Whay you must visit edinburgh;
Edinburgh enchants first-time visitors with its effortless old world elegance. Its UNESCO-listed historic centre is a beguiling maze of winding alleys, the skyline dominated by the regal crown steeple of St Giles Cathedral and the imposing turrets of Edinburgh Castle. But scratch beneath this grandiose surface and you'll discover a down-to-earth modern capital city.
It's packed with laid-back bars, quirky boutiques, lush parks and friendly people. Art aficionados can lose themselves for hours discovering the masterpieces in the Scottish National Gallery, while nature lovers can escape the hustle and bustle with a hike up the verdant hillside of Arthur's Seat.
Best Historic Things to See in Edinburgh
Explore Edinburgh's Historical Landmarks
From medieval gallows to a floating royal holiday home, follow this inspirational guide to Edinburgh’s top historic things to see the city in a different light.
# An Iron Age settlement at Arthur’s Seat
Enjoy the climb up to Arthur’s Seat through Holyrood Park, once a royal hunting ground, and you’re rewarded with sweeping city views. This 251m summit is a dormant volcano which last fizzed into action 335 million years ago, and is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.
Location: Edinburgh EH8 8HG, UK
Open: 24/7
A pint at Grassmarket’s execution site
Fifteenth-century taverns and shops line Grassmarket, where livestock was transported along its cobblestones and public hangings took place. The site of its gallows is marked by a plaque opposite The Last Drop tavern where condemned men drank their last whisky.
Location: Grassmarket, Edinburgh, UK
Musselburgh Old Course – home of golf
This dramatically located links course has hosted the Open Championships six times from 1874 and is home to the world’s oldest club. Try playing a round using authentic hickory clubs, remodelled from 19th-century originals.
Location: Stables Pavillion Musselburgh Racecourse Complex, Balcarres Rd, Musselburgh EH21 7SR, UK
Phone: +44 131 653 5122
Democracy in action at the Scottish Parliament Building
The steel-and-glass Scottish Parliament building scooped up plenty of awards when it opened in 2004, as well as controversy due to being overdue and over budget. A tour around Enric Miralles’s legacy shows off the angular Tower Buildings, upturned skylights and fanciful motifs.
Location: Edinburgh EH99 1SP, UK
Open: Monday–Saturday from 10am to 5pm, closed on Sundays
Phone: +44 131 348 5000
Regal lodgings onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia
Now nestling on the waterfront at Leith is the one-time floating palace for the Queen and the Royal Family, used for state visits and holidays between 1935 and 1978. Take a peek at the Queen’s bedroom and one of the Queen’s Rolls-Royces in the on-board garage.
Location: Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh, EH6 6JH, UK
Open: Usually, daily from 10am to 3.30pm, although hours vary by season.
City history at Edinburgh Castle
Wherever you are in the city, this great medieval fortress perched on ancient volcanic rock is visible for miles. It’s a microcosm of local history: this was the site of Mary, Queen of Scot’s home, headquarters of Cromwell’s invading army and today it hosts the military tattoo during the Edinburgh Festival. Buy tickets online during peak season.
Location: Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
Open: April–September from 9.30am to 6pm, October–March from 9.30am to 5pm
Phone: +44 131 225 9846
Behind the New Town scenery at the Georgian House
A fine representative of Georgian town planning and architecture, this 18th-century house design by Robert Adam has been preserved and reconstructed as a house museum. Step inside to see how the upper classes lived, with period furnishings, china and silver gracing its three floors.
Location: 7 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4DR, UK
Open: Usually, from 11am to 4pm, although hours vary by season.
Phone: +44 131 225 2160
Ghostly encounters at Greyfriars Kirk
One of the Old Town’s many resting places, this cemetery is said to be one of the most haunted in Britain, where ghosts, ghouls and poltergeists are – apparently – a common sighting.
