This 20 things to do in Edinburgh travel guide, from Samuel and Audrey – Travel and Food Videos features the best activities, museums, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, food and entertainment venues in the city along with numerous suggestions for tours that will make your stay in Edinburgh unique and memorable.
What 48 Hours in Edinburgh Actually Looks Like
Every Edinburgh guide gives you 20 or 30 things to do. In reality, you’ll manage 8-10 in two days — and that’s if you don’t get stuck in a pub on the Royal Mile listening to a man tell you the true story of Burke and Hare.
- Walk the Royal Mile early. By 10:00 it’s a slow shuffle past tartan shops and living statues. At 07:30 it’s just you, the delivery vans, and the best light for photographs. The same applies to Calton Hill — go at dawn or don’t bother during Festival season.
- Arthur’s Seat is a proper hill. It looks gentle from Princes Street. It is not. The walk up takes 45 minutes and involves scrambling over basalt. Wear proper shoes, bring water, and don’t attempt it in heels (you’d be surprised how many try).
- The free museums are better than the paid ones. The National Museum of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery, and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery are all free and all world-class. The paid attractions (Edinburgh Dungeon, Camera Obscura) are tourist traps.
- Book Festival accommodation a year ahead. During the Edinburgh Fringe (August), hotel prices triple and availability drops to zero within the city centre. Book in January for August. If you haven’t, stay in Leith, Stockbridge, or even Glasgow (45 minutes by train).
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Edinburgh has a highly underrated food scene with plenty of traditional Scottish foods (such as Haggis) and many contemporary style restaurants to tickle your fancy. A suggestion we recommend higly is to take a Edinburgh food tour and also partake in Scotch Whisky and Gin tours. Your visit wouldn’t be complete with visiting Edinburgh Castle, walking along the Royal Mile and enjoying some of the legendary nightlife the city has to offer in both New Town and Old Town.
Summary: 20 Things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland Travel Guide:
1) Edinburgh Castle
2) Scotch Whisky Experience (suggestion)
3) Royal Mile Old Town for souvenir shopping
4) Edinburgh Walking Tours (Ghost Tour, Literary Tour, etc)
5) Eat Traditional Scottish food: Haggis, neeps & tatties (suggestion: Whiski Rooms)
6) Holyrood Palace (Official resident of British Monarchy)
7) Holyrood Abbey and Garden
8) Edinburgh Gin Distillery (suggested tour)
9) National Museum of Scotland
10) Princes Street Garden
11) Dean Village (underrated place to visit)
12) Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat
13) Scott Monument for great views of Edinburgh
14) