Edinburgh Holidays

Where are the best things to do in Edinburgh?

1. The highlight of any visit, Edinburgh Castle dominates the city, set high atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Immerse yourself in its history and traditions but don’t be startled by the one o’clock gun salute fired daily (except Sunday) since 1861. Don’t miss the Stone of Destiny, Crown Jewels or Prisons beneath the Great Hall. Enjoy a pot of tea here in the Tea Rooms, along with dainty sandwiches and homemade scones. Move on down the Royal Mile from here, past traditional tartan souvenir shops, to the Scottish Parliament building and the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the official residence of the King when he's in Scotland. Book a Royal Edinburgh tour to see more.
2. Edinburgh’s museums offer up a diverse mix of inspiring collections. Kids of all ages will love the National Museum of Scotland – from meteorites to mummies and monsters of the deep. Have a taste for the macabre? Check out the Surgeons' Hall Museum with its anatomical oddities, ghoulish death masks and even a book said to have been fashioned from the human skin of a murderer. Alternatively, take a fascinating dip into recent social history at the People’s Story Museum or for a trip into literary Edinburgh delve between the covers of the Writers’ Museum which charts the lives and influence of three of the country’s most famous scribes: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.
3. Anyone with even a passing interest in the worlds of theatre and comedy should not miss the world’s largest arts festival. For three weeks in August the streets of Edinburgh come alive with buskers, street theatre and live entertainment filling practically every cobblestone. Every conceivable performance space in the city is rammed with keen audiences watching in rapture at the new shows on offer. The International Festival is acclaimed for bringing opera, classical music and world-class theatre, while the Fringe is famous for off-the-wall comedy and offbeat drama. Both offer astonishing talent giving stellar performances. Then there are spine-tingling spinoff festivals covering the worlds of books, art, film and music, plus a host of compelling festivals held outside of August, such as the Edinburgh Science Festival (April).
4. The mighty Edinburgh Castle is also home to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – one of Scotland’s most iconic events. Each August, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world queue around the block in Edinburgh for a spectacular showcase of the world’s best military bands, pipers and drummers, dancers and theatre groups. Each 90-minute show ends with a performance of the haunting Lone Piper and a dazzling fireworks display, making it an unforgettable experience.
5. Also on the Royal Mile, and great fun, is the Scotch Whisky Experience. All tours start with a swirling, bubbling barrel ride through a replica distillery and before you know it you've become part of the whisky making process. You’ll see the world’s largest whisky collection and of course have time to sample a ‘wee dram’. Guaranteed you’ll leave happier than when you went in.
6. Dining in Edinburgh is a rich and diverse experience not to be missed. The capital is home to no fewer than five Michelin-starred restaurants, several of them in the trendy port district of Leith, alongside countless fish and chip shops and traditional pubs such as The Last Drop where you can sample the national dish haggis, neeps and tatties (mashed swede and potato). Meanwhile the weekly Farmers Market on Castle Terrace and its hipper cousin in Stockbridge are great places to sample local produce and get a glimpse of Edinburgh life.
7. Edinburgh’s nightlife is varied from sipping a dram of whisky in a quaint pub to going through the menu at a stylish cocktail bar in the New Town. Have a drink in the cosy Halfway House, Edinburgh’s smallest pub, or try some of over 300 malts at Whiski Bar. Go and see a live band at one of the city’s innumerable quirky venues like Summerhall set in the former Old Royal Veterinary College, or witness some traditional folk music in The Royal Oak.