Edinburgh is not only the capital of Scotland, but also a major tourist attraction. Its diverse sights and events attract large numbers of visitors year after year. Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Edinburgh - View from Calton Hill
Sights in the old town
Highlights in the city center include Castle Rock, home to Edinburgh Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. The Royal Mile, Edinburgh's historic main street, runs through the Old Town and connects the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
The mighty fortress sits atop Castle Rock and is Scotland's most visited ticketed attraction. It houses, among other attractions, St. Margaret's Chapel, a 12th-century chapel, the Royal Palace, the Great Hall, the National War Memorial, and the National War Museum. The castle is a symbol of Edinburgh and has historically served as both a royal residence and a military center. Today, it attracts around 2,2 million visitors annually. Despite occasional criticism of the crowds, a visit to the castle remains an unforgettable experience. Castle Rock offers sweeping panoramic views of the city.
Edinburgh - Bagpipers at Castlehill
Edinburgh Castle - Welcome
Royal Mile
This approximately 1,8-kilometer-long historic street connects Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse and forms the heart of the Old Town. It consists of the streets Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate, and Abbey Strand, and is approximately a Scottish mile long. At the highest point of the Royal Mile stands the steeple of the former Highland Tolbooth Church. It was abandoned as a church and now serves as a venue for various events. Numerous sights can be found along the Royal Mile.
Edinburgh -St. Giles' Cathedral
St. Giles' Cathedral
St. Giles' Cathedral is the principal church of the Church of Scotland. It is dedicated to St. Giles, Saint Giles. The first mention of a church on this site dates back to the 9th century. The current building was founded in 1124 and completed in the 15th century. The spire is shaped like a crown. Inside, the church impresses with its extraordinary organ and the 20th-century Thistle Chapel, home to the Great Scottish Order of Chivalry.
Closes of Edinburgh
Narrow, sometimes very steep, alleyways branch off the Royal Mile. They are called closes. The most famous is Mary King's Close. This is where an underground labyrinth of former alleyways begins, which is now accessible as a historical walking tour and has been repeatedly named a top attraction in the United Kingdom.
Edinburgh - Wardrop's Court
Edinburgh - Mary King's Close
Other sights on the Royal Mile
Parliament Square, next to St. Giles, is home to the first Scottish Parliament, the Law Courts, and the original marketplace, the Market Cross. The Parliament building was completed in 1639 and remained in use until the union with England in 1707.
A little further toward Holyroodhouse, you can admire John Knox House. Next to this medieval building, a museum commemorating the reformer John Knox, is the Scottish Storytelling Centre, a museum dedicated to Scottish history and storytelling.
Edinburgh - Meeting Place - Royal Mile City Chambers
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Since the 16th century, the Palace of Holyroodhouse has served as Scotland's official royal residence. Visitors can explore the royal apartments, the throne room, and the gardens when no member of the royal family is present. Adjacent to the palace are the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, a historic site with coronations of rulers such as James II and Charles I. Opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the modern building of the Scottish Parliament.
Other attractions in the old town
Am Grassmarket Bars, pubs, and bistros line the square. The square below the castle was formerly the Gallows Square. Today it is a popular meeting place, especially on weekends and in good weather.
The Usher Hall is a concert hall, primarily for classical music. Its construction was made possible by a generous donation from the whisky distiller Usher and was inaugurated in 1914. The concert hall is home to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Edinburgh. Usher Hall is known for its excellent acoustics.
Edinburgh - Grassmarket
Edinburgh - Usher Hall
The Scotch Whiskey Experience Located below Edinburgh Castle on the Royal Mile, it's not a distillery, but rather an interactive exhibition representing around 90% of Scottish whisky producers. More than 300.000 visitors a year take part in tours and tastings.
Dynamic Earth is Edinburgh's world-class science center and planetarium. It tells the story of planet Earth from its formation millions of years ago to the present day. Dynamic Earth offers visitors 90-minute interactive tours. The architecturally impressive building is located behind the new Scottish Parliament and below the Salisbury Crags, part of Holyrood Park.
