Things to See and Do

Edinburgh is absolutely stuffed to the rafters with fun things to see and do.  We wanted to suggest just a small selection of fun things to keep you entertained, should you want to make a proper weekend of it.

Visit Edinburgh Castle.  As well as still being working barracks, Edinburgh Castle is a World Heritage Site, overlooking the whole city.  You can take a guided tour, see the Scottish crown jewels (the oldest in the UK!), where Mary Queen of Scots lived, the national war museum and much more.

Edinburgh Castle at night

Climb a volcano!  Edinburgh is the only city with an extinct volcano within the city limits, and Arthur's Seat is well worth a visit.  It's the tallest of Edinburgh's seven hills, and is a bit of an aerobic work out, but the views are astonishing if you can make it to the top.  If you fancy some fresh air, but are feeling a little less energetic, there is also a lovely loch at the foot and the Palace of Holyrood (the Queen's residence in Edinburgh).

Arthur's Seat - it is extinct, I think.....

Do the Scotch Whisky Experience.  You simply cannot visit Edinburgh without trying some whisky, so why not throw in a barrel ride through a replica distillery to add to the fun. The shop has over 300 varieties of single malt, grain, and blended scotch whiskies for a perfect souvenir as well.

If you're looking for indoor activities, you can do a lot worse than the National Museum of Scotland on Chamber Street, or any of the other many museums around the place.

We would recommend simply having a wander around the Old Town - the Royal Mile and surrounding areas such as the Grassmarket have lots of interesting nooks and crannies, shops, pubs and restaurants to check out. 

And for those with a sense of childish adventure, take an Edinburgh bus tour.  We took one recently and it was a lot of fun (although wrap up warm - it's a little chilly on the open top bus!).