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A single journey (not stopping at the airport) costs £1.50. Day tickets cost £3.50 and can also be used (or purchased) on Lothian Buses. A single to or from the airport costs £5.00. Holders of the Scottish National Entitlement Card (free travel for locals over 60) can only travel free on the tram if their card was issued by Edinburgh Council.
A single journey (not stopping at the airport) costs £1.50. Day tickets cost £3.50 and can also be used (or purchased) on Lothian Buses. A single to or from the airport costs £5.00. Holders of the Scottish National Entitlement Card (free travel for locals over 60) can only travel free on the tram if their card was issued by Edinburgh Council.

The [http://www.plusbus.info/ PLUSBUS] rail ticket add-on allows you to travel on the tram, however the airport stop is excluded.


===By taxi===
===By taxi===

Revision as of 18:54, 4 January 2015

Edinburgh (Gaelic: Dùn Èideann) is the capital of Scotland located in the Central Belt region of the country. With a population of approximately 450,000 (1 million in the city region), "Auld Reekie" (Edinburgh) manages to combine both ancient and modern in a uniquely Scottish atmosphere. Watched over by the imposing Edinburgh castle, the symbol of the city, Edinburgh combines medieval relics, Georgian grandeur and a powerful layer of modern life with contemporary avant-garde. In Edinburgh, medieval palaces, evident throughout the New Town which is painted with Gothic churches and fascinating historical buildings, rub shoulders with the best of modern architecture, such as the Houses of Scottish Parliament, found in Hollyrood, and the recently renovated National Museum of Scotland. Scotland's throbbing night-life centre, Edinburgh, "the Athens of the North", is also a feast for the mind and the senses, playing host to great restaurants, shops, friendly pubs, wild and mild clubs, and an unrivalled programme of city festivals throughout the year. Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, kicks off the festivities, which culminate in the high summer with the Tattoo, the International and the famous 'Fringe' festival, among many others.

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1995. In 2004, Edinburgh became the first member of the UNESCO Creative Cities initiative when it was designated a City of Literature.

In a 2009 poll by YouGov, Edinburgh was voted the most desirable city to live in the UK.

Districts

Edinburgh's districts
  Old Town
Edinburgh's medieval heart along the Royal Mile, which runs from the Castle to Holyrood Palace. Most of the really famous sites are in this area.
  New Town
The other half of the city centre is the Georgian (late 18th century) New Town. The commercial heart of the city, this is what shopaholics make a beeline for, as well as artists and photographers who want to get their share of some of the smartest and most beautiful buildings in the country. The New Town stretches to the border of Stockbridge, and can be easily recognised with it's scene setting street lighting. The New Town sits within some of Edinburgh's most splendid greenery, including the vast Dean Gardens.
  Stockbridge and Canonmills
Exclusive neighbourhood to the north of the New Town, some interesting independent shopping plus the most relaxing spot in the city - the Royal Botanic Garden.
  Leith
Edinburgh's independent-minded port area is a destination in its own right.
  East
The beach district of Portobello and the historic village of Duddingston both lie in the east of the city.
  South
A popular part of town for students, so there are plenty of interesting places to eat and drink. Further out is Edinburgh's Outdoor Playground of the Pentland Hills, and the intriguing Roslin Chapel.
  West
Edinburgh's excellent zoo is here, plus the temple of sport that is Murrayfield rugby stadium.

Understand

Edinburgh's Old Town with Arthur's Seat and the Firth of Forth in the background.

Edinburgh is on the east coast of Scotland's central Lowlands, situated on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. Edinburgh's landscape is the product of ancient volcanism (both the Castle crag and Arthur's Seat are the eroded plugs of volcanoes) and more recent glaciation (carving out valleys south of the castle and the old Nor'Loch, presently the site of the Princes Street Gardens). Impress the locals by knowing that Princes Street is the correct spelling (dedicated plurally and not possessively for King George III's sons - hence the absence of an apostrophe). Don't make the mistake of pronouncing it Princess Street - though many of the locals won't know the difference! And watch out for these two commonly mis-pronounced streets as well: Cockburn (coe-burn) and Buccleuch (buh-clue) are nearly always gotten wrong, to the amusement of the locals.

Orientation

Edinburgh's historic centre is bisected by Princes Street Gardens, a broad swathe of parkland in the heart of the city. Southwards of the gardens is the castle, perched on top of an extinct volcanic crag, and flanked by the medieval streets of the Old Town following the Royal Mile along the ridge to the east. To the north of Princes Street Gardens lies Princes Street itself - Edinburgh's main shopping boulevard - and the Georgian period New Town, built after 1766 on a regular grid plan.

History

Edinburgh has been the royal capital of Scotland since 1437.

Profile

Edinburgh is noted as a long-lived literary capital of the English-speaking world.

The great Scottish historical novelist Sir Walter Scott was born in the city and has his great monument on Princes Street. Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were also natives of Edinburgh.

More recently, Edinburgh has variously been the home and inspiration for such well-known modern writers as Muriel Spark (author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), Irvine Welsh (author of the 1993 novel Trainspotting, set in the gritty district of Leith), Ian Rankin (a crime writer best known for the Inspector Rebus series, set in Edinburgh), Alexander McCall Smith (The No. 1 Lady Detective's Agency and several novels set in the Scottish capital) and J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame.

Climate

Edinburgh
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
See the 5 day forecast for Edinburgh at the Met Office
Imperial conversion
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Edinburgh's climate is most comfortable for the traveler from May to September. That said, the weather in Edinburgh is always changeable and visitors should expect both sunshine and rain, whatever the season. Edinburgh tends to get windy while it rains as well, so be sure to pack either a raincoat or a sturdy umbrella! Many a tourist has abandoned an inverted umbrella due to the persistent, whipping winds. Summer, the main festival season, combines long daylight hours with lengthy evenings (being so far north, it rarely gets dark before 10 or 11 at night!). Winter can feel bitterly cold, with short daylight hours, however snow is rare and of a short duration, and most of Edinburgh's winter precipitation comes in the form of a chilly rain and sleet. Edinburgh has an abundance of indoor attractions and activities that make the cold winter days fly by. In other words, bring a coat big lad, will ya? Do not worry about being cold in winter, because like many modern countries all buildings including the old ones are warm, dry and insulated.

When to go

Travellers should note that Edinburgh becomes overwhelmingly crowded (accommodation-wise) during the main festival periods of high summer (August to early September) and Hogmanay (around New Year's Day / 1 January). Visitors at these times should plan well ahead for booking central accommodation and event tickets at these times.

