Top 10 Edinburgh Attractions You Don’t Want To Miss

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is an enchanting medieval city in the north of the UK (only a 4-hour train from London). Its legendary history will captivate you with heartwarming and eerie tales.

There’s so much to see here you won’t be bored even for a second. No two attractions are alike, and most are completely free! 

So here’s a list of the top 10 Edinburgh attractions you don’t want to miss.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Top 10 Best Things To Do In Edinburgh Scotland

1. Explore Edinburgh Castle

It’s hard not to notice Edinburgh Castle when you first arrive. It sits on top of the hill, towering over both Old Town and New Town.  

Back in the day, whoever occupied the castle signified himself as the ruler of Scotland. Nowadays, there are several exhibits inside to visit: the Crown Jewels, a dog cemetery, and prison and wartime exhibits.

Make sure to buy tickets online in advance, and if you can, plan to be there as soon as they open. It gets very busy, VERY fast.  

The Earth Trekkers recommend booking the 9:30 A.M. time slot. This is the first time slot of the day, but they still say to arrive even earlier because there will still be a lineup to get in. They have an entire itinerary for your visit, check it out here. Entry costs £17.50 online, see here for more details.

2. Hike To Arthur’s Seat

One of the most popular attractions to visit in Edinburgh Scotland is Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park. Entry to the park and access to Arthurs Seat is completely free. 

To my surprise, Arthur’s Seat has nothing to do with sitting or chairs, or someone named Arthur for that matter. It’s actually the highest point of the extinct volcano, and the views are incredible.

It’s one of the two extinct volcanoes surrounding Edinburgh (the other is supporting Edinburgh Castle). 

The Earth Trekkers also have a great guide for hiking up, they outline all your trail options here. There’s even an option to drive halfway up. They recommend taking at least 3 hours out of your day to hike to Arthur’s Seat.

3. Visit The National Museum of Scotland

Not only is The National Museum of Scotland one of the best I’ve ever been to, but it also offers amazing views of the city and is completely FREE!

You can easily spend an entire day in this museum, it’s HUGE! They have a range of exhibits from fashion, to science, and history.

If you’ve had your fill of museums for one trip, it’s still worth checking out, if only for the rooftop panorama. You’ll get a spectacular outlook of all three extinct volcanoes, along with Edinburgh Castle. It’s also a great alternative if you don’t have time to hike up to Arthur’s Seat.

4. Walk Through Greyfriars Kirkyard

A cemetery isn’t exactly a desirable place to visit on vacation, but Greyfriars Kirkyard is so much more. Plus, if you look for some spooky things to do in Edinburgh – this is the place to go!

Not only does it Greyfriars Kirkyard have links to Harry Potter, but it’s also riddled with eerie ghost stories and heartwarming tales. This graveyard actually plays a big role in the city’s history, making it one of the top Edinburgh attractions to visit!

Famous Graveyard Hauntings

Greyfriars Kirkyard is known as the most haunted graveyard in the world. It was the site of one of the bloodiest persecutions in the 17th century and now it’s rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Lord Advocate Sir George Mackenzie. He was the leader of the persecution, executing the orders of King Charles II.  

It’s believed that his spirit is the reason for poltergeist activist in the graveyard. Read more about his haunting here. It’s also not uncommon to find bones while walking through the cemetery. The bodies weren’t often buried deep enough underground and sometimes without a coffin. Over time, bones occasionally rose to the surface for dogs to find, or pedestrians to trip over.

Edinburgh Attractions: You Can’t Miss Greyfriars Bobby

At the main (south) entrance of Greyfriars, you’ll notice a small (but life-sized) statue of a Skye Terrier. This is Greyfriars Bobby, the pet of night-watchman John Gray. John Gray and Bobby watched over the cemetery for 2 years together until Gray died of tuberculosis.

For the next 14 years, until his own death, Bobby refused to leave his owners grave, only ever leaving for food and water. 

When the government passed a law mandating that every pet needed to be registered to an owner, the Scots stood up for Bobby. The city ended up paying for Bobby’s licence, gave him a brass collar, and built him a shelter to sleep in.

There’s now not only a statue in his honour but also several Scottish novels and a Disney movie about him. 

You’ll notice that his nose (and now his chest) are gold, and that’s because many tourists rub his nose for good luck. But, please don’t rub his nose, it damages the monument and soon the poor pup won’t have a nose anymore.

Edinburgh Scotland Harry Potter Graveyard Connections

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, some of the top HP Edinburgh attractions are unfortunately in Greyfriars… it’s filled with Harry Potter paraphernalia!

Overlooking the graveyard on the south side is the Elephant House Cafe. This is where J.K. Rowling spent most of her time writing Harry Potter. On the opposite side is George Heriot’s School, where Rowling sent her eldest daughter.

The school also shares a strong resemblance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school is divided into 4 houses and in the background, you can see Edinburgh Castle. Possibly the best part of the graveyard are some gravestones along the way from the Cafe to the school. Check out the names, I mean, the similarities are uncanny…

5. What To Do In Edinburgh: See St. Giles Cathedral

A trip to a European city would not be complete without one church visit – and Edinburgh Scotland is no exception. St. Giles Cathedral is the epitome of Gothic Cathedrals in Europe, but it isn’t even really a cathedral. It earned the title thanks to two brief periods in the 17th century during which it had a resident bishop but hasn’t had one since. 

Its proper name is High Kirk of St Giles and it’s a Presbyterian Church. They changed the name in 2014 to draw attention to its grandiose scale and attract more tourists. I see why they did it, a building like this should be admired.

