12 Best Things To Do In Edinburgh, Scotland: Steeped In History

The Scottish people love their capital city, Edinburgh, so much that they make sure to take care of it the best way they can – and they are sharing this love to everybody in the world. There are just so many things to do in Edinburgh. Travelers who are able to set foot in this Scottish city are transfixed by its unmatched beauty. Those who haven’t been here should, at least once in their lifetime. 

A lively and friendly city? That has to be Edinburgh. This destination offers tourists the best of both worlds – we’re talking about urban spots and beautiful natural landscapes. With plenty of things to do in Edinburgh, there’s something for everyone. Edinburgh is a place that begs to be discovered, filled with quirky nooks and alluring views. 

12 Of The Best Things To Do In Edinburgh

Enjoy these best things to do in Edinburgh. Find your rhythm. 

1. Take Part In The World’s Biggest Arts Festivals

Lauded as the world’s leading festival city, Edinburgh has so much to offer to both event enthusiasts and those who are here to go with the flow. Being such, it is just right that attending the city’s festivals should be on top of your things to do in Edinburgh list. 

More than six decades ago, the founder of the International Festival – an event that gathers the best artists from the worlds of opera, music, theatre, and dance on one stage – set out to bring the convergence of art, culture, colors, and prosperity to a gritty, post-war Edinburgh. Now, there are seven festivals held every August, including the Fringe Festival, as well as the Book and Comedy Festivals. The most famous of them is the Fringe. 

Somehow, Edinburgh has become synonymous to the Fringe Festival.  Also referred to as “the Edinburgh Fringe,” or simply “The Fringe,” this event is the world’s biggest performance arts festival, which features tens of thousands of performances for thousands of shows in hundreds of venues. 

Every year, both Edinburghers and tourists fall in love with these events over and over again as Auld Reekie becomes like NYC, the city that never sleeps. To cap it all off, here’s a tip. Be sure to plan ahead if you are attending these events as hotels and restaurants become fully booked early, and the headline shows sell out fast.

2. Explore Queen Elizabeth II’s Scottish Home

If you are closely following world history, you’ll learn that there was a point in the past when Scotland and England were rivals. Heard about the rivalry between England’s Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, one of the most legendary rivalries in history? You get the picture. 

But, the conflicts are long gone, and the two nations are now under a united country. In fact, Queen Elizabeth II, the former Queen of the United Kingdom who was based in London, has a house in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse (no, not Hollywood), which is open for tourists to visit as they enjoy the things to do in Edinburgh.

Here, you can see portraits, tapestries, and plasterwork that you can literally shake a scepter at. The Palace of Holyroodhouse was also a space for Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived centuries before Queen Elizabeth II, and her chambers then are here. Here’s a trivia. This is also the place where her courtier, Rizzio, was stabbed 56 times and thrown down the stairs by Queen Mary’s jealous husband. After learning about the stories of this palace, you can relax at its small courtyard café.   

3. Then, Head To The Home Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, The Edinburgh Castle

Mary, Queen of Scots did not live in just one place. After all, she needed to travel as the ruler of Scotland. Another home of this great queen is the iconic Edinburgh Castle itself. No visit to the Scottish capital would be complete without seeing this castle. This must also be on top of your things to do in Edinburgh list. 

Built originally in 1103 on a sizable craggy rock, Edinburgh Castle, touted as the country’s most besieged castle, can be seen from almost every corner of the city. 

Aside from being home to Mary, Queen Scots, it was also home to Bonnie Prince Charlie, the national hero of Scotland, as well as the home to the Honours of Scotland, Britain’s oldest Crown jewels. 

Today, you can sign up for guided tours around Edinburgh Castle that will give you a sense of what life was like here.

Welcome to our “things to do in Edinburgh” piece. Want to know more about Scotland? Head over to this link for a related story. 

4. Visit The Witches Well At The Royal Mile

Stories of witchcraft are plenty in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. The mother of Queen Elizabeth I herself, Anne Boleyn, was accused of being a witch. Here in Scotland, there’s a place called The Witches Well, a fountain that commemorates the women of Edinburgh executed on suspicion of witchcraft between the 1400s and 1700s. It’s located at The Royal Mile. Several things to do in Edinburgh while you are here in The Royal Mile.

Resting near Holyrood Park, The Royal Mile is actually a succession of streets through the Old Town of Edinburgh, connecting Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Its name is such (given during the 1500s) because the distance between those two royal residences is exactly a mile. 

Along its cobbled streets, there are five sections to explore, namely, the Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, the High Street, Lawnmarket, and Canongate. If you are here at The Royal Mile taking in the things to do in Edinburgh, you will always notice the behemoth, imposing St Giles’ Cathedral, and The Witches Well.  

Other things to visit here include the Cannonball House – which literally features a cannonball lodged into its west wall – and the John Knox House, the oldest building here, dating back from 1470.

5. Take In The Spectacular Views Of The City At Arthur’s Seat  

Another unmissable landmark in Edinburgh, Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano which is the main peak of the group of hills in the city, will provide travelers with spectacular views of the city. But the volcano is long extinct. Today, hikers and visitors stream down its steep banks, instead of lava. From this vantage point, you’ll see Edinburgh’s spires and rooftop, as well as the Murrayfield Stadium, Pentland Hills, and Firth of Forth. Be sure to add this on your things to do in Edinburgh itinerary.

6. Capture Your Best Selfies At Dean Village

There are several amazing photography spots in Edinburgh, but perhaps nothing will compare to Dean Village. next to the Water of Leith, which lackadaisically rolls on past, this tranquil site and former grain milling area situated northwest of the city proper is said to be every photographer’s dream model. 

