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1. Of course you could do all of the following or just register to our cultural scavenger hunt!
2. Take a look at this map of the city to have a real idea on how it is built and organized.
3. Arthur's Seat
Some
recent travelers mention the hike was a bit more strenuous than they
thought it would be. Visitors not prone to regular walking might find it
difficult. Keep in mind that the journey to Arthur's Seat is all
uphill, so make sure to wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes and
bring water. Once you reach the top, many travelers say you'll find the
360-degree views worth any sweat you might've worked up. Arthur's Seat
is free to access. Get Google maps directions>
4. Calton Hill
If you're like the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, you might enjoy the view from Calton Hill; this spot was a favorite of his. One of the most popular vantage points for photo ops (and included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage site distinction), Calton Hill affords a majestic panorama of the city below – so don't forget to bring your camera, or make sure your phone is charged. Located east of New Town, Calton Hill is one of the country's first public parks, founded in 1724. Today, the hill supports several iconic buildings and monuments, so much so that it has been nicknamed the Athens of the North. Some of these structures include the Burns Monument, erected in honor of Scottish writer Robert Burns, the Nelson Monument, designed by Robert Burns, and the National Monument, modeled after the Parthenon but given the name "Edinburgh's Disgrace" for never having been completed.
6. Royal Mile
Get Google maps directions>
7. Scotch Whisky experience
If you're interested in broadening your whisky repertoire, you might enjoy spending time at the Scotch Whisky Experience. The Scotch Whiskey Experience features a variety of tours varying in price. The standard Silver Tour includes a whisky barrel ride through the production of scotch whisky, introductions to whisky aromas, a dram of whisky and a glimpse into the largest collection of scotch whisky (more than 3,300 bottles!). There's also a Gold Tour and Platinum Tour, which includes all that is offered in the Silver Tour as well as extras, including tastings of single malts. If you don't want to necessarily go on a tour but still want a taste of the experience, visit Amber Restaurant, located on-site. Whisky connoisseurs and casual drinkers both found this tour to be fun and fascinating. Travelers especially enjoyed learning how the whisky is produced and appreciated the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The Silver Tour is 14.50 pounds (about $21) and 50 minutes long, the Gold Tour 25.25 pounds (about $37) and 70-90 minutes long and the Platinum Tour is 35 pounds (about $51) and 90 minutes long. Hours are seasonal but generally the attraction is open from 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. year-round. You can find the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile, right next to Edinburgh Castle and Camera Obscura and World of Illusions.
Get Google maps directions>
8. Royal Yacht Britannia
You'll find the impressive yacht anchored at the Leith Docks, just north of central Edinburgh. This yacht served as a residence for the royal family for more than 44 years. Throughout that time, the Royal Yacht Britannia traveled to 600 ports in 135 countries, clocking in more than one million nautical miles for 968 state visits. This not only made the queen the most traveled monarch in the world, but the total distance traveled is equivalent to circling the globe once a year. Visitors can now come aboard and tour the boat fit for a king, or rather a queen; everything from the crew's quarters to the State Apartments, which have housed the likes of Nelson Mandela and Ronald Reagan. You can even have tea in the Royal Deck Tea Room, the same place where the royals used to dine.
Recent travelers found the interiors to be stunning, the history fascinating and the overall layout of the museum to be very organized. Even those travelers who reported having little interest in the royal family enjoyed the attraction. Some strongly encouraged future travelers to take advantage of the free audio guide given with the ticket, as it made the experience much more informative.
Admission to the Royal Yacht Britannia costs 15 pounds for adults (about $21) and 8.50 pounds (about $12.40) for children between the ages of 5 and 17 years of age. Hours vary by season. To get to the Leith Docks, catch the No. 11, 22 or 35 bus from Edinburgh City Centre and get off at Ocean Terminal. Get Google maps directions>
9. Palace of Holyroodhouse
If you're one for the royals, a stop at the Palace of Holyroodhouse is a must. The palace is the official Scottish residence of the queen and has housed many other notable royal figures throughout history, including King George V, Charles I and Mary, Queen of Scots. When the current queen isn't home (she tends to visit during Holyrood Week, which takes place from the end of June to early July), visitors are welcome to tour parts of the property. Visitors are able to explore Mary, Queen of Scots' Chambers and the State Apartments, which include the Throne Room, the area where new knights are decided, the Morning Drawing Room, where the queen entertains private audiences and the Great Gallery, which houses portraits of all the kings of Scotland. During the summer months, travelers also have the opportunity to tour The Abbey by wardens dressed in ancient hunting garb.
