24 hours in Edinburgh, is it possible to explore our beautiful city and get a feel for how the city ticks? Well yes it is very much possible, you won’t be able to see everything this amazing Unesco world heritage city has to offer but you will leave it loving it and wanting to come back for more!
Unlike other 24 hour guides that provide a prescriptive plan, we have taken a selection of what we love to do through-out the day in the city, so mix and match the following with what interests you most.
Morning
Best Coffee
Start the day off well by dodging the chain eateries and heading to one of the many independent cafes that are dotted around the city for that essential morning coffee fix, our favourites right now are, Fortitude Coffee, Peters Yard & Stag Espresso.
Read about more of our favourite coffee shops here
Shopping
Whilst not on the shopping scale of Glasgow, Edinburgh packs a few punches with its selection of boutique and luxury shopping. If you are looking for small independents, then head along to Stockbridge, Morningside, Thistle Street and the Grassmarket where you can while away a morning – or full day nosing around the boutiques.
If you like department stores then Jenners and Harvey Nichols are essentials!
Read our shopping guide here
Afternoon
Best Parks
If it is spring or summer, then a visit to one of the many city parks is a must do. We love a walk around the Botanic Gardens in the north of the city. The Meadows at the university in the summer is full of life and for something closer to the centre Princes street gardens is always fun when the sun is shining.
Best Attractions
Edinburgh has too many attractions to name, but a few we recommend are – Royal Yacht Britannia, Scots Monument, The Castle, Museum of Scotland. Mary King’s Close, Dean Gallery and Holyrood Palace.
Walking
Edinburgh is a city made up of villages – so you get the most out of it by putting on your walking legs and exploring. If you want to go off the tourist trail, explore the port of Leith, or take a walk down to the residential area of Stockbridge and have some brunch in The Raeburn hotel, which is our favourite bar in the area.
If you want something more energetic, take a walk along to Arthur’s seat and see one of the best views of the city, slightly closer to Princess street is Carlton Hill which commands equally stunning views of the city.
And of course no trip to Edinburgh is complete without a walk along one of Scotland’s most famous streets, the Royal Mile and exploring its ‘closes’ running off it.
Evening
Best Bars
If there is one thing us Scots like to do it’s to have a drink, and we are virtually tripping over bars in Edinburgh. If you like a cocktail or two then head to One Square for their new gin cocktail, or go to one of the cities coolest bars and speakeasy Panda and Son’s.
Read about more of our favourite bars here
Best Restaurants
Edinburgh knows a thing or two about dining and thankfully we have tried a lot of them out 😉 Use our restaurant guide to pick the perfect evening meal. Our current favourites are The Outsider, Blackfriars and The Devils Advocate
Read about our favourite restaurants in Edinburgh.
Going all the way with Michelin star
If you want the best of the best then you are in the right city as we have 5 Michelin star restaurants in the city!
Read about the Michelin restaurants of Edinburgh
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