Things to Do in Edinburgh

History

• Edinburgh Castle – the big and most obvious one. Can easily take a whole day with little museums and nooks and crannies to explore all over the place. Requires tickets to be bought in advance.

• Gladstone’s Land – half a block down from the castle, a preserved old townhouse with different floors decorated in the styles of the different eras

• The Writer’s Museum – in one of the side streets near the castle, free entry, with a focus on Robert Louis Stevenson (my boy!), Walter Scott and Robert Burns

• Mary King’s Close – explore the underbelly of the city and go down into the old lost streets that are buried beneath the Royal Mile. Spooky options available. Also requires booking.

• The Museum of Scotland – on Chamber Street and packed with so many cool and fascinating things. They also have a wing about Scottish history, which is lovely, and regularly have changing exhibitions to visit

• Generally, the entire Royal Mile area. Yes, it’s tourist trap central, but also throw a rock, hit a museum, gallery, quirky wee shop or old building. Also many many of the exteriors for Outlander were filmed in the side streets

• The Georgian House – Charlotte Square in the New Town. A preserved Georgian House, fully furnished and decorated with all kinds of gorgeous little details to see.

• Surgeon's Hall - the museum of medical and surgical history, a stone's throw away from the bus stop for the venue. Be warned, it has some pretty grisly exhibits, but it's absolutely fascinating.

• Craigmillar Castle - a smaller castle on the south side of the city with stunning panoramic views of the city and coast from the roof and an intact banquet hall

General

• The Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street – yes, technically it comes under history but also has fantastic science and nature departments and a whole wing about Scotland. Free entry.

• Camera Obscura – a museum/gallery of optical illusions up beside the castle

• The Scotch Whisky Experience – another museum/experience up by the castle. And yes, it's whisky-based.

• Dynamic Earth – Science museum near the bottom of the Royal Mile, near the Parliament Building

• So. Many. Galleries. National, Portrait, Modern and so many more.

• The Royal Yacht Britannia – Queen’s ex-boat is now a tourist trap

• Edinburgh Zoo – on the far west side of the city. Direct buses stop there from Princes Street.

Local nature and scenic places:

• Arthur's Seat – the extinct volcano in the middle of the city – lots of nice walks and if you feel adventurous, there’s a viewpoint at the top.

• Calton Hill – the site of Edinburgh’s observatory in the centre of town with stunning panoramas in all directions

• Hermitage of Braid and Braid Hill – a panoramic view with another observatory on the south side of the city

• Many many many beaches 10-15 minutes away by train. If you like seaglass hunting, I recommend Prestonpans beach. That place is covered in the stuff.