Interesting Things To Do In Edinburgh

An Overview of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a famed UNESCO Heritage Site (the first City of Literature) crammed into a relatively small space.  Famed for a truly ancient history, the city also has prominence as Scotland’s cultural and art center.  The majority of artworks, historical markers and iconic features of the city can be found in walking distance around Edinburgh’s New Town (just north of Edinburgh Castle) and Edinburgh’s Old Town (Directly to the south). There are many interesting things to do in Edinburgh.

Interesting Things To Do In Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle

Perhaps the most famous and iconic buildings in Edinburgh, the castle is one of the oldest fortified structures on the European plate.  It’s a somewhat steep climb to the top.  The castle is home to stunning overlooks of the cities, ancient fortifications, old orders of knights, various attatched museums and an impressive ceremonial cannon. Tickets must be booked online for £15.50.  (The traditional cannon is fired at one o’clock daily, with the exception of Sunday).

Mons Meg

These are the six ton cannons inside Edinburgh’s Castle. The massive weapons were a belated wedding gift to King James the II of Scotland.  

Arthur’s Seat

This is a large, grass-golden bluff that overlooks the entire city, Arthur’s Seat is the largest and most accessible hiking trail within Edinburgh’s city limits.  This is a relatively easy, windy upward hike over a long collapsed and dormant volcano.  The park is open to the public and entirely free to walk around and explore.  Foxes and ground nesting birds can be spotted in the grasses, especially in the early mornings. This area also includes Saint Anthony’s Chapel Ruins, St. Margaret’s Well and Crow Hill.

Old Town and Victoria Street

This is an extremely popular historic street in Edinburgh. Everyone visiting ends up walking through here at some point, but it’s a pretty area, filed with gorgeous structures and vistas.  The street is known for older architecture, lots of pubs and tourist shops.  I recommend the Witchery Restaurant for traditional cuisine, though there are numerous pubs and eateries that are also excellent.

Calton Hill

This is a splendid sunset viewing point for the city.  It’s easy to reach and free explore.  The hill also hosts the National Monument of Scotland, an incomplete façade which was originally intended to commemorate the Scottish soldiers who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.  There are other monuments atop the hills as well, including the Nelson Monument, the Dugald Stewart Monument, the The Portuguese Cannon (Calton Hill Cannon) and the Monument to Scottish Parliament.

Scott Monument

A large, extremely narrow piece of architecture easily found in the center of Edinburgh. The spirelike Victorian memorial honors the influential writer Sir Walter Scott.  It can be climbed, but the stairwell is extremely narrow.  

Princes Street

Slightly north of Edinburgh Castle, this is a major foot-traffic street that hosts much of Edinburgh’s New Town and upscale restaurants. It serves as Edinburgh’s primary retail strip and has pretty gardens, parklands and trees on the southern fringe. Princes Street is the most accessible foot traffic areas for other attractions in Edinburgh.

Crammond Ghost Island

Originally serving as a WWII anti-invasion buffer zone, this is a really beautiful island that can only be accessed at low tide. A cement trail goes across the tide lines and into the mountain. There are ruins hidden in the center of the island, numerous cement bunkers covered in old graffiti and large curves along a rocky, impressive coastline.

St. Giles Cathedral 

A popular tourist attraction, this location hosts Scotland’s famed Order of the Thistle (national flower of Scotland).  The Gothic-medieval building is a stunning building and remains prominent in Edinburgh’s old town. There are often street performers practicing out front or in the nearby street.

Holyrood Abbey Ruins

These ruins area a fulcrum for Scottish history and a major battle landmark during England colonization. The abbey is named for a legendary miracle when King David was saved from death in an episode involving a charging deer and the appearance of a glowing crucifix (Rood is an Old English word for “cross”).  The ruins should not be confused with Holyroodhouse Palace, which is also nearby.  

The Witches Well

A grim landmark at the base of Edinburgh Castle, this small fountain marks the location where hundreds of witches were burned without trial. It remains a grim reminder of Scottish mystical and tumultuous history.

Scottish National Gallery

A modern art museum showcasing Scottish Culture.  The national gallery is full of paintings housed in a neoclassical style. Admission into the venue is free.

Old Calton Cemetery

This is a large, well-preserved cemetery famous for macabre carvings, such as elegantly carved skills and death angels.  The cemetery has the only American Civil War Monument outside the United States: A depiction of US President Abraham Lincoln standing beside a freed slave.

