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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".

Districts

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

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.

When to go
Edinburgh is a year-round destination. It gets mobbed around Hogmanay (Dec 31 / Jan 1), the Six Nations rugby internationals in Feb / March, and the Festival in August - book accommodation well in advance for these.

Old and New Towns are on exposed ridges so they're often breezy, and you can expect rain and a wrecked umbrella any day. The city is most comfortable from May to September - never stifling hot, the main summer irritation (if you have flimsy curtains) is sunrise at 4:30AM and dusk at 11PM. Nights draw in rapidly during the Festival. Winters are snell: rarely sub-zero or snowy, but the wind-chill makes them feel so. The sun then is only up between 8:30AM and 4PM, and if there's a bank of drizzle off the sea, the short day will pass in a grey gloom. Fortunately there's plenty to see and do indoors.

Visitor information

 * Forever Edinburgh is the city's official guide, listing attractions and forthcoming events.
 * City of Edinburgh Council describes public services.
 * iCentre is the national tourist office, open daily. It's at 249 High Street on the Royal Mile near St Giles.
 * Edinburgh Evening News, published daily, covers forthcoming events.

By plane
Airport hotels: four are within walking distance and another handful within a ten-minute shuttle ride, see Edinburgh/West.

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.

Airlink 100 is the direct bus to city centre. This runs 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 distinctive bright blue double-decker, which runs daily 24 hours every 10 minutes and takes 20-30 minutes. Adult fares as of Dec 2023 are £5.50 single, £8 open return (children £2.75 / £4 respectively). Pay the driver in cash (change given within reason, the only city bus route that does so) 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.

Skylink 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. Same fares as Airlink 100, but the exact fare is needed.

Skylink 300 to Tollcross and Southside was axed in 2022.

Skylink 400 is for the south fringes 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.

At night Airlink 100 still runs to the city centre every ten minutes, and the 200 and 400 make a single run out to the airport at 3AM, arriving by 4AM.

Bright Bus Airport Express is a new service introduced in 2024, run by McGills using orange buses. Runs between 3AM and midnight. Single £4, return £6.50 payable by cash or card. It is in competition with the Lothian buses on this route, and it would be worth checking whether it is still running before depending on it.

Trams run from the airport to the city centre, taking 40 min via Edinburgh Park, Murrayfield, Haymarket, and along Princes St to Waverley railway station and York Place. As of Dec 2023, adult fares are £7.50 single, £9.50 open return, child £3.80 / £5. If you're making other city journeys on the same day, consider buying a day ticket for £12 (child £6) valid for all tram and daytime bus services. Buy tickets from machines at any tram stop within 30 minutes of starting travel (cards accepted, no change given) and validate your ticket before boarding. Trams run daily every 8-15 min, to the 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 to the city centre drops to £2 adult, £1 child, and a day ticket for all trams and buses is £5 / £2.50. Coming out from the city, do not be tempted just to buy a City Zone ticket and stay aboard to the airport, since ticket inspectors always patrol this section.

Out of town: Buses run from airport stop C to Glasgow Buchanan Station. This is the Citylink Air which takes 1 hour and costs £16 single. It runs 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 has a few destinations not linked to Edinburgh, such as Dubai, Reykjavik and several Hebridean islands.
 * Manchester has much better connections to North America and the Gulf.

By train

 * Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

Waverley Station is a major hub for the Scottish rail network, with trains operated by ScotRail.

From Glasgow there are five routes:
 * best is from Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High, 50 min, every 15-30 min;
 * trains from Queen Street via Cumbernauld and Falkirk Grahamstoun, 70 min, every 30 min;
 * slow trains from Helensburgh or Milngavie via Queen Street (low level), Airdrie and Livingston North, 75 min, every 30 min;
 * long-distance trains from Glasgow Central taking an hour via Motherwell to Edinburgh and continuing down into England, plus slow trains from Ayr making more stops;
 * slow trains from Glasgow Central via Livingston South, 80 min, hourly.

From the north: trains run hourly from Aberdeen and Dundee, every two hours from Inverness via Aviemore and Perth, and every 30 min from Stirling.

From London: LNER daytime trains from London King's Cross run hourly up the east coast, the fastest taking 4 hr 20 min, variously stopping at Peterborough, Grantham, Newark, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Many continue north from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central, Dundee, Aberdeen or Inverness. Lumo runs three times daily from King's Cross via Newcastle and Morpeth. Trains operated by Avanti (see below) leave London Euston every couple of hours and travel via the Midlands and Preston; this is a slower journey that takes 5 hr 35 min. There's also an overnight train from Euston to Edinburgh, described below.

From the Midlands and South West England, the fastest is to take the hourly Avanti West Coast train from Birmingham New Street towards Glasgow and change at Preston, journey time just over four hours. A little slower but avoiding a change is the Crosscountry train, which trundles all the way up from Penzance via Plymouth, Exeter St David's, Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Derby, Sheffield, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, York, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed, and continuing from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central.

From Manchester: Transpennine Express runs every couple of hours from Manchester Airport via Piccadilly and Carlisle, taking four hours, with many other connections by changing at Piccadilly, Preston or Lancaster.

From the Borders trains run every 30 min from Tweedbank via Galashiels. There's no through-line, but Galashiels has connecting buses from Jedburgh, Melrose, Carlisle, Hawick and Selkirk.

Overnight: The Caledonian Lowland Sleeper runs Su-F from London Euston, departing around 11:30PM to arrive by 7:30AM. However, you can stay aboard until 8AM. The southbound train leaves around 11:30PM to reach Euston at 7AM. Again you can stay aboard until 8AM. No trains on Saturday night, and you can't travel on the Highland Sleeper, which only makes a service stop in Edinburgh for its three portions to be split or re-combined. Compartments have two berths and are sold like hotel rooms: you pay extra for single occupancy, and you won't be sharing with a stranger. Tickets can be booked at any UK mainline railway station or online: in 2023 a double bunk is around £250. You can also just use the sitting saloon, single £50. If you have an existing ticket for a daytime train you need to buy a sleeper supplement. Pricing is dynamic - weekends and the Festival will cost more if indeed there are berths available. Booking is open 12 months ahead, and you need to print out your e-ticket to present when boarding.

Both Waverley and Haymarket stations have ticket barriers so you will need to purchase a ticket in order to enter or leave the platform area. If you get on a train at an unmanned station, buy from the train conductor or a ticket inspector near the barrier gates. These gates retain spent single journey tickets so be sure to get a receipt if you need one. If you have a non-standard ticket that does not fit the gate, show it to staff who'll let you through.

Suburban stations within the city are mostly unstaffed. These are:
 * West towards Linlithgow, Falkirk and Glasgow Queens Street: Edinburgh Park (EDP) which also has trams.
 * Northwest towards the Forth Bridge, Fife and Highlands: South Gyle (SGL) and Edinburgh Gateway (EGY), which has a tram interchange (outside, Gateway is signed as "Park" which is confusing).
 * Southwest to Shotts and Glasgow Central: Slateford (SLA), Kingsknowe (KGE) and Wester Hailes (WTA).
 * East from Waverley towards Newcastle and to the Borders: Brunstane (BSU) and Newcraighall (NEW), the latter with park and ride.

