Must See Sights and Landmarks in Windygates Area

"There’s nowhere quite like the World of Illusions and the range of illusions you’ll find over the five floors here – not to mention the fantastic views of Edinburgh from the rooftop. The 166-year-old Camera Obscura is still the highlight – I remember being wowed when I visited. There’s a 15-minute show with a guide telling tales of Edinburgh history, while showing off the whole city from the rooftop tower using the Victorian contraption, where images of what’s outside are displayed in the room."

"Edinburgh's Camera Obscura (meaning "dark room") is a fascinating and delightful way to take advantage of the wonderful views of the city from Castle Hill. Located immediately beside Edinburgh Castle, this intriguing attraction is housed in a Victorian rooftop chamber at the apex of the Outlook Tower. Inside this mysterious room, you can see moving images of Edinburgh's panorama projected onto the walls by the giant periscope."

"This is by far one of the most fun things to in Edinburgh, especially if you are visiting with kids. This attraction is made up of 2 different areas. The first the World of Illusions, which is several floors of magic displays, optical illusions and other fun things that everyone will enjoy."

"This hill at the east end of Princes Street provides the ideal perch for viewing Edinburgh's loveliest sights, including the Castle, New Town, Holyrood and Arthur's Seat. At 100 feet, you'll be surprised at how extensive the view is from the crest, and it's a great place for a picnic lunch. At the top of the hill, you'll find Nelson's monument, offering added lift for an increased perspective of the city."

"The hill overlooks the entire town, including Princess Street, which is the direction of the castle. Within that view is the Dugald Stewart monument, which makes for a wonderful shot. Calton Hill is particularly breathtaking at sunset."

"Walk in the footsteps of royalty and climb aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, which once ferried the Queen from port to port. This royal vessel, in service from 1954 until 1997, is berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith and is well worth a visit. These audio tours tell of celebrity visitors (Liz Taylor and Frank Sinatra among them) and share delightful anecdotes such as the glowing Rolls-Royce Phantom V onboard, which was used when her majesty disembarked."

"If you’re planning on visiting a number of the Royal sights in Edinburgh, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace and the Royal Yacht Britannia, then you should consider a Royal Edinburgh Ticket. As well as giving you access to those three attractions, it also gives you a two day hop on hop off bus ticket for Edinburgh. See our full review of the Royal Edinburgh ticket to see if it might save you money."

"Feel Royal on HMY Britannia The Royal Yacht Britannia was, for over forty years and a million miles of sailing, the floating residence of the Royal Family. She shuttled them to formal events, retreats and even honeymoons in luxurious style over many years of service, and was the only ship in the world to demand no less than an Admiral as her Captain."

"Calton Hill provides a panoramic view of the city, with Princes Street, the castle, and the Old Town silhouetted against Arthur's Seat. To the east and north you can see the Firth of Forth and the docks at Leith. At the foot of the hill stands the 13th-century Royal High School, where Sir Walter Scott was once a pupil."

"As early as 1816, the Highland Society of Scotland called for the construction of a national monument to commemorate the fallen in the Napoleonic wars. In January 1822, a proposal was put forward to ‘erect a facsimile of the Parthenon’."

"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."

"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."

"After your visit, consider a stroll through the Princes Street Gardens or climb the Scott Monument for another bird’s eye view of Edinburgh. Royal Yacht Britannia"

"Dantes is a family-run Italian restaurant in Colinton, south west of the city center, which has a very good reputation with locals, but is perhaps less well known by tourists being a bit off the beaten track. The warm wood paneling combined with open brickwork and fascinating photos of Italy lend this restaurant a classy but comfortable ambience. They serve delicious traditional Italian dishes and offer al fresco dining as well as catering for small groups in a private dining room."

"Bellfield Brewery is the UK’s first craft brewery dedicated to producing quality gluten-free beer. The gluten-free craft brewery in Edinburgh is located a short walk from Holyrood Palace with plans to fully launch its tap room in summer 2019. Located in the historic area of Edinburgh alongside the mainline train track, with a birds’ eye view of the London train, visitors to Bellfield Brewery are able to enjoy beer in the sunny yard or indoor taproom."

"One of the best breweries in the city also happens to house of the best beer gardens. Bellfield is sure to have you coming back for more, with its range of award-winning craft creations, alongside gins, whiskies and organic wines for those avoiding the hoppy stuff."

"The St Andrews Botanic Garden is an 18-acre botanical garden in the Canongate suburb to the south of the town. It contains more than 8000 species of native and exotic plants. These are laid out in zones of woodland, meadow, shrubbery, herbaceous bedding, a large rockery and a series of ponds."

"The St Andrews Botanic Garden has been described as a 'hidden gem' of Scotland . The Friends of St Andrews Botanic Garden have spend huge amounts of time and effort to make this garden a wonderful experience. See more on their website here."

"Branklyn Garden is Perth’s very own botanical paradise situated on Dundee Road. The beautiful hillside garden dates back to the 1920s and is the perfect peaceful retreat only a short walk from the city centre. Home to many native and rare plant species, the garden in full summer boom is quite the pretty picture."