Other great places to take your selfie here include the red sandstone of Well Court which hangs over the river; the Dean Bridge; and the Germanic-looking, timber-fronted, Germanic-looking daffodil-yellow timber-fronted houses. Visiting Dean Village should not be missed on your things to do in Edinburgh list.

The things to do in Edinburgh are downright spectacular. It’s like eating a buffet! Head over here to see Scotland as one of the places to visit in September. 

7. Experience Something Different – How About An Underground Walking Tour?

Have you ever thought about what lies in Edinburgh’s underground? Did you know you can access this world beneath this city? Taking an underground walking tour is probably one of the most exciting things to do in Edinburgh that deserves your attention. 

Traverse the road less traveled, and explore the Scottish capital’s hidden secrets. You’ll be led by a knowledgeable guide from the South Bridge in the Old Town, but down below street levels, where you can find a series of ancient vaults. Ancient vaults? Sounds interesting, right? 

As you explore these dark passageways, you’ll learn about the story behind these vaults, discover a hidden witchcraft temple, gain insight into the city during the 1700s, and learn about the deadly diseases that threatened Edinburgh’s people.  

8. Tour The ‘Harry Potter’ Filming Locations, And The Places That Inspired Its Author, J. K. Rowling, To Create The Wizarding World

While the “Harry Potter” series will remind you of London, did you know that there are places in Edinburgh where the “Harry Potter” movies were shot, and where its author, J. K. Rowling, took inspiration from to create the iconic Wizarding World?

When you take this Harry Potter tour around Edinburgh, you’ll be led by an equally Potter-mad guide as well, as you explore the winding streets and mysterious alleys that became inspiration for Rowling, as well as the filming locations featured in the movies. You’ll also be exploring the city’s highlights like The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle, among other landmarks. 

9. Enroll In A Whiskey Masterclass

While whiskey’s distillation processes have been used worldwide for ages, the first distillation of this beverage as we know it today happened in Scotland or Ireland during the early 1000s AD. From there, whiskey production grew in popularity, reaching the Americas thanks to the European colonists. 

So, if you are not going to take part in a whiskey masterclass while you are here to enjoy the things to do in Edinburgh, you are absolutely missing a lot. Some of the best known tours are The Scotch Whisky Experience and the Gold Tour, which are both brilliant and revelation. 

Aficionados, especially, should take the Morning Masterclass, while gourmands are recommended to take the Taste of Scotland Whisky and Food Tour, which includes a three-course meal. 

Can’t get enough of the things to do in Edinburgh? Edinburgh is Scotland’s honor. Here are more related stories. See this piece where we listed the Scottish Highlands as one of the best photography spots in the world. 

10. You’re Kids Will Love It At Camera Obscura And World of Illusions, Where You Can Walk On Water

If you are bringing your kids with you to Edinburgh, forget about Disneyland for now, and take them to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. Located on top of the touristy The Royal Mile, here, you can find colorful puzzles, games, and optical illusions that will keep your little ones entertained for hours. Did you know it is also one of the city’s oldest attractions? It opened in 1835. Thus, this is certainly a not-to-miss on your things to do in Edinburgh list.

This attraction is inside a building’s Victorian tower, where you can find a 175-year-old camera obscura show. The whole family will also enjoy a mirror maze and photogenic vortex tunnel Bewilderworld, Light Fantastic, which is the only permanent gallery on the art and science of holography across the United Kingdom. There are also sections here where you can catch your shadows, shake hands with your ghost, and even walk on water.

11. Want Something Morbid? Visit The City’s Goriest Museum

We’re referring to the Surgeons’ Hall Museums. If you have a strong stomach for something morbid that it tickles your senses, you should include this on your things to do in Edinburgh itinerary. 

Here, you can find life-sized tableaux, surgical and dental tools, gruesome photographs, and, wait for it, pickled and preserved body parts. This unnerving collection also includes pathology, and histories of surgery and dentistry. Some will love it, some will not. 

12. Try Ghost Hunting

Edinburgh has its fair share of haunted entities. In fact, the place holds a reputation as one of the most haunted cities in Europe, not just in Romania where Dracula came from. 

If you search for The Royal Mile, you will find several tour operators offering ghost tours. Or, you may also opt for The Real Mary King’s Close tour where you will get to explore hidden streets from the 17th century, long considered to be haunted by victims of plague walled up alive. You’ll never know what you’ll find in Scotland. 

Enjoying the things to do in Edinburgh so far? How about continuing your trip to London? 

More Things To Do In Edinburgh: Upcoming Events In The World’s Leading Festival City

If those things to do in Edinburgh you learned earlier aren’t yet enough for you, and you are yearning for more, yes, there are certainly more. Being “the leading festival city in the world,” Edinburgh is the perfect backdrop and venue for several events conducted by various industries. Plan your travel. Here are the most exciting upcoming events happening in this Scottish city. 

• Fringe Festival, ongoing until August 28th
• Edinburgh’s Summer Festivals, ongoing thru August 
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, ongoing until August 26th – Music, dance, and military parade that challenge the opening ceremony of the Olympics
• Scottish International Storytelling Festival, October 17th to 19th
• Edinburgh Winter Festivals – November to January

Forever Edinburgh – The Story Never Ends

Offered to visit Edinburgh, you might say that you’ve been to the United Kingdom, you’ve seen Buckingham Palace, the London Bridge, the Big Ben, and whatnot. But you haven’t been to Edinburgh. United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, Scotland – we understand your confusion. Well, to tell you – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Island are the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom country. So, Scotland is a completely different place. It’s definitely not London. 

Edinburgh has become synonymous with its festivals, but there are more things to do in Edinburgh than just these. You have whiskey tastings, exploring a historic castle, 300-year-old underground passages, and more. These are how you can get to know this Scottish capital.