Things to Do in Edinburgh: What the Guides Agree On for a First Visit

Start with Edinburgh Castle, walk the Royal Mile down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, then climb Arthur’s Seat or Calton Hill for the view. Those four stops come up in almost every first-visit guide, and together they fill two days without a tour. After that, the lists split between underground history, museums and the quieter villages along the Water of Leith.

Roam Edinburgh read 13 first-visit guides and itineraries in English and counted what they name. The picks below run from the most-named down, and each carries the count. Hours and addresses on this page come from the place’s own page or an official body, not from those guides. Check the page before you go, because hours change with the season and they don’t stay put.

Then see what’s on during your dates. The events page lists festivals, gigs and markets from the organisers’ own pages, and the map puts them next to the sights below. If you’re still choosing a base, you’ll find the areas compared in where to stay in Edinburgh.

The short list

Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile

Edinburgh Castle is named by all 13 guides read, the Royal Mile by 12, St Giles’ Cathedral by 8 and Victoria Street by 7.

The castle sits on the rock at the top of the Royal Mile, on the Esplanade, EH1 2NG. It opens at 9.30am. Last entry is 5pm from 1 April to 30 September and 4pm from 1 October to 31 March (3pm on 24 December), with closing an hour after that. It’s closed on 25 and 26 December, and it doesn’t open until 11am on 1 January. The castle’s own page says to set aside at least 2 hours and that tickets often sell out far ahead in summer, so book online before you go. Opening times and tickets are on its site.

The Royal Mile runs downhill from the castle to Holyrood, and it’s the street most guides tell you to wander rather than plan. St Giles’ Cathedral is on it. Eight guides name it. Off its side streets, narrow closes drop down to the Grassmarket. Nine guides name the Grassmarket and Greyfriars Kirkyard, and seven name Victoria Street, the curved street of coloured shopfronts above it.

Ten guides name The Real Mary King’s Close, the guided walk through closes below the Royal Mile. It runs on timed tours, so its site is the place to check slots. Eight guides name ghost tours in general, and nine name Harry Potter sites around Greyfriars and Victoria Street.

Holyrood, Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill

Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Park are named by 12 guides, Calton Hill by 11 and the Palace of Holyroodhouse by 11.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is at the bottom of the Royal Mile. VisitScotland’s guide to the city says the ticket includes an audio guide, and that a visit takes about an hour. Book through the Royal Collection Trust, which runs it.

Arthur’s Seat is in Holyrood Park, a landscape of hills, crags and lochs that Historic Environment Scotland looks after. Guides’ estimates for the climb run from under an hour to a couple of hours. One suggests going early, and several tell you to save it for a clear day.

Calton Hill is the easier view. It’s a short climb from Princes Street, with the unfinished National Monument on top. Guides pick it for the skyline at sunset.

Museums, gardens and the rest of the city

The National Museum of Scotland is named by 9 guides, the National Galleries by 9, Princes Street Gardens by 7, the Royal Botanic Garden by 6 and Dean Village by 6.

The National Museum of Scotland has free admission, per VisitScotland, which makes it the usual wet-day answer, and you won’t need a ticket. The Scott Monument and the galleries sit along Princes Street, and Princes Street Gardens runs between them and the castle rock.

Six guides send you to Dean Village, a short walk from the West End along the Water of Leith. Stockbridge is named by six as well, and its cafes and Circus Lane suit a slow afternoon. Leith, named by nine, is the one place on the list that’s down at the water. The Royal Yacht Britannia is at Ocean Drive, EH6 6JJ, and eight guides name it. Trams run from the city centre to Newhaven, on the Leith waterfront.

A plan for two days

• Day one: castle in the morning, the Royal Mile and St Giles’ after lunch, the Grassmarket and Greyfriars at the end.
• Day two: Holyroodhouse early, then Arthur’s Seat or Calton Hill depending on the weather, and the museum if it rains.
• Day three, if you have it: Dean Village and Stockbridge, then Leith.

For trips beyond the city, see best day trips from Edinburgh. If you’re coming in August, read the festivals guide first, because the Royal Mile changes and the castle is harder to book.

Places in this guide

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

Nelson Monument Calton Hill Photo: Dmitry Djouce Edinburgh Playhouse Leith Photo: Dancewear Central Scottish Parliament Holyrood Photo: Rob Oo Modern One Dean Village Photo: Rob Oo Usher Hall West End Photo: Daniel Water of Leith Walkway Stockbridge Photo: Tom Parnell Starbank Park Newhaven Photo: gnomonic