in 1633 was one reason his head was chopped off. Safer to call it "High Kirk", though they're nowadays lenient with first time offenders. The present building is from 14th century with much Victorian Gothic, notably its crowned spire. Highlight is the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland's chivalric company of royal knights. Services are M-F at noon and 9:30AM and 11AM on Sunday, with choral music at 6PM.
Mary King (1590-1644) was a clothes merchant and city burgess. She died the year before plague struck and carried off the rest of her family. In 1753 Royal Exchange, now City Chambers, was built over several closes by demolishing their upper storeys, while the lower storeys were used for storage then later blocked off. This means a warren of medieval alleys and low dwellings has been preserved, re-opened in 2003 and visited by guided tour. Almost as weighty as the Exchange is the mass of ghost stories piled on top of the close, woo-ooh! - but the real history is fascinating enough. Book ahead as it often sells out.
Concepts and imagery of childhood are ever-changing. See if you can find your (or your grandparents') old toys in the collection, and your place in history.
This is housed in Canongate Tolbooth, the medieval centre for governance and justice (preferably gruesome) as Canongate was a separate jurisdiction until 1856. The museum covers the story of working class life, and of organised labour, from the late 18th century to the present.
In 1687 James VII (II of England) chucked the Protestants out of Holyrood to convert it to a royal Roman Catholic chapel, the sort of behaviour that got him ousted from the monarchy the following year. The congregation moved to Infirmary St then to this building on its completion in 1691. From 1952 Queen Elizabeth II regularly attended when at Holyrood, and in 2011 her granddaughter Zara Phillips married former England rugby captain Mike Tindall here. Notables in its graveyard include George Drummond (1788-1866) co-founder of the New Town, poet Robert Fergusson (1750–1774), and economist Adam Smith (1723-90). Memorials also commemorate soldiers dying at Edinburgh Castle, for which this was the graveyard, and coachmen of the London-Edinburgh stagecoach, which had its terminus here.
Museum of city history in a mustard-hued mansion built in 1570.
This close was re-modelled in the 1970s to recreate a 17th-century physic and knot garden, a hidden quiet place in the busy city.
A unique building, designed by Spanish Catalan architect Enric Miralles, completed in 2004. It's either a daring showpiece of postmodern architecture or a national embarrassment or a bit of both, time will tell. Parliament meets Tu-Th and you can watch debates from the Public Gallery, ask for tickets at reception. First Minister's Question Time is normally Th noon-12:45PM, and you need to reserve this up to 7 days in advance. Waiting list places may be available from 10AM on the day, otherwise watch from the Overspill Room. On non-business days (M F Sa) you can view the debating chamber from the Public Gallery without tickets. In the lobby area there are often exhibitions.
Interactive natural history museum exhibiting the forces and features of our planet: volcanoes, polar ice, rainforests and so on. Opened in 1999, it's a tent-like structure on the former site of a gasworks and brewery.
The Palace is a royal residence, closed when the king is here for a week in July and for similar state occasions. It's been repeatedly smashed up and rebuilt, and the present building is mostly from the 1670s. Highlights are the grand stair, state apartments, throne room, Mary Queen of Scots Chambers (where bloodstains from the murder of Rizzio are still visible), King's Gallery a sample of the royal art collection, the ruin of Holyrood Abbey, and the palace gardens.
This high-level road courses south from the top of High Street and spans the hollow of Grassmarket. Completed in 1836, it's lined with Victorian and modern buildings such as the two libraries. Victoria Street descends into the hollow, while Victoria Terrace is a walkway above it that loops back onto Royal Mile.
A venerable reference library, which you need membership to access, but it has public exhibitions about literature. "Treasures" is its permanent exhibition. But don't stumble in here mistaking it for Central Library across the street.
See Edinburgh#Connect for how to access. The internet stations are in the Learning Centre, and the building houses Central Lending Library, Central Reference Library, Central Children's Library, Edinburgh and Scottish Collections, Art & Design Library and Music Library. It has a wealth of material for research such as old newspapers and maps, but births, marriages and deaths are filed at East Register House by the bus station in New Town.
This church was built in 1620 on the grounds of an abandoned Franciscan Friary, but seriously damaged by later calamities or Acts of God so the present structure is mostly Victorian. It remains active, as other Presbyterian churches have closed and their congregations moved here. The main visitor interest is the ancient graveyard: notable denizens include the architects William and John Adam, the notorious hell-rake Colonel Charteris, Captain Porteous lynched after he fired on rioters, William McGonagall the worst poet in Scotland, and Greyfriars Bobby plus his owner. The mortsafe kept coffins locked until burial, else the body-snatchers would make off with them.
Superb museum of Scotland's heritage. You enter into the lofty Victorian Grand Gallery, where the millennium clock chimes on the hour. Exhibition halls cover Scottish and world history and culture, science, technology, art and design, and natural history. Dolly the sheep, the 12th-century Lewis chess pieces, and dinosaurs are some of the highlights. NMS also run the War Museum in the castle, the Museum of Flight near Gullane, and the Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride.
