Mentioned by Fodor's Choice
Sights in Edinburgh and the Lothians
"The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art — also known as "Modern One" — is another must-visit for art enthusiasts. Here, you'll find displays of paintings by Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso; surrealistic works by Rene Magritte, Joan Miró, and Max Ernst; and contemporary paintings by Bruce McLean, Callum Innes, and Gwen Hardie. The gallery is also well-known for its impressive collection of sculptures."
"Edinburgh's gallery of modern art is split between two impressive neoclassical buildings surrounded by landscaped grounds some 500m west of Dean Village. As well as showcasing a stunning collection of paintings..."
"The exceptionally rated24 Royal Terrace Hotel hotel that is home to a carefully curated collection of art, cool bedrooms, and a smart bar, centrally located in the city’s leafy Royal Terrace. Interesting interiors feature a black and white chessboard floor leading to a red carpet staircase, as well as boldly coloured walls almost completely covered with contemporary and classic works of art. Bedrooms at this beautiful Edinburgh boutique hotel are stylish and comfortable with plenty of traditional tweeds, and tiled bathrooms with soaker showers are modern and practical."
"Located on Edinburgh’s most prestigious Georgian terrace, rt’s is the bar for 24 Royal Terrace, a boutique hotel housed in a William Playfair-designed townhouse. The Georgian setting works well with the multi-million pound modern refurbishment and makes rt’s quite exceptional. Hung with an ever changing collection of contemporary Scottish paintings as well as both Modern British and Aboriginal art, rt’s features an extensive whisky collection and its own house Champagne."
"Out of the Blue operates out of a former army drill hall that has been transformed into a full-blown cultural hub, playing host to a range of public events and artists’ studios. Their monthly flea market (last Saturday of the month from 10am to 3pm) is an all-ages event with a cornucopia of handcrafted goodies from local artists: bric-a-brac, vintage vinyl, fashion, musical instruments, antiques, furniture and indescribable one-off gems. The in-house social enterprise café keeps shoppers fuelled with seasonal snacks and organic baking."
"This contemporary and applied art gallery features work by a range of established and emerging artists. The space places a heavy emphasis on printmakers, and you’ll see a huge collection of colourful prints as well as work by glass makers and other applied artists. Visit the gallery’s website."
"I’d also suggest you make the time to head out to an icon of the Edinburgh surrounds – the Firth of Forth bridges, and in particular, the UNSECO World Heritage Listed Firth of Forth Rail Bridge. This is a mighty red cantilevered bridge construction spanning the Firth of Forth, opened in 1890, and still operational today. At it’s time of construction it was the longest single cantilever bridge in the world, and despite now being the second longest, is still might impressive."
"With the tagline ‘not all those who wander are lost’, Pilgrim’s sustainable ethos sees its interior almost entirely made out of recycled or upcycled material, from its bar made from hundreds of discarded suitcases to its original 1930’s cinema seating. They offer a variety of draught and bottled beer and cider options from various brewers including local favourite Innis & Gunn. Even if you’re not a big beer enthusiast, this unique bar in Edinburgh’s Cowgate is definitely worth checking out for the funky interior design alone!"
"While I tend to consider Pilgrim to be a setting for a more “typical” night out on the town, there’s no denying that it’s one of the more quirky bars in Edinburgh. And considering the entire bar is made out of hundreds of suitcases, it makes absolute sense to feature it on a travel blog!. There is also a row of seats that are old cinema seats, sofas made of jeans, and they offer tiki-style cocktails."
"Right in the heart of Edinburgh, in the bar-filled Cowgate area, Pilgrim Bar is a lively spot tosample all things craft beer. It’s a hipster-friendly spot with upcycled furniture (the bar is made of suitcases, for example), welcoming backpackers and beer-lovers alike. There’s plenty of atmosphere, with entertainment, quiz nights, and music."
"Be transported to another time with City Cafe's diner setting and huge fluffy pancake stacks. A local favourite since 1980, you can find the portal to 1920s America on Blair St. Sit next to the jukebox and go for a classic bacon and syrup combo (teamed with an ice-cream shake of course) for the ultimate quintessential American experience."
"Step into your dream, cheesy, American teen drama (*cough* Riverdale *cough*) in Edinburgh’s very own traditional late night diner just along from your Cowgate favourites such as Subway and Sneaky Pete’s. A blissful combination. Truly the platonic ideal for a stack of pancakes, sometimes simple really is the best."
"A kitschy American diner by day, the City Café becomes a pre-club party joint by night. Cocktail and beer pitchers are the main event, and on the weekends guest and resident DJs spin funk, hip hop and house tracks to get you in the mood for nearby dancefloors."