You can tour the interior to admire the giant stain glass windows and irregular floor-plan of the church. Entry is free, but it’s recommended you give a £3 donation. Read more about its unbelievable history and architecture here.

6. Wander Off The Royal Mile

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is a large street running through the heart of Edinburgh Scotland. It starts at Edinburgh Castle and goes all the way to Holyroodhouse (more on that in a bit!). 

It measures the length of a Scottish mile, an obsolete unit of measurement used in Scotland until the 19th century, which is about 1800 metres. 

Along the street, you’ll find A LOT of souvenir shops, but also alleyways (called Closes) you can duck into to discover remote Old Town areas. There are 36 in total along the Mile and it’s a great way to get a feel for Old Town and it’s past.

Also, make sure to wander off to Victoria Street – one of the most popular streets in Edinburgh for its brightly coloured homes.

7. Scotland & The Whiskey Experience

If you’re in Scotland, you just have to treat yourself to Scotch at least once! To get a taster and some neat information about this local drink, head to The Whiskey Experience. You’ll get a taster at the end with a free Glencairn glass to keep. 

You can choose from 4 types of tickets. The base tour with whiskey tasting and glass costs £16 and lasts about 50 minutes. 

P.S. If you’re interested in Whiskey, and tasting some local drams, I highly recommend booking a tasting at Cadenhead’s. It’s one of my top 10 Edinburgh hidden gems!

8. Visit Some Notable Statues Around The City

You’ve already heard about Bobby the dog statue, but there are a few other notable statues in Edinburgh Scotland that are worth a visit…

Scott Monument In New Town

If you arrive in Edinburgh by train, the first thing you see when you walk outside is the Scott Monument. It’s a tall gothic structure on the way to Old Town, and it’s breathtaking.  

It’s dedicated to Sir Walter Scott – that’s him sitting in the middle with his beloved dog Maida. 

But as it turns out this is the tallest structure dedicated to an author in the world, standing at 60 m (200 feet) tall. What’s even more shocking is that there’s a narrow staircase to climb to get a view of Old Town below for £8. Read more about it here.  

While you’re here, you can also take a break from medieval life for a bit and go shopping in New Town.

David Hume Statue In Edinburgh Scotland

Across from St.Giles, you’ll find the statue of David Humes, an 18th-century Scottish philosopher. You’ll notice something a little odd: his toe is completely gold, despite the rest of him being green. 

Like Bobby’s nose, people believe rubbing his toe brings you a good fortune. The irony of it all is that Humes rejected the belief in superstitions.

Charles II as a Roman Emperor on a Horse

Dedicated to Charles II, the king of Ireland, Scotland, and England, this monument is quite special. There’s nothing to rub here for good luck, but if it’s raining during your visit you might get to witness a funny sight.
 
When it rains, water collects in the horse’s large stomach and leaves through a small hole at the bottom. Because of where the hole is, it looks like the horse is peeing.

9. Visit New Town (Walk Along Princes Street)

A trip to Edinburgh Scotland would not be complete without visiting New Town. This is, obviously, the new part of Edinburgh Scotland…that being said, it isn’t really that new at all.

But, it is where you’ll find larger stores to shop in (like Primark!) and restaurants along Princes Street. New Town is also where you’ll get THE BEST view of Edinburgh Castle in the city at Princes Street Garden. This also isn’t a bad spot for a picnic lunch on a nice day!

10. Feel Like Royalty At Holyrood Palace

Holyrood Palace (also known as the Palace of Holyroodhouse) was, and still is to do this, the Queen’s Palace when she comes to Edinburgh Scotland. She will stay here for about a week once a year (so double check your dates to see if it’s open when you visit!).

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stay open for tourists to say hi to the Queen!

You can fully visit Holyrood Palace while in Edinburgh, it’s expensive but it’s worth it. There’s an entire history to the palace which goes up to today, because, well it’s still in use (unlike most castle ruins in Scotland!).

Find updated ticket prices here.

What To Do In Edinburgh Travel Tip

The easiest way to see all the best things to do in Edinburgh is to go on a walking tour of the city. I saw most of these main attractions on my walking tour in Edinburgh (another one of the things to do in Edinburgh that I highly recommend).

It’s also a great way to get your bearings of the city, a bit of history, and even some local tips.

Need A Place To Stay? My Edinburgh Hotel Recommendations

I stayed at an Airbnb for a month in Edinburgh just across from The Meadows. For shorter stays, I found these accommodations to stay at for every type of traveller.

Best Location & Price: Just down the street from the Royal Mile Motel One Edinburgh – Royal is a short walk to all the main attractions. See room rates & availability.

Modern & New Apartment: Stay in Edinburgh’s New Town at Golden Thistle Apartment to live like a local. It’s offers a beautifully renovated modern apartment with cafes and bars at your fingertips! See room rates & availability on Plum Guide.

Luxury: The Balmoral Hotel is Edinburgh’s finest hotel but nothing compares to it. J.K. even stayed here to finish writing the Harry Potter Series. Maybe you’ll get lucky and stay in the same suite! See room rates & availability.

See other accommodations on Booking.com in Edinburgh, or more apartments on Plum Guide.

Shop My Edinburgh Amazon Must-Haves

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• How to Drive From Edinburgh Scotland to St. Andrews
• How To Drive Through The Scottish Borders in a Day [From Edinburgh]
• The Best Castles To Visit Near Edinburgh
• What I Wish I’d Known Before Driving in Scotland
• Edinburgh Scotland Hidden Gems

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Last update on 2024-04-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API