Recent travelers enjoyed their time exploring the Palace of Holyroodhouse and were delighted by how little time they had to spend touring the property (some reported less than two hours). Visitors particularly loved the on-site gardens and enjoyed the view of Arthur's Seat from the palace. Some strongly recommended utilizing the audio guide or taking a guided tour, as it helped the great history of the attraction come alive.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From November 1 to March 25 and extended to 6 p.m. from March 26 to October 31. Admission costs 12 pounds for adults (about $17) and 7.20 pounds (about $10.50) for children 17 and younger. All admission prices include an audio tour. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is located at the end of the Royal Mile, a little more than a mile east of Edinburgh Castle. Get Google maps directions>
10. National Museum of Scotland
If Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Holyroodhouse Palace don't quench your thirst for some Scottish history, take a trip to the National Museum of Scotland. The museum houses a whopping 20,000 historical artifacts spread out through its numerous, diverse galleries. Here, visitors will find exhibits dedicated to art and design, the natural world (which features a giant T. rex skeleton), history, archaeology and world cultures. And don't leave without visiting the Dolly the sheep display (named after Dolly Parton), the first mammal to ever be cloned from an adult cell.
Recent visitors said this is a great place for a family outing, and can easily be enjoyed by all ages. Children especially enjoyed the taxidermied animals in the Natural World galleries and adults appreciated the free admittance. Keep in mind this museum is big, so if you're on a time crunch (visitors reported spending a few hours here), map out what you'd like to see before your visit.
Admission to this museum is free. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with abbreviated hours on holidays. The National Museum of Scotland can be easily reached on foot if you're in Old Town. The attraction less than a half-mile south from Camera Obscura & World of Illusions and Edinburgh Castle. Get Google maps directions>
11. Royal Botanic Garden
If you're looking for some peace and serenity after a long day on the Royal Mile, the Royal Botanic Garden is the perfect place to rest your feet. This garden, which covers 70 acres, brims with so much beautiful foliage you're likely to forget that you're in one of Scotland's biggest cities. The Royal Botanic Garden houses 3,000 exotic plants from around the world, spread out among its 10 glasshouses, each with a different climatic zone. The garden is also very famous for its rhododendron flowers. The Royal Botanic Garden's collection of the flower is considered the world's richest assemblage of species rhododendrons, and the Edinburgh location has been seen as a major center for study since the late 19th century. After you've visited these famous flowers, take a stroll through the giant redwood trees in the Woodland Garden, or view the contemporary art gallery in the adjacent Inverleith House.
Recent visitors strongly recommended this attraction simply for its beauty and the serenity it brings. Travelers say no matter what time of year you visit, there is always something in bloom, and that the extra fee for entry to the Glasshouse is worth every penny. And don't forget to take your camera; the garden is as photogenic as you can imagine.
Admission to the Royal Botanic Garden is free, but access to The Glasshouse is 5.50 pounds for adults (about $8) and 4.50 pounds for children 15 years and younger (about $6.60). Hours vary by season. To get to the Royal Botanic Gardens, take the No. 8 bus from the Edinburgh Waverly Train station, located less than a half-mile from the Royal Mile, and get off at Inverleith Row.
Get Google maps directions>
12. Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
If you're traveling with kids, there is no better place in Edinburgh to bring them than Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. Located at the top of the heavily (tourist) trafficked Royal Mile, Camera Obscura is filled with enough colorful puzzles, games and optical illusions to keep the kids entertained for days. It's also the city's oldest attraction, having opened in 1835.
Inside this Victorian tower of a building, visitors will find the 175-year-old Camera Obscura show, which is led by a (usually funny) tour guide. There's also a mirror maze and photogenic vortex tunnel in Bewilderworld, Light Fantastic, the U.K.'s only permanent gallery on the science and art of holography and the hands-on Magic Gallery, where visitors can catch their shadows, shake hands with their ghost and even walk on water. There's also something for the history buffs; the 3-D Edinburgh Vision exhibit takes you through the city from the 1850s to present day.
Although travelers attested to the attraction's appeal to children, many visitors of all ages admitted to having loads of fun at Camera Obscura. Some offered a word of caution: If you're prone to motion sickness, stay away from the vortex tunnel. Others said if you're especially keen on experiencing the Camera Obscura show, come when the weather's right. Some travelers said it was difficult to see the surrounding city through the camera – if they could see anything at all.
