Edinburgh (Gaelic:Dùn Èideann) is the capital ofScotland, located in theCentral 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 theUNESCO Creative Cities initiative when it was designated a "City of Literature".
| Old Town The city's medieval heart along the Royal Mile, which courses down from the Castle to Holyrood Palace, with the National Museum a short way south. Further east is the volcanic crag of Arthur's Seat, some 340 million years older than Old Town. |
| New Town This elegant grid of mansions and gardens was laid out from the 1770s; it's now the principal shopping district and has the plushest hotels. Major sights include Calton Hill and four branches of the National Gallery. |
| Stockbridge and Canonmills These neighbourhoods are just north of New Town. They have interesting independent shopping and the extensive Royal Botanic Garden. |
| Leith Edinburgh's raffish former port is the permanent mooring place of Royal Yacht Britannia. |
| East Mostly residential, but Portobello beach and the historic village of Duddingston lie in the east of the city. |
| South This has the bulk of student accommodation, and plenty of places to eat and drink. Further out are Craigmillar Castle, Blackford Hill, the Pentland Hills, and the upper glen of the Water of Leith. |
| West Location of Murrayfield rugby stadiums and the zoo. Further out are a sculpture park, the charming village of Cramond and a tidal island. |
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.
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.
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 ofThe Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), Irvine Welsh (author of the 1993 novelTrainspotting, set in the gritty district of Leith), Ian Rankin (a crime writer best known for theInspector 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 ofHarry Potter fame.
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Edinburgh is a year-round destination. It gets very busy around New Year (known in Scotland as Hogmanay), the Six Nations rugby internationals in Feb / March, and particularly during the Fringe Festivals 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 sunsets at 10PM. Nights draw in rapidly during the Festival. Winters aresnell: 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.
55.9486-3.36411Edinburgh Airport(EDI IATA),Ingliston EH12 9DN(off A8 Glasgow Rd),☏+44 131 357-6337.This is Scotland's main airport, with direct flights from most major cities inWest Europe,Scandinavia and theMediterranean. There are seasonal flights fromCalgary,Halifax,Toronto andNew York. The onlyGulf flight is fromDoha inQatar. Domestic links includeBelfast, Birmingham,Bristol,Cardiff,Derry,Exeter,Islay,Isle of Man,Guernsey,Jersey,Kirkwall,Manchester,London (City,Gatwick,Heathrow, Luton, andStansted),Newquay,Orkney Islands,Southampton,Shetland Islands,Stornoway andWick. The airport has a single terminal with the usual facilities including car hire. The only drinking water fountains are airside immediately to the left when you exit the duty-free shop. Currency exchange land - and airside is operated by ICE, with rates for major currencies about 20% off the official rate: poor, but average for a UK airport.
(updated Dec 2023)
Airport hotels: four are within walking distance and another handful within a ten-minute shuttle ride, seeEdinburgh/West#Sleep.
Onward transport: Buses to the city, and to Glasgow, Fife, and West Lothian, leave from stops just outside Arrivals. The tram station and shuttles to off-site car parks are at the east end of the Terminal, beyond the multi-storey car park. There's no railway station, the nearest (Haymarket and Waverley) are in the city centre.
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.
Cat Stane  |
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 toGlasgow Buchanan Station. This is theCitylink 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 inFife. This is theStagecoach 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 andInverness.
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, andFalkirk.
Other airports you might consider:
55.952-3.18972Edinburgh Waverley railway station(EDB),EH1 3EG.M-Sa 4AM-1AM, Su 7AM-1AM.The main railway station is always called "Waverley" butNational Rail doesn't recognise that name, and calls it "Edinburgh". Opened in 1846 and rebuilt 1892-1902, Waverley is a sight in itself, with wreathed cherubs cavorting across its elaborate domed ceiling and thicket of scrolled ironwork. It lies at the east end of Princes Street between the Old and New Towns, with the crags of Calton Hill and the castle looming above as your train pulls in, and serves over 14 million people per annum. There are waiting rooms, shops, cafes, toilets, and car hire, and step-free access to all platforms.Left luggage is £15 per item per 24 hours in 2023, much more expensive than at the main bus station. The nearest tram stop is at St Andrew Square, a 300 yard walk over Princes St and up St Andrew St, while dozens of buses call at Princes St.(updated Dec 2023)
Waverley Station is a major hub for the Scottish rail network, with trains operated byScotRail.
FromGlasgow there are five routes:
From the north: trains run hourly fromAberdeen andDundee, every two hours fromInverness via Aviemore and Perth, and every 30 min fromStirling.