You'd only use them if your accommodation happened to be nearby, or as a park and ride, as they're not close to the tourist sights.

By road
Main routes are the M8 from Glasgow and the west, M9 (from Stirling and the north-west, A90/M90 from Perth, Dundee and northern Scotland, A1 from Newcastle upon Tyne and north-east England, and A702/M74 (from Carlisle and north-western England.

From London the fastest route to Edinburgh is the M1, which flows into the A1(M) and the A1 - a journey of 400 mils / 700 km and 8-9 hr driving time. More scenic routes, which are shorter mileage and take only a little longer, include:
 * From A1(M) north of Scotch Corner, follow A68 through West Auckland, Corrbridge and Jedburgh.
 * From A1(M) north of Newcastle, follow A696 past the airport to join A68 near Otterburn.
 * From A1(M) at Morpeth, follow A697 through Wooler and Coldstream.

Edinburgh is not a car-friendly city, with many central streets closed-off or dead-ended to private vehicles, including Princes Street. This can only get worse, as sensitive areas (eg Festival venues) are being hardened against vehicle-based terrorism. And if you think the driving's a hassle, just wait till you try parking. There's little of it, it's pricey and time-limited, and the parking wardens are zealous. Monday to Saturday, you'd need to be 3-4 miles out to find free street parking. There are several multi-storey car parks in the city centre: particularly central are Castle Terrace for the west end, and St James Quarter and Greenside at the east end. If visiting for the day, use the park and ride facilities, leaving your car on the city's edge. There are seven of these: working clockwise (east > south > west) these are Wallyford and Newcraighall serving the A1, Sheriffhall and Straiton for the southeast, Hermiston and Ingliston for the west, and Ferrytoll just north of the new Forth Road Bridge for Fife and the North.

From 1 June 2024, the Old and New Town will be a Low Emission Zone, with camera-enforced penalties for entering in a non-compliant vehicle. Cars built after 2015 are generally compliant, but check online.

By bus
Long-distance buses run to Edinburgh from England, Belfast and the rest of Scotland. Buses from major towns in Scotland are mainly operated by Citylink, while buses from England are mainly run by National Express with others including Megabus. For instance National Express from London Victoria takes nine hours, with one daytime and one overnight run.

Ember Electric Bus glides quietly from Dundee every hour or two, with two late night runs, taking 90 min.

is on the corner of St Andrew Square, very central. The main (west) entrance is on North St Andrew Street (next to Louis Vuitton; trams stop here) and the back (east) entrance is on Elder Street. Left luggage lockers here are much cheaper than the "charged by the piece" left luggage service at Waverley, the main railway station (about 400 m south, 5-10 min walk). The bus station is open daily 4:30AM-midnight.

Edinburgh Airport, described above, has morphed into a secondary bus station. Buses linking airport and city are much improved, so to reach the outer parts of Edinburgh from (say) Glasgow, it may be easier to change at the airport rather than the traditional change at St Andrew Square. However fares are higher by this route.

By boat
North Sea ferries no longer sail to Rosyth, so sailing from the continent means travelling via Newcastle,  Hull,  Harwich or the Channel ports.

Ferries from Northern Ireland dock at Cairnryan, near Stranraer on the west coast. You can buy a through ticket between Belfast and Edinburgh (and other destinations in Scotland and the island of Ireland) either by bus (Citylink), or by train (ScotRail). Either way it's a 7- to 9-hour journey costing around £30.

Cruise ships often visit Edinburgh but are nowadays too large to dock, so they anchor out in the Firth of Forth and bring in their passengers by tender.

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. In 2024, some displays at bus stops only show the timetabled buses, with the live times only shown online or in the "Transport for Edinburgh" app.

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 2023 a single journey (excluding the airport) costs £2. Day tickets cost £5 and can also be used (or purchased) on Lothian Buses. A single to or from the airport costs £7.50, 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 free on the tram only 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.

By train
You're most unlikely to use the train to get around within the city. It's more relevant for "Getting in" - see that section above - or for trips out to the likes of North Berwick, Dunbar, and Tweedbank - see "Go Next".

By car
Central Edinburgh is a nightmare to drive in, particularly the Old Town with its tangle of medieval streets with their associated one way systems. The New Town fares slightly better, but the scourge "Blue Meanies" mercilessly swoop on vehicles which may have only been illegally parked for a matter of minutes. It is best to take a bus and/or walk. park and ride facilities provide access to the city centre.

As many other cities in the UK, Edinburgh has a speed limit on many of the roads in the city centre.

Edinburgh operates a Controlled Parking Zone in the city centre. On-street parking is mostly for residents with a parking permit. However, some Pay and Display on-street parking bays are available for anyone. To find these bays, the Edinburgh Council provides an interactive and detailed map for on-street parking bays. It lists charges for different parking areas as well as days and times when the charges are required. Typically parking tickets are free of charge after 6:30PM and before 8:30AM, and for the entire day on Sundays.

Parking fines are £40 and vehicles parked in an obstructive manner are liable to be towed away with a £150 release fee to be paid for its retrieval. Even the suburbs (especially Morningside, The Grange, The Meadows) have little parking available. Leith seems to fare a bit better for parking, but there's no guarantee.

Drivers should beware of trams and cyclists.

By taxi
Co Traditional Black Cabs carrying up to 5 passengers can be hailed on the street, but minicabs must be pre-booked. Black Cabs display an orange light above the windscreen when they are available to hire. It's usually quite easy to find a cab around the city centre, and on the main radial routes. Taxi ranks around the centre include:
 * Outside the main entrances of Haymarket and Waverley train stations.
 * Opposite the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Sheraton hotels in the west end, and Intercontinental George Hotel east end of George Street.
 * St Patrick's Square off South Bridge
 * Leith Bridge, close to The Shore and Commercial Quay in Leith.

The main firms are Central Taxis (+44 131 229 2468), City Cabs (+44 131 228 1211) and Capital Cars (+44 131 777 7777).

By bicycle
The Edinburgh Innertube map gives a good overview of off-street cycle paths in and around the city centre. Many paths are along canals or rivers, through parks and on former railway lines.

Edinburgh is well connected to the National Cycle Network (NCN) and there are many routes around Edinburgh with a variety of places accessible within a days cycling - Glasgow, Stirling, Falkirk, Musselburgh, and Dunbar - all of which have train stations for the return journey. The number 1 route which goes south from Edinburgh to Melrose in the borders and then east to Berwick-upon-Tweed (and then back on the train) can be done in one weekend with a variety of accommodation available for an overnight stay in the historic border town of Melrose.

Cycle hire
Edinburgh's app-based bicycle hire scheme closed in September 2021. You can rent bikes from the following places:

See

 *  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.

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.

