Edinburgh

ABOVE: A University of Edinburgh student enjoys the view from Arthur's Seat.

Practical information

Edinburgh Airport Transportation
Here's how to reach the city center (or Edinburgh International Airport) by express bus or taxi.

Edinburgh Walking Tours
Meet ghosts, explore underground vaults, learn about graverobbers and murderers, or tipple in literary pubs as you explore medieval and Georgian Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Bus Tours
Four "hop on, hop off" sightseeing tours offer different views of the city from open-top buses. My article helps you pick the right itinerary.

Edinburgh Map
Zoom in, zoom out, and move around on an embedded Google Map with hybrid, street, and satellite-photo views.

Edinburgh Weather
Check current conditions or click for a 10-day forecast, with measurements in metric or Imperial units. This page also has links to monthly climate averages, sunrise/sunset times, and the current time in Edinburgh.

Places to stay

Ibis Hotel Edinburgh Centre
Believe it or not, you can find a clean, comfortable, and attractive hotel at a reasonable price on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. (But watch out for the Ibis chain's "dynamic currency exchange" scam.)

Things to see and do

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The world's "second-richest collection of plant species" is a splendid 67-acre park just north of Edinburgh's New Town.

The Real Mary King's Close
Beneath Edinburgh's Royal Mile lies a cluster of underground streets where costumed guides show how citizens of 'Auld Reekie' lived in the 1600s.

Scottish Parliament
The new Scottish Parliament building may have cost £431 million, but you can visit it free and take a guided tour for a few pounds.

Scott Monument
You needn't be a fan of Waverley or Rob Roy to enjoy the views from Sir Walter Scott's 200-foot Gothic spire in the Princes Street Gardens.

The Scotch Whisky Experience
Sample malt whiskies, take a barrel ride through 300 years of Scotch whisky history, and learn whisky lore in eight languages.

Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags
Rugged scenery and mountaintop views are on Edinburgh's doorstep, within walking distance of the Royal Mile.

Royal Yacht Britannia
Queen Elizabeth II's private ocean liner, now decommissioned, is permanently moored in Edinburgh's port of Leith. Visitors can tour the royal quarters and the crew areas belowdecks.

North Berwick
Take a 35-minute train ride to the Scottish Seabird Centre, golf courses, beaches, and offshore islands of this 14th Century burgh on the Firth of Forth.

Stirling
An imposing castle, dramatic views from the medieval town wall, and the National Wallace Monument are just a few of the reasons to visit Scotland's former capital (which is only an hour from Edinburgh by train).

Other articles about Scotland

Irn-Bru
"Scotland's other national drink" is a fizzy soda that has been the Hibernian teetotalers' tipple of choice since 1901.

Scotland's Whisky Distilleries
More than 40 makers of Scotch whisky open their doors to tourists and tipplers.

Highland Park Whisky
After you've had a wee dram of a Highland Park single-malt Scotch at home, visit Orkney for a tour of the world's northernmost whisky distillery.

Bagpipes of Scotland
If you aren't ready to buy pipes as a souvenir, enjoy one of Scotland's many piob-mhor competitions.

Island Ferries: Ireland and Scotland
Take a boat to the Aran Islands, Arran, Orkney, Hebrides, and Shetlands.

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