Get in

By plane

Edinburgh International Airport (EDI  IATA), the busiest airport in Scotland, is situated some 10 miles west of the city. The airport offers a wide range of domestic and international flights to Europe and North America. Many visitors to the city arrive via a connecting flight from London. Edinburgh Airport does, however, have a direct flight to and from Newark (UNITED, Twice daily May–October, Daily November–May), a 25 minute train ride or drive from New York City. In comparison to most Scottish airports, Edinburgh's European flight network is well developed, with frequent scheduled flights to destinations such as Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Helsinki, Istanbul, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm and Zürich. For a full list of destinations served to/from Edinburgh Airport see [1].

A dedicated 24/7 airport bus service, Airlink (Service 100), runs from outside the terminal building (stance 19) to Edinburgh city centre (Waverley Bridge, opposite entrance to train station) at least every 10 minutes between 04:30 and 00:35. From the city center for the Airport it runs every 10 mins from 4:00 and 24:00. At night, the Airlink bus runs every 30 min between 01:00 and 04:00 to the city center and between 00:30 and 03:30 to the Airport. Adult fares are £4 for a single, £7 for an open return (children £2/£3 respectively) and can be paid in cash at the driver. The journey takes about 30 mins. The buses offer free wi-fi connection, sockets for charging electrical equipment, CCTV allowing top-deck passengers to monitor their luggage, and electronic "next-stop" information. The Airlink buses have a dedicated blue livery which makes them easy to distinguish from the rest of the Lothian fleet.

At night there is an additional service, the Lothian night bus N22, (stance 19), which goes to the city center on a slightly different route than the Airlink. You need to buy a NIGHTticket at £3 (no concessions, exact change required), which is also valid until 04:30 on all the other night busses. If you have a valid Airlink ticket you can also use it on this night bus if you are travelling between the Airport and the city center (Princes Street/Waverly Station).

A cheaper alternative is the ordinary Lothian Buses Service 35, which runs from the bus stance 21 outside the arrivals building via the Royal Mile/High Street (City center) to the Ocean Terminal (Leith). Although much slower (at least 1h or more depending on traffic) and with less provision for baggage than the 100, it is far cheaper at £1.50 a single and also allows the use of day tickets (£3.50) and other options that work on all Lothian Buses services (see Get around), a great option for getting straight to the city if travelling lightly or on a budget. You need to pay the driver the exact fare, since they cannot give you any change. Only coins are accepted (no bills).

The new Edinburgh Tram links the airport with the city centre, passing Edinburgh Park railway station. A single ticket costs £5 (valid for all stops including the Airport and you have to board the tram within 30 min after the purchase) and a return ticket £8 (the return journey can be on any day). Prices for children are £2.50 and £4, respectively. If you plan to do some additional trips on the same day, you can also buy a day ticket for £9 which gives you unlimited travel between all tram stops and the Lothian Buses (day services) for one day. Get off at Princes Street or St Andrew Square for the city center and to connect to the main train station (Waverley Station). The journey takes about 40 min to the city center. The service to the city center starts at 06:15 until 22:45 every 8-10 min Mon-Sat and every 12-15 min on Sundays. The service to the airport starts at 05:29 until 23:08 every 8-10 min Mon-Sat and from 05:29 until 22:58 every 12-15min on Sundays.

If you want to go directly to Glasgow from Edinburgh Airport, you can take the Citylink Air at stance 6, which takes 1 hour and costs £11 single and £18 return. In runs every day.

To connect to Fife from Edinburgh Airport, there is a Stagecoach bus service Jet 747 which leaves at stance 22. From Mon-Sat it runs every 30 min and from Sat-Sun every 60 min. The journey takes 25 minutes. Tickets cost £5.20 single and £7.20 day return.

By train

Old Booking Hall in Waverley Station
Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in the United Kingdom

The main railway station in Edinburgh is called 1 Waverley Station (EDB) [2] and is an attraction in itself. First opened in 1846, Waverley Station was rebuilt 1892-1902. It lies between the Old and New Towns, adjacent to Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Princes Street Gardens, where it serves over 14 million people per annum. Despite various refurbishments, the past still survives in the station's elaborate, domed ceiling where wreathed cherubs leap amid a wealth of scrolled ironwork.

Waverley Station is a major hub for the Scottish rail network, operated by First Scotrail. There is an hourly service to Dundee and Aberdeen, and two hourly to Inverness. Shuttle trains to Glasgow (Queen Street) run every 15 minutes throughout the day, dropping to 30 minutes on evenings and Sundays, and the journey takes 45–50 minutes. There are also services which operate via Bathgate and Airdrie to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level at a 15 minute interval. Stopping patterns differ on this route, meaning that every half hour, the service takes approx. 1 hour whereas every other half hour services take around 1 hour 15 minutes to complete the journey. Some services run to Glasgow Central instead, but run via Lanarkshire with many more stops. Certain CrossCountry trains originating from Birmingham and the south west also continue to Glasgow Central - again your ticket will be valid on these services but the journey will take slightly longer than the shuttle. Consider the GroupSave Day Ticket for a daytrip to Glasgow which you can (only) buy at the counter for a 30% discount on regular return tickets valid on weekends and on off-peak trains Monday to Friday for groups from 3 people.

The vast majority of train services to Edinburgh from London (and most of eastern England) are operated by East Coast (which replaced National Express on 14 November 2009); an hourly service leaves from London Kings Cross station throughout the day until 6PM. Journey time is between 4hrs 20min and 5 hours. The cheapest tickets (£16 to £90) are advance single (one-way) fares for a fixed train time bought 2–12 weeks in advance, and the flexible Saver Ticket (roughly £100 single or return) is not valid at some times to/from London. Virgin Trains operate a 2 hourly service from Birmingham (New Street) via the West Coast Mainline with an average journey time of 4hrs 4 mins.

For a different travel experience from London, try the Caledonian Sleeper service, which runs every night from London's Euston Station except Saturdays, and the journey takes approximately 8 hours. Bear in mind that if you are travelling alone you may have to share the sleeping compartment with a stranger of the same sex. Tickets can be booked in the usual manner at any main line railway station in Britain, and the cost of a return journey to Edinburgh from London varies from around £100 for two one-way "Advance" tickets rising to the full open return fare of £165. You can also travel for around £23 one-way in a seated carriage or £95 return (full fare). BritRail passes can be used to reserve tickets on the sleeper trains.

However, heavily discounted one-way tickets on the Caledonian Sleeper known as "Bargain Berths" are available for £19, £29, £39 or £49 depending on how early you book, but, confusingly, these cannot be bought from a railway station in the normal way but only from the First ScotRail website, and you will be emailed an e-ticket (similar to an airline), which you must print out and show to the conductor at the platform before getting on the train.

Trains to other English cities are operated by Arriva Cross Country (services via York, Birmingham and central England to the south coast and West Country) and Trans-Pennine Express (services to Manchester via Carlisle) from Waverley.

