Mentioned by The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog
21 Best Things to do in Edinburgh Scotland (That You Should Not Miss)
"Be Mystified at Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura Almost opposite the Scotch Whisky experience is Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura, also home to the World of Illusions attraction. Being a photographer I was particularly interested in the Camera Obscura at the top of the building, but I have to admit to finding the World of Illusions a lot of fun."
"Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is one of Edinburgh’s most popular and oldest tourist attractions. Located at the top of the Royal Mile, close to the castle, this museum of optical illusions is really fun and well done. It’s a great visit if you’re visiting Edinburgh with your family!"
"EdinburghMore fun than you can imagine - 5 floors of interactive hands-on fun!. Fantastic views of Edinburgh and 3 galleries full of amazing optical experiences."
"Start at the end Princes Street and climb the staircase up the hill for some of the best views over the city – from here you can see out to the castle and over to Arthur’s Seat. Home to the National Monument, designed to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens but never finished, it’s also where you’ll find the huge Nelson monument. At 1pm, the time ball here drops – designed to be seen by ships far our at sea, the castle’s One O’Clock gun was added as bad weather meant the ball couldn’t always be seen."
"0 km from city center 2 out of 11 places to visit in Edinburgh. Situated on the east end of the Princes Street, the Calton Hill in Edinburgh is included in the city's UNESCO world heritage site. The National Monument of Scotland is situated on the Calton Hill."
"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."
"The Princess Street Gardens sit at the feet of Edinburgh Castle in the valley between the old city and the new city. Nor Loch once occupied the space, but the city began draining it in the 1770s, finishing in 1820. Wide paved paths lead throughout the park for full accessibility, roaming across fields of wildflowers, through wooded areas, and over streams and the railroad that divides the east and west sections of the park."
"On your way there, take a slight detour and check out the beautiful Princes Street Gardens. Personally, I love the Mac and Cheese or the grilled Halloumi but they have other great items to choose from too. And don’t worry about missing dinner since the kitchen is open until 10:30 pm daily. Oh, and join their website mailing list if you want a discount!"
"Located between Princes Street and the Old Town, these gardens are a beautiful place to enjoy, and easily accessible from the city centre."
"It was established during the seventeenth century and was the main parish church in Edinburgh from 1648 until 1952. It was named “Tron Church” because the temple was located beside a weighing beam (tron in Scots), which was normally used in the town's marketplaces, one of which was on the Royal Mile. In 1824 a great fire destroyed the bell tower, but it was reconstructed so well that visitors will hardly notice that it was built two hundred years later."
"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’."
"Cramond Island: This pretty tidal island is located an hour or so from Edinburgh’s Waverly Bridge by bus. Purchase some picnic essentials, grab a book and hop on a bus on a sunny day to make the most of this short day trip from Edinburgh. Nearby, there are coastal paths to follow and history to uncover; the most important Roman statue ever found in Scotland, the Cramond Lioness was uncovered in the estuary near Cramond Island!"
"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."
"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."
"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."
"Henry's Cellar Bar is perhaps best associated with jazz and blues but is actually home to a much wider variety of musical styles. It is one of the capital's lower-cost venues and only has a small stage and fairly basic décor so it is less likely to host the big-name acts you would find at other venues. However, this fact is easily balanced by the intimate friendly atmosphere, the reasonable cost of drinks and the much more eclectic range of acts that perform here."
"Inside the doors of Eden Locke's austere Georgian exterior is a hip, pastel space that won't rest until you Instagram it—not surprising, given that NYC-based architecture firm Grzywinski+Pons is behind the design. The lobby is mint green, with intensely trendy details (brass and marble shelves, about a million potted plants, modern wicker chairs) that soften into a friendly, welcoming cafe-bar space populated by day with a young crowd clicking away at laptops. Think of it as your dream Airbnb, but run by pros."
"Uber-hip and perfectly presented, the 4-star exceptionally rated Eden Locke is a design-led aparthotel situated at the heart of George Street. Shoreditch style design can be found throughout the traditional Georgian building, with carefully placed whimsical touches that add interest and will make you smile. The bedrooms are studio apartments with padded leather headboards, retro telephones and oversized clocks, while bathrooms may be small but they do offer huge walk-in showers."
"Best for Budget breaks In a nutshell If you’re looking for a serene place to stay — but still want to be in the centre of Edinburgh — this beautifully decorated aparthotel could be just the spot. Light-filled rooms, pastel-coloured walls and dreamy modernist furniture create a calm and picture-worthy spot. Plus the studio apartments are excellent value for money."