Edinburgh Travel Guide

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Edinburgh, Scotland, by night
Edinburgh Castle by night, Edinburgh, Scotland (Digital Vision)

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Edinburgh Travel Tips

  • Hike to the top of Arthur's Seat, an 822-foot-high extinct volcano that overlooks the city. On your way down, swing by the royal Palace of Holyroodhouse, Our Dynamic Earth exhibit, and the buildings of the Scottish Parliament.
  • Hit the city during summer's Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which run nearly simultaneously for three weeks in August and feature thousands of world-class (and, let's be honest, not-so world-class) concerts, plays, and assorted artistic wackiness. Be warned—it's busy, so book hotels well ahead of time for the best rates.
  • Walk in the footsteps of kings and queens from Edinburgh Castle down the Royal Mile. To dodge the tourist crowds at the top of the Royal Mile, duck off into Lady Stair's Close for a pint at the warm and welcoming Jolly Judge pub.
  • If you're arriving by air, head into town on the airport bus, which is much cheaper than a taxi but will take about the same amount of time. About local transport: be warned that it can be almost impossible to get a cab home on Friday and Saturday nights, so plan (and dress!) accordingly.
  • Closing time for pubs in Scotland is much later than in England, so pace yourself! The best pubs and clubs are in the Grassmarket area and up towards the campus of Edinburgh University (the "Old Town"), and off George Street and down towards Stockbridge in the "New Town."
  • When the sun's out, ditch the crowds milling in Princes Street Gardens and wander through the New Town to the Royal Botanic Gardens, a great spot for a picnic and views of the city skyline.
  • Stroll through Dean Village and along the gurgling Water of Leith to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which has a great sculpture garden in its grounds (a good excursion for those with kids).
  • Good day trips from Edinburgh include St. Andrews (home of golf and the third-oldest university in the UK), the castle and monuments in and around Stirling, and country homes like Traquair House and Abbotsford (home of Sir Walter Scott) in the Borders region.

Edinburgh Overview

Given the contrasting reputations of Edinburgh and Glasgow, any traveler who hasn't examined a map of Scotland might be forgiven for thinking that they are separated by hundreds of miles. In fact, Scotland's two primary cities are only about 72km (45 miles) apart, but almost everyone who visits them will be struck by their differences. Read More

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Hotels

Macdonald Holyrood Hotel

81 Holyrood Rd
Edinburgh Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0

Paramount Carlton Hotel

North Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1SD Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0

Rocco Forte Balmoral Hotel

1 Princes Street
Edinburgh EH2 2EQ Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 5 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
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Attractions

Deep Sea World

Battery Quarry
Fife KY11 1JR United Kingdom

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)
Expert Rated & Recommended
3_0

Edinburgh Bus Tours

55 Annandale St
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

For an entertaining 1-hour-long overview and introduction to the principal attractions of... Read More

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3_0

Princes Street Gardens

Princes St
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Distance: 0.1 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

Another drained loch created the land to the north of Old Town that is now filled by the Princes... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended
3_0
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Airports

Major Airports near Edinburgh

Distance (mi.)
Edinburgh Airport 5.8 map
Glasgow International Airport 41.0 map
Newcastle Airport 86.5 map

Other Smaller Airports near Edinburgh

Distance (mi.)
St Andrews Leuchars Airport 31.6 map
Glasgow Prestwick Airport 62.2 map
Campbeltown Machrihanish Airport 100.6 map

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Edinburgh Vacation Rentals

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from: $110

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Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Sleeps: 3
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Edinburgh 3 Bedroom Penthouse to Let

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Balcony, Blender, CD Player, Cable/Satellite TV, Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Dishwasher, Full kitchen, Hair Dryer, Internet Access, Laundry, Linens, Lounge, Microwave, No Pets, Non-Smoking, Oven, Phone, Private Parking, Refrigerator, Stereo, Stove, TV, Utensils, VCR, Wireless Internet Access
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from: $175

Alba Executive Lower Villa - Sleeps 6 - 8

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 8
Amenities: Air Conditioning, BBQ, Blender, Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Full kitchen, Hair Dryer, Laundry, Linens, Microwave, Non-Smoking, Oven, Phone, Private Parking, Refrigerator, Stereo, Stove, TV, Towels, Utensils, Wireless Internet Access
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