The "charged by the piece" left luggage service at Waverley railway station is much more expensive (£7 per item for 0–24 hours!) than the lockers a few blocks away at the Edinburgh bus station on St Andrew Square.

There is a second railway station in the centre of Edinburgh, 2 Haymarket (HYM), around a mile to the west of Waverley. If you are arriving from the north, west or southwest, Haymarket is a better station to exit at if you are heading straight for the airport, zoo, or modern art gallery or if your accommodation is on the west side of town as you will avoid the city centre traffic, and it is on the major westbound bus routes. The Edinburgh tram also has a stop right in front of the Haymarket railway station.

Both Waverley and Haymarket stations have ticket barriers so you will need to purchase a ticket in order to enter or leave the platform area. If you get on a train at an unmanned station, you can purchase a ticket from the conductor on the train or a ticket inspector near the barrier gates: note that there is usually a long queue during the peak rush hour period. The barrier gates will retain single journey tickets at the end of your journey so be sure to get a receipt if you need one. If you have the larger kind of ticket that does not fit in the barrier, you will need to go to the gate manned by a member of staff who will check your ticket and let you through. If you do not have a ticket, you will need to go to the ticket office behind the barrier (platform 14 at Waverley) to buy one.

Another railway station, 3 Edinburgh Park (EDP), is some way from the city centre, serves business parks and "The Gyle" shopping centre. As of December 2010, direct trains to and from Glasgow Queen Street Low Level began to serve Edinburgh Park, on the Airdrie-Bathgate route (or A2B) operating on a 15 minute interval. There services will take around an hour to get to Glasgow from Edinburgh Park. You can also reach this station with the Edinburgh tram, which stops right beside the station.

By road

By road, Edinburgh can be reached most immediately by the M8 motorway (from Glasgow and the west), M9 (from Stirling and the north-west), A90/M90 (from Perth, Dundee and northern Scotland), the A1 (from Newcastle upon Tyne and north-east England) and A702/M74 (from Carlisle and north-western England).

From London the fastest route to Edinburgh is the M1 motorway, followed by the A1(M) and the A1 - a journey of 640 km (398 mi) and approximately 8-9 hrs driving time.

Edinburgh is not a particularly car friendly city (the worst city to drive in outside of London in the UK) with the myriad of one-way streets and the Old Town's medieval layout, and the dedication of parking wardens to ticketing anything that is not moving is legendary. Finding parking can be difficult, though there are several multi-storey car parks in the city centre (Castle Terrace for the West End, try St James Centre or Greenside at the East End). If visiting for the day, it is often cheaper and quicker to use the new Park and Ride systems now in place on all approaches to the City, (National Park and Ride Directory is available online [3]), so it's even easy to just abandon your car on the outskirts. For visitors arriving from the M8, follow directions for Edinburgh Airport to reach Ingliston Park and Ride; this facility is half a mile from the airport terminal.

By bus

The city is served by the major inter-city bus companies from around Scotland and England. Most long distance services start and end at the 4 Edinburgh Bus Station at St Andrew Square. There are two entrances one at North St Andrew Street (to the left of the Louis Vuitton shop) and the other one at Elder Street. The Edinburgh tram has a stop called St Andrew Square a couple of meters away from the first entrance. The main railway station, Waverley Station, is within walking distance (about 400m, 5-10min). Services to major cities and towns in Scotland are provided by Citylink amongst others, whilst longer distance coaches to other parts of the UK are mainly provided by National Express and Megabus. The opening time of the station are Mon-Thu,Sun 04:30-00:00 and Fri-Sat 04:30-00:30.

The left luggage lockers at the Bus station are much cheaper than the "charged by the piece" left luggage service at Waverley Railway Station.

By boat

  • A ferry & bus service from Belfast to Edinburgh can be booked through Citylink, takes about 7.5 hours and costs around £30.
  • Passenger cruise liners are a common sight in summer at Leith Docks, where a new terminal has been built next to the Ocean Terminal shopping/leisure complex.

Get around

Map
55°56′55″N 3°11′24″W
Map of Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a compact city - most of the sights and major tourist attractions are within the Old Town (mainly around castle and Royal Mile) and New Town and are no further than a 15 minute walk apart. Walking along elegant or atmospheric streets is one of the pleasures of the city. There are however, a number of hills to be navigated; for example from Princes Street, up The Mound towards Edinburgh Castle requires some significant legwork, but it's worth it for the views en route.

The city's public transport system is heavily reliant on buses, which have to navigate the city's sometimes bustling traffic. Despite this they run late into the night, with a vast number of routes offering frequent and cheap transport around the city. Equally, the suburban railway network is very sparse compared to that of Glasgow, although there have been some slow and steady improvements over the years. On 31 May 2014 trams began services between the city centre and the airport.

By bus

A Lothian Bus

Edinburgh has two main bus companies, Lothian Buses, which is majority-owned by Edinburgh City Council, and First, a private operator. These two companies share the same bus stops, but the route numbers and tickets are not interchangeable and they operate different fare structures.

Lothian Buses is the largest operator in the city and its distinctive burgundy and cream coloured buses have become as much a symbol of Edinburgh as its buildings. Many routes have different coloured buses, which can help to identify at a glance which bus is approaching. Route Map City Centre Map Night Bus Map

Tickets for travel can be purchased on the bus and the exact fare (coins only) is required as no change can be given. A wide range of tickets can also be purchased at Lothian Buses travel shops (Waverley Bridge, Hanover Street or Dalkeith town centre) and online including, booklets of 20 ticket and scratch card day tickets. Single tickets for Lothian Buses are £1.50 (70p for under 16s) and are valid for one journey only, irrespective of distance. If you have to change bus, you must buy another ticket.

More conveniently, Lothian Buses offer an all-day ticket (DAYticket) for £3.50 (children £2) that covers all transport (except sightseeing, airport express and night services). Families with 2 adults and up to 3 children can purchase the Family DAYticket for £7.50. The all-day tickets are a great way to see the city without the expense of the tour buses, as you can get on all Lothian buses and Trams (except the airport stop) for the whole day. You can buy these from any bus driver, ticket machines at any Tram stop, from Lothian Buses offices or from Lothian Buses online store.

If you start travelling after 18:00 you can consider the DAY&NIGHTticket for £3.50 (no concessions) which allows you to travel on any day service and the night service until 04:30 the next day. From midnight till 04:30 you can buy a NIGHTticket which costs £3 (no concessions) and is valid on any night bus for the entire period even if you have to change the bus.

