Churches and Cathedrals in Merchiston

"The modest Canongate Kirk was built in 1688 and completed three years later. It was founded for the residents of Canongate that had previously worshipped in the Abbey Church, until King James II converted the Church into a Chapel for the Order of the Thistle. Since the church is very bare, with practically no statues or paintings, the most eye-catching aspect of the temple is its blue benches on a maroon coloured carpet."

"If you’ve already seen St Giles’, you will notice that Canongate is designed in a very different style, much simpler and more austere, tipically Presbyterian."

"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."

"Roslin: Best known for being the home of Rosslyn Chapel, the church featured in Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ Roslin is a pretty village with plenty to see. Of course, there’s the ancient and ornate Chapel to visit, but there’s also castle ruins and a delightful tea room to enjoy a hot brew in."

"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."

"Located at the east end of Princes Street, you’ll find the newest edition to Edinburgh’s shopping centres – St James Quarter. From beauty to clothing, electronics to footwear, this 4-storey centre covers 1.7 million square feet and includes restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, public spaces and leisure venues. A Roomzzz aparthotel where guests can stay for one night, one week, or even up to a year, as well as Edinburgh’s first boutique Everyman cinema will open during future phases."

"If you need somewhere to get out of the rain, or perhaps your kids need some new shoes after running theirs ragged all over Edinburgh, Ocean Terminal Shopping Center is the place to go. In addition to have regular stores, it has plenty of restaurants so you can grab a family bite to eat, and you can treat the toddlers and younger kids to a stop at a specialty shop like Build – a – Bear while you’re there."

"At the heart of Edinburgh's flagship waterfront regeneration, Ocean Terminal is a state-of-the-art leisure and retail complex designed by Sir Terence Conran. It boasts 45,000 sq m of shopping and leisure accommodation on three floors and 1600 car parking spaces. The mix includes more than 50 stores, bars and restaurants, a gym and a 12-screen cinema, not to mention stunning views over the Firth of Forth."

"We are going to explore Leith today, so we’ll hop on the bus towards Ocean Terminal and get off near Roseleaf Bar and Cafe. The dish to order here is the Yin or full Scottish breakfast with sausage, black pudding, bacon, and haggis."

"The chicest gay bar in the city, The Street is not your average bar and nightclub. Having become a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s Pink Triangle, not only do they host quiz nights and DJ sessions in their downstairs nightclub space but they have a great selection of food- ‘Street Food’ and 'Mexican Street Food’ menus are not to be missed, and ideal to be washed down with a choice from an extensive cocktail list. The Street attracts a lively, trendy crowd throughout the night and is an ideal space to come with friends to enjoy a laidback vibe in the city."

"We happened across The Boozy Cow with some friends a few years ago, but I decided to rediscover it for this collab. From starting off this list with a vegetarian place, I now give you the extremely anti-vegan Boozy Cow, which is essentially set up to look like an abbatoir. While it’s not for the faint-hearted, it is a really cool bar set right off Princes Street (there’s also an entrance on Rose Street) so it’s about as central as you can get in the New Town of Edinburgh."

"A beautiful Georgian town house in Edinburgh’s New Town offers local residents and visitors a fine dining experience in relaxed and distinguished surroundings. This private members club with superb views across the Firth of Forth is part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. However, non-members are also offered a warm welcome and the opportunity to sample traditional cuisine including marinated scallops and sea bass, farm guinea fowl and tartare of Highland venison."

"Founded in 1983, the private club, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society opened some of its venue's doors to the public in 2016. Anyone can walk in for a drink in the bar or book a tasting or whisky pairing session, but if you join online beforehand there are savings. The society is based in a splendid Queen Street townhouse where the tasting rooms have retained their original circular or oval layout."

"You can also order in advance through the Starbucks app and collect your order at the door. Click the menu tab to the right for a guide on how to use the app."