Best Things to Do in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle is worth the ticket — go first thing to avoid the queues, and don't miss the Stone of Destiny and the One O'Clock Gun. Walk down the Royal Mile to Holyrood, dipping into The Real Mary King's Close for a genuinely different tour of the buried streets under the city.

Climb Arthur's Seat for the best free view in any UK capital — 45 minutes up from the Holyrood side, an hour if you take the ridge. On the return, cut across to Duddingston Village for a pint at the Sheep Heid Inn, allegedly Scotland's oldest surviving pub.

The National Museum of Scotland is free and one of the best museums in Britain — allow half a day. The Scottish National Gallery on the Mound reopened its Scottish wing in 2023 and is essential for Raeburn and McTaggart. For contemporary work, the two Modern galleries in Belford are a 20-minute walk through the Water of Leith.

For quieter alternatives, try the Surgeons' Hall Museum, the Georgian House on Charlotte Square or Lauriston Castle in the north of the city.

Edinburgh's food scene has stepped up significantly. Book The Little Chartroom, Timberyard or Aizle for a proper night out; Ondine and The Fishmarket for seafood. For casual, Bross Bagels, Ting Thai Caravan and Union Brew Lab do the job. Whisky bars worth the walk: The Bow Bar, Kay's Bar and Whiski Rooms.

South Queensferry (30 minutes by train) for the three bridges and a walk to Cramond. Portobello for the beach and independent cafés. North Berwick for a full day with the Scottish Seabird Centre and Tantallon Castle. Rosslyn Chapel for the Da Vinci Code fans and even better carving up close.