Lothian Buses are in the process of rolling out their BusTracker service. This provides "real time" bus service information. Electronic signs are being installed along major routes, showing the wait time for the next bus on each service at that stop. Online, it's possible to view the information for every bus stop in the city, not just those stops with electronic signs. Every stop has a unique eight-figure code, which are listed on the website and also displayed at the stop. You can access Bus Tracker via a mobile phone at mobile.mybustracker.co.uk. A free apps named "Edinbus" for iPhone and "My Bus Edinburgh" for Android provide similar information with route maps and a stop locator.

First buses mostly service farther-flung areas to the east and west of the city. Route Maps

Edinburgh Coach Lines operate service 13, a bus of use to many visitors as it is the only route serving the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery. Single tickets are in line with Lothian fares at £1.50 for adults and 70p for children (under 16). Lothian Buses season tickets and day tickets are not valid on service 13.

Lothian buses that operate sightseeing buses in several different brandings. All have a policy that a sightseeing ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can get around central Edinburgh quite handily using the sightseeing buses. Each sightseeing bus follows a different route around the city, but they all start and finish at Waverley Bridge, adjacent to Waverley Station on Princes Street.

By train

A small number of suburban rail routes run from Waverley station, most of the stations lying in the south west and south east suburbs of the city, and are useful for reaching the outer suburbs and towns of Balerno, Currie, Wester Hailes, Wallyford, Prestonpans, Musselburgh, South Queensferry, Newcraighall and a useful link to Edinburgh Park which is adjacent to the Gyle shopping complex. Services to North Berwick, Bathgate, Fife or Glasgow Central will make stops at these various stations. Note that standard National Rail fares apply to these trains - there are no credible daily season ticket options available. Check at the station before you board!

The "charged by the piece" left luggage service at Waverly train station is far more expensive than the storage lockers a few blocks away at the Bus station on St Andrew Square.

By car

Central Edinburgh is a nightmare to drive in, particularly the Old Town with its tangle of medieval streets with their associated one way systems. The New Town fares slightly better, but the scourge "Blue Meanies" who mercilessly swoop on vehicles which may have only been illegally parked for a matter of minutes. Edinburgh operates a "controlled parking zone" - on-street parking is illegal within a large central area (see map [4]) without a residents parking permit. Parking fines are £40 and vehicles parked in an obstructive manner are liable to be towed away with a £150 release fee to be paid for its retrieval. Even the suburbs (especially Morningside, The Grange, The Meadows) have little parking available (and on-street parking is illegal within the controlled parking zone). Take a bus and/or walk. Leith seems to fare a bit better for parking, but there's no guarantee. Park and Ride facilities provide access to the city centre [5]. Driver should beware of trams being tested on the new tracks.

By foot

Edinburgh is a beautiful city that's full of history. There is no better way to see it than to walk, though it should be noted that this is not for the faint hearted as they city consists of many steep hills.

  • Edinburgh walking directions [6] can be planned online with the walkit.com walking route planner.

By tram

Tram route map
Trams on Princes Street

A single tram line has recently been built which links St Andrew Square in the centre of Edinburgh to Edinburgh Airport on the west, passing through the New Town along Princes Street. Between Haymarket station and the airport the tram runs on an off road track, but runs on the road between Haymarket and St Andrew Square. This was due to be finished by 2012, but disputes with the main construction contractor and delays in construction mean that the first passenger carrying trams ran 31 May 2014, with the project massively overbudget as a result. The combination of these things means the tram project has received almost universal scorn from locals. However, as it links the airport, rugby stadium, both main train stations and Princes Street it may be helpful for some visitors to the city. However buses are likely to remain the main and most practical method of public transport in Edinburgh for the foreseeable future.

A single journey (not stopping at the airport) costs £1.50. Day tickets cost £3.50 and can also be used (or purchased) on Lothian Buses. A single to or from the airport costs £5.00. Holders of the Scottish National Entitlement Card (free travel for locals over 60) can only travel free on the tram if their card was issued by Edinburgh Council.

The PLUSBUS rail ticket add-on allows you to travel on the tram, however the airport stop is excluded.

By taxi

Like most major British cities, Edinburgh offers a choice between Black Cabs, carrying up to 5 passengers, which can be hailed on the street, and minicabs, which must be pre-booked. Black cabs display an orange light above the windscreen to indicate that they are available to hire. It's usually quite easy to find a cab in and around the city centre, and on the main radial routes running out of the centre. There are also Taxi Ranks dotted around the city, where black cabs will line up to be hired. Taxi Rank locations include:

  • Outside the main entrances of Haymarket and Waverley train stations.
  • Opposite the Caledonian Hotel and Sheraton Hotel (both near the West End), The George Hotel (east end of George Street) and the Crowne Plaza Hotel (High Street, Royal Mile).
  • St Patrick's Square, off South Bridge
  • Leith Bridge, close to The Shore and Commercial Quay, in Leith

The main taxi firms operating within the city are:

  • Central Radio Taxis (Black Cabs) - +44 131 229-2468
  • City Cabs (Black Cabs) - +44 131 228-1211
  • Edinburgh Taxi (minicabs) - +44 131 610-1234 (saloon cars, MPV's with 8 seats and chauffeur driven vehicles)
  • Festival Cars (minicabs - mostly saloon cars but also have people carriers with up to 8 seats. Let them know the number in your party when you book) - +44 131 552-1777

By bike

The Edinburgh Innertube map gives a good overview of off-street cycle paths in and around the city center. Many paths are along canals or rivers, through parks and on former railway lines.

You can rent bikes from the following places:

See

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles
Entrance to Edinburgh Castle
Palace of Holyroodhouse

The major tourist sites in Old Town include Edinburgh Castle at the West end of Royal Mile, a long straight street with lots of (tourist) shops, and the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the East end close to Arthur's Seat. While walking along the Royal Mile, you can wander off into one of the many closes, which are narrow passages between houses that connect the higher and lower levels of Edinburgh Old Town.

From Calton Hill in New Town you have a great view over the city. You can spend some time walking along Princes Street, the major shopping street, stopping by the Scott Monument or at the free National Gallery of Scotland in the Princes Street Gardens.

For the budget-conscious and/or avid sightseer, the Edinburgh Pass is well worth bearing in mind, offering a maximum of £155 worth of entry to 27 of Edinburgh's top attractions, a 90-page guidebook, retail and restaurant offers and discounts. All this, as well as free public transport around the city and airport transfers. A one-day pass costs £30, two days £40, three days £50 (2013 prices). Can be purchased online or at Tourist Information Centres.

If you are staying in Scotland a little while, it might be worth getting a Historic Scotland Membership. Passes last for a year, and cost about £40 for adults and £30 for concessions (including full-time students). They provide unlimited access to about 70 paying sites in Scotland, including Edinburgh's Castle and Craigmillar Castle. You also get a lot of discounts for their shops, a quarterly magazine, and 50% off all English, Welsh and Manx historical sites.

