Edinburgh is easily one of my favorite cities in the world. There is something so magical and enchanting about it; you could simply stay forever. I’ve been several times and explored its streets alone and with friends, losing myself in its architecture, ciders, and the accents of the passerby. However, after seeing all the “touristy” sights, I wanted to dive even deeper into the hidden sights (and food and drink of course) of Edinburgh! One of my good friends Jack lives in Edinburgh, and I asked him to give me insight into the best things to do in Edinburgh from a local perspective! Jack and I worked at a Young Life camp in Scotland together and became best buddies! He wrote this post with the best places to eat, best places to get drinks, day trips, sights to see, and more. Scroll down to see all the best things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland, from a local perspective!
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My name is Jack, I study at the University of Edinburgh and am on part time staff with Young Life. I am from the United States but moved to St. Andrews in Scotland when I was eight, and now study in Edinburgh.
Places To Eat
- Salut
- A lovely soup place for lunch right in the heart of Old Town and across the road from the university. The soup is incredible and reasonably priced (student discount too!) and is a good place to sit down and relax for a bit at lunchtime.
- Fava
- I don’t go to restaurants very often, but this one is worth it. Down in Haymarket, Fava is a Greek restaurant with some of the tastiest food options ever. If you’re looking for a place to go out to in the evening, this is the place to go. (also reasonably priced!)
- Nile Valley
- Another good lunch place, Nile Valley (or the Africano Wrap Place right next to it) makes incredible African style wraps. You can sit in and enjoy the African art and music or take it away and find another place to sit. Very reliable, very good.
Places To Go Out
- Golf Tavern
- Founded in 1456, the Golf Tavern is a very nice historic pub, good for any night out. Very good vibes and well-priced pints. It also offers free pool upstairs (when there’s not an event on) which offers more often a quieter mood. There are frequently pub quizzes, live music, and karaoke nights to make this great place more exciting
- Jazz Bar
- If you are a jazz fan (or music fan), the Jazz Bar is the place to go. There’s something on every night, and the quality is very high. You can grab a drink at the bar, have a seat, and enjoy the incredible music making from locals
- Caley Picture House/The Standing Order
- These are the two coolest pub you will ever go in. They are both Wetherspoons (a pub chain that has some interesting reputations), but they are both on the top 10 list of best Wetherspoons in the country. Worth the visit.
- The Ensign Ewart
- A pub on the Royal Mile that always has Scottish Traditional music playing live. It is a really good place to sit and enjoy some of the culture, though sometimes it can be tough to find a seat.
Things To Do
- Walk in the meadows
- Edinburgh’s “Central Park”. It’s not quite the same but still offers lovely greenery and views of Arthur’s seat.
- Pitch and putt on Bruntsfield Links
- Remember the Golf Tavern? You can rent golf clubs from them and go across the road to a pitch and putt at Bruntsfield Links. Doesn’t matter if you are good or bad at golf, it’s always a very fun activity.
- Scottish National Museum
- A very cool museum with lots to see, as well as lots of Scottish History if you want to explore that. I think there’s something on the roof, but I’ve never explored that.
- Thrifting and Vintage shopping
- There are tons of thrift stores (or what we call charity shops) in the city. There are two places to go- Nicholson Street has 6 or 7 right in a row and all of them always have good stuff. Stockbridge (a small area) has tons of charity shops on the main street and have the best stock in the city. Furthermore, if you want purely vintage shops, you must go to Armstrong’s. The stock there is always interesting, and you can definitely find something cool. What’s better is they have 4 locations around Edinburgh, so you can wander while hitting all four locations.
- Hike up Arthur’s Seat
- A good hike with beautiful views of the city.
- Princes Street and Gardens
- This is the main street in Edinburgh where you can walk around and shop!
Historic Spots To Check Out
- Edinburgh Castle
- A must if you haven’t been to Edinburgh and if you enjoy history/looking at castles.
- You do have to pay to enter.
- A must if you haven’t been to Edinburgh and if you enjoy history/looking at castles.
- St Giles
- A historic church that was a part of the Scottish Reformation! Beautiful and free to enter.
- Grass Market
- A historic area at the foot of the castle where the markets used to be and witches also used to be burned.
- Dean Village
- This is Edinburgh’s past captured small village. It’s visually very traditional and feels like you have traveled back in time!
- This spot is SOOOO COOL and a must visit!!! – Anita 🙂
- New College
- The University’s religious/ Christian building. It’s visually stunning and has a lot of history.
Day Trips From Edinburgh
- North Berwick
- A small seaside town that’s very fun to explore
- Pentlands Regional Park
- Hills and hills (and maybe highland cows); a good place for a hike outside of the city.
- Anywhere in Scotland is not very far away if you find something you want to go to!
General Tips
- Buses are very good, park and bus in if you’re driving.
- Most areas are fun to just wander, sight see, sit.
- Shopping on Prince’s Street/George Street is fun.
- You don’t have to look hard for a good coffee shop.
- Find gems in bookstores (Topping and Co, The Mound, Oxfam Books).
- Edinburgh is not a big city, so you can do lots of these things together and kill 2, 3, or 4 birds with one stone!