Entry to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions costs 14.50 pounds for adults (about $21.13) and 10.50 pounds (about $15.30) for children between the ages of 5 and 15. Hours vary by season.
Get Google maps directions>
Thomas is our Edinburgh local representative, we asked him what an ideal day of leisure in Edinburgh could look like, what he would suggest to do from early morning to late at night
Here is what he suggests.Don't hesitate to
contact Thomas on Twitter @bigcitychase #Edinburgh #questionforThomas if you
have questions for him, we may publish your conversation in this blog if
he thinks it might be useful to other Edinburgh visitors.
Thomas from Edinburgh for Big City Chase Edinburgh :
"Hello everyone, my name is Thomas I was born and grew up in Edinburgh, moved to London to study and got back here a few years ago.
4. Calton Hill
If you're like the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, you might enjoy the view from Calton Hill; this spot was a favorite of his. One of the most popular vantage points for photo ops (and included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage site distinction), Calton Hill affords a majestic panorama of the city below – so don't forget to bring your camera, or make sure your phone is charged. Located east of New Town, Calton Hill is one of the country's first public parks, founded in 1724. Today, the hill supports several iconic buildings and monuments, so much so that it has been nicknamed the Athens of the North. Some of these structures include the Burns Monument, erected in honor of Scottish writer Robert Burns, the Nelson Monument, designed by Robert Burns, and the National Monument, modeled after the Parthenon but given the name "Edinburgh's Disgrace" for never having been completed.
Recent travelers loved Calton Hill for its beautiful views, peaceful surroundings and relatively easy hike to the top. With Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh Castle
and the sea in sight, some visitors say the best time to go is during
sunset or sunrise. Calton Hill is less than a mile from the Royal Mile and less than a half-mile from Edinburgh Waverly train station. Get Google maps directions>
5. Edinburgh Castle
Hoisted high atop Edinburgh, almost as if it's monitoring its city below, Edinburgh Castle is not only one of Scotland's most recognized landmarks, but one of the country's most-visited attractions. Not only has the castle housed various royals throughout history, but also once housed military prisoners and was the site of a back-and-forth capture with the English. Inside its stone walls (which survived a World War I bombing), some of the attractions available for visitors to view are the Honours (or crown jewels) of Scotland, St. Margaret's Chapel (Edinburgh's oldest building), Mons Meg (considered one of the greatest guns in medieval Europe), the National War Museum, The Great Hall and the vaults that once held prisoners of war (located under the Great Hall).
Some travelers express disappointment in the castle's high price of admission but that grievance was quickly followed up with a strong recommendation to visit this attraction. Visitors loved learning about the castle's history, exploring the grounds and enjoyed the attraction's expansive views of the city. Some suggested springing for an audio guide or tour while others urged planning your visit around 1 p.m. Monday through Saturdays, when guns are fired on the premises, a tradition that harks back to the 19th century.
Edinburgh Castle opens at 9:30 a.m. daily and closes at 6 p.m. from April 1 to September 30 and at 5 p.m. from October 1 to March 31. Admission costs 16.50 pounds for adults (about $24) and 9.90 pounds for children (about $14.40). You can find Edinburgh Castle at the end of the Royal Mile.
Get Google maps directions>
5. Edinburgh Castle
Hoisted high atop Edinburgh, almost as if it's monitoring its city below, Edinburgh Castle is not only one of Scotland's most recognized landmarks, but one of the country's most-visited attractions. Not only has the castle housed various royals throughout history, but also once housed military prisoners and was the site of a back-and-forth capture with the English. Inside its stone walls (which survived a World War I bombing), some of the attractions available for visitors to view are the Honours (or crown jewels) of Scotland, St. Margaret's Chapel (Edinburgh's oldest building), Mons Meg (considered one of the greatest guns in medieval Europe), the National War Museum, The Great Hall and the vaults that once held prisoners of war (located under the Great Hall).
Some travelers express disappointment in the castle's high price of admission but that grievance was quickly followed up with a strong recommendation to visit this attraction. Visitors loved learning about the castle's history, exploring the grounds and enjoyed the attraction's expansive views of the city. Some suggested springing for an audio guide or tour while others urged planning your visit around 1 p.m. Monday through Saturdays, when guns are fired on the premises, a tradition that harks back to the 19th century.
Edinburgh Castle opens at 9:30 a.m. daily and closes at 6 p.m. from April 1 to September 30 and at 5 p.m. from October 1 to March 31. Admission costs 16.50 pounds for adults (about $24) and 9.90 pounds for children (about $14.40). You can find Edinburgh Castle at the end of the Royal Mile.