The Heart of Midlothian

This is a small feature of the city, easily passed by. The heart is a pattern embedded in the bricks of central Edinburgh.  Spitting on the heart is considered good luck in modern times, but in the past, it was done to show deep contempt for the prison which stood nearby.

Dean Village

A beautiful, ornate and well-cared for village just outside of central Edinburgh.  This village is historically a mill village and the bakeries here are some of the most renowned in Scotland.  The water from the nearby creek is believed to have healing properties.

The National Museum of Scotland

Aside from other animal and cultural displays, the National Museum also hosts the taxidermy body of Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. The Museum also hosts the Crammond Lioness, a Roman statue discovered by a mudlarking ferryman.  It, along with the faded carving at Eagle Rock, creates a compelling argument that Roman camps and influence extended all the way into Scotland a millennia ago.  Also within the Museum is the famed Millennium Clock Tower, a wildly complex commentary on human nature, crammed with music, gears and kinetic sculptures (including small figures of Stalin and Hitler).  

Private Wojtek Statue

This famous bear is popularly known as the Soldier Bear of the Polish Military. Private Wojtek’s statue stands in the center of Edinburgh. Wojtek was a bear cub adopted by a Polish military unit consisting of ex-gulag prisoners.  The bear was thoroughly imprinted on his military unit and ended up serving by carrying ammunition crates during conflicts in WWII.   The Polish military men were stationed in Scotland after WWII, and refused to return to their homeland when the Iron Curtain fell.  Wojtek lived in the Edinburgh Zoo for the remainder of his life, with the 22nd Company brother-in-arms visiting him regularly.  

The Elephant Café

A nice café decorated with elephant toys and statues.  The location is famous as the place where JK Rowling wrote the majority of the Harry Potter books.  While the café still technically exists, it was heavily damaged in a fire.

Café Royal

An exceptionally beautiful bar, this building is gorgeously decorated with chandeliers, gold trimming and classic tables.  Most famous of all are the homages to famed inventors including William Caxton, George Stephenson, Benjamin Franklin, James Watt, Robert Peel and Michael Faraday.  The seafood dishes and upscale drinks are especially popular here.

6 Times

Located near Water of Leith, this is a series of haunting statues striding towards the ocean.  The statues are almost entirely cast iron and are now completely caked with flaking rust.  They can be viewed by carefully looking over various bridges following the river.

Coade Stone Columns

Located at 68 Promenade Edinburgh, Scotland, EH15 2DX United Kingdom these are odd, pristine stone pillars freestanding near the shoreline. The odd structures are a landmark found while walking along the coast.  They’re particularly impressive in the morning, as the stones face East towards the rising sun.

The Poetrees – Edinburgh Book Sculptures

These tiny sculptures were created by an unknown artist, who left them throughout Edinburgh. The series of mysterious tree sculptures were created from the pages of open books.  The artist is completely anonymous, though it is speculated a woman created the artwork.  The trees appeared randomly throughout the city for years and are now on display at the Scottish Poetry Library. Visiting the mysterious sculptures while reading local Scottish poems makes this one of the most interesting things to do in Edinburgh.

Innocent Railway Path

An odd feature of Edinburgh, this was the city’s first underground railroad.  Located near the foot of Aurthur’s Seat, the path is now a walker and jogger trail.  

Museum Context

This is a walk-through Harry Potter Themed Gift Shop on Victoria Street, which was supposedly an inspiration for Diagon Alley.  Visitors can also visit the nearby “The Great Wizard” shop, which has more Harry Potter attractions.

The Knights Vault

The Knights Vault is a sword-and-weapon shop with a surprising variety of blades from popular fiction. The Legend of Zelda, The Witcher, The Blade of Godric Gryffindor and Sting can all be found on the walls. The shop also sells various trinkets and other fantasy-esque items.

Greyfriars Kirkyard

Aside from being a famous graveyard, this also has Harry Potter ties.  Read the old tombstones and find names like Thomas Riddell, William McGonagall and others. The most famous celebrity in the graveyard, however, is Bobby. Bobby was an extremely loyal canine who continued to visit his master’s grave long after his death. When Bobby passed away, a granite fountain with a statue of the dog was installed in honor of his loyalty.

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