Mentioned by Culture Trip
20 Must-Visit Attractions in Edinburgh
"Address: Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8BN, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 226 5138 The Canongate Kirk is situated within the Old Town area of Edinburgh and is a particularly attractive building, being located just across from the Museum of Edinburgh and close to the university campus. This church serves as the place of worship for the Royal family when they are staying in the area and is steeped in history. Built in 1688, attractions include stunning architecture, classical music concerts and choir recitals."
"I suggest a late lunch after you explore the charming, cobbled streets of this historic area and experience some street performers, Canongate Kirkyard (Adam Smith is buried here), Dunbar Close, St. Giles Cathedral, and eventually Edinburgh Castle itself, all the way at the top of the Royal Mile (Be sure to book your Edinburgh Castle skip the line tickets in advance). The charm and beauty of Edinburgh, Scotland never cease to amaze me."
"Located at the foot of Edinburgh Castle, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church is the spire you can see poking through the Edinburgh skyline whenever you see panoramic pictures of Edinburgh Castle itself. Expect to hear the Church’s ten bells on Sunday mornings and see beautiful wall paintings, stained glass windows and an organ built in 1899. Child friendly: yes, but no particular activities are available for them on a regular basis Address: St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, 5 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2EP Opening hours for visitors: Tue to Thu 10am – 3pm More information here."
"Situated at the foot of the Castle and nestled amidst its churchyard and an abundance of greenery is St Cuthbert’s. It is widely believed that a church has been standing in this spot since 850 AD, making it technically Edinburgh’s oldest building. The architecture and decoration of the church is particularly ornate, which made it a source of some controversy when it was first designed."
"Many years may have passed since Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code and the subsequent film came out, but floods of visitors still descend on Scotland's most beautiful and enigmatic church – Rosslyn Chapel. Built in the mid-15th century for Sir William St Clair, third prince of Orkney, its ornately carved interior – at odds with the architectural fashion of its time – is a monument to the mason's art, rich in symbolic imagery. Hourly talks by qualified guides are included with admission."
"Address: 28 Manor Place / Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 225 6293 Designed by George Gilbert Scott, the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin is located on the western side of the city centre. Construction of the cathedral began in 1874 and whilst the nave was opened just five years later, the twin spires on its western side were not actually completed until 1917. Highlights include impressive neo-Gothic architecture, well-preserved stained-glass windows, murals and an outstanding art collection, as well as daily choral services."
"St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is a short walk from Princes Street towards Haymarket. Its spires are visible from most places in Edinburgh, especially looking west from Princes Street. Not only does this cathedral offer a place of stillness in the bustling Scottish capital, there are also opportunities such as learning to be a stonemason in the Cathedral Workshop or a Cathedral Chorister at St Mary’s Music School."
"The neo-Gothic St. Mary's Cathedral is a striking building set in large grounds. Designed by George Gilbert Scott, it was consecrated in 1879. St. Mary's is the largest ecclesiastical building to be built in Scotland since the Reformation."
"Address: 61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 556 1798 This popular Roman Catholic church dates back to 1814, being designed by James Gillespie Graham. Each month on the third Tuesday, look out for the organ and choir recitals. The adjacent Cafe Camino provides a rather tempting menu, offering bacon sandwiches, freshly made soup, lunchboxes for children, a choice of beverages (including coffee, tea, wine, beer and cider) and tubs of locally produced ice cream."
"St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, originally called the Chapel of St Mary’s, held its first masses in August 1814. The Cathedral houses the National Shrine of St Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint, and even has an underground passage leading to a priest’s house in York Place. It wasn’t until the 1970s that passers by could see the Cathedral in its full splendor when tenements in front of the building were demolished."
"Also dating back to the 1800s, Old St Paul’s has since been renovated multiple times – the nave extended and the chancel floor raised with marble. Nearly all of the many panes of stained glass, ornaments and vestments were made possible by fundraising or donations. Unusually, the gargoyles at Old St Paul’s are located inside, not on the exterior of the church as is common on buildings of this period."
"Address: East London Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4BL, Scotland, UK Mansfield Place Church is to be found within the New Town area, standing close to the bus depot and the King George V Park. Built in 1872 by Robert Rowand Anderson, this old church has had many uses over the years and once even functioned as a nightclub. Today, it is owned by the Mansfield Traquair Trust, a conservation group who have actively restored the building over a number of years."
"Tucked away in Marchmont, Deadly Donuts pride themselves on serving up freshly made, high quality and different doughnut recipes on a daily basis. The shop is owned by classically trained chef, Freddie Spindler, and their selection of doughnuts range from traditional flavours, to the more intriguing flavours such as matcha green tea. Website: www.instagram.com/deadlydonuts"
"The Museum of Edinburgh is the single best location to learn about the history of Edinburgh through the ages. At the museum, you can learn about the city and its formation, as well as its people and trade. Witness the National Covenant, original city plans and lots of Edinburgh decorative art."
"Highlights include the bowl and collar worn by Greyfriar’s Bobby!. The Museum of Edinburgh is located in a 16th century building on the Royal Mile. If you want to learn about the history of Edinburgh, this is the place to go!"
"Checkpoint is a trendy restaurant around the corner from the National Museum of Scotland. It is close enough to the Old Town centre of Edinburgh, to be convenient for lunch or dinner on a city trip, but also far enough from the Royal Mile to have a more local feel to it. They offer a full vegan breakfast and several vegan options on their day time menu, but since I went there for dinner, I’ll tell you more about that."
"A post shared by 𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓯 ☮️&💗 (@tiffanyjtan) on Feb 26, 2019 at 10:35am PST. Checkpoint is located in Bristo Place near the University and has an industrial contemporary interior mixed with the feeling of your own front room, think cosy and relaxing. For any sleepy heads breakfasts run throughout the day until 5pm in tandem with their lunch options."
"A post shared by Checkpoint (@checkpointedi) on May 12, 2018 at 9:34am PDT. The Checkpoint is a classy restaurant with a sense of humor - just check out their website and social media posts for a sample of their subtle, self-effacing personality. The restaurant is basically Edinburgh in a mini form."
"Located under North Bridge, between the Old and New Towns, the zigzagging rooftop of Waverley Station – Edinburgh’s main railway station – is another iconic feature of the city’s architecture. Its vast glass roof makes the interior light and open (provided the weather cooperates) making the first impression of Edinburgh a pleasant one."
"Inside Waverley Railway Station every Friday around 40 stalls come together to form this exciting market offering fresh hot food and ethical gifts from Scottish craftmakers"
"For a small fee, you can go up the Scott Monument and get a gorgeous view of the Old Town from the other side. However, it was sadly closed for renovations when I was there, so I didn’t get a chance to go up."
"Climb to the top of Scotts Monument. This is a monument to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott and is the largest monument to a writer in the world."
"Head to one of my favorite Edinburgh points of interest, the Real Mary King’s Close. Truly one of the most amazing and historically accurate tours I have ever been."