Get Google maps directions>
6. Royal Mile
Stretching from the high-on-a-hill Edinburgh Castle to the Holyroodhouse
Palace, the Royal Mile is both Old Town Edinburgh's main thoroughfare
and one of the city's main streets. Here you'll find top attraction
after top attraction, including the Scotch Whisky Experience and Camera Obscura and World of Illusions,
as well as a big concentration of shops, restaurants and pubs housed in
stunning architecture along this cobblestone street. Most travelers
note the Royal Mile's propensity toward tourist traps; they also say
it's a must-do considering all its amenities. The Royal Mile is seen by
many as the center of the city, so be prepared for crowds at all hours.
Get Google maps directions>
7. Scotch Whisky experience
If you're interested in broadening your whisky repertoire, you might enjoy spending time at the Scotch Whisky Experience. The Scotch Whiskey Experience features a variety of tours varying in price. The standard Silver Tour includes a whisky barrel ride through the production of scotch whisky, introductions to whisky aromas, a dram of whisky and a glimpse into the largest collection of scotch whisky (more than 3,300 bottles!). There's also a Gold Tour and Platinum Tour, which includes all that is offered in the Silver Tour as well as extras, including tastings of single malts. If you don't want to necessarily go on a tour but still want a taste of the experience, visit Amber Restaurant, located on-site. Whisky connoisseurs and casual drinkers both found this tour to be fun and fascinating. Travelers especially enjoyed learning how the whisky is produced and appreciated the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The Silver Tour is 14.50 pounds (about $21) and 50 minutes long, the Gold Tour 25.25 pounds (about $37) and 70-90 minutes long and the Platinum Tour is 35 pounds (about $51) and 90 minutes long. Hours are seasonal but generally the attraction is open from 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. year-round. You can find the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile, right next to Edinburgh Castle and Camera Obscura and World of Illusions.
Get Google maps directions>
8. Royal Yacht Britannia
You'll find the impressive yacht anchored at the Leith Docks, just north of central Edinburgh. This yacht served as a residence for the royal family for more than 44 years. Throughout that time, the Royal Yacht Britannia traveled to 600 ports in 135 countries, clocking in more than one million nautical miles for 968 state visits. This not only made the queen the most traveled monarch in the world, but the total distance traveled is equivalent to circling the globe once a year. Visitors can now come aboard and tour the boat fit for a king, or rather a queen; everything from the crew's quarters to the State Apartments, which have housed the likes of Nelson Mandela and Ronald Reagan. You can even have tea in the Royal Deck Tea Room, the same place where the royals used to dine.
Recent travelers found the interiors to be stunning, the history fascinating and the overall layout of the museum to be very organized. Even those travelers who reported having little interest in the royal family enjoyed the attraction. Some strongly encouraged future travelers to take advantage of the free audio guide given with the ticket, as it made the experience much more informative.
Admission to the Royal Yacht Britannia costs 15 pounds for adults (about $21) and 8.50 pounds (about $12.40) for children between the ages of 5 and 17 years of age. Hours vary by season. To get to the Leith Docks, catch the No. 11, 22 or 35 bus from Edinburgh City Centre and get off at Ocean Terminal. Get Google maps directions>
9. Palace of Holyroodhouse
If you're one for the royals, a stop at the Palace of Holyroodhouse is a must. The palace is the official Scottish residence of the queen and has housed many other notable royal figures throughout history, including King George V, Charles I and Mary, Queen of Scots. When the current queen isn't home (she tends to visit during Holyrood Week, which takes place from the end of June to early July), visitors are welcome to tour parts of the property. Visitors are able to explore Mary, Queen of Scots' Chambers and the State Apartments, which include the Throne Room, the area where new knights are decided, the Morning Drawing Room, where the queen entertains private audiences and the Great Gallery, which houses portraits of all the kings of Scotland. During the summer months, travelers also have the opportunity to tour The Abbey by wardens dressed in ancient hunting garb.