Outdoors

 * Walk along the Water of Leith, a small river that meanders through Edinburgh, providing a peaceful haven from the busy city. Check out the Leith or Stockbridge and Canonmills sections of the route.
 * Climbing Arthur's Seat, the extinct volcano, is a popular activity as well and rewards you with great views over the city (Old Town).
 * If you have more time, then you should go hiking in the Pentland Hills for a (half) day trip (South).
 * Steam railway excursions run from Edinburgh in summer: one operator is Tornado Railtours.

Festival season

Edinburgh in the summer becomes "festival city" when a huge number of major national and international arts festivals are hosted by the city. Most of these occur virtually simultaneously in August (or end of July). These cater for a wide variety of interests and include:

One important thing to decide when planning a trip to Edinburgh is whether you wish to go at festival time, which runs from early August through to mid-September. Hotel rooms in and around the city are noticeably much more expensive then, and you will need to book well (at least six months!) in advance.

Christmas and Hogmanay
Edinburgh in the winter festive season is also huge with various concerts and other activities taking place starting a couple of weeks before Christmas and running up to a week into January. Princes Street Gardens play host to a Big Wheel, outdoor ice rink and various festive markets. As in most of the rest of Scotland, Hogmanay, the New Year celebrations, are the main focus of the festive season rather than Christmas. One night before on December 30, a torchlight procession takes place, finishing with a fireworks display. On the night itself whole sections of central Edinburgh are roped off and accessible only by ticket for the Hogmanay street party, which takes place across several stages and is easily the largest in Scotland. Hogmanay and Edinburgh fit together like hand and glove. On day one of the new year, you can watch or if you are brave enough take part in the Loony Dook in South Queensferry (people taking a dip in the ice-cold River Forth).

Other events

 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.
 * The Royal Highland Show is a Highland Games & Gathering, Agricultural Show and much else, held at Ingliston (west), towards the airport) over a weekend in mid- to late June.

Cinema
Go to the cinema. Edinburgh has a number of cinemas covering mainstream, foreign language and arthouse films. Most interesting are the Filmhouse and Cameo (Old Town) and the Dominion (South).

Sport

 * Rugby Union: the top matches are the internationals, played at Murrayfield Stadium west of the centre. Highlight of these are the 6 Nations games played Jan-March each year between Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy and England. They only play each other once each year, so in even-numbered years England and France visit Murrayfield, while in odd-numbered years Wales, Ireland and Italy are the visitors. City and stadium are packed when these games are in town, so be sure to book accommodation and match tickets well in advance.
 * Week in week out during winter there are club rugby matches, where you'll often see international famous names in action. The city's professional club Edinburgh Rugby play in the United Rugby Championship (formerly Pro-14), the super-league of mostly Irish and Welsh clubs; their home ground is Murrayfield. Top tier of Scottish competition is the Premiership, and Edinburgh teams in this are Boroughmuir (Meggetland, Colinton), Currie (Malleny Park, Balerno), Heriot's (Goldenacre), Watsonians (Myreside Road, Merchiston) and (hanging on by their fingertips) Edinburgh Accies (Raeburn Place). Tickets will be no problem, just rock up at the stadium.

 * Football: Edinburgh has four professional soccer teams. Hibernian ("Hibs") play at Easter Road Stadium in Leith in the Scottish Premiership, the game's top tier. Heart of Midlothian ("Hearts") play at Tynecastle Park near Murrayfield west of the centre, likewise in the Premiership. Edinburgh City play at Meadowbank, 2 miles east of city centre, in Scottish League Two the fourth tier. The Spartans also playing in League Two at Ainslie Park in Pilton north side of the city.
 * American Football: Edinburgh Wolves play at Meadowbank Stadium two miles east of the centre.
 * Swim in the Royal Commonwealth Pool, used for the Commonwealth Games in 1970, 1986 and for the diving in the 2014 Glasgow games.
 * Horse racing is at Musselburgh five miles east of the city. There's flat-racing in summer and jumps in winter.

Learn

Edinburgh is host to a number of higher and further education organisations including four Universities. Some offer summer schools of a week or more on topics such as creative writing or printmaking.

Private language schools

Edinburgh is a popular destination for language students, looking to learn English, or build on their existing English language skills. Most schools offer a "homestay" option where accommodation is with a local family, which can be a great introduction to Scottish life. Language schools in the city include:

Buy

 * 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
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, Tolcross 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
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 around Cowgate and Lothian Road.

Sleep
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. 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!

Connect
As of Nov 2023, the entire city and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Because Edinburgh has multiple expat communities, you may find SIM cards for their countries' carriers in local shops.

Public libraries have internet stations, accessible if you hold a city library card. You can register free online, which gives you temporary membership for 3 months. Convert this to full membership by presenting ID in person, and they'll post out a card. There are over 30 libraries across the city.

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.

Stay healthy
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.

Pharmacy
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. Common brands include Boots (city centre branches in the New Town at 101-103 Princes St and 48 Shandwick Pl; in the Old Town at 40-44 North Bridge), Alliance and Numark.

Outside of these hours you will face more of a challenge. There are no 24 h pharmacies in the city.

Some of the major supermarkets include a pharmacy counter, but the pharmacy does not necessarily follow the same opening hours as the supermarket. The pharmacy counter within the Tesco supermarket at 7 Broughton Road in Canonmills is quite close to the city centre and opens M-Sa 8AM-8PM and Su 10AM-4PM.

To find a pharmacy that is open on a Sunday or has late opening times call NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88 (between 8AM-10PM daily) or check online with NHS Inform.

Cope

 * Money: Scottish, English, and Northern Irish banknotes are all acceptable. The Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland issue their own banknotes, so that is what their ATMs dispense. ATMs of English banks (Barclays, Natwest and HSBC) dispense English notes. This is only an issue if you return home with a wad of Scottish notes: English retailers are obliged to accept them, but exchange desks may be sniffy or give poor rates.

 * Babysitting:
 * Laundrettes and dry cleaners: over a dozen around the city, ask your accommodation which is best.

Consulates
Always check your country's embassy website first - help for things like stolen passports and emergency travel documents might be organised from the London embassy or even your home country rather than a local consulate.

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:
 * Dunfermline is the ancient royal capital of Scotland, and birthplace of industrialist Andrew Carnegie.
 * Culross is a gem of a 17th-18th century village to the east of the bridges.
 * Anstruther is the largest of the little fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife.
 * St Andrews is a venerable university town and home of the Royal and Ancient, the ruling body of Golf.
 * Dundee, once a grubby industrial city, is now rejuvenated, with a great setting by the River Tay.

Going south:
 * Jedburgh, Melrose and  Kelso in the Borders have ruined medieval abbeys.
 * Abbotsford House, grand mansion of Sir Walter Scott, is near Melrose.

title: Edinburgh


text:
Edinburgh (Indiana)

Edinburgh, not that Edinburgh, is a small town in the Nine-County Region of Indiana, most notable for its outlets.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Edinburgh (Indiana)


text:
Edinburgh/East

The east of Edinburgh is a collection of neighbourhoods bounded by Holyrood Park, Leith, the coast, and the separate town of Musselburgh. It's a sprawl of residential and industrial districts, and the only two parts of interest to visitors are Portobello beach resort and the hamlet of Duddingston.