Edinburgh Doors Open Day is an annual event, co-ordinated by the Cockburn Association, where many important and/or historic buildings across the city open up their doors to the public at no charge. Many of the buildings are not normally accessible so this can present a unique opportunity to see some of the city's lesser-known architectural marvels. It usually takes place on the last weekend in September. Brochures with details of the participating sites, opening times, access details etc., can be picked up from city libraries in the run up to the day, or downloaded from the website.

Museums and galleries

If you want to spend some time indoors, there are many museums and galleries which are generally free, except for special exhibitions. Most museums are in the Old Town including the large National Museum of Scotland, the Museum of Childhood and the People's Story Museum.

The national art galleries are the National Gallery of Scotland and The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the New Town, and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in West Edinburgh. Also of note are the City Art Centre, the Fruitmarket Gallery and Stills in the Old Town.

There are a number of independent galleries in the St Stephen Street Stockbridge and Dundas Street area of New Town.

Do

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles

Performing Arts

  • Edinburgh has an excellent theatre and concert life. Europe's largest theatre, the 3000-seat Edinburgh Playhouse (top of Leith Walk, New Town) hosts major West End shows. The Festival Theatre (Old Town) frequently hosts opera and ballet, and the Usher Hall (Lothian Road) has weekly orchestral concerts all year round with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Queen's Hall (South Clerk Street, (Old Town) is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. For a cheaper option, the excellent Bedlam Theatre (Bristo Place, Old Town) regularly puts on good student theatre and is the home to Scotland's oldest improvised comedy troupe, The Improverts.
  • Experience traditional Folk Music at one of the pubs in the Old Town or Leith which host regular sessions.

Outdoor Activities

  • Walk along the Water of Leith, a small river that meanders through Edinburgh, providing a peaceful haven from the busy city. Check out the Leith or Stockbridge and Canonmills sections of the route.
  • Climbing Arthur's Seat, the extinct volcano, is a popular activity as well and rewards you with great views over the city (Old Town).
  • If you have more time, then you should go hiking in the Pentland Hills for a (half) day trip (South).

Festival Season

The Hub on the Royal Mile, the former Tollbooth Kirk is the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival

Edinburgh in the summer becomes "festival city" when a huge number of major national and international arts festivals are hosted by the city. Most of these occur virtually simultaneously in August. These cater for a wide variety of interests and include:

  • Edinburgh International Festival. The original that spawned all the rest. Founded in 1947 and still seen as more "high-brow" than any of its offspring. Surprisingly, tickets are often priced more reasonably than for many Fringe shows. The final concert at the end of the festival takes place in the Princes Gardens and features an extensive firework show coordinated with the music. Get tickets early in advance if you want a seat. But it's also great to watch the fireworks and listen to the music for free on Princes Street. 
  • Edinburgh Military Tattoo. One of the iconic images of Edinburgh for millions worldwide is the yearly Tattoo, kilted pipers skirling below the battlements of Edinburgh Castle. Although tickets sell out well in advance, persevering individuals are likely to find one or two tickets still for sale due to cancellations. Just be prepared to ask, ask, and ask again! There are usually fireworks at the end of the shows which can also be seen from e.g. the Grassmarket area. 
  • Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As the name might suggest, this Festival developed on the "Fringe" of the main International Festival and offers more alternative performances, with an emphasis on comedy and avant-garde; it is now the largest arts festival in the world. Many shows offer a 2for1 ticket special on the first two days of the festival. There are a few sub-festivals that are part of the Fringe such as the Assembly Festival, Summerhall Festival and CtheFestival. 
  • Edge Festival (formerly known as "T on the Fringe"). Music festival which takes place alongside the Fringe Festival. 
  • Forest Fringe. Takes place around the same time as the Fringe Festival. 
  • Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. 
  • Edinburgh International Book Festival. Takes place in a temporary village of marquees at Charlotte Square (West End of George Street, New Town). 
  • Edinburgh International Film Festival. Now moved to June from its former slot in August, so that it no longer clashes with all the others! Centred around the Filmhouse Cinema on Lothian Road, though other cinemas take part too. 
  • Edinburgh International Television Festival. Predominantly a "closed shop" for industry professionals only. 
  • Edinburgh Mela. Multicultural festival held in Leith. 
  • Imaginate Festival. Every May/June, an international festival of children's theatre. 
  • Edinburgh International Science Festival. Takes place annually in March or April. Emphasis on "hands-on" science. 

One important thing to decide when planning a trip to Edinburgh is whether you wish to go at festival time, which runs from early August through to mid-September. Hotel rooms in and around the city are noticeably much more expensive then, and you will need to book well (at least six months!) in advance.

Christmas and Hogmanay

Edinburgh in the winter festive season is also huge with various concerts and other activities taking place starting a couple of weeks before Christmas and running up to a week into January. Princes Street Gardens play host to a Big Wheel, outdoor ice rink and various festive markets. As in most of the rest of Scotland, Hogmanay, the New Year celebrations, are the main focus of the festive season rather than Christmas. One night before on December 30, a torchlight procession takes place with Calton Hill as final destination where fireworks will be on display. On the night itself whole sections of central Edinburgh are roped off and accessible only by ticket for the Hogmanay street party, which takes place across several stages and is easily the largest in Scotland. Hogmany and Edinburgh fit together like hand and glove. On day one of the new year, you can watch or if you are brave enough take part in the Loony Dook in Queensferry (people taking a dip in the ice-cold River Forth).

Other Annual Events

  • Beltane Fire Festival, Calton Hill, New Town. Fire Festival marking the beginning of summer (evening of April 30) 
  • Meadows Festival. A free festival in the Meadows (South) on a weekend in early June with lots of food stalls, second-hand merchandise and live music. 
  • Samhuinn Fire Festival, Royal Mile, Old Town. Fire Festival marking the beginning of winter (evening of October 31). Procession and enacted fight between the King of Summer and Prince of Winter with great accompanying percussion. Free, donations are collected. 
  • Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night). Evening of November 5. With ticketed fireworks (£6.50) in the Meadowbank Sports Center (East). Can be seen (for free) from several locations in the city. 
  • St Andrew's Day. Celebrate St Andrew's Day, Scotland's national day on November 30. There are many free events on the nearest weekend in Edinburgh. Historic Scotland opens many of its sites for free (free tickets are required and can be booked online). 

Cinema

Go to the cinema. Edinburgh has a number of cinemas covering mainstream, foreign language and arthouse films.