Edinburgh -The Scotch Whiskey Experience
Edinburgh - Dynamic Earth
Shopping in the old town
The Royal Mile is full of souvenir shops. There are also stores selling traditional fashion, cashmere, and whisky. One of the Old Town's most attractive shopping streets is Victoria Street. The small shops offer antiques, Scottish designer clothing, and handicrafts from around the world, as well as cafés and pubs to suit every taste.
The New Town
New Town features elegant Georgian architecture, wide boulevards, the shopping streets of Princes Street and George Street, and cultural institutions such as the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
The Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens is a Victorian neo-Gothic tower honoring Sir Walter Scott. It features 62 figures from his works and a 200-foot viewing platform.
Edinburgh - Princes Street - Register House and Scott Monument
Green Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a green city with a very scenic landscape. The city offers many parks, gardens, and hills with panoramic views.
Calton Hill
There are several monuments on Calton Hill, including the unfinished National Monument. The columned columns are reminiscent of the Parthenon in Athens. The monument is dedicated to the Scottish soldiers who died in the Napoleonic Wars. The Nelson Monument, in memory of Horatio Nelson, is an obelisk with a viewing platform. Calton Hill, approximately 100 meters high, offers magnificent panoramas over the city and views as far as the Firth of Forth.
Royal Botanic Garden
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is an oasis of tranquility. It is located just north of the city center. Spanning 28 hectares of landscaped grounds, the grounds offer a wide variety of plants both in open ground and in magnificent greenhouses. Access to the Royal Botanic Garden is free, but an entrance fee applies to the greenhouses.
Princes Street Gardens
The centrally located park between Castle Rock in the Old Town and Princes Street in the New Town was formerly a marshland. The park was created after the marsh was drained in 1820. It covers 150.000 square meters and is ideal for relaxation amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. In winter, a well-known and well-attended Christmas market with stalls, an ice rink, and a Ferris wheel takes place. The view of Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street Gardens is a popular photo opportunity.
Edinburgh - View across Princes Street Gardens to Edinburgh Castle
Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat
The name Holyrood Park is somewhat misleading. The area is a former royal hunting ground, largely untouched by nature. The green oasis, with its hills, basalt cliffs, and three lakes, is expansive. The most famous hill in Holyrood Park is Arthur's Seat, a 250-meter-high extinct volcano. Arthur's Seat offers fantastic views over the city and the Firth of Forth. A hike up the hill takes about an hour.
Edinburgh - Arthur's Seat
Museums in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has a large number of museums, including unusual ones such as the Surgeons' Hall Museum with one of the largest collections of surgical pathology.
The most popular museum in the city is the National Museum of ScotlandThere are diverse collections ranging from history to nature to technology. Highlights include the world-famous sheep Dolly, the first mammal cloned from adult cells. Free guided tours are available, led by volunteers.
For modern and contemporary art, a visit to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
The museum Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is especially popular with families and photography enthusiasts. The interactive museum on the Royal Mile features optical illusions, holograms, mirror rooms, and a panoramic tower with city views.
Edinburgh - Scottish National Gallery and Academy
Edinburgh - Camera Obscura and Tolbooth Church
Edinburgh Festival
During the months of July and August, all of Edinburgh becomes a stage. Edinburgh Festival is the name given to more than 20 arts and culture festivals that take place in Edinburgh during these two months alone. The foundations were laid in 1947 with the Edinburgh International Festival. Since then, the events have attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world to the Scottish capital, and the number grows every year.
Among the largest and most popular are the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Festival Fringe is considered the world's largest arts festival, featuring music, theater, comedy, opera, cabaret, dance, and circus, among other events. The Royal Military Tattoo takes place on the Esplanade, the square in front of the castle. Grandstands are set up to allow as many visitors as possible to participate in this popular military parade. On average, 220.000 people attend the spectacle live.
Grandstands of the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo
Edinburgh Tours
A great way to explore Edinburgh is with the three hop-on hop-off routes offered by Edinburgh Tours. The red line stops regularly at or near the sights in the Old Town, the blue tour includes parts of the New Town, and the Regal Tour travels overland to the ports of Leith and Newhaven.
Edinburgh - Newhaven Harbour Basin
Edinburgh - Newhaven tender port
October 2025