Edinburgh
Edinburgh is Scotland's capital with a medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, strewn with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Towering over the hill-filled city is the 12th century Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, used in coronations. Arthur’s Seat is an imposing peak in Holyrood Park with sweeping views, and Calton Hill is topped with monuments and memorials. Edinburgh also plays host to the annual Fringe Festival— the world’s largest arts festival. Here is our city guide to Edinburgh, Scotland.
STAY
PRESTONFIELD HOUSE Originally built in 1687 as a grand baroque home, this converted hotel is surrounded by gardens and the prestigious James Braid-designed Prestonfield Golf Club, near Holyrood Park and Edinburgh Castle. There are several cocktail bars, a teahouse, as well as an art-filled drawing room with a roaring fireplace on the property. Rhubarb restaurant serves locally sourced delicacies. Priestfield Rd; prestonfield.com
THE ROYAL SCOTS CLUB Housed in a Georgian building overlooking Queen Street Gardens, this private members club also has hotel guestrooms available to the public. 29-31 Abercromby Pl; royalscotsclub.com
THE SCOTSMAN Set in the former Scotsman Newspaper building, this 1905 landmark hotel on the historic North Bridge also includes an oak-paneled brasserie, ornate bar, and the Picturehouse— an intimate movie theatre with plush red velvet seats, showing a mixture of classic masterpieces, modern cult favorites, and curated cultural content. 20 North Bridge; scotsmanhotel.co.uk
THE ROSEATE HOTEL An independent, family-run, luxury boutique hotel spread over 2 Victorian townhouses. The Roseate, 4 W Coates; roseatehotels.com
THE BALMORAL Enter through the gold-trimmed revolving door at 1 Princes Street, and into old-world luxury. Spend the afternoon under the cathedral-ceilinged Palm Court tea room having tea, and dine at Brasserie Prince or the Michelin-starred Number One. Finish with a nightcap at Scotch Bar, which boasts over 500 whiskies. 1 Princes St; roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel
THE CALEDONIAN Set in a Victorian former railway station near Edinburgh Castle with a lobby lounge, restaurant, and Guerlain Spa. Princes St; hilton.com/en/hotels/ednchqq-the-caledonian-edinburgh
GLENEAGLES TOWNHOUSE Gleneagles' first city hotel, all-day restaurant, and members' club. 39 St Andrew Sq; gleneagles.com/townhouse
THE WITCHERY In a group of old-world buildings on a cobbled street this lavish Gothic- and Victorian-style hotel has suites with antique furnishings. The renowned restaurant, set in a 16th-century house, features opulent, oak-panelled interiors. 352 Castlehill; thewitchery.com
100 PRINCES STREET With 30 exquisite rooms and suites, 100 Princes Street is renowned for its maximalist interiors, personalised service, and captivating views of Edinburgh Castle. 100 Princes St; 100princes-street.com
THE BONHAM HOTEL Set in a quiet leafy crescent in the exclusive West End of Edinburgh, The Bonham Hotel is a Victorian town house. 35 Drumsheugh Gardens; thebonham.com
THE SCOTT Surrounded by landscaped gardens, this relaxed hotel is set in a classic 18th-century Victorian house. Pollock Estate, 18 Holyrood Park Rd; uoecollection.com/hotels/the-scott/
VIRGIN HOTELS Situated in the landmark India Buildings in Edinburgh's Old Town, just a stone's throw from Edinburgh Castle. 1, India Buildings, Victoria St; virginhotels.com/edinburgh
BELMOND’S ROYAL SCOTSMAN Luxury train journeys aboard the Belmond Royal Scotsman sleeper train from London to the Scottish Highlands. belmond.com/trains/europe/scotland/belmond-royal-scotsman
PENICUICK ESTATE A stunning rural retreat just 10 miles south of Edinburgh, with a collection of grand and iconic houses, cottages and lodges immersed in nature and heritage. penicuikestate.com
DINE | DRINK
TIMBERYARD A family-run restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh. Set in an authentic warehouse dating back to the 19th century, when it was built as a costume store. 10 Lady Lawson St; timberyard.co
DISHOOM An outpost of the popular London chain of Indian restaurants modeled after the Irani cafes of Bombay. Order a biryani, mango lassi, and a sausage naan roll. 3a St Andrew Sq; dishoom.com/edinburgh
THE LITTLE CHARTROOM A husband and wife team serves exquisitely presented dishes at this tiny Leith restaurant. 14 Bonnington Rd; thelittlechartroom.com
HOLYROOD 9A Order a local ale and Scottish beef burger at this pub. 9a Holyrood Rd; theholyrood.co.uk
THE VOYAGE OF BUCK A gastropub named after the 19th-century philanthropist, polo player, and travel companion of Prince Albert Victor, the grandson of Queen Victoria. 29-31 William St; thevoyageofbuckedinburgh.co.uk