  • 1 Cineworld, 130 Dundee St, ☏ +44 871 200 2000. Mainly mainstream and arthouse. This is about 20 mins on foot from Princes Street and a Number 1 34 or 35 bus will take you. 
  • 2 Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, ☏ +44 871 902 5723. Mainstream & alternative films, in remarkable surroundings. A much-loved venue that's well worth a visit. 
  • 3 Dominion, 18 Newbattle Terrace, ☏ +44 131 447 4771. Mainstream & alternative films. One screen is full of two- and three-person leather sofas for the ultimate cinema-going experience. 
  • 4 Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, ☏ +44 131 228 2688. Edinburgh's (and Scotland's) largest venue for arthouse and foreign language films. Great café and bar, and hub of the annual Film Festival. 
  • 5 Odeon Cinema, Lothian Road, ☏ +44 870 505 0007. 
  • 6 Vue, Leith Walk, ☏ +44 870 240 6020. Large multiplex 
  • 7 Vue, Ocean Terminal, Leith. Large multiplex 

Sport

  • See a 6 Nations Championship rugby match at Murrayfield Stadium (West). The 6 Nations is effectively the European Championship of rugby, taking place every spring between Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy and England. The teams play each other once per year, and alternate home and away games. In even-numbered years, England and France visit Murrayfield, while in odd-numbered years, Scotland host Wales, Ireland and Italy. On the weekend of a home match, Edinburgh is absolutely full to bursting, and the atmosphere is like nothing else, especially if Wales or Ireland are in town. If you plan to visit in February or March, be sure to check the fixtures and book accommodation well in advance if your trip coincides with a home match.
  • Take in a football match at Heart of Midlothian FC's Tynecastle Park (West), or Hibernian F.C.'s Easter Road Stadium (Leith).
  • Catch a match of the city's professional rugby club, Edinburgh Rugby, at Murrayfield (West).
  • Catch an American Football match at the Edinburgh Wolves's home venue of Meadowbank Stadium (East).
  • Swim in the Royal Commonwealth Pool, used for the Commonwealth Games in 1970, 1986 and for the diving in the 2014 Glasgow games.

Learn

Edinburgh is host to a number of higher and further education organisations including 4 Universities. Some offer summer schools of a week or more on topics such as creative writing or printmaking.

Universities

Colleges

Private Language Schools

Edinburgh is a popular destination for language students, looking to learn English, or build on their existing English language skills. Most schools offer a "homestay" option where accommodation is with a local family, which can be a great introduction to Scottish life. Language schools in the city include:

Other resources

Buy

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles
  • Princes Street (New Town), north of the castle, is the main shopping street in Edinburgh. It runs through the middle of the city from the train station to Lothian Road. It contains large chain stores such as HMV for music, Topshop and H&M for clothes, tourist oriented shops, and department stores.
  • There are many more upmarket shops, restaurants and bars on George Street (New Town), which runs parallel to Princes Street.
  • Cockburn Street (pronounced "co-burn") in the (Old Town) has many small alternative shops selling music, novelty toys, underground clothing, body piercings and spiritual items.
  • The Royal Mile (Old Town), especially the higher end near the castle, has many tourist-oriented shops selling Scottish souvenirs from postcards to whisky and kilts.
  • Victoria Street (Old Town) is a nice street which is well worth a visit. You can find colourful buildings and interesting boutiques which are worth having a look at.
  • Victoria Street also leads onto the Grassmarket (Old Town), a street which gives stunning views of the castle, which dominates right over it, and is also full of interesting and nice shops, as well as several pubs and restaurants. The Grassmarket is definitely well worth visiting.
  • Multrees Walk (also known as The Walk), for high-end labels such as Vidal Sasoon, Armani, Vuitton, Harvey Nichols or Calvin Klein (New Town).
  • Other malls include Princes Mall or St James Mall which are both just off Princes Street, and Ocean Terminal in Leith.
  • Take home a bottle of Scotland's finest export, a single malt whisky.
  • There are many charity shops that sell second-hand products. On Nicholson Street you can find quite a few.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles
Edinburgh Rock

Edinburgh is a great city for the food lover. There is a vast selection of eateries scattered throughout every part of the city, catering for all tastes, prices and styles - from fast-food to Michelin-starred grandeur. Just be careful around the castle and in the Grassmarket area, where many restaurants are tourist traps. Rose St, running parallel to Princes St is a pedestrian precinct that has a huge number of pubs offering a variety of pub fare food. As well as the centre of Edinburgh, it is also worth checking out Leith and the West End when looking for a place to eat.

There are quite a few restaurants that have a BYOB policy which means you can bring your own wine or beer for consumption during your meal. Some charge a corkage fee per bottle. Be sure to check and ask before you start drinking.

The Scots are well known for having a penchant for fried food which has resulted in such gastronomic delights as deep fried pizza, deep fried hamburgers, deep fried Black Pudding (a type of blood sausage), deep fried haggis and deep fried Mars bars. If you're up to it, be sure to drop by a chippy (fish and chip shop) and experience these Scottish delights. Edinburgh chippys are unique in the UK for offering salt'n'sauce as standard in place of the salt'n'vinegar usually provided elsewhere in the country. The sauce is a kind of runny, vinegary version of HP or Daddys style brown sauce. Most chippys will provide vinegar on request if you prefer, but you really should try salt'n'sauce at least once!

Edinburgh Rock is a soft confectionery, made from sugar and cream of tartar with various flavourings and colours, including peppermint and ginger. It can often be seen in tourist shops in tartan boxes.

Drink

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles
Part of the wall in the lounge of the Scotch Whisky Experience

For a non-alcoholic beverage give Scotland's second national drink a try Irn-Bru. It's a great cure for hangover.

As for Scotland's first drink, you will find The Scotch Whisky Experience at the top of The Royal Mile, which offers an interactive "tour" of the history and practise of whisky distilling. For a less touristic experience simply enjoy your whisky in one of the many pubs. The closest single malt whisky distillery to Edinburgh is the Glenkinchie Distillery. The North British Distillery in Edinburgh (near Murrayfield) produces grain whisky which is all used in blending and the distillery is not open for visits.

Recently a few gin distilleries opened in and around Edinburgh producing Pickering's Gin, Edinburgh Gin or NB Gin (from North Berwick).

The two major local beer breweries are the Caledonian Brewery and Stewart Brewing. Smaller local breweries are the Eden Brewery in St Andrews and Barney's Beer.

There are lots of (traditional) pubs all around the city and many of them offer - next to all the standard choices - a changing selection of guest ales. The bartenders can usually give you detailed taste information about each guest ale and are often willing to let you try a small sample. Most pubs also have a great selection of whiskies. Try to avoid obvious tourist trap pubs around the Grassmarket, Old Town and the Royal Mile. Some of them tend to be very popular with visiting stag and hen parties.

