Sightseeing OverviewThe main districts of Edinburgh are the
Georgian New Town, the
medieval Old Town and the
Port of Leith. The castle dominates the urban landscape, marking the center of the city and overlooking
Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main thoroughfare, which has been described as one of the most beautiful streets in the world.
The
Royal Mile, which Daniel Defoe once also declared the most beautiful street he had ever seen, links
Edinburgh Castle and the
Palace of Holyroodhouse and was the main artery of
the medieval city. Careful preservation in the 20th century has maintained its distinctive character.
To the north, along the Firth of Forth, the
Leith docks have recently been regenerated with
stylish waterfront hotels, restaurants, pubs and wine bars and this renaissance is gradually expanding east and west along the coastline with a flurry of development. Outside the center, the
islands of the Firth of Forth, the
Pentland Hills and charming nearby coastal towns all await.
Tourist InformationThe Edinburgh and Scotland Information Center 3 Princes Street
Tel: 0845 225 5121.
Website:
www.edinburgh.org Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1000-1700; open later in summer.
There are also city center representatives (roaming tourist officers) who offer advice and assistance. You can find them around the Royal Mile, Princes Street and Waverley station.
PassesThe excellent value
Edinburgh Pass (website:
www.edinburgh.org/pass) offers free access to 30 tourist attractions, a guidebook on the city, free transfers to and from the airport and unlimited use of local and regional buses as well as shopping discounts. The pass comes in one-day, two-day and three-day permutations. The pass is available from the tourist office in Princes Street, at the airport and in advance online.
Key Attractions:Edinburgh Castle This is Scotland’s most famous tourist attraction, built on the core of an extinct volcano. There has been a stronghold on this site since at least the first century AD. Edinburgh Castle now houses the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, Mons Meg (a massive 15th-century cannon) and the army headquarters of the Scottish Division. The panorama from the battlements provides a splendid view over the city.
Castlehill
Tel: (0131) 225 9846.
Website:
www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (Apr-Sep); daily 0930-1700 (Oct-Mar); last entrance 45 minutes before closing time.
Admission charge.
Palace of Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse sits at the eastern end of the Royal Mile and has been the royal quarter of Edinburgh since 1128, when David I founded an abbey here. Most of the present building dates from the reign of Charles II, who ordered the palace’s reconstruction. The palace remains the Queen’s official residence in Scotland and may be closed when the royal family is stopping over.
Canongate, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 556 5100.
Website:
www.royal.gov.uk Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (Mar-Oct); daily 0930-1630 (Nov-Feb); last entrance 45 minutes before closing time.
Admission charge.
National Gallery of Scotland The collection of European paintings and sculpture dating from the Renaissance to the 19th century is Scotland’s greatest and includes works by Van Dyck, Tiepolo, Pisarro, Monet, Cézanne, El Greco, Raphael, Titian and Botticelli. The
Royal Scottish Academy is accessed through the award-winning Weston Link. The
Scottish National Portrait Gallery is located nearby, at 1 Queen Street.
The Mound
Tel: (0131) 624 6200.
Website:
www.nationalgalleries.org Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700, Thurs 1000-1900.
Free admission.
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art This gallery first opened in 1960 and moved to its present location, a William Burn building, west of the city center, in 1984. Paintings by 20th-century masters such as Lucien Freud, Adrian Wiszniewski and the Scottish colorists are on display indoors, while the garden is dotted with sculptures by Henry Moore (among others). Opposite is the
Dean Gallery, a stylish gallery that opened in 1999 to house a large collection of works by sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi. The gallery also contains works by surrealists, such as Dali and Magritte, as well as works by Picasso. A free galleries bus operates hourly 1100-1700 between this gallery and Dean Gallery in the West End and the National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the New Town.
75 Belford Road
Tel: (0131) 624 6200.
Website:
www.nationalgalleries.org Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700, Thurs 1000-1900.
Free admission.
National Museum of Scotland This museum comprises two buildings: the Museum of Scotland and the Royal Museum. The multi-level Museum of Scotland opened in 1998 in a spectacular purpose-built landmark building. The exhibits detail the country’s history from its geological formation and earliest inhabitants up to the 20th century. Scotland’s regional treasures are also on display. Exhibits include a traveling canteen belonging to Bonnie Prince Charlie. Two days could easily be spent in the museum. However, to enjoy the highlights there are daily guided tours. It is conveniently joined to the Royal Museum, which has displays covering everything from Japanese art to the stuffed remains of ‘Dolly the Sheep’,
and is currently in the midst of a major renovation. (The main part of the Royal Museum building will be closed for three years from 28 April 2008.) The rooftop terrace of the Museum of Scotland offers great views of the city.
