Out and About…

I have listed a selection of places to visit to give you an idea of what is available in Edinburgh. Many more are listed on the really helpful Edinburgh Guide

Places to Visit

The Royal Mile (High Street)

The Old Town of Edinburgh has Edinburgh Castle at the top and Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament at the bottom and in between there are Gladstone’s Land, The Writer’s Museum, St Giles Cathedral, Mary King’s Close, the Tron, the Museum of Childhood, Dynamic Earth and lots of interesting closes to explore.

Art Galleries

Edinburgh has a great choice of Galleries – the National Gallery Complex on Princes Street, National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, the Queen’s collection at Holyrood Palace, the City Arts Centre, Fruitmarket Gallery, the Modern Art Gallery, the Dean Art Gallery are all well worth a visit. Then there are numerous privately run galleries located throughout Edinburgh.

Parks, Gardens and Open spaces

There are lots of green spaces in Edinburgh the more formal of these includes the Royal Botanical Gardens which are definitely worth a visit particularly as they are located so close to the apartment. Princes Street Gardens, Carlton Hill, Edinburgh Zoo. (For more places see the Countryside Walks section below)

Things to Do

I have listed a selection of things to do and again, much more is listed on the Edinburgh Guide website.

Shopping

The apartment is located close to the St James Centre, Harvey Nichols, Jenners, George Street and Princes Street are all within easy reach.

For a different shopping experience why not explore Edinburgh’s Villages?

Within the city you’ll find a number of self-contained communities, Bruntsfield and Morningside are good for shopping – Broughton, Stockbrige and Dean Village are located close to the apartment.

Eating Out

There are so many restaurants in Edinburgh I cannot name them all but within about 10 minutes walking distance from the apartment there are some good restaurants. We have “researched” some of them on your behalf and our comments are available in the apartment. Those we have tried are:

• The Orchard
• La Fontana
• Loon Fung
• The Olive Branch
• Le’Escargot Bleu

Edinburgh Festivals

The Edinburgh Festival, which takes place in the city in August each year, is made up of a variety of festivals and events including the International Festival, The Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Book Festival, Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Jazz Festival and Edinburgh Mela.

The Winter Festival takes place throughout December starting with the switching on of the Christmas lights at the end of November through to Edinburgh’s Christmas and culminating with the world famous Hogmanay celebrations.

Spring time sees Ceilidh Culture, the Science Festival and the Edinburgh Film Festival providing the entertainment while the Children’s Festival starts the summer with playful exuberance.

Up to date details of all of Edinburgh’s festivals can be found on the Festival website

Theatre, Cinema and Clubs

The Playhouse Theatre is a short walk from the apartment and the Festival Theatre, Usher Hall and Kings Theatre all just a bus ride away. There are various cinema complexes nearby at Greenside Place and Ocean Terminal. The Stand Comedy Club in Queen Street draws the big names in comedy and also has free microphone nights for those brave enough to take the stage.

Countryside Walks in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the UK’s most compact city, making it easy to get around on foot or take a break from the city and head out of town for a relaxed walk. It’s easy to reach the surrounding countryside using local bus services.

To help you plan your route, maps and guidebooks are available in the apartment or from the Tourist Information Centre (above Waverley Station). We can also offer advice on the best walk for you based on what you want to see and do.