Lots of modern clubs are around Cowgate and Lothian Road including Base, Gig and Diva. George Street in the New Town hosts many of Edinburgh's trendier bars. George IV Bridge in the Old Town is another trendy style bar area. Other night clubs around the city include Espionage, Opal Lounge, Shanghai, Bacaro, The Hive, and Why Not.

There are establishments to suit all tastes scattered throughout every pocket of the city. Be careful, some of the more local pubs can be a little rough around the edges, especially in Leith.

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Edinburgh's district articles

Edinburgh has been established as a tourist destination for centuries, and so there is a huge choice of accommodation available for travellers. If you're planning a visit during festival time (Aug), around Christmas and New Year, or on the weekend of a Scotland home game in the 6-nations Rugby [7] (Mar/Apr, 2 or 3 matches per year), then you will find that all types of accommodation get booked up well in advance, and a premium may be applied to the room-rate. It's not impossible to get somewhere to stay at short notice at these times, but you won't be able to be fussy and it will probably be expensive. Note however that the average cost of hotel accommodation in Edinburgh is higher than anywhere else in Scotland.

For those on a budget, there are cheap youth hostels available with prices from £10 and above. The private/independent hostels centre around the Cowgate area, the lower Royal Mile and its side streets. The hostels of the HI affiliated Scottish Youth Hostel Association [8] can be booked on-line and are an especially good deal during summer, when the SYHA rents student accommodation as summer hostels: Single rooms in the city centre for a very modest price.

There are Guest Houses and small hotels dotted around almost every part of the city, however there are high concentrations in 2 areas, namely around Newington Road and Minto Street on the South side, and on Pilrig Street and Newhaven Road in Leith. Both areas are within a brisk 15-20 minute walk of the city centre and both have excellent round-the-clock bus services. If arriving in town without having booked accommodation, it may be worth heading for one or other of these areas and looking out for the "Vacancies" signs, though probably not during the festival or around Hogmanay.

Some of the Guest Houses and even hotels can be booked for as little as the hostels at certain times of year, while more upmarket accommodation ranges from boutique B&B's, with just a few rooms, lovingly run by a family, to world-renowned large 5-star hotels.

Another good alternative for accommodation is self-catering holiday apartments. Edinburgh has a wide offer of short term holiday apartments steps away from its main tourist attractions. It is a great opportunity to experience the city as a local. Apartments can be booked on-line. For summer months, especially August, it is highly recommended to book well in advance as most tourists tend to make their bookings in February for this period.

Due to the excellent and frequent rail links between the two cities, savvy travellers can cut the costs by basing themselves in Glasgow, where deals in mainstream chain hotels are easier to come by - and you get the advantage of being able to "do" both cities - bear in mind of course when your last train leaves!

Connect

Internet

Multiple internet cafés and hotspot venues exist throughout Edinburgh (see district articles for details).

  • Free WiFi is available in many places across the city such as coffee shops, department stores, larger high street shops and supermarkets.
  • Many of the municipal libraries throughout the city have PCs with free internet access.
  • ScotRail offers free WiFi without registration on some trains and train stations such as Edinburgh Park and Haymarket, but Waverley Station is currently not on their list.
  • There is also free WiFi on all Edinburgh trams.
  • The Airlink bus between the airport and the city center provides free WiFi as well.
  • On some of the Stagecoach express buses, there is free WiFi, too.

Mobile Networks

The main mobile networks are EE, Vodafone, Three and O2. However there are a host of MVNOs that use the infrastructure of these networks, these often offer plans tailored towards expat communities and tourists who wish to call abroad, the main players are LycaMobile, Lebara and Giffgaff. Most of these SIM cards can be picked up in local shops and supermarkets.

Stay safe

In general Edinburgh can be considered a safe destination for visitors, but like all other major cities, it pays to remain attentive and use some common sense.

  • Try not to get too drunk: if you have had too much, it might be wise to get a taxi home. There are taxi ranks all around the City Centre.
  • Night buses [9] (which depart from Waverley Bridge next to the train station) are affordable and safe alternatives to taxis, but stay on the lower deck. Night buses cost £3.00 for unlimited travel on a single night, so for groups of three or more travelling moderate distances, taxis can be more cost effective for single journeys.
  • Like most other cities, there are some rundown areas. For its size, Edinburgh does not have many, but there are still some suburbs that are better avoided by anyone unfamiliar with the area such as the following:
    • Niddrie and Craigmillar in the southeast of the city.
    • Sighthill and Wester Hailes in the west.
    • Muirhouse and Pilton in the north.

Police Scotland

In an emergency call 999.

For a list of police stations check the official webpage. In order to contact a local police station call 101.

Stay healthy

In emergency, dial 999 (preferably from a landline, a free call from any phone including payphones), 112 also works.

For advice on non-emergency medical problems, you can ring the free 24-hour NHS 24 service on 111 or for textphone users 18001 111 (the old number 0845 424 2424 is being phased out).

Hospitals and Clinics

  • 5 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (R.I.E.), 51 Little France Crescent, Old Dalkeith Road (On the southern fringe of the city, it can take up to 30 min from the city centre in a bus or taxi), ☏ +44 131 536-1000. 24 hour opening. The R.I.E. hosts the main Accident and Emergency (A&E) facility for the city. 
  • 6 Minor Injuries Clinic, Crewe Road South (at Western General Hospital), ☏ +44 131 537 1330. Daily from 8:00-21:00. No appointment is necessary. Last patient admission 30 min before closing time. 

Pharmacy

During normal shopping hours (M-F 9AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-12:30PM), you won't have any problem locating a pharmacy as they are dotted all around the city. Any row of local shops will usually include one. Common brands include Boots (city centre branches in the New Town at St James Shopping Centre, 11 Princes St, 101-103 Princes St and 48 Shandwick Pl; in the Old Town at 40-44 North Bridge), Alliance and Numark.

Outside of these hours you will face more of a challenge. There are no 24 h pharmacies in the city. In the city centre the best option is probably the Boots branch at 48 Shandwick Pl (western extension of Princes Street), M-F 7:30AM-8PM, Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 10:30AM–4:30PM.

Some of the major supermakets include a pharmacy counter, but note that the pharmacy does not necessarily follow the same opening hours as the supermarket itself. The pharmacy counter within the Tesco supermarket at 7 Broughton Road in Canonmills is quite close to the city centre and opens M-Sa 8AM-8PM and Su 10AM-5PM.

Cope

Babysitting

Super Mums Childcare Agency, +44 131 225 1744 or +44 7748 964144. Bookings 24hr service, Card payments only (Amex, Visa,MasterCard, Maestro). Round-the-clock baby-sitting is available short- or long-term from £8.50 per hour (3 hour minimum) and travel expenses home (approx. £7). Multilingual sitters are also available.

