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The significance of Edinburgh cannot be overstated. Aside from being the capital of Scotland since the 15th century, it is believed that the George Heriot's School in the city center is the inspiration for Hogwarts, the magical school at the center of the Harry Potter novels by JK Rowling. Whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, this city has so many historical attractions, mixed with a variety of green spaces, and cultural monuments.

Edinburgh is comprised of a New town and Old Town, both of which have the honor of being UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It also has over 4,500 listed buildings in its directory, which are defined by being considered culturally and historically ‘significant’. Because of these buildings, Edinburgh is a sight for sore eyes for those who love architecture and is part of the allure that is the Scottish capital.

Edinburgh is the UK’s 2nd most popular tourist destination with nearly 5 million visitors a year (pre-COVID numbers). So you can imagine how busy it would be during the warmer months of the year. I recommend going in early Spring or early Fall to avoid the crowds. [The most famous UK destination is obviously London (Blog Post - A Comprehensive Guide to London, England)]

My journey to Edinburgh was made via a train from Liverpool (Blog Post - Everything you Need to Know about Seeing Liverpool), where I lived at the time. The train from there took approximately 4 hours. I spent about 3 days in Edinburgh and felt that was a good amount of time to really explore the town and get a feel for it, but you can always stay for longer! These are some of the places I managed to see.

Edinburgh Castle is perched atop the tallest hill in the city (better known as Castle Rock, making it clearly visible for any visitor. Its origins date back to the Iron Age and its ownership has changed hands many times over the years, most notably in 1314 when the Scots retook it from the English in a night raid led by Thomas Randolph.

The total history of this castle is long and storied, and I can’t do it any justice by trying to summarize it all. You can perhaps check this out for yourself as there are exhibitions inside highlighting the castle’s place in history. If you had to just see one place in Edinburgh, this would be it!

Calton Hill has to be one of the best natural spaces in Edinburgh. It is another hilltop that is centrally situated and is home to several neoclassical monuments of Scottish culture. I myself picked up a fish and chips from a small family owned shop and headed up to this hill to watch the sunset over the town. For photography lovers, this place is fantastic: the monuments practically photograph themselves and the ever changing weather in Scotland make for some pretty spectacular cloudy imagery.

Dugald Stewart Monument is one such monument located in Calton Hill, dedicated to the Scottish philosopher and constructed in 1831. I briefly mentioned the amount of listed buildings in Edinburgh, and this monument is officially a Category A listed building, the highest designation there is. The monument is perfectly situated in the forefront of an otherwise amazing view over the city skyline. This was one of my favorite sights in the entire city.

The National Monument, also located on Calton Hill, serves as a memorial to Scottish sailors and soldiers who parished during the war with Napoleon I. It was modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, the most prominent features most exemplified in the columns of the structure. From this monument you can also get a great bird’s eye view over most of Edinburgh, including Arthur’s Seat, a popular hiking stop.

Arthur’s seat is actually the remnant of an ancient volcano, whose hills make up the majority of Holyrood Park. It’s elevation is roughly 250 meters and sits about 1 kilometer from Edinburgh Castle. The etymology of the name Arthur’s Seat has unclear origins. Some people seem to think it comes from King Arthur, or taken from other prominent peaks in the UK of the same name.

The hike up to Arthur’s Seat is not an arduous one. You get a great view of the town below without much physical exertion, a win-win! It is rumored that this spot is the location of Camelot, also keeping with King Arthur lore. Arthur’s Seat is also referenced in many novels, notable ones including Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Underground City by Jules Verne.

Situated in the Edinburgh Old Town, sits the St. Columba’s Free Church of Scotland. This church is most identifiable by its blackened tower and is a great point to use when orienting yourself to navigate this city. I’m a sucker for old architecture like this where you can tell this church has stories to tell.

Victoria Street can be considered the most colorful street in Edinburgh. Replete with shops and boutiques, it stands out against the largely boring color tones of nearby buildings. This curved cobblestone street is the most photographed street in the entire city (my gut feeling and humble opinion).

Princes Street Gardens was created when the New Town of Edinburgh was created back in 1820. It runs along Princes Street and is considered the best green space in the city due to its central location and well maintained grounds. This is perfect for the spring and summer for a break in exploring Edinburgh. The tranquility here may be short lived due to an outgoing train towards Glasgow, but these are few and far between.

Scott Monument is located within the confined of Princes Street Gardens and is the 2nd largest monument dedicated to a writer in the world. The construction is made in a Victorian Gothic Style, a pretty gorgeous combination if I do say so myself. This monument is dedicated to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, famous for novels like Rob Roy and The Lady of the Lake.

Royal Mile is a stretch of street in the Edinburgh city center with more shops, boutiques, pubs, restaurants, etc. It is impossible to miss it if you managed to spend a few days in the city. For those looks for some comforts of home like food chains and nice stores, you go here.

You can also do day trips through various tour operators to other places nearby such as the Scottish Highlands. This is a mountain region where Loch Ness is situated in the center, and Ben Nevis (the tallest mountain in Scotland) is situated in the Southwest. This is a great chance to check out the Scotland countryside and get away from the city lights and noises for awhile.

The Forth Bridge is a Grade A listed landmark, located just West of Edinburgh and is often a stop in a Scottish highland tour. What makes this bridge so significant is that it is considered as a symbol of Scotland, and also has achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status. I wouldn’t go out of your way just to go here but it’s cool to see nonetheless!

For me, I’m hoping to return to Scotland someday to see Glasgow and ever more, to do a road trip towards Portree and the Isle of Skye. This place looks just so ominous and eerily beautiful, at least in some of the photos I have seen. If you have already been there, let me know in the comments below as I will take any advice I can get on seeing them properly.

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