When it comes to UK city breaks, Edinburgh takes some beating. With castles, palaces, zoos, gardens, vaults, museums, galleries and theatres galore, it is probably easier to list the attractions not in this city. Perfect for lovers of art, literature and history, Scotland’s capital has more culture than you can shake a haggis at - yet it is still just the size of a town, making it a breeze to get around. Wandering through parks or the quirky, cobbled streets is free, leaving you with money to spend in the shops, on a cocktail or a fabulous meal at one of its four Michelin-starred restaurants.

1. What makes Edinburgh unique?
2. Edinburgh's popular attractions
3. Nightlife in Edinburgh
4. Sports in Edinburgh
5. Food in Edinburgh
6. Shopping Centres and Markets in Edinburgh
7. Edinburgh living costs
8. Festivals and Events in Edinburgh
9. Travel in and around Edinburgh
10. Explore the UK from Edinburgh

Photo credit: Google

1. What makes Edinburgh unique?

If exploring all of Edinburgh’s hidden gems, ancient alleys and cobbled streets is not exciting enough, what about whizzing down a ski slope or hiking up a dormant volcano? There are a raft of exciting indoor and outdoor activities that can make your Edinburgh city break as adrenaline-fuelled as you can handle, plus walking tours and cycle routes if that all sounds a bit too much hard work.

Edinburgh is one of the most walkable cities in Europe. With a compact centre, there is just a lot to see as you stroll, from the superb Georgian architecture of the New Town to the warren of medieval streets of the Old Town.

There is more to Edinburgh than fireworks and festivals - although it does those incredibly well, too. Covering history, politics, royalty, the natural world etc, the city’s sights, parks and attractions are as varied and exciting.

Photo credit: Google

2. Edinburgh’s popular attractions

Edinburgh is full of fun things to do and unique places to visit. Within this wonderful place are numerous spots you can not miss, including:

• Edinburgh Castle. One of Britain's most visited tourist attractions with the famous One O’Clock Statue from Half Moon Battery.
• Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Abbey. The Queen's official Edinburgh residence has frequently been at the center of Scottish history.
• The Royal Mile. Lined with charming townhouses, churches, and historic landmarks, this splendid thoroughfare is a great place to stroll for its shops, inns, museums, cafés, and restaurants.
• Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags. At 820 feet, Arthur's Seat is the highest point in the 640-acre Holyrood Park. The spectacular views from the top encompass the whole city all the way to the mouth of the Forth.
• Royal Yacht Britannia. One of Britain's most popular attractions associated with the monarchy.
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Founded in 1670, thí is the second oldest garden in Britain. It is also one of the largest, boasting an impressive 13,200 different plant species.
• Camera Obscura & World Illusions. A combination of Edinburgh history, city views from a new perspective, and experience with optical illusions, this is an attraction that certainly appeals all ages.
• St. Giles Cathedral. Consecrated in 1243, this is Edinburgh's principal church. It is also one of the city's most popular places to visit which attracts millions of visitors each year.
• Edinburgh Zoo. Set on 82 acres of land on the edge of Edinburgh, this zoo was established in 1913 and remains one of the top things to do for families visiting the city.
• The Museum of Childhood. Opened in the 1900s, this museum is not just for kids. It explores different aspects of growing up, including a fun look at schooldays, trends, and fashions.
• Dynamic Earth: Edinburgh’s Science Centre. A multimedia presentation that takes visitors on a 500-million-year journey through the Earth's history.

Photo credit: Alexander Popov via Unsplash

3. Nightlife in Edinburgh

When it comes to going out, Edinburgh caters for both elegant old-schoolers and hip young rockers alike. If you know your pale ale from your wheat wine, you will be happy to know that Edinburgh is brimming with places to sip a speciality beer. But while craft beer places are springing up all over the place, the city stays true to its traditional Scottish pub scene, too.

The Jolly Judge is a great starting point for any pub crawl. It is worth tracking down if you fancy tucking yourself away for an hour or so in a cosy, traditional inn. You will find low beams, log fire, real ale, fine whisky - and the warmest of welcomes.