Understand
The area by the outlet of Figgate Burn was rough grazing owned by Holyrood Abbey until mid-18th century. In 1742 a sailor built a cottage which he named after Porto Bello in Panama, where he'd served during its capture. A hamlet collected around the cottage, and grew when clay beds were discovered, with manufacture of bricks, tiles and pottery. By the 19th century the fashion for sea-bathing had started, and Victorian Portobello acquired a promenade and swimming lido. It declined in the 20th century and, because most visitors were day-trippers from the city and nearby mining villages, it never had the concentration of B&Bs and hotels found in other British resorts.

By bus
Lothian Buses run all city routes. They mostly run along Princes St near the main bus and railway stations, so you need to know which stop for which service. See Edinburgh for fares.

Bus 26 runs every 15 min from the west city (for Zoo) to Haymarket, Princes Street, Meadowbank, Portobello, Joppa, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Cockenzie, Port Seton and Seton Sands. X26 is a faster version in rush hour. N26 is hourly through the night.

Bus 19 runs from Granton to Princes Street, Craigentinny, Portobello, Brunstane and Eastfield.

Bus 12 runs from Gyle to Haymarket then loops south of the centre to Newington, Cameron Toll, Craigmillar, Duddingston and Portobello.

Bus 21 runs north of city centre every 20 min from Gyle along Ferry Rd to Leith, Craigentinny, Portobello, Niddrie and the Royal Infirmary.

By road
By car follow A1 the London-Edinburgh dual carriageway, arriving through Newcraighall and Brunstane then diverging into city streets.

Cyclists may not use A1 until it dwindles to single carriageway in Brunstane. Instead use its former route, now A199, through Haddington, Tranent, Musselburgh and Brunstane.

Newcraighall railway station (see below) has a Park & Ride - you only pay 50p to park for 24 hours, plus the train fare to city centre. Bus 30 runs here from Musselburgh and continues to Craigmillar, Newington, city centre, then out west to Baberton.

By train
Trains run along the Borders Railway every 30 min from Edinburgh to Brunstane, Newcraighall, Newtongrange (for the Mining Museum), Galashiels (for buses to Melrose, Jedburgh, Selkirk, Hawick and Carlisle) and Tweedbank (for Abbotsford House). It's primarily a commuter route so it's congested into the city on workday mornings and outbound in the evening.

is half a mile south of Portobello beachfront. It's a simple halt with ticket machines and step-free access to the sole platform.

is a Park & Ride for the city. It has a ticket office and machines, a waiting room but no toilets or cafe. There is step-free access to the sole platform.

Trains from London, Newcastle and the branch line from North Berwick all hurtle through non-stop, so you have to change in Edinburgh for those.

Get around
The eastern districts are extensive and far enough out that you can use a car to get around, with some hope of finding a parking spot at the other end.

See

 * is the extinct volcano rising abruptly to the west, described as part of Old Town.
 * is an attractive little village on the edge of Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park. First recorded as Treverlen, it was part of a tract of land owned by Kelso monastery. In 1124 the monks feu'd it to Dodin de Berwic, who built the church and renamed the village for himself - it nowadays has attractive 18th century houses including the Sheep Heid Inn (below). The church is restored and still in use: the stubby watchtower was staffed for three weeks after each burial, until the body would no longer be a target for the body-snatchers.
 * Duddingston Loch is a little freshwater lake and wildlife reserve besides the village. A prehistoric crannog was found within it, and a hoard of smashed-up weapons (why?) from circa 1000 BC now in the National Museum of Scotland. It's the setting for Henry Raeburn's painting The Skating Minister, now in the National Gallery of Scotland. This depicts the Rev Robert Walker, minister of Canongate, who grew up in the Netherlands where canals froze hard in winter. He was a member of Edinburgh Skating Club, the world's first figure-skating society. (Duddingston's own minister William Bennett was found drowned in the loch in 1805.) The loch was also home to a curling society which codified the rules of that sport at the start of the 19th century, standardising on round stones, but milder modern winters mean that it seldom freezes hard enough.
 * Jock Tamson's Gairden is a community-run garden and allotment next to Duddingston church, open M-F 10AM-4PM.
 * is Edinburgh's beach resort on the shore of the Firth of Forth. Sandy beach, ice-cream parlours, fish & chips, amusement arcades, playgrounds, paddling pools, what more do you want from the seaside? Sure, the weather in Porty is more suited to bracing walks than cooling dips, and the gulls will raid any ice cream cone or bag of chips left unguarded for an instant. The grains of coal mingled with the sand are natural pollution: coal deposits outcrop on the sea bed and stormy weather casts fragments ashore.
 * is a pleasant green space and pond near the outflow of the Figgate Burn. This starts in the Pentlands as the Braid Burn, and much of its course is parkland.
 * : see Edinburgh/South for this ruin on the edge of the area.
 * : see Edinburgh/South for this ruin on the edge of the area.

Do

 * Noble's is an amusement arcade at 27 Figgate Lane on Portobello Promenade, open Su-Th 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-10PM.
 * is a large multi-purpose facility on A1 London Rd two miles east of city centre. The main tenant is Edinburgh City FC, who play soccer in Scottish League Two, the fourth tier.
 * Innocent Railway is now a cycle path from the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Newington, emerging from a tunnel to head to the main line near Portobello. It was built in 1831 to bring coal into the city, but became a popular passenger route. The name was supposedly because it never had an accident, if you don't count a train driver and two children being horribly done to death and countless minor injuries as passengers stumbled out of coaches. It seems to have been a marketing ploy, stressing the slow-but-sure horse-drawn service in contrast to their competitors' scary steam.
 * Cinema: the Odeon is within Fort Kinnaird.
 * Golf: courses are Portobello (nine holes), Craigentinny and Duddingston. See Musselburgh for their nearby course, and Edinburgh/South for Liberton and upmarket Prestonfield.
 * Portobello Book Festival is on the first weekend in October.
 * Portobello Book Festival is on the first weekend in October.

Buy

 * In Portobello there is a large Scotmid in Bath Street and various smaller convenience stores along Portobello High Street.
 * Portobello Market is held in Brighton Park on the first Saturday of the month 9:30AM-1:30PM.
 * Portobello Market is held in Brighton Park on the first Saturday of the month 9:30AM-1:30PM.

Drink

 * Portobello pubs jostle each other along High Street. They include The Galleon, Portobello Tap, The Beaten Docket, Portobello Bar, Porty Vault (below), and Smith and Gertrude (below).
 * Smith and Gertrude is a classy wine bar with cheese at 254 Portobello High St, open W Th 4-11PM, F Sa 1PM-midnight, Su 1-10PM.
 * Brewery: Vault City make unusual sour beers on Portobello Industrial Estate. They have a taproom at 243 Portobello High St (open W-F 3-10PM, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM) and another at West Maitland St, Haymarket.
 * Brewery: Vault City make unusual sour beers on Portobello Industrial Estate. They have a taproom at 243 Portobello High St (open W-F 3-10PM, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM) and another at West Maitland St, Haymarket.
 * Brewery: Vault City make unusual sour beers on Portobello Industrial Estate. They have a taproom at 243 Portobello High St (open W-F 3-10PM, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM) and another at West Maitland St, Haymarket.