Deputy High Commissions

Many countries run consulates in Edinburgh. Some of them cluster between Haymarket and the West End of Princes Street (e.g. Melville St/Cres, Rutland Sq and Lothian Rd).

Laundry

Clothing Repairs

  • Oscars, 371 Leith Walk, ☏ +44 131 553-3662. Repairs, Zip replacements, hems shortened etc. 
  • Huttons Shoe Repairs, 11 Elgin Ter (Just off Easter Rd near its junction with London Rd), ☏ +44 131 661-6164. M-F 8AM-5:30PM, Sa 8AM-1PM. Traditional cobblers established since 1923. The present proprietor is the 3rd generation of his family to run the business. 

Cash Machines

Almost all cash machines in Edinburgh will dispense Scottish bank notes, but there are a few listed here that usually have Bank of England notes, which may be convenient if you are leaving Scotland, (for more info see Scotland#Currency).

  • HSBC, 118 Princes St
  • NatWest, 8 George St
  • Barclays, 1 St Andrew Sq (this one has been known to stock Scottish notes on occasion)

Go next

  • South Queensferry — On the north-western fringe of the city, site of the contrasting engineering marvels that are the Forth Bridges (one road and one rail). Quite a few hotels here and with good transport links to the city centre it can be a good base for visitors.
  • Glasgow — Scotland's largest city is located 46 miles west of Edinburgh and is easily reached via train (see above), bus (running from the main bus terminal) or via the M8 motorway. Great for shopping and has some excellent museums and galleries.
  • Fife — A predominantly rural county, with some lovely old towns and villages dotted throughout. This is the coast which can be seen across the Firth of Forth from many viewpoints around the city. It's easy to get to via the twin road and rail bridges across the Forth.
    • Dunfermline — Makes an excellent day trip. Used to be the capital of Scotland a long time ago. It is easily accessed by car via the Forth Road Bridge. There is a half hourly service by train from Waverley station (also stopping at Haymarket).
    • Aberdour — Described as "The Jewel of Fife", Aberdour is a historic and stunningly attractive coastal village 40 minutes drive North of Edinburgh. Aberdour Castle is a must-see, as well as the Blue-Flag awarded beach the Silver Sands. There are also several pubs, restaurants, and boutique shops.
    • St Andrews — Ancient university town, former ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, and home of the Royal and Ancient - the ruling body of Golf.
  • East Lothian — immediately to the east of the city, offers rolling green countryside, golden sandy beaches, dozens of golf courses, and more annual sunshine hours than any other part of the UK. The area has a number of picturesque villages and small towns.
    • North Berwick — With webcams at the Scottish Seabird Centre giving live pictures of thousands of birds on the Bass Rock
    • Gullane — A mecca for golfers
    • Musselburgh — For ice cream and horse racing
    • Dunbar — Pleasant harbour town famous as the birthplace of conservationist John Muir
    • 1 The Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian (About 30 minutes drive along the A1 towards Dunbar. It is also close to Drem station on the Edinburgh to North Berwick line), ☏ +44 300 123 6789. Apr-Oct: daily 10:00-17:00; Nov-Mar: Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00. It is home to a number of historic aircrafts from across the history of flight, including British Airways Concorde G-BOAA. Remember to book in advance to see inside Concorde as these tickets are generally sold out on the day. Another rather good attraction (and well worth the look) is the De-Havilland Comet 4C, a modified version of the Worlds first jetliner. £10 adults, £8 concession, £5 children (from 5 years). 
    • 2 Glenkinchie Distillery, Pencaitland, Tranent, East Lothian, EH34 5ET (Take Lothian Bus 113 from Princes Street to Pencaitland (£2.50 one-way or £5 day ticket valid also in the city center), which takes slightly less than 1h - from there it is about 3.5km to the distillery: Get off at the gas station/Spar supermarket and follow the bicycle sign pointing to the "Pencaitland Railway Path". Once on the path walk downhill until you are at a bridge above you. Take the stairs to cross that bridge. From there you can see the chimney of the distillery. This nice walk takes about 30-45min. Alternatively, the distillery also offers a shuttle service from Waterloo Place, Edinburgh (close to Princes Street and North Bridge) two or three times per day. You need to call in advance to book a seat. Check the details on the webpage or ask on the phone. The shuttle service costs £20 and includes the ticket price for the standard tour.), ☏ +44 1875 342012, . The Glenkinchie whisky is a Lowland whisky and is promoted as one of the six Classic Malts. About 80% of the produced whisky is used for blending. The distillery is the closest Single Malt distillery to Edinburgh, about 25km southeast. Standard tour: £8 adults, £6 concession (60+, no student discount). 
  • West Lothian — The area to the west of the city. Generally less pretty than its eastern counterpart, but does have a couple of destinations worth the effort.
    • Linlithgow — A great little town for a day trip from Edinburgh with its Palace, and links to Mary, Queen of Scots. It is a short drive by car on the M9. There is also a frequent service by train from Waverley station (also stopping at Haymarket).
    • Livingston — One of Scotland's New Towns, it is one of Scotland's most popular shopping spots, only a short drive from Edinburgh on the M8 or A70. Plus there are also bus and rail services to the new town.
  • Falkirk — See the Falkirk Wheel lifting boats between the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal; see the Kelpies, two huge horse-head structures about 30m high; reachable by bike on the National Cycle Network Route 754 (ca. 50km)
  • Peebles — For the largest mountain biking center in Scotland in the Glentress Forest; reachable by bus in about 1 hour
  • National Cycle Network routes around Edinburgh [10] Edinburgh is well connected to the NCN with a variety of places accessible within a days cycling - Glasgow, Stirling, Falkirk, Musselburgh, and Dunbar - all of which have train stations for the return journey. The number 1 route which goes south from Edinburgh to Melrose in the borders and then east to Berwick-upon-Tweed (and then back on the train) can be done in one weekend with a variety of accommodation available for an overnight stay in the historic border town of Melrose.
  • Isle of Arran — An island west of Glasgow in the Firth of Clyde. It is possible to do a day trip to this island (although staying overnight on the island will be much more relaxing) which is great for hiking or cycling. You can also go to the great Arran Whisky distillery, the Arran brewery and eat tasty Arran cheese. Take the first train from Edinburgh Waverly station at around 7:00 to Glasgow Queen Street, walk to Glasgow Central and take the train to Ardrossan. From there take the ferry to Brodick. Bring your bike along, which is free on all trains and ferries. The travel time for one direction is about 3h30min. Leave Arran with the ferry at around 19:00 to make it back to Edinburgh. For exact travel times use the travel planner.


This city travel guide to Edinburgh is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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