If you are climbing Arthur’s Seat, be sure to wind up at The Sheep Heid Inn in Duddingston. There has been a pub here since 1360, making it the oldest surviving licensed premises in Edinburgh. It is still packed with history and a great place to stop for a rewarding ale or some pub grub. For a more bustling night, a visit to The Hive on Niddry Street is perfect. Here, you can experience an unpretentious mix of music, cheap drinks deals and free entry.

Photo credit: Hanson Lu via Unsplash

4. Sports in Edinburgh

The Scots are passionate about rugby so Edinburgh is proud to be the home of the BT Murrayfield Stadium, the biggest sports stadium in Scotland. It is where Scottish Rugby Union plays its home games.

Tynecastle Stadium belongs to Edinburgh’s premiership football team, the Heart of Midlothian FC. Tynecastle is known and loved for its exhilarating atmosphere and exuberant crowds so if you are a football fan, a trip to Tynecastle is highly recommended.

Other state-of-the-art facilities open to the public include:

• Craiglockhart Leisure Centre and Tennis Centre
• Edinburgh Leisure
• Academy Sports Centre
• Gracemount Leisure Centre
• Ainslie Park Leisure Centre
• Meadowbank Sports Centre
• Drumbrae Leisure Centre
• Tumbles at Portobello Gymnastics and Softplay Centre
• Saughton Sports Complex

Photo credit: Pablo Merchán Montes via Unsplash

5. Food in Edinburgh

Catering to almost any culinary whim, Edinburgh is Scotland’s foodie capital. With not one but four Michelin-starred restaurants and pretty much every global cuisine represented, the city is home to some of the UK’s finest restaurants.

For fine dining, try the Number One at The Balmoral, where the opulent surroundings are matched by the stunning, Michelin-starred food. The Witchery By The Castle really has a wow-factor, along with decadent dishes like hand-dived Isle of Mull scallop.

Love Italian food? Edinburgh has plenty of chains to scratch that pasta itch. La Favorita on Leith Walk makes its own pizza dough four days in advance, tops it with the likes of chopped haddock and spicy sausage, then cooks it in log-fired ovens. Or make like those in the know and head to Nonna’s Kitchen in Morningside for laidback Italian dining, with daily blackboard specials and variants to please.

Fancy a curry? Weegie favourite Mother India’s Café has a branch near Edinburgh University, where sharing small dishes is the name of the game. Also in studentville and next door to a mosque is the bustling Nile Valley Café, which does Sudanese and Middle Eastern cuisine with free corkage on BYOB.

Photo credit: Blake Wisz via Unsplash

6. Shopping Centres and Markets in Edinburgh

From local handicrafts to Louis Vuitton handbags,you will be filled with amazing options. You can expect some popular names: Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Urban Outfitters - and some you have definitely never heard of, like 21st Century Kilts, which even sells its tartan creations in a ‘hipster fit’. And all with the added novelty of shopping amongst some of the UK’s most enchanting streets and buildings.

The Fort Kinnaird retail park offers great shopping opportunities with top name brands such as Marks & Spencer, Topshop and H&M. Alongside, Ocean Terminal is a 15-minute drive from central Edinburgh in Leith. Designed by Sir Terence Conran, it is a state-of-the art retail and leisure complex that champions independent art and design as well as major names.

Find some vintage threads or win extra friend points by taking them back a one-of-a-kind gift at one of Edinburgh’s coolest markets. Stockbridge has a great mix of independent and vintage shops all year-round. Wolf down some tasty street food before you start to browse stalls selling jewellery, bags, clothes and handmade soap.

It is always an event when the award-winning Lou Lou’s Vintage Fair rolls into town. You will find colourful stalls packed with all things retro, from cool clothing to kitsch collectables dating from the 1920s to the 1980s. The Edinburgh European Christmas Market will warm your cockles, no matter how cold and dark it gets between November and January. As romantic as it is festive, you will find over 100 stalls selling hand-crafted gifts and everything you need to deck the halls at home.