FromLondon:LNER daytime trains fromLondon 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) leaveLondon 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 hourlyAvanti West Coast train fromBirmingham New Street towards Glasgow and change at Preston, journey time just over four hours. A little slower but avoiding a change is theCrosscountry 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.
FromManchester:Transpennine Express runs every couple of hours fromManchester 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: TheCaledonian 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.
55.9456-3.21863Edinburgh Haymarket railway station(HYM),EH12 5EY.M-Sa 4AM-1AM, Su 7AM-1AM.The city's second mainline station is a mile west of Waverley. It's the better station to use for the airport, zoo or modern art galleries, or if your accommodation is on the west side of town. It's on the major westbound bus routes and the tram line, with indicator boards for the next buses and trams. The station was rebuilt in 2013 and now has a large, clean concourse. Street-side (before the ticket barriers) are half-a-dozen ticket machines, a staffed ticket office, an ATM, two coffee kiosks, an M&S newsagent and convenience store and a "Bike & Go" bike-docking area. Train-side of the barriers has a staffed desk, eg for excess fares. There are lifts as well as stairs to the platforms, which include the mysterious "Platform 0". Lots of pubs and eating places cluster around the station.(updated Dec 2023)
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:
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.
PlusBus.If you require onward travel by tram or bus after your arrival. Consider buying a PlusBus rail add on with your rail ticket. However they are not valid to the airport.£4.50; child £2.35; Railcard holder £2.95.(updated Mar 2024)
Main routes are the M8 from Glasgow and the west, M9 (fromStirling and the north-west, A90/M90 fromPerth,Dundee and northern Scotland, A1 fromNewcastle upon Tyne and north-east England, and A702/M74 (fromCarlisle 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:
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 thepark 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 aLow Emission Zone, with camera-enforced penalties for entering in a non-compliant vehicle. Cars built after 2015 are generally compliant, but checkonline.
Long-distance buses run to Edinburgh from England, Belfast and the rest of Scotland. Buses from major towns in Scotland are mainly operated byCitylink, while buses from England are mainly run byNational Express with others includingMegabus. For instance National Express from London Victoria takes nine hours, with one daytime and one overnight run.
Ember Electric Bus glides quietly fromDundee every hour or two, with two late night runs, taking 90 min.
55.9555-3.19174Edinburgh Bus Station
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.
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, nearStranraer on the west coast. You can buy a through ticket betweenBelfast 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.
Walking should always be your first choice within central Edinburgh. The centre is compact - most sights and attractions are on or near the Royal Mile in Old Town or Princes St in New Town. But factor in the hills, barriers such as the railway tracks and deep glen of Water of Leith, and bridges that span lower streets without a connection.
The suburbs stretch out for several miles. Attractions that are too far to walk (especially with children) include the Zoo, the Botanic Gardens, Leith and the Royal Yacht Britannia, Craigmillar Castle and the Pentland Hills. For these, first choice is the bus.
Lothian Buses are distinctive burgundy and cream-coloured. There are 37 daytime city routes, three airport routes, and 17 night buses. Another 18 routes link nearby towns such as South Queensferry. Their online network map shows real-time positions of buses, and central stops have displays of approaching buses - not all buses serve every stop. 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.
Atram 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 for free on the tram if their card was issued by Edinburgh Council. ThePLUSBUS 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.
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".
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[dead link] provide access to the city centre.
As many other cities in the UK, Edinburgh has a20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit on many of the roads in the city centre.
Edinburgh operates aControlled Parking Zone in the city centre. On-street parking is mostly for residents with a parking permit. However, somePay and Display on-street parking bays are available for anyone. To find these bays, the Edinburgh Council provides an interactive and detailedmap 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.
CoTraditional 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:
The main firms areCentral Taxis (☏+44 131 229-2468),City Cabs (☏+44 131 228-1211) andCapital Cars (☏+44 131 777-7777).
TheEdinburgh 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 theNational Cycle Network (NCN) and there aremany routes around Edinburgh with a variety of places accessible within a days cycling -Glasgow,Stirling,Falkirk,Musselburgh, andDunbar - all of which have train stations for the return journey. The number 1 route which goes south from Edinburgh toMelrose in the borders and then east toBerwick-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.
Edinburgh's app-based bicycle hire scheme closed in September 2021. You can rent bikes from the following places:
If you are staying in Scotland a while, consider buying membership of one of the heritage organisations such as Historic Scotland, seeScotland 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.