Large collection of anatomical specimens and life and death masks. Best known is the skeleton of William Burke, hanged in 1829 after he and William Hare killed at least 16 people to sell the bodies for dissection. Limited opening as the area is in continual use for teaching, booking essential.
Scotland's oldest purpose-built concert hall, opened in 1763 and still in regular use. It hosts the University of Edinburgh collection of historic musical instruments, crafted 16th to 20th century, many of which (such as the Trompette Demilune) are no longer played.
David Talbot Rice (1903-72) was in the louche crowd at Oxford that inspired Brideshead Revisited and became a distinguished scholar of East Mediterranean and Russian art, with extensive contacts in those parts - how come this fellow was never implicated in a spy ring? His spell as University Vice Principal is commemorated in this gallery with changing exhibitions of contemporary art. It's housed within Old College of Edinburgh University, a fine building built between 1789 and 1827 by Robert Adam and Henry Playfair. The Georgian Gallery has a Playfair interior and a mixture of Old Masters and modern installations.
Tapestry studio and gallery housed in the former public baths. There is a cafe, shop, and viewing gallery where you can look down on weavers at work.
The permanent exhibitions are the Pathology Museum, the History of Surgery and the Dental Museum. Not suitable for children under 10 as the exhibits include human remains.
Stately mosque and minaret completed in 1998 in a modern variant of Turkish style. You can generally look in between prayer times.
Four-floor gallery run by the city council. They rotate artwork from their extensive Scottish collection and have changing exhibitions.
Gallery of contemporary art, refurbished in 2018. From 1936 to the 1970s this was where soft fruit and veg were traded, handy for the trains and delivery vans.
Photography gallery with three exhibitions a year. They also support photographers through courses and hire of equipment, darkroom and digital lab.
Museum about money and coins, in the basement of the Palladian pile of the former Bank of Scotland headquarters. Scotland developed a banking sector in the 18th century to support long-distance trade, and still prints its own banknotes.
"Haunted House" experience, where you take a 70 min tour through 11 shows and 2 rides loosely based on Scotland's horrible history: William Wallace, Mary King's Ghost, cannibal Sawney Bean, Burke and Hare and more.
Immersive escape rooms and outdoor puzzle trails based on Edinburgh's history. Experiences include historically accurate props, live actors and special effects. Housed in the basement of a 19th Century Methodist Church. Highlights include "The Anatomist" a 60 minute escape room based on Edinburgh's grave-robbing-era medical history.
Tour of the history and craft of whisky distilling, with expert guides - the basic or "silver" tour works well for beginners. They have a huge selection; the core of it is the 3384 bottles collected by Brazilian whisky enthusiast Claive Vidiz.
Underground experiences and tours led by expert Storytellers. Whisky, gin and beer tastings available - starting from £15.
Intimate comedy venue with several acts each night. Drink and some food available.
Large performance venue, home of the Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera. It also hosts contemporary dance, ballet, musicals and panto.
General Reid (1721-1807) endowed the School of Music at the University of Edinburgh. They put on occasional free lunchtime concerts here, especially on 13 Feb, Reid's birthday. You may also be able to look in on their collection of antique instruments.
The city's main concert hall, capacity 2200, and home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. It was completed in 1914, funded by Andrew Usher the whisky distiller and blender.
Completed in 1883 and little altered since, this is home to the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company.
Since 1992 this has hosted Traverse theatre company, dedicated to new works.
Reopened in August 2026 after 4 years of refurbishment.
Mainstream, arthouse and alternative films, with an Edwardian interior.
Mostly mainstream movies.
This has a wide range of delicious pies and savoury pastries, piping hot. They're mostly a takeaway and don't deliver, but have a few seats inside.
Good halal curries, kebabs and tandooris, no alcohol.
Inexpensive chicken or vegetable curry. A favorite with generations of Edinburgh University students for its cost and portion sizes.
Inexpensive takeaway for trad baked potatoes.
Tasty Malaysian dishes such as Roti Canai, Satay, Nasi Lemak, Laksa and Rendang.
Full Scottish breakfast, shakshuka, coffee and tea options, with seating that looks into a quiet car park and garden.
Located in a historic building. Breakfast, all-day waffles, light lunch options, small plates to share, bar with wide range of Scotch whiskies.
Good inexpensive Nepalese and Indian food.
Traditional French restaurant complete with chequered tablecloths and whitewashed walls.
Imaginative and tasty vegetarian food, with lots available for vegans or GF.
A bit touristy, but a good choice for Scottish food, drink and music. Hundreds of whiskies available, bar staff happy to advise. Live music every night from 9:30PM, try to sit up front for this.
Decent Thai food with vegetarian options. They add 10% service to the menu prices.
