City guide · UK
Edinburgh
A castle on a volcano, whisky in the closes
May–June & September (August for the Fringe)
Pound sterling (GBP)
English (Scots and Scottish Gaelic also spoken)
Europe
The guides
The best of Edinburgh, by category
Edinburgh stacks a medieval Old Town and a Georgian New Town, jointly UNESCO-listed, around an extinct volcano crowned by its castle. Every August the world's largest arts festival triples the population, but the rest of the year belongs to whisky bars in hidden closes, Arthur's Seat sunrises, and the city that inspired both Jekyll and Hyde and Harry Potter.
The shortlist
If you only have time for the best
The single highest-rated picks across every category in Edinburgh.
Hotels
See all 6- 1
The Balmoral
Princes Street / East End
4.7★3,000+ reviews
- 2
The Witchery by the Castle
Castlehill, Royal Mile
4.6★2,000+ reviews - 3
Prestonfield House
Priestfield, below Arthur's Seat
4.7★2,000+ reviews
Restaurants
See all 6- 1
The Kitchin
Leith waterfront
4.7★1,500+ reviews - 2
Ondine
George IV Bridge / Old Town
4.6★2,000+ reviews - 3
Dishoom Edinburgh
St Andrew Square / New Town
4.7★10,000+ reviews
Bars
See all 6- 1
The Sheep Heid Inn
Duddingston village
4.5★5,000+ reviews
- 2
Café Royal Circle Bar
West Register Street / New Town
4.6★5,000+ reviews - 3
The Bow Bar
West Bow / Victoria Street
4.7★2,000+ reviews
Attractions
See all 6- 1
Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill / Old Town
4.6★75,000+ reviews
- 2
Arthur's Seat & Holyrood Park
Holyrood
4.8★25,000+ reviews - 3
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street / Old Town
4.8★50,000+ reviews
Where to base yourself
Edinburgh neighborhoods, decoded
Pick your area first — it shapes everything else about the trip.
Old Town
Medieval closes and festival energyThe Royal Mile runs castle-to-palace along a ridge veined with steep closes, beneath which lie sealed streets like Mary King's Close. Touristy on the Mile itself, atmospheric the moment you duck into a wynd.
New Town
Georgian elegance, smart shoppingA 1767 masterplan of neoclassical crescents and squares, now home to George Street's bars, Dundas Street's galleries, and the Café Royal's Victorian splendor. It is the orderly counterpoint to the Old Town across the gardens.
Stockbridge
Villagey, foodie, riversideA former village on the Water of Leith with a famous Sunday market, charity-shop treasure hunting, and the painted doors of Circus Lane. Walk in along the river from Dean Village, Edinburgh's most photogenic corner.
Leith
Docklands turned dining destinationEdinburgh's historic port, namechecked by The Proclaimers and Trainspotting, now holds Michelin-starred kitchens, the Royal Yacht, and bars along The Shore. The tram now runs the full length of Leith Walk from the centre.
Beyond the city
Day trips worth the ride
Rosslyn Chapel
40 min by bus 37 or carThe 1446 chapel carved with mysterious symbols, including apparent maize predating Columbus, made world-famous by The Da Vinci Code; guided talks run hourly.
St Andrews
1.5 hr by bus or train via LeucharsThe home of golf and Scotland's oldest university: walk the Old Course's Swilcan Bridge, the cathedral ruins, and West Sands beach from Chariots of Fire.
South Queensferry & the Forth Bridge
25 min by train to DalmenyA historic high-street village under the UNESCO-listed 1890 Forth Bridge; boat trips run beneath the three-bridge panorama to Inchcolm Abbey's island.
Eat like a local
What to order in Edinburgh
Haggis, neeps and tatties
Scotland's national dish of spiced sheep offal and oatmeal with mashed swede and potato, often with whisky sauce.
Try it at: Whiski Rooms on the Mound or The Albanach on the Royal Mile
Cullen skink
A thick, smoky soup of Finnan haddock, potatoes, and cream from the Moray coast.
Try it at: Ondine, or Fishers in Leith
Scottish oysters and langoustines
Cold-water shellfish from Loch Fyne and the west coast, served simply with lemon.
Try it at: Ondine's crustacea bar or Café Royal's oyster counter
Deep-fried Mars bar
The infamous chip-shop indulgence, battered and fried, best split between friends.
Try it at: Café Piccante on Broughton Street
Good to know
Edinburgh essentials, answered
Three days is ideal: one for the castle and Royal Mile, one for the New Town, Stockbridge, and Dean Village, and one for Arthur's Seat plus Leith. Add extra days, and book everything months ahead, if you come during August's festivals.