Edinburgh has an excellentconcert andtheatre life. TheUsher Hall (Lothian Road,Old Town) has weekly orchestral concerts all year round with theRoyal Scottish National Orchestra. TheQueen's Hall (South Clerk Street,South) is home to theScottish Chamber Orchestra.The Lyceum (Lothian Road,Old Town) offers theatre performances. TheFestival Theatre (Nicolson Street,Old Town) frequently hostsopera andballet. Europe's largest theatre, the 3000-seatEdinburgh Playhouse (top of Leith Walk,New Town) hosts major West End shows. For a cheaper option, the excellentBedlam Theatre (Old Town) regularly puts on good student theatre and is the home to Scotland's oldest improvised comedy troupe, The Improverts.
Experience traditionalFolk Music at one of the pubs in theOld Town orLeith which host regular sessions.
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.
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 aBig Wheel,outdoor ice rink and variousfestive 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, atorchlight 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 theHogmanay street party[dead link], 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 theLoony Dook inSouth Queensferry (people taking a dip in the ice-cold River Forth).
Go to the cinema. Edinburgh has a number of cinemas covering mainstream, foreign language and arthouse films. Most interesting are theFilmhouse andCameo (Old Town) and theDominion (South).
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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.
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:
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Edinburgh has a great selection in all price ranges, cosmopolitan cuisines, and caters for diets such as vegan, halal and GF. Good areas for value food are Elm Row at the top of Leith Walk, Rose and Thistle streets flanking George St, along South Bridge including the "Little Cairo" around the Central Mosque, Forrest Rd by Greyfriars Bobby, Tollcross and Lothian Rd, and west end from Queensferry St to Haymarket station. Overpriced areas to be cautious are the Royal Mile from castle to Tron Kirk, Princes St and the Grassmarket.
The Scots are well known for having a penchant forfried 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 achippy (fish and chip shop) and experience these Scottish delights. Edinburgh chippys are unique in the UK for offeringsalt'n'sauce as standard in place of thesalt'n'vinegar usually provided elsewhere in the country. The sauce is a kind of runny, vinegary version ofHP orDaddys 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.
For a non-alcoholic beverage give Scotland's second national drink a tryIrn-Bru. It's a great cure for hangover.
As for Scotland's first drink, you will findThe 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 yourwhisky in one of the many pubs. The closest single malt whisky distillery to Edinburgh is the Glenkinchie Distillery out in the country towardsHaddington. 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 fewgin distilleries opened in and around Edinburgh producingPickering's Gin,Edinburgh Gin orNB Gin (fromNorth Berwick).
The two major localbeer breweries are theCaledonian Brewery andStewart 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 eachguest ale and are often willing to let you try a small sample. Most pubs also have a great selection ofwhiskies. As with eating, the Grassmarket and upper Royal Mile are overpriced.
Clubs are on George Street and around The Cowgate.
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 the6-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 affiliatedScottish 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 theSouth side, and on Pilrig Street and Newhaven Road inLeith. 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 inGlasgow, 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!
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 freeonline, 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.
In general Edinburgh is asafe 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.
Inemergency, dial 999 (preferably from a landline, a free call from any phone including payphones), 112 also works.
For advice onnon-emergency medical problems, you can ring the free 24-hourNHS 24 service on 111 or for textphone users 18001 111.
During normal shopping hours (M-F 9AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-12:30PM), you won't have any problem locating a pharmacy as they are dotted all around the city. Any row of local shops will usually include one. Common brands includeBoots (city centre branches in theNew Town at 101-103 Princes St and 48 Shandwick Pl; in theOld Town at 40-44 North Bridge),Alliance andNumark.
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 theTesco supermarket at 7 Broughton Road inCanonmills 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 callNHS inform on 0800 22 44 88 (between 8AM-10PM daily) or checkonline with NHS Inform.
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.
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:
Going east:
Going north:
Going south:
| Routes through Edinburgh |
| Glasgow←Livingston← | W  E | →ENDS AT HERMISTON GAIT ( ) |
| Stirling←Linlithgow← | NW  SE | →merges with |
| Perth←South Queensferry← | N  S | →merges with |
| ENDS AT PRINCES STREET← | W  E | →Musselburgh→Newcastle upon Tyne |
| ENDS AT PRINCES STREET← | N  S | →Dalkeith→Carlisle |
| Ayr←Lanark← | SW  NE | →ENDS AT HAYMARKET |
| Kilmarnock←Livingston← | SW  NE | →merges with |
| Thiscity travel guide toEdinburghis ausable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but pleasefeel free to improve itby editing the page. |