Photo credit: Micheile Henderson via Unsplash

7. Edinburgh living costs

Budget guide:

• One-way ticket (local transport): £1.80
• Meal out: £15.00
• Fast food (McDonald’s): £5.25
• Gasoline (1 Litre): £1.23
• Cinema ticket: £10.00

Photo credit: Sam Moqadam via Unsplash

8. Festivals and Events in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a number of eclectic festivals and events throughout the year, including:

• Edinburgh International Book Festival. A celebration to uncover new writers and works to fall in love with.
• Edinburgh Fringe. The world’s largest festival of the arts.
• Edinburgh Arts Festival. A celebration of the arts with exhibitions and galleries.
• Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. New Year celebrations
• Edinburgh International Science Festival. The UK’s largest Science Festival with almost 270 events for families and adults over the course of two weeks.
• Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. A celebration that is entirely dedicated to entertaining youngsters.
• Edinburgh International Film Festival. The world's longest continuously running film festival
• Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. A vibrant and diverse event which serves up the very best swing, soul, samba and much more.
• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A festival dedicated to putting on a spectacular performance each and every year with an annual audience of around 220,000.

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP via Unsplash

9. Travel in and around Edinburgh

Edinburgh might be steeped in history and covered in a cosy blanket of old-world charm, but its transport system is bang up-to-date. No matter where you are travelling from in the UK, getting to Edinburgh is straightforward, while moving around the city centre is easy and reasonably priced, too.

Public Transport

Being such a beautiful city surrounded by breathtaking hills, coast and countryside, cycling around Edinburgh is a very popular pastime. Most of the cycle routes will take you away from the city centre along the Union Canal, for example, or towards the coast at Portobello. If you fancy a leisurely pedal without leaving town, head for Holyrood Park. Being such a beautiful city surrounded by breathtaking hills, coast and countryside, cycling around Edinburgh is a very popular pastime.

Train and Tram stations

Edinburgh has two major train stations in the city centre: Edinburgh Waverley station and Edinburgh Haymarket station.You will arrive in style if your train takes you to Waverley, Edinburgh's main train station. Covering some 25 acres, it is also the largest mainline station outside of London with 18 platforms and around 30,000 passengers per day passing through its ticket barriers. With trains every 30 minutes to London’s Kings Cross, as well as services heading out all over the UK, its central location makes it handy for the shops and offers easy access for exploring the historic Old Town.

About a mile and a half west of Waverley is the newly-refurbished Haymarket - Edinburgh’s second biggest station. It is just a few minutes away from the city centre, making it an ideal base for exploring some of the capital’s best attractions.

Photo credit: Ramon Vloon via Unsplash

10. Explore the UK from Edinburgh

Edinburgh is an ideal base for you to start exploring neighbouring cities and the rest of Scotland.

Linlithgow

The main reason tourists flock to Linlithgow is to see the striking ruins of its royal castle. The birthplace of both James V and his daughter Mary, Queen of Scots, Linlithgow Palace echoes the history of the Stuart dynasty that ruled Scotland from 1371. Atmospheric and resonant, it is now cared for by Historic Scotland and, if you catch it on a fine day, its red sandstone comes alive in the sunlight. The High Street is where to find cafés and restaurants, while the town also sits on the Union Canal, perfect for a bucolic saunter.

Loch Ness

It takes less time than you think to get up to the Highlands, so a day trip to Loch Ness is completely doable. You will probably know it as home to Nessie, a cryptozoological sea creature whose sightings began in 595 and have continued ever since. Once at Loch Ness, you can cruise the waters, explore nearby Urquhart Castle and take part in whisky tastings. The whole trip will take up a full day.

North Berwick

A small and attractive seaside town, North Berwick has beaches stretching east and west from its harbour, a decent selection of bars and restaurants, small islands immediately offshore and the imposing presence of the Bass Rock. Standing sentinel over it all is the 187-metre bulk of North Berwick Law directly behind the town, an ancient volcanic plug which offers brilliant views if you make the effort to reach the top.

Nearby you will find the Scottish Seabird Centre, which is great for children and birdwatching enthusiasts, and there are also scenic seasonal boat trips, some going all the way to the Isle of May – the last stop before Scandinavia.