Recent travelers enjoyed their time exploring the Palace of Holyroodhouse and were delighted by how little time they had to spend touring the property (some reported less than two hours). Visitors particularly loved the on-site gardens and enjoyed the view of Arthur's Seat from the palace. Some strongly recommended utilizing the audio guide or taking a guided tour, as it helped the great history of the attraction come alive.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From November 1 to March 25 and extended to 6 p.m. from March 26 to October 31. Admission costs 12 pounds for adults (about $17) and 7.20 pounds (about $10.50) for children 17 and younger. All admission prices include an audio tour. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is located at the end of the Royal Mile, a little more than a mile east of Edinburgh Castle. Get Google maps directions>
10. National Museum of Scotland
If Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Holyroodhouse Palace don't quench your thirst for some Scottish history, take a trip to the National Museum of Scotland. The museum houses a whopping 20,000 historical artifacts spread out through its numerous, diverse galleries. Here, visitors will find exhibits dedicated to art and design, the natural world (which features a giant T. rex skeleton), history, archaeology and world cultures. And don't leave without visiting the Dolly the sheep display (named after Dolly Parton), the first mammal to ever be cloned from an adult cell.
Recent visitors said this is a great place for a family outing, and can easily be enjoyed by all ages. Children especially enjoyed the taxidermied animals in the Natural World galleries and adults appreciated the free admittance. Keep in mind this museum is big, so if you're on a time crunch (visitors reported spending a few hours here), map out what you'd like to see before your visit.
Admission to this museum is free. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with abbreviated hours on holidays. The National Museum of Scotland can be easily reached on foot if you're in Old Town. The attraction less than a half-mile south from Camera Obscura & World of Illusions and Edinburgh Castle. Get Google maps directions>
11. Royal Botanic Garden
If you're looking for some peace and serenity after a long day on the Royal Mile, the Royal Botanic Garden is the perfect place to rest your feet. This garden, which covers 70 acres, brims with so much beautiful foliage you're likely to forget that you're in one of Scotland's biggest cities. The Royal Botanic Garden houses 3,000 exotic plants from around the world, spread out among its 10 glasshouses, each with a different climatic zone. The garden is also very famous for its rhododendron flowers. The Royal Botanic Garden's collection of the flower is considered the world's richest assemblage of species rhododendrons, and the Edinburgh location has been seen as a major center for study since the late 19th century. After you've visited these famous flowers, take a stroll through the giant redwood trees in the Woodland Garden, or view the contemporary art gallery in the adjacent Inverleith House.
Recent visitors strongly recommended this attraction simply for its beauty and the serenity it brings. Travelers say no matter what time of year you visit, there is always something in bloom, and that the extra fee for entry to the Glasshouse is worth every penny. And don't forget to take your camera; the garden is as photogenic as you can imagine.
Admission to the Royal Botanic Garden is free, but access to The Glasshouse is 5.50 pounds for adults (about $8) and 4.50 pounds for children 15 years and younger (about $6.60). Hours vary by season. To get to the Royal Botanic Gardens, take the No. 8 bus from the Edinburgh Waverly Train station, located less than a half-mile from the Royal Mile, and get off at Inverleith Row.
Get Google maps directions>
12. Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
If you're traveling with kids, there is no better place in Edinburgh to bring them than Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. Located at the top of the heavily (tourist) trafficked Royal Mile, Camera Obscura is filled with enough colorful puzzles, games and optical illusions to keep the kids entertained for days. It's also the city's oldest attraction, having opened in 1835.
Inside this Victorian tower of a building, visitors will find the 175-year-old Camera Obscura show, which is led by a (usually funny) tour guide. There's also a mirror maze and photogenic vortex tunnel in Bewilderworld, Light Fantastic, the U.K.'s only permanent gallery on the science and art of holography and the hands-on Magic Gallery, where visitors can catch their shadows, shake hands with their ghost and even walk on water. There's also something for the history buffs; the 3-D Edinburgh Vision exhibit takes you through the city from the 1850s to present day.
Although travelers attested to the attraction's appeal to children, many visitors of all ages admitted to having loads of fun at Camera Obscura. Some offered a word of caution: If you're prone to motion sickness, stay away from the vortex tunnel. Others said if you're especially keen on experiencing the Camera Obscura show, come when the weather's right. Some travelers said it was difficult to see the surrounding city through the camera – if they could see anything at all.
Entry to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions costs 14.50 pounds for adults (about $21.13) and 10.50 pounds (about $15.30) for children between the ages of 5 and 15. Hours vary by season.
Get Google maps directions>
Thomas is our Edinburgh local representative, we asked him what an ideal day of leisure in Edinburgh could look like, what he would suggest to do from early morning to late at night
Thomas from Edinburgh for Big City Chase Edinburgh :
"Hello everyone, my name is Thomas I was born and grew up in Edinburgh, moved to London to study and got back here a few years ago.
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