Small portions of sushi and other Japanese food, and pricey, but speedy service and memorable quality.
formerly Bombay Bicycle Club
Traditional Indian and Nepalese restaurant.
Long-established quality vegetarian Indian restaurant serving curries, thalis and tandooris.
One of the few places in Edinburgh serving South Indian food such as Dosas, Uttapams, Sambar and other Tamil specialities.
Monster Mash Café
Classic British comfort food: haggis, fish & chips, sausage & mash, stews, or shepherd's pie. Lots of veggie choices, no reservations.
Consistently good coffee and light bites, cafe is full of university and creative types; JK Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book here. And that alas is the problem: it's become part of the Potter circus, every half hour sees another coachload of tourists all craning for selfies and trying to nick the cutlery and scrawling graffiti in the loo. Prices, service and ambience have suffered accordingly, and Rowling has fled to a castle in the Highlands. In Aug 2021 the cafe suffered a fire and was closed for 5 years.
By the castle entrance, The Witchery serves top-class food in an elegant candle-lit restaurant. They've now added rooms, flamboyantly camp.
Outstanding Scottish cuisine in a 19th century warehouse, with extensive wine list. One Michelin star, the head chef is Jimmy Murray.
Cosy independent pub with a good selection of beer and whisky. One of the few pubs on Royal Mile that's not a tourist trap.
Cosy Belhaven pub with food and whisky.
Now a Belhaven pub, this is a welcoming place with good ales and food. It was a few yards from the former Royal Infirmary, within bleep range and sprinting distance for the junior doctors.
Likewise frequented by medical students, this has live folk music every night.
Popular with students, this has a large beer garden and outdoor big screen for TV sports.
Fair selection of cask ales and whisky, the food is so-so and the warmth of welcome varies. This is the original of a chain that now includes The Windsor on Elm Row, Blue Blazer on Spittal St and Bennets at Tolcross.
Old-style boozer with a large selection of whiskies, selection of guest ales, and no background music.
A good old-fashioned pub, now part of Kilderkin group, with a wide selection of real ale and whisky. It is traditionally the place for pre / post-theatre drinks, with the Kings Theatre.
A café-bar and live music venue.
Atmospheric basement vault with regular gigs.
Well-hidden but popular cocktail lounge.
Live music every night, majoring on jazz; early shows are generally free, later gigs individually priced. Limited food or seating.
800-capacity live music venue.
Modern pub, mostly a local crowd, TV sport, no food.
Cocktail bar incorporating South Loch gin distillery.
Comfy efficient place by the station, great value. They have another branch by the bus station.
previously Budget Backpackers
Cheerful friendly staff and modern amenities. Offers dormitory beds and 2-4 bed private rooms.
Hybrid hostel/hotel in a former jail and courtroom. Offers pod capsules and private rooms.
Clean spacious hostel with 300 beds on the hill just below Castle Esplanade.
Reliable chain hotel.
Slick welcoming inexpensive hotel.
Good reliable chain hotel by the station.
formerly Jury's Inn
Good value place next to the railway station.
Central but quiet hotel in a Georgian terrace with 78 bedrooms.
They call it "Royal Mile" but it's in the dark canyon of Cowgate 200 yards south - still a very central location, and value for money.
formerly Macdonald Holyrood
Now part of Marriott chain, this is under renovation but remains open.
Comfy place to stay with great views of the castle.
Similar price and quality to their branch at No 31.
Great comfort, service and location beyond its price bracket.
Mid-range chain near Tolcross.
Comfy hotel near Usher Hall, short walk to the castle.
This iconic building stands like a castle guarding the entrance to Old Town from North Bridge. From 1904 to 2001 it housed The Scotsman newspaper, with editors and reporters above, printing presses below, and newspapers loaded onto trains from the basement. After they moved out it became an upscale hotel, charmingly refurbished within and scoring highly for comfort, service and location.
Great location, service and comfort mostly good, some construction noise.
Part of Marriott chain, great location and for most visitors great comfort, but housekeeping is too erratic for what you pay.
Great location, comfort and service. The hotel was built in 1990, but with a retro-antique facade to blend with neighbouring buildings.
This knock-through of medieval tenements was designed as luxury serviced apartments, but has added common areas to create a townhouse hotel.
Closed for refurbishment.
Arts and crafts and giftware.
A local institution, this has a huge stock of vintage clothing and uniforms, including pre-hirpled kilts.
A great little record store dealing mainly in dance/electro music.
This Campbeltown-based firm is an independent bottler of whisky and other spirits (a rarity nowadays), so they do bespoke sales and samplers.
Skatewear and skateboard store, friendly knowledgeable staff.
See Edinburgh#Get in for long distance routes by air, train and bus. From the airport, take the tram or Airlink Bus 100 (24 hours) to Waverley railway station.
Read in the guideWalk: distances are short, but factor in the gradients, and streets that bridge Cowgate without an intersection.
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Ingliston, Edinburgh · International · EDI
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