Sleep

 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.
 * Premier Inn Newcraighall is on A1 near Fort Kinnaird, see Musselburgh.

Connect

 * The east side of the city has 5G from all UK carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next

 * Public transport converges on Princes Street in New Town.
 * Leith west is the city's former port, with Royal Yacht Britannia.
 * Musselburgh east is a former fishing village with a horse-racing track.
 * The coast further east is grubby to Longniddry then has sandhills, ruined castles and golf courses out to North Berwick.

title: Edinburgh/East


text:
Edinburgh/Leith

Leith is the historic port of Edinburgh the capital of Scotland, north of city centre on the shore of the Firth of Forth. It's now only a minor port and has lost much of its industry, to be replaced by retail, bistros and cobbled wharves. In 2021 its population was 24,620, with about the same again in nearby districts such as Newhaven also described on this page.

Understand
Leith was the port for Edinburgh, where foreign dignitaries and bodies of troops came and went, and the raffish element lived who couldn't afford or were unwelcome in the city. Its industries reflected its sea-going trade: whisky and wine storage, glass for wine bottles, sugar refining and soft drinks, fishing, soap from whale oil, ship building, and lead piping. Leith makes much of its historic independence from the city but its separate burgh council only came about in 1833. In 1920 there was a referendum on whether to re-merge with Edinburgh, and the stout people of Leith voted 26,810 to 4,340 against; whereupon Edinburgh took over anyway, just to demonstrate how the world works. At last it was feasible to run trams between the two, instead of passengers transferring between incompatible systems. But Leith's industries, already past their heyday, withered during the 20th century, and the port became tatty and seedy. It was gradually revitalised from the 1980s, with gentrification, white-collar jobs and boho bistros, not least because city centre rentals were soaring. The signature development from 2001 was the completion of Ocean Terminal complex and the permanent mooring of the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Get in
See Edinburgh for long-distance routes by air, rail and road. Leith is two miles northeast of Edinburgh's main railway and bus stations, so on a fine day with only light luggage you could walk straight down Leith Walk.

Leith was the historic port of arrival for packet ships from London (three days upchucking beats nine days jolting in a stagecoach) but there are nowadays no ferries to Leith, and it's too small for modern cruise liners: these anchor out in the Firth and bring their guests by tender either here or to South Queensferry.

The infamous Leith Central railway station is now a Tesco supermarket, see Buy.

By tram
The tram runs from Edinburgh Airport via city west end, Princes Street, St Andrew Square (for main railway and bus stations) then down Leith Walk (stopping at Macdonald Road, Balfour Street and Foot of the Walk), then The Shore, turning west to Port of Leith, Ocean Terminal and Newhaven. They run 5AM-11:30PM every 10 min or better. You must buy your ticket from a platform machine before boarding. See Edinburgh for fares: it's a flat fare within the city but more from the airport.

By bus
From the airport, take Skylink 200. This runs from airport stop B via Corstorphine down to Newhaven seafront and Leith Ocean Terminal - it doesn't pass anywhere near city centre. It runs daily every 30 min, 5PM-midnight towards Leith and 4AM-11PM out to the airport, taking an hour. In 2023 a single ride is £5.50 and an open return is £8. You have to pay the driver the exact fare, but contactless card or mobile phone payments are accepted.

At night from the airport the only public transport is Airlink Bus 100 to South St David St (by the railway and bus stations, silent at that hour) then find a night bus or taxi.

Several buses travel down Leith Walk from central Edinburgh, so the service is almost every minute: Bus 7 (from Royal Infirmary), 10 (from Bonaly), 11 (from Hyvots Bank and Napier University), 14 (from Craigmillar), 16 (from Bonaly), 25, 34, 35 (all from Heriot-Watt University), 36 (from Gogar) and 49 (from Fort Kinnaird).

Night buses 14 and 16 run from city centre to the foot of Leith Walk then turn west. N16 follows the shore to Newhaven, Granton and Silverknowes, N14 follows Ferry Road to Goldenacre and Muirhouse. They're both hourly from midnight to 4AM.

By road
Approaching from England, take A1 to its terminus at Portobello then A199 along the coast.

From Glasgow or Fife the recommended route is to wind around the city on A720 ring road to join A1. It's often congested, but so too is the direct route along Queensferry Road, Telford Road and Ferry Road.

Get around
The historic core is compact, so walk. The sprawling districts east and west are served by bus. Bus 16 is the way to go west along the coast: from Leith Walk it goes to Newhaven, Granton and Silverknowes. Bus 21 goes west along Ferry Rd to Corstorphine and Gogar, and also takes you east to Craigentinny, Portobello beach and Craigmillar. You can also get east on Bus 49.

Leith Cycle Co is the only place offering bike hire - the others just do sales and maybe repairs. It's by Hing Sing Chinese supermarket at 276 Leith Walk, open M-Sa 8:30AM-5:30PM.

The same taxi firms ply in Leith as in the rest of the city.

See

 * is within the restricted dock precincts but can be glimpsed across the harbour. Originally on an islet but now built into the harbour, it's one of dozens of similar stubby towers and gun emplacements erected around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland to deter attack from revolutionary France.
 * or "Old St Ninian's" is an Italianate church on the north harbour bank.
 * was created in 1504 to build a warship too big for the existing Leith harbour. The fishermen's houses are distinctive, with an external stairway to accommodation on the first floor while the ground floor stored their nets. (Many are repro, as 1960s developers replaced as much as they could with drab housing.) The port was involved in fishing, whaling, piloting, and ferries to Fife and Stirling.
 * is on Kirkgate at the foot of Leith Walk. It harks back to 1483 but is mostly Victorian Gothic.
 * is a large green space to the east, which lay outside the medieval town walls and only became surrounded by buildings from 1770. "Links" were where you played golf, and it was a five-hole course played twice - the local rules were adopted by the Royal & Ancient at St Andrews. Two hummocks at the west end "Giant's Brae" and "Lady Fyfe's Brae" are thought to be 16th century artillery positions. Two plague pits were dug for the hasty mass burial of victims of the bubonic plague epidemic of 1645, and a dovecote in nearby Lochend became a furnace for contaminated clothing.
 * Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop at 21 Hawthornvale EH6 4JT is a workspace and doesn't routinely have exhibitions.
 * is a peaceful community-run space at 23 West Shore Rd, open Sa Su 1-3PM. The castle was a medieval L-plan tower house, derelict by the 18th century. From 1928 the bedrock was quarried and down it all came.
 * Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop at 21 Hawthornvale EH6 4JT is a workspace and doesn't routinely have exhibitions.
 * is a peaceful community-run space at 23 West Shore Rd, open Sa Su 1-3PM. The castle was a medieval L-plan tower house, derelict by the 18th century. From 1928 the bedrock was quarried and down it all came.

Do

 * What's on? Most radio, web and print material covers all of Edinburgh, but The Leither is a quirky magazine with news, listings, articles, reviews and so on. It's free, and published every six weeks.