Location: 26A Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1 2QE, UK
Open: April–October: Monday–Friday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. November–March: Thursday from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
Phone: +44 131 664 4314
Creepy Stories from Edinburgh to Freak You Out
Edinburgh has a long and macabre history. Ghost hunters and psychics often tout the Scottish capital as a one of the most haunted places in the world, and learning the tales and legends is a fun (and sometimes scary) way to understand more about the city.
Taking part in a walking tour is one of the best ways to find out about the gruesome tales that have been passed down the generations. In truth, most of them are more myths than hard facts, but they all set the scene in Edinburgh’s Old Town and the Royal Mile. In the depths of a dark winter’s night, these spooky tales can send shivers down your spine.
The ghosts of Edinburgh Castle
Looming over the city from the top of The Royal Mile, the cold grey granite walls of Edinburgh Castle contain countless ghost stories. A young piper who disappeared without a trace hundreds of years ago can still be heard today, the faint, haunting sound of a lost soul.
As well as the story of the vanished piper, head down to the dungeons to hear tales of a headless drummer boy and a gaggle of French prisoners captured during the Seven Years War who are regularly sighted in and around the castle. Other spooky goings-on include misty figures, things pulling at your clothes and sudden drops in temperature – could there be a rational explanation or is it the sign of something paranormal? You can try to find out by staying in one of the hotels near the castle.
Location: Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
Hundreds of witches burned at the stake
King James VI was so concerned about witchcraft, he created a frenzy throughout Edinburgh in the 17th century. Old women suffering from mental illnesses and even females with knowledge of science were labelled as witches and senselessly murdered.
Many of these women – reports claim between 300 and 500 – were dragged to a market place on the Royal Mile and burned alive. This terrible period in British history thankfully stopped hundreds of years ago, but you can still visit the spot that was regularly used to burn the poor ladies.
Location: The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, UK
The horrors of the underground vaults
Beneath Edinburgh’s Old City, there’s a collection of underground passageways that used to be home to the very poorest people, as well as vagrants, thieves and other undesirables. With very little ventilation, these dark, dank tunnels were very unpleasant.
You can still visit parts of this underground labyrinth at the base of the Royal Mile. Fans of ghost stories will enjoy visiting Abandoned Annie, the ghost of a little girl who is said to reach out and grab your hand in the darkness. There is now a makeshift alter to little Annie, with thousands of dolls, toys and even money left for her by visitors. The money is collected by the council every year and donated to help sick children.
Location: The Real Mary King’s Close, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, UK
The most haunted graveyard in Scotland
Greyfriars Krikyard is a graveyard that dates back to the 16th century. It’s the resting place of several infamous characters, but the most gruesome story here is that of Bloody MacKenzie – a sort of olden-day super villain. This wealthy lord was tasked with punishing hundreds of prisoners who refused to change their religion. It’s said that he had a hand in thousands of deaths.
Locals believe that the ghost of Bloody MacKenzie haunts the graveyard after his tomb was disturbed by a homeless man who broke into the graveyard at night. As soon as he laid hands on the tomb of Bloody MacKenzie, the floor opened up beneath him and he dropped into a shallow grave containing plague victims.
Since then, many other freaky episodes have taken place nearby. A woman was found unconscious with bruises around her neck and many claim that it was MacKenzie’s poltergeist, continuing his evil deeds in death as he did in life.
Location: 26A Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1 2QE, UK
‘Earmarked’ thieves in the Old Market Square
This gruesome tale is a good lesson for would-be thieves. Anyone caught stealing repeatedly from the Old Market in Edinburgh would be taken to the stocks and have their ear nailed to the wood. The thief would be forced to rip their own ear off the nail, which would be a lifelong sign that they cannot be trusted. It’s been said that this ancient punishment – known as ‘cropping’ – is where the term ‘earmarked’ comes from. We’re quite sure it wouldn’t look pretty. To learn more of Edinburgh’s gruesome tales, take a guided walking tour around the Royal Mile and reserve your stay in Old Town to round off the experience.
Location: Grassmarket, Edinburgh, UK