BRAMBLE BAR Popular with local bartenders, a telltale sign this acclaimed cocktail bar is worth visiting. 16A Queen St; bramblebar.co.uk
LANNAN BAKERY Darcie Maher's Scottish bakery—where pastry pilgrims queue as early as 6 a.m. every day. Order their pistachio, cardamom & sour cherry splits and creme brulee danish. 29-35 Hamilton Pl; lannanbakery.com
STOCKBRIDGE FARMER’S MARKET Head down to Stockbridge on Sunday mornings for the weekly farmers’ market, where you’ll find a buzzing hub of culinary and crafty finds. Expect everything from handcrafted dessert creations to artisanal pet treats. Traders rotate frequently, but regular favourites Lovely Paella and Harajuku Kitchen are must-tries. Saunders St; stockbridgemarket.com
MF COFFEE SHOP MF Coffee Project unites small-batch, speciality coffee growers in the magical mountains of Northern Malawi with conscious coffee consumers in the UK. 1 Summerhall Pl, Newington; mfcoffeeproject.com
THE ROYAL DICK PUB Pub in a former animal hospital featuring drinks & bar bites amid artwork & veterinary artefacts. 1, Summerhall; theroyaldick.co.uk
MARY’S MILK BAR Simple, retro ice cream parlour for homemade gelato, plus coffee and hot chocolate. 19 Grassmarket; marysmilkbar.com
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
EDINBURGH CASTLE J.K. Rowling was inspired to write Harry Potter overlooking Edinburgh Castle from The Elephant House cafe across the street. Visit the historic rooms and enjoy the panoramic view of the city from the grounds. Castlehill, Edinburgh; edinburghcastle.scot
SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY A fine collection of art with galleries filled by Botticellis, Turners, Monets, and Van Gogh’s. The Mound; nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-gallery
PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE The Queen’s official Edinburgh residence, which sits at the bottom of the Royal Mile. Don’t leave without visiting the gift shop, which is filled with porcelain tea sets. The Cafe of the Palace of Holyroodhouse offers a lovely afternoon tea with traditional finger sandwiches, pastries, and scones with berry preserve and Scottish clotted cream. The Signet Library also offers afternoon tea. Canongate; rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse
CALTON HILL Also known as “Edinburgh’s Acropolis”— the National Monument sits atop and was inspired by the Parthenon in Athens, commemorating the Scottish servicemen who died in the Napoleonic Wars; however, it was never completed, and only twelve columns stand today. The nearby Nelson Monument commemorates the death of Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and includes a clock at the top to enable ships moored in the Firth of Forth to set their time-pieces accurately. In fact, the Time Ball still drops at one o’clock six days a week. Calton Hill
WRITER'S MUSEUM A museum dedicated to three legendary Scottish writers: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Lawnmarket, Lady Stair's Cl; edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/writers-museum
SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART Home to Scotland’s collection of modern and contemporary art with a sculpture garden and pop-up cafe. National Galleries of Scotland, 73 Belford Road; nationalgalleries.org
JUPITER ARTLAND A sculpture garden with works by Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor dotted across more than 100 acres of lush grounds. The Steadings, Bonnington House, Wilkieston; jupiterartland.org
GARDEN OF COSMIC SPECULATION Open to the public just one day a year (and entirely worth planning your visit around) to see this surreal 30-acre sculpture garden by landscape architect and theorist Charles Jencks at his home, Portrack House, in Dumfriesshire. 2 Lower Portrack Cottages, Holywood, Dumfries; gardenofcosmicspeculation.com
FRUITMARKET GALLERY Artists from Phyllida Barlow to Louise Bourgeois have shown at this contemporary art gallery. It also gave the then little-known Jean-Michel Basquiat his first-ever exhibition in 1984. 45 Market St; fruitmarket.co.uk
HOPETOUN HOUSE A stately country house near South Queensferry, available to tour. Queensferry, South Queensferry; hopetoun.co.uk
DOVECOT STUDIOS A legendary tapestry studio and arts venue established by the 4th Marquess of Bute in 1912, recruiting weavers from William Morris' workshops at Merton Abbey in London. 10 Infirmary St; dovecotstudios.com
GLENOGLE SWIM CENTRE A beautiful Victorian swimming pool in the heart of Stockbridge. Glenogle Rd; edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/glenogle-swim-centre
ARTHUR'S SEAT Hike to the top, which affords the best views of both Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Park.