 * Football:
 * Water of Leith Walkway and cycle path is a linear park transecting the city from the edge of the Pentland Hills to Leith Harbour. It's firm going, much of it on the track bed of former railways. The route is indicated by brown signs with a water wheel logo - this little river once powered dozens of mills. The local, lowest section is from Canonmills near the Botanic Gardens through Warriston and Bonnington to end at Leith harbour. This doesn't have the forested glen and wildlife of upper sections but is still a surprisingly quiet bosky place, with only occasional industrial remains to indicate that you're in a major city. Or as William McGonagall eloquently put it:
 * ''Therefore all lovers of the picturesque, be advised by me, And the beautiful scenery of the River Leith go and see,
 * And I am sure you will get a very great treat, Because the River of Leith scenery cannot be beat.

 * Six Times is a series of figures by Antony Gormley along the Water of Leith. Within this patch, #4 is in Warriston, #5 in Bonnington and #6 at the harbour.
 * Granton Station on Waterfront Broadway is studio space for artists to hire. It doesn't have a public gallery.
 * NMS Collection Centre nearby at 242 West Granton Rd is a repository for the vast National Museums collection, they have far more than can be displayed. Occasional public tours, or apply in advance to view specialist collections, such as early Celtic sporrans.
 * Granton Art Centre is co-located and is similarly a repository for the National Galleries collection. So it's through them that you'd apply.
 * Fishing (Angling) is possible along most of the length of the Water of Leith. Permits can be obtained free from the City Council offices at Waverley Market in the New Town and Cockburn Street in the Old Town, and from Fishing Tackle shops throughout the city.
 * John Muir Way is a coast to coast hiking trail from Muir's birthplace in Dunbar to Helensburgh on the Clyde estuary. The local section westbound is from Portobello through Leith towards Granton and Silverknowes. It's all on road, hugging the coast where possible but skirting industrial dockland, so it's ratty.
 * Leith Theatre at 28 Ferry Rd is an arts and events venue but doesn't have a regular programme.
 * Victoria Swim Centre at Junction Place has a pool, gym and fitness classes. It's run by the council and you need membership, but a 7-day pass is available for £20.
 * Golf: Lochend GC play on Craigentinny Links a mile southeast of Leith along A199. The course off white tees is 5472 yards, par 67.
 * Leith Links is among the world's first golf courses, but has banned golf since 1905, as you'd be sure to hit some toddler who was already bawling a-plenty.

 * Leith Jazz and Blues Festival is probably next held 7-9 June 2024, tbc.
 * Leith Festival in June puts on art, comedy, dance, drama, film and music at various venues. The next is 8-16 June 2024.
 * LeithLate tries to be a bit more edgy - think urban murals rather than kiddy face-painting - but overall has a similar mix. The next is probably 28-30 June 2024, tbc.
 * Edinburgh Mela celebrated South Asian culture on Leith Links on the late August holiday, but collapsed in chaos and corruption in 2016. Occasional "pirate" Melas appear on the Links (they would say "legacy" or "phoenix"), trading on the name but with no obligations to those left with unpaid bills and wages by the original.

Buy

 * Tesco is a big supermarket at the foot of Leith Walk, open M-Sa 6AM-midnight, Su 8AM-8PM. It occupies the former Leith Central railway station, which closed to passengers in 1952. It was a railway depot to 1972 then fell derelict, becoming the abode of down-and-outs and drug misusers, inspiring a key scene in Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh (1993). The character Begbie is in the station for drugs, when from the shadows an alcohol-ravaged tramp jeers that he must be there for train-spotting. Begbie realises that the tramp is his father.
 * Aldi supermarket is on Commercial St, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-8PM.
 * Leith Farmers Market is held in the little square off Dock Place (opposite Aldi) Sa 10AM-4PM.
 * Leith Walk is lined by small stores along its lower half, a mix of chains and independents. The strip continues north along Great Junction Street to the river bridge.
 * Leith Walk is lined by small stores along its lower half, a mix of chains and independents. The strip continues north along Great Junction Street to the river bridge.
 * Leith Walk is lined by small stores along its lower half, a mix of chains and independents. The strip continues north along Great Junction Street to the river bridge.

Budget

 * Cheap eateries jostle along Bernard St, Commercial St and Henderson St: fish and chips, pizza, curry and so on.
 * Plant Bae is a vegetarian cafe on Easter Rd, corner with Albert St, open Tu-F 8AM-4PM, Sa Su 9AM-4PM.
 * Plant Bae is a vegetarian cafe on Easter Rd, corner with Albert St, open Tu-F 8AM-4PM, Sa Su 9AM-4PM.

Drink

 * "The Leith police dismisseth us." - the ability to say this without slurring was a test for sobriety before the breathalyser was invented.

 * Pilot Brewery makes a range of ales and offer tours. They're on Stewartfield Industrial Estate off Newhaven Rd in Bonnington.
 * Jump Ship Brewing makes no- and low-alcohol beer. They're at Mitchell St but don't have tours or a physical shop. They mail, deliver within the city, and have numerous outlets listed on their website.
 * Pilot Brewery makes a range of ales and offer tours. They're on Stewartfield Industrial Estate off Newhaven Rd in Bonnington.
 * Jump Ship Brewing makes no- and low-alcohol beer. They're at Mitchell St but don't have tours or a physical shop. They mail, deliver within the city, and have numerous outlets listed on their website.
 * Pilot Brewery makes a range of ales and offer tours. They're on Stewartfield Industrial Estate off Newhaven Rd in Bonnington.
 * Jump Ship Brewing makes no- and low-alcohol beer. They're at Mitchell St but don't have tours or a physical shop. They mail, deliver within the city, and have numerous outlets listed on their website.
 * Jump Ship Brewing makes no- and low-alcohol beer. They're at Mitchell St but don't have tours or a physical shop. They mail, deliver within the city, and have numerous outlets listed on their website.
 * Rose's Lime Cordial will cost you maybe £2.50 per litre in a supermarket but could save your life on a long voyage. Keeping lime juice from spoiling was a big problem at sea, but in the 19th century Lauchlan Rose of Leith patented methods to do so (based on Pasteur's work) and won the contract to supply the Royal Navy. He used limes from the West Indies and thus the term "limeys" was born. He also spotted the market for non-alcoholic drinks and effectively launched the global soft drinks industry - his patents are now held by PepsiCo.
 * Rose's Lime Cordial will cost you maybe £2.50 per litre in a supermarket but could save your life on a long voyage. Keeping lime juice from spoiling was a big problem at sea, but in the 19th century Lauchlan Rose of Leith patented methods to do so (based on Pasteur's work) and won the contract to supply the Royal Navy. He used limes from the West Indies and thus the term "limeys" was born. He also spotted the market for non-alcoholic drinks and effectively launched the global soft drinks industry - his patents are now held by PepsiCo.
 * Rose's Lime Cordial will cost you maybe £2.50 per litre in a supermarket but could save your life on a long voyage. Keeping lime juice from spoiling was a big problem at sea, but in the 19th century Lauchlan Rose of Leith patented methods to do so (based on Pasteur's work) and won the contract to supply the Royal Navy. He used limes from the West Indies and thus the term "limeys" was born. He also spotted the market for non-alcoholic drinks and effectively launched the global soft drinks industry - his patents are now held by PepsiCo.

