Edinburgh Castle, Old Town, . Edinburgh Castle, home to the Edinburgh Tattoo, is a magnificently situated royal fortress located on one of the highest points in the city. The castle has been continuously in use for 1000 years and is in excellent condition. �
Abbey and Palace of Holyroodhouse, Old Town, ? The Palace is a royal residence, and hosts the Queen's Gallery containing a collection of art from the Royal Collection.
St Giles' Cathedral, Old Town, ? The historic City Church of Edinburgh is also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh and takes its name from the city's patron saint.
Mary King's Close, Old Town, ? Warriston's Close (opposite St Giles' Cathedral), open daily except 25 Dec - a slice of Edinburgh's medieval history, preserved since being closed over in the 18th century - watch out for the haunting.
Gladstone's Land, Old Town, ? In the Lawnmarket at the top of the Royal Mile. It is a 17th century Old Town tenement (known as a 'Land') decorated with period furniture. It has an impressive painted ceiling.
Greyfriars Kirkyard, Old Town. A very old graveyard in Old Town off the Southwest corner of George IV Bridge, made famous by Disney as the home of Greyfriars Bobby.
Camera Obscura, Old Town, ? Castle Hill. Over 150 years old, the Camera Obscura focuses light from the top of the tower onto a large dish in a dark room below, allowing a 360-degree view of all of Edinburgh!
The Scottish Parliament, Old Town, , (eastern end of the Royal Mile, opposite the Palace of Holyrood House)? A unique building designed by the Spanish (Catalan) architect Enric Miralles. It is necessary to get (free) tickets to watch the Parliament in session from the Public Gallery.
Scott Monument, E Princes Street Gardens, New Ton. Built in 1846 to commemorate the life of Sir Walter Scott after his death in 1832, the Gothic spire monument allows you to climb 200 ft above the city centre to enjoy fantastic views.£3. �
The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Terminal, Leith, Jan-Mar, Nov-Dec 10AM-5PM, Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct 10AM-5:30PM, Jul 9:30AM-5:30PM, Aug 9:30AM-6PM last entry 1.5 hrs before closing, closed 1 Jan and 25 Dec, £10, seniors £8.75, child 5-17 yrs and students with ID £8.75, children under 5 free - decommissioned from royal use in recent years and voted one of Edinburgh’s best new attractions, Britannia offers visitors the chance to tour the royal apartments and view a selection of the many gifts offered to the royals by dignitaries worldwide.
Penguin Parade
Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row (East Gate) / Arboretum Place (West Gate), Stockbridge. Very impressive gardens with a collection of interesting plants. Great place to wander around on a sunny day, or to sit and have a picnic. Free entry to the gardens. £3.50, £3 concessions, £1 children.
Edinburgh Zoo , West, . Watch the world famous Penguin Parade.
Rosslyn Chapel , South, Take bus number 15 to see this chapel, featured in "The Da Vinci Code" novel and film.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Edinburgh
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Edinburgh - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Edinburgh hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Edinburgh Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