Chambers Street
Tel: (0131) 225 7534.
Website:
www.nms.ac.uk Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Free admission.
Our Dynamic Earth Built to commemorate the coming of the millennium with the aid of Millennium Commission funding, Our Dynamic Earth tells the story of how the earth was created. Using special effects and advanced technology, visitors can travel back in time (via a ‘time machine’) to witness the birth of the earth, before journeying to the center of the planet to experience a volcanic eruption, see polar ice caps and a tropical rainforest. A visit lasts approximately 90 minutes.
Holyrood Road
Tel: (0131) 550 7800.
Website:
www.dynamicearth.co.uk Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (Apr-Oct); daily 1000-1800 (Jul-Aug); Wed-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-Mar); last entrance 70 minutes before closing time.
Admission charge.
The Georgian House Part of Charlotte Square, at the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town, the Georgian House is furnished with the same kind of china, silver, paintings and furniture that would have been in use around 1796. There are also temporary exhibitions at nearby 28 Charlotte Square as well as a popular cafe and restaurant.
The National Trust for Scotland, 7 Charlotte Square
Tel: (0131) 225 2160.
Website:
www.nts.org.uk Opening hours: Daily 1100-1600 (early Mar); daily 1000-1700 (late Mar-Jun and Sep-Oct); daily 1000-1800 (Jul-Aug); daily 1100-1500 (Nov); hours liable to change; last entrance 30 minutes before closing time.
Free admission.
St Giles’ Cathedral A church has stood on the site of St Giles’ Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, since the 12th century. The present building, with its distinctive open-crown steeple supported by eight flying buttresses, dates back to the 16th century. John Knox became the first Protestant minister here, after the Reformation. Inside, the stunning Thistle Chapel is noted for its ornate wooden carving. Used also for major Scottish funerals such as the last send off of politician Robin Cook in 2005.
High Street, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 225 9442.
Website:
www.stgiles.net Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1900, Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700 (May-Sep); Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700 (Oct-Apr).
Free admission; donations are welcome.
Royal Yacht Britannia Now that the Royal Yacht Britannia has been decommissioned, it is open to the public as an award-winning floating museum. Visitors can explore its decks and gain an insight into the lives of both the Royal Family and the ship’s crew. The Queen’s bedroom is top of everyone’s ’must see’ list. A complementary exhibition outlines the vessel’s final year in service as the Royal Yacht.
Ocean Terminal, Leith
Tel: (0131) 555 5566.
Website:
www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Opening hours: Daily 1000-1630 (Apr-Oct); daily 0930-1630 (Jul-Aug); daily 1000-1530 (Nov-Mar); last entrance 90 minutes before closing time.
Admission charge.
The Scotch Whisky Experience Scotland is defined by its fine whiskies - tourists flock from far afield to sample the smooth wares. The one-hour tour of the Scotch Whisky Experience
includes talks on the production of single malt whisky, the different whisky-producing regions and how whisky is distilled.
354 Castlehill, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 220 0441.
Website:
www.whisky-heritage.co.uk Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Oct-Apr); daily 0930-1830 (May-Sep); last tour departs one hour before closing time.
Admission charge.
Further Distractions:Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Regarded as Scotland’s premier garden, this is one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions. Covering 31 hectares (78 acres), the garden contains a plant collection of unique botanical importance. It is the direct descendant of a physic garden established near the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1670.
20A Inverleith Row
Tel: (0131) 552 7171.
Website:
www.rbge.org.uk Opening hours: Daily 1000-1900 (Apr-Sep); daily 1000-1600 (Nov-Feb); daily 1000-1800 (Mar and Oct).
Free admission for the garden (donations welcome); admission charge for glasshouses when open.
Writers’ Museum This literary museum is dedicated to the history and artifacts of three of Scotland’s most famous men of letters - Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. Exhibits include Walter Scott’s chess board and Robert Burns’ old writing desk.
Lady Stair’s House, Lady Stair’s Close, Lawnmarket
Tel: (0131) 529 4901.
Website:
www.cac.org.uk Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700 (plus Sun 1200-1700 during the Edinburgh Festival).
Free admission.
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