Sleep

 * B&Bs cluster along Pilrig Street and its northern extension Newhaven Road. This is midway between city centre and Leith waterfront, a mile from each, and about the lowest prices you'll find. Room rates rise as you approach the waterfront northeast, and sky-rocket southwest towards Princes St.

Connect
Leith like the rest of Edinburgh has 5G from all UK carriers, and Wifi is widely available.

All public libraries have internet and printing facilities, see Edinburgh for how to access these. Leith Library is at 28-30 Ferry Road (corner with North Junction St), open M-W 10AM-8PM, Th-Sa 10AM-5PM.

McDonald Road Library is midway up Leith Walk at 2 McDonald Rd, and Granton Library is at 29 Wardieburn Terrace, with similar hours.

Go next

 * Buses and trams carry you two miles southwest to Waterloo Place, with Princes Street and New Town before you, and the castle guarding  Old Town across the railway tracks and gardens.
 * East of Leith is industrial and residential for 3 miles, then you reach the jaunty seaside strip of Portobello.
 * West along the coast is likewise uninteresting for 5 miles through Trinity, Granton and Muirhouse, until you reach a greener seafront at Silverknowes.
 * West further inland on Ferry Road is Goldenacre sports ground and the north access to the Botanic Gardens in Canonmills.

title: Edinburgh/Leith


text:
Edinburgh/New Town

New Town of Edinburgh is 250 years old, in contrast to the Old Town settled for over a thousand years. It was laid out on a grid pattern in the late 18th century with elegant Georgian townhouses, and the intervening loch was drained to become Princes Street Gardens. It's nowadays Edinburgh's main shopping and commercial district.

Along with Old Town, the New Town was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995.

Understand

By the 1600s Edinburgh was crowded and filthy within the walls of the Old Town. The Duke of Albany and York held his nose at it in Holyrood Palace and backed a plan to extend north. But he left town to become the unpopular King James VII / II, was ousted from his throne and launched a series of "Jacobite" counter-coups to regain it, so his support was toxic. The city continued to fester on its crag and to dump its sewage into the Nor Loch. A fresh start was made in the 18th century: the 1707 Union with England made a defensive position unnecessary, and was drawing away the most prosperous and influential people to live in London. Edinburgh needed to re-invent itself as a place to live and work.

In 1767 the council adopted the plans of a young architect James Craig (1739-1795). These covered the area that became Princes St, George St and Queen St, and created the grid pattern you see today. By 1820 this tract was populated by expensive private homes, by different builders with individual designs. Charlotte Square at the west end of George Street is the finest example of this first phase, designed by Robert Adam. Streets were added to the north (Great King Street being the best) and northwest (where Moray Place is a superb circle of mansions). Connections were made across the valley to Old Town by a bridge (replaced by the present North Bridge in 1897) and a midway embankment, The Mound. The West End was built in the 1860s and 1870s.

Shared private gardens were a major part of the plans - Princes Street Gardens began this way, and its owners prevented any construction south of the street that might spoil their view. They likewise tried to prevent the railway from linking the east and west terminuses but were defeated by 1846. These gardens and St Andrew Square are now public parks, but many remain private, such as Queen Street Gardens, Dean Gardens, and the centres of many squares and crescents.

The original tract between Princes Street and Queen Street is now mainly shops and offices and has lost many original buildings. Princes Street itself is a sorry contrast: its view south, central Mound and bookending railway hotels are grand, but the retail strip along its north side is utterly mediocre. East of St Andrew Square was redeveloped for the drab St James shopping centre, and the street pattern was obliterated. The rest of New Town is still mainly residential, though its original townhouses have mostly been divided into flats.

Get in
is at the east end of Princes St, with trains from all parts: see Edinburgh for routes.

Buses and trams from the airport stop outside Waverley station. The tram continues northwest to Leith and local buses fan out to all parts of the city.

is 200 yards north of Waverley, terminus of all inter-city buses.

is more convenient for the west end of New Town. All trains from the west (for instance Glasgow) stop here.

Never bring a car into New Town unless you've planned ahead for where you might park. From 1 June 2024, most of the New Town is in a Low Emission Zone, with camera-enforced penalties for entering in a non-compliant vehicle. Cars built after 2015 are generally compliant, but check online.

Walking is usually the best way to get around New Town, but it extends 2 miles east-west, and then there's the slopes up to the Old Town or down towards Stockbridge to be negotiated.

Do

 * are a large events venue at 54 George St. This grand neoclassical building was completed in 1787, with the inaugural event a Hunt Ball. Its principal spaces are the Music Room (capacity 788) and the Ball Room (capacity 400), with nine other classily decorated rooms. It's in constant use for private and public functions and a major site during the Festival. The building is owned by the council but run by a separate company.
 * Water of Leith Walkway follows the stream from Balerno at the southwest edge of the city down through Colinton, Saughton and Murrayfield, to flow under the Glasgow road and form the boundary of New Town. Follow the east / south bank under Coltbridge Viaduct and Belford Bridge, crossing banks and continuing into Dean Village. The following section is described as part of Stockbridge and the final stretch as part of  Leith. The New Town and Stockbridge sections are too narrow for cycling, cut onto adjacent streets. Use the layers button (Inkscape icons dialog layers.svg below the full screen button) and activate "Hiking" to see the walkway on the map.
 * Water of Leith Walkway follows the stream from Balerno at the southwest edge of the city down through Colinton, Saughton and Murrayfield, to flow under the Glasgow road and form the boundary of New Town. Follow the east / south bank under Coltbridge Viaduct and Belford Bridge, crossing banks and continuing into Dean Village. The following section is described as part of Stockbridge and the final stretch as part of  Leith. The New Town and Stockbridge sections are too narrow for cycling, cut onto adjacent streets. Use the layers button (Inkscape icons dialog layers.svg below the full screen button) and activate "Hiking" to see the walkway on the map.
 * Water of Leith Walkway follows the stream from Balerno at the southwest edge of the city down through Colinton, Saughton and Murrayfield, to flow under the Glasgow road and form the boundary of New Town. Follow the east / south bank under Coltbridge Viaduct and Belford Bridge, crossing banks and continuing into Dean Village. The following section is described as part of Stockbridge and the final stretch as part of  Leith. The New Town and Stockbridge sections are too narrow for cycling, cut onto adjacent streets. Use the layers button (Inkscape icons dialog layers.svg below the full screen button) and activate "Hiking" to see the walkway on the map.
 * Water of Leith Walkway follows the stream from Balerno at the southwest edge of the city down through Colinton, Saughton and Murrayfield, to flow under the Glasgow road and form the boundary of New Town. Follow the east / south bank under Coltbridge Viaduct and Belford Bridge, crossing banks and continuing into Dean Village. The following section is described as part of Stockbridge and the final stretch as part of  Leith. The New Town and Stockbridge sections are too narrow for cycling, cut onto adjacent streets. Use the layers button (Inkscape icons dialog layers.svg below the full screen button) and activate "Hiking" to see the walkway on the map.

