What to do in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is one of those cities that everyone loves, but no one can tell you exactly why. Before I went, several people gushed that it was their favorite city, then couldn’t put into words what made it so great. They had a hard time telling me what to do in Edinburgh, too.

After my first visit to Edinburgh inspired not one but two immediate trips back, I struggled with the same thing. The city is amazing! And there’s plenty to do. So I finally came up with this list of can’t miss things to do in Edinburgh, everything that answers the “What to do in Edinburgh” question.

What to Do in Edinburgh: 7 Can’t Miss Things to Do

1. Tour the Legendary Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is the icon of the city and the most visited landmark in Scotland. Built in the 12th Century, the fortress sits on an extinct volcano high above the city. It’s the most besieged place in Britain and one of the most attacked fortresses in the world.

On the castle grounds are a dozen buildings including military barracks, a prison, chapel, and palace. The palace is where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James, who would later become King James VI. St. Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest building in Scotland, dating to the 12th Century. And the prison held almost a thousand people over the years, including Americans during the War of Independence.

Clearly the history of the castle is staggering and it’s fascinating to see everything up close. The lines to get in are notoriously long, so go early to avoid crowds or get a skip-the-line ticket to bypass the masses. Or just take a private tour of the castle.

2. Wander along the Royal Mile…

The entire Old Town of Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because the medieval layout is so well preserved. And the Royal Mile weaves its way through Old Town starting at Holyrood Palace (the Queen’s Scottish residence) and ending high above the city at Edinburgh Castle. Dotted along the Mile are tiny alleyways, called closes, that connect to other streets. They’re creepy, pretty, and often named after a former famous resident.

The Royal Mile is a destination in itself, especially with its history. (You can even take a guided tour of it.) It’s inundated with tourist shops, but in between are great restaurants, bars, and the St. Giles Cathedral. Stop in one of the restaurants for traditional haggis (sheep’s heart, liver and lungs minced with onion, oatmeal and spices). Or hit St. Giles Cafe for a mind-blowing waffle topped with bacon and melted brie. (Here’s where to eat in Edinburgh.)

Pop into St. Giles Cathedral, another small but beautiful icon of Edinburgh built in the 14th Century. Keep an eye out for the Heart of Midlothian, a heart embedded in the cobblestone, nearby. It marks the spot where a brutal prison once stood.

3. …Then bar crawl through Grassmarket.

The Grassmarket neighborhood in Edinburgh’s Old Town is full of shops, restaurants, and bars. Astonishingly, it’s virtually unchanged from medieval times. It started as a horse marketplace in the 14th Century that doubled as the spot for public executions. (Ok, so a few things have changed!) In fact, three gold plates among the cobblestone mark the last public execution in Edinburgh. It’s also commemorated by a pub named The Last Drop (get it?!).

Speaking of pubs, those that line Grassmarket are full of quirky names and bizarre history, making it the perfect street for a bar crawl. The White Hart Inn is Edinburgh’s oldest pub, opened in 1516! (That makes it 260 years older than the United States!) And according to rumors, it’s the most haunted pub in Edinburgh.

Another pub, Maggie Dickson’s, is named after the woman who was hanged nearby for murdering her illegitimate baby. As executioners were taking her body away, she woke up. Since her punishment had technically been carried out, she was allowed to live. She became known as “half-hangit Maggie” and eventually a pub was named after her.

4. Wander a Creepy Cemetery

Visiting a cemetery may sound weird, but bear with me. Greyfriars Kirkyard, off of Grassmarket, is one of the most haunted places in the world! Dating to the 16th Century, the cemetery is eerily beautiful and worth a wander through. It’s most famous for the Greyfriars Bobby, a dog who guarded his master’s grave for 13 years. (There’s a statue and restaurant named in his honor.) It’s also where J.K. Rowling supposedly got many names for her Harry Potter books. (See if you can find Thomas Riddell Esquire’s grave!)

The Old Calton Burying Ground, on the other side of Old Town, dates to the 1700s. Among the headstones are several monuments, including one of Abraham Lincoln. Scotland’s American Civil War Memorial is the only Civil War Memorial outside of the U.S. and is dedicated to the Scots who fought in the war.

If creepy cemeteries are not your thing, you can always visit the Museum of Scotland, a free museum of Scottish culture and history, the Scottish National Gallery for art, or the Surgeons’ Hall Museums for all sorts of medical curiosities. But if you are into creepy things, here’s how to get access to the underground vaults.

5. Take a Day Trip

Edinburgh is surrounded by castles, whisky distilleries, and beautiful scenery. While these gems cover Scotland, plenty of noteworthy places are just a short day trip from Edinburgh. The striking Stirling Castle in Stirling, the famous Rosslyn Chapel from The Da Vinci Code, Glenkinchie Distillery and Tullibardine Distillery, puffins in North Berwick… the list of possible ways to spend a day outside Edinburgh is staggering.

Some of my favorite easy day trips from Edinburgh are explained here. And those still on my list to see: Alwnck Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Newcastle, Aberdeen, even Glasgow. If you’re still stuck for ideas, here are some more great suggestions.

6. Visit a Whisky Distillery (or at least a good whisky bar)

Scotland is synonymous with scotch and you can’t leave the country without having some of the spirit. Bonus points if you visit a distillery where it’s made! Unfortunately this falls under the previous Day Trip category since most of the distilleries are far away from Edinburgh. But Glenkinchie Distillery is right outside of the city and only requires half a day, and Tullibardine Distillery is a quick day trip. Blair Athol and Edradour in Pitlochry are also doable in a day.

If you can’t get to either of those, most touristy websites will suggest touring the Scotch Whisky Experience. It sounded too touristy to me, so I visited their whisky bar, the Amber Bar, instead. Another option is taking a whisky class at Whiski Rooms or Jeffrey Street Whisky, finding a whisky pairing event at Kaleidoscope or working your way through the whisky flights at Usquabae. (They have whisky pre-dating World War II!)

7. Eat in Leith

Leith is a neighborhood north of Edinburgh, next to the water. The port city is full of restaurants, with a much quieter and calmer feel than Edinburgh’s touristy district. It’s worth walking to for brunch or dinner. Not only is it a good glimpse of the rest of Edinburgh, it’s restaurants are some of the best in the city.

There are two Michelin-rated restaurants in Leith but don’t overlook the locals’ favorites. Nobles, a cozy restaurant serving British and Scottish cuisine, is a perfect pick for brunch. The tiny Aurora focuses on breakfast and lunch during the week and does stunning dinners on weekends. And The King’s Wark has been serving traditional dishes near the river since 1432! (Oh, and here’s where to eat in Edinburgh, if you’re curious.)

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Related :: Where to Eat in Edinburgh, Easy Day Trips from Edinburgh, Whisky Distillery Tours and more.

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