DUNBARS CLOSE A tiny, secret garden designed by 17th-century fabled city planner Patrick Geddes. 137 Canongate; hiddenscotland.com/journal/dunbars-close
EDINBURGH GIN DISTILLERY A small-batch distillery offering tours and tastings. Arch 16, The Arches, E Market St; edinburghgin.com
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific center for the study of plants, their diversity, and conservation. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland—Edinburgh, Dawyck, Logan, and Benmore—each with its own specialist collection. Edinburgh EH3 5NZ; rbge.org.uk
SUMMERHALL Summerhall is an arts complex and events venue in Edinburgh. 1, Summerhall; summerhall.co.uk
SHOP
THE TARTAN BLANKET CO Sustainable, recycled wool throws come in tartan as well as herringbone and gingham prints. 170B Great Jct St, Leith; tbco.com
COCO CHOCOLATIER Artisanal chocolates made with Colombian cacao and wrapped in packaging designed by local artists. Port Edgar Marina, Shore Rd, South Queensferry; cocochocolatier.com
GRAINNE MORTON One-of-a-kind, cult ephemera-inspired pieces featuring antique cameos, vintage beads, and sea glass. grainnemorton.co.uk
DICK'S The best place to stock up on Harley of Scotland’s knitwear. A high-end New Town boutique selling men's & women's apparel plus traditional Mackintosh raincoats. 3 N W Circus Pl; dicks-edinburgh.co.uk
EPITOME A concept shop with has a well-curated edit of everything from fragrances to shoes. 35 Dundas St; epitomeofedinburgh.com
MARCHBRAE The Royal Mile Store stocks the best of Scottish & British brands, including Barbour, John Laing, Peregrine and Joules. 375 High St; marchbrae.com
JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN Scottish cashmere purveyors since 1797. We especially love their cable knit socks. 11 Multrees Walk; johnstonsofelgin.com
HAWICO Fine Scottish cashmere in classically cut jackets, sweaters, and cardigans for men and women, as well as elegant cashmere- and silk-blend scarves. 71 Grassmarket; hawico.com
TOPPING & COMPANY BOOKSELLERS Independent bookshop located in the heart of Edinburgh2 Blenheim Pl; toppingbooks.co.uk
GOLDENHARE BOOKS Charming independent bookshop with a wood-burning stove & new titles for kids & adults. 68 St Stephen St; goldenharebooks.com
RARE BIRD BOOKS A boutique independent book shop. 13 Raeburn Pl; rarebirdsbooks.com
CORNICHE Corniche is an independent boutique that has been curating and supporting the finest talent in avant-garde designs for both men and women for over 49 years. 2 Jeffrey St; corniche.org.uk
VINTAGE Edinburgh is filled with vintage stores. Some favorites including Shelter, a treasure trove in Stockbridge filled with vintage finds, records, books, paintings, and homewares. Mary's Living & Giving Shop, which is chock-full of color-coded designer vintage goods with proceeds donated to Save the Children UK. In addition to books, Oxfam Bookshop also sells records, maps, and antiques. Visit the Wonderland-esque Armstrongs Vintage and Herman Brown, New Town has some great boutiques as well.
DAY & WEEKEND TRIPS
BRAEMAR Braemar Gathering is the premier setting to partake in the annual Scottish Highland games in September. The games go back 900 years to King Malcolm III, and became associated with the royal family when Queen Victoria bought the nearby Balmoral Castle—Queen Elizabeth attends every year. While visiting, stay at the newly opened Fife Arms Hotel, a 19th-century Victorian inn restored by Iwan and Manuela Wirth of the famed, Hauser & Wirth art gallery. The property is filled with incredible pieces of art ranging from Picasso and Lucien Freud in the lobby, to Dutch Masters in the dining room, to a bar with photos by Elsa Sciaparelli (by Man Ray and Cecil Beaton). A giant Louise Bourgeois spider sits in the courtyard, and the hallway is lined with watercolors by Prince Charles himself. Just a mile away from Balmoral sits the Royal Lochnagar Distillery, which happens to produce Prince Charles' favorite single malt. Visit for a tour and taste for yourself.
GLENEAGLES An iconic country estate set beneath the beautiful Ochil Hills, located just an hour from Glasgow or Edinburgh airport. In addition to three championship golf courses, the 850-acre estate also offers falconry, an equestrian center, tennis, hunting, and fishing. After enjoying the great outdoors, enjoy Michelin-starred dining or relax at the award-winning spa on the property.
BALMORAL The Scottish holiday home of the Royal Family also offers holiday cottages, fly fishing, golf, and safari tours.
GLASGOW About an hour from Edinburgh, Glasgow is home to the famed Glasgow School of Art by architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, considered his masterpiece. Visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Hunterian Art Gallery, The Burrell Collection, and The Lighthouse Centre for Design and Architecture. Shop for vintage wares at Glad Rags Glasgow, a not-for-profit thrift shop or Shelter—you might even find the occasional piece donated by BBC Scotland’s costume department.
ST. ANDREWS GOLF COURSE The Old Course at St Andrews is considered by many to be the "home of golf" because the sport was first played on the Links at St Andrews in the early 15th century. There are 7 legendary courses, a clubhouse, hotel, restaurant, and bar on the grounds. Book a tee time early!
INVERNESS Inverness is a city on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. It's the largest city and the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands. Its Old Town features 19th-century Inverness Cathedral, the mostly 18th-century Old High Church and an indoor Victorian Market selling food, clothing and crafts. The contemporary Inverness Museum and Art Gallery traces local and Highland history. Stay at the Culloden House Hotel or the Boath House.