Princes Street

 * This is the main shopping street in Edinburgh, running from Waverley railway station to Lothian Road. Lots of chain stores here. George Street 200 yards north has more upmarket shops, plus bars and restaurants.

 * Multrees Walk is a mall just south of the bus station, connecting St James Quarter with St Andrew Square. Stores here include Harvey Nichols, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Canada Goose.
 * Dundas St is the north continuation of Hanover St, descending to Canonmills. Its upper section is lined with art galleries: these are commercial selling galleries (hours vary) but they're happy for you just to browse around. They include Open Eye, Arusha, Scottish Gallery, Greyfriars Art, Birch Tree, Torrance Gallery and Fettes Fine Art. Lower down are several antique shops.
 * West End of Princes St has a retail strip in the block bounded by Queensferry St, Shandwick Place, William Street and Stafford Street.
 * Dundas St is the north continuation of Hanover St, descending to Canonmills. Its upper section is lined with art galleries: these are commercial selling galleries (hours vary) but they're happy for you just to browse around. They include Open Eye, Arusha, Scottish Gallery, Greyfriars Art, Birch Tree, Torrance Gallery and Fettes Fine Art. Lower down are several antique shops.
 * West End of Princes St has a retail strip in the block bounded by Queensferry St, Shandwick Place, William Street and Stafford Street.
 * West End of Princes St has a retail strip in the block bounded by Queensferry St, Shandwick Place, William Street and Stafford Street.

Broughton Street

 * This is a boho street at the northeast end of New Town, with a variety of independent shops, bars and restaurants.

Leith Walk

 * This descends from the east end of Princes St and runs all the way down to Leith, with the trams rumbling along it.

Mid-range

 * Aizle, opened in 2021, is modern Scottish cuisine. It's at 38 Charlotte Square and open W-Su 5-9PM.
 * Noto at 47a Thistle St is sister to Aizle. They serve excellent Japanese-themed dishes for sharing; open Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight.
 * The Lookout is a cafe and restaurant perched atop Calton Hill, with cuisine to match the panoramic views. It's open Th-Su noon-11PM.
 * Number 11 is a hotel brasserie (see Sleep) at 11 Brunswick St, serving non-residents W-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9PM.
 * Aizle, opened in 2021, is modern Scottish cuisine. It's at 38 Charlotte Square and open W-Su 5-9PM.
 * Noto at 47a Thistle St is sister to Aizle. They serve excellent Japanese-themed dishes for sharing; open Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight.
 * The Lookout is a cafe and restaurant perched atop Calton Hill, with cuisine to match the panoramic views. It's open Th-Su noon-11PM.
 * Number 11 is a hotel brasserie (see Sleep) at 11 Brunswick St, serving non-residents W-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9PM.
 * Aizle, opened in 2021, is modern Scottish cuisine. It's at 38 Charlotte Square and open W-Su 5-9PM.
 * Noto at 47a Thistle St is sister to Aizle. They serve excellent Japanese-themed dishes for sharing; open Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight.
 * The Lookout is a cafe and restaurant perched atop Calton Hill, with cuisine to match the panoramic views. It's open Th-Su noon-11PM.
 * Number 11 is a hotel brasserie (see Sleep) at 11 Brunswick St, serving non-residents W-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9PM.
 * Number 11 is a hotel brasserie (see Sleep) at 11 Brunswick St, serving non-residents W-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9PM.
 * Number 11 is a hotel brasserie (see Sleep) at 11 Brunswick St, serving non-residents W-F 5-9PM, Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9PM.

Splurge

 * The Balmoral above Waverley Station (see Sleep) has three dining areas:
 * Palm Court serves afternoon tea daily 9AM-5PM, with live harp music.
 * Brasserie Prince is a slick French-style bistro, daily 7AM-10PM.
 * Number One is fine dining, modern Scots, Th-M 6-9:30PM.
 * George Hotel main restaurant The Printing Press has closed for rebuilding until 2025. Le Petit Beefbar is their steakhouse open daily 12:30-3:30PM, 5:30-9:30PM. Burr & Co coffee shop only serves dinner to residents.
 * Waldorf Astoria west end of Princes St (see Sleep) has two restaurants:
 * Grazing is modern Scottish fare (chef Mark Greenaway), Tu-Sa 6-9PM.
 * The Pompadour is continental cuisine (chef Dean Banks), Th 5PM-midnight, F-Su noon-3PM, 5-PM-midnight.

Drink

 * George Street is the main drinking strip, along with the St Andrews Square area, the cross streets, and the two parallel pedestrian alleys Rose St south and Thistle / Hill / Young St north. Those alleys in turn have sub-alley loops, where dazed stag and hen parties mill and meander.

 * The Alexander Graham Bell is another JD Wetherspoon, at 128 George Street near Charlotte Square.
 * Broughton Street northeast side of New Town has a wide range of bars.
 * The Alexander Graham Bell is another JD Wetherspoon, at 128 George Street near Charlotte Square.
 * Broughton Street northeast side of New Town has a wide range of bars.
 * Broughton Street northeast side of New Town has a wide range of bars.

 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.
 * Johnnie Walker is the traditional budget blended whisky of the working man. See Kilmarnock for its history, but that plant has closed down, and it's nowadays made in Glasgow and Leven, and owned by Diageo. The tour centre at 145 Princes St (opposite Waldorf Astoria) reinvents it as a jazzy upmarket experience. Basic tour £30, which would almost buy you two bottles of Red Label to stotious effect.

Budget

 * Premier Inn Waverley is another branch at 24 Rose St.
 * Premier Inn Waverley is another branch at 24 Rose St.
 * Premier Inn Waverley is another branch at 24 Rose St.
 * Premier Inn Waverley is another branch at 24 Rose St.
 * Premier Inn Waverley is another branch at 24 Rose St.

Mid-range

 * Malmaison is at 22 St Andrew Square opposite Ibis Styles. Poor reviews for its ill-lit cramped rooms with nowhere to put your stuff.

Splurge

 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.
 * Gleneagles Townhouse is at 39 St Andrews Square next to The Edinburgh Grand. Fine decor but poor service.

Connect
New Town like the rest of Edinburgh has 5G from all UK carriers, and Wifi is widely available.

All public libraries have internet and printing facilities, see Edinburgh for how to access these. There are no branches within New Town, those close by are Central Library on George IV Bridge in Old Town, Stockbridge, and Macdonald Road going down Leith Walk.

Go next

 * Old Town is the unmissable medieval core of Edinburgh, with the Royal Mile stretching from castle to palace.
 * Stockbridge has the extensive Botanic Gardens.
 * Murrayfield rugby stadiums and Hearts football ground are within walking distance to the west.
 * Day trips out of town are easily made from the railway and bus stations, see Edinburgh for suggestions.

title: Edinburgh/New Town