Edinburgh Old Town or New Town: Which Is Better to Stay In?

The short answer. Stay in the Old Town if you want the castle and the Royal Mile on your doorstep and can handle slopes, cobbles and a busy street at night. Stay in the New Town if you want level Georgian streets, shops, restaurants and a calmer evening, and don’t mind a walk uphill to the sights. The strip where they meet, around Waverley station and Princes Street, gives you a bit of both.

Roam Edinburgh read 13 area guides that name both. Nine give the Old Town as the pick for a first visit, and seven describe the New Town as the calmer of the two. They agree more than the question suggests, and the real choice comes down to slopes and noise against level streets and shops. Every fact on this page comes from an official page.

Then see what’s on during your stay. The events page lists festivals, gigs and markets from the organisers’ own pages, and the map puts them next to both areas. For every area compared, read where to stay in Edinburgh.

What the guides agree on

The Old Town for a first visit. Recommended by 9 of 13 guides read. The castle, the Royal Mile and the closes are on your doorstep, and the guides that pick it call it the classic base.

The Old Town’s trade-offs. Named by 9 of 13. Steep streets, cobbles that don’t suit a big suitcase, crowds and noise at night. One guide sums it up as the strongest historic setting at the cost of convenience.

The New Town as the calmer pick. Named by 7 of 13. Wide Georgian streets, quieter evenings and an easier walk with luggage. Five guides add shopping and restaurants as its strength.

Both are in easy reach of each other. Twelve of 13 guides call Edinburgh compact or walkable, and nine mention Waverley station. Waverley sits between them, and Edinburgh Castle’s own visitor page says the castle is a short walk from it, uphill all the way.

Neither, perhaps. Twelve of 13 name Stockbridge or Leith as another base. See where to stay in Edinburgh for both.

Prices. Four guides take a side, and they don’t agree on which area costs more. No prices are quoted here. Compare your dates, because festival weeks change both.

Old Town and New Town side by side

UNESCO describes the two as one World Heritage site, with the medieval Old Town dominated by a fortress and the neoclassical New Town built from the 18th century.

The Old Town

The Old Town runs down the ridge from the castle to Holyrood, along the Royal Mile. St Giles’ Cathedral stands in the middle. It’s the part of the city everyone pictures, so you’re staying inside the postcard. Read things to do in Edinburgh for what’s on your doorstep.

The New Town

The New Town is the planned grid north of Princes Street. Charlotte Square is one of its squares, at the west end. Guides rate it for dining and shopping, and for being calmer once the day ends.

Princes Street Gardens, where they meet

The two towns are divided by Princes Street Gardens, the valley below the castle rock, with Waverley station at its east end. A hotel on Princes Street or near Waverley puts you on the edge of both, with the tram on the street, as Edinburgh Trams shows.

Verdicts by trip type

• First trip, mostly sights: Old Town.
• First trip with luggage, or a shorter stay: Old Town and New Town border, near Waverley.
• Shopping and restaurants: New Town.
• A quiet night after a full day: New Town.
• Festival weeks: book either area early, and read the festivals guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I stay in the Old Town or the New Town in Edinburgh?

For a first visit that’s mostly sights, nine of the 13 guides read pick the Old Town. The New Town is the calmer choice, with level streets, shops and restaurants. The border near Waverley station suits most first trips, because both are on foot.

Is the New Town far from the Old Town?

No. Edinburgh is compact, and 12 of the 13 guides read call it walkable. Waverley station sits between them, and the castle’s own page describes the walk up from the station as short and uphill all the way.

Is the Old Town noisy at night?

Nine guides warn about crowds and noise in the Old Town, especially at weekends. The New Town is the calmer of the two.

Which is cheaper, the Old Town or the New Town?

The guides don’t agree, and prices change with festival weeks, so compare your dates rather than the area.

Are the Old Town and New Town both World Heritage sites?

Yes. UNESCO lists them together as the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Princes Street Gardens New Town Photo: Matt Kieffer Water of Leith Walkway Stockbridge Photo: Tom Parnell Edinburgh Playhouse Leith Photo: Dancewear Central Nelson Monument Calton Hill Photo: Dmitry Djouce Scottish Parliament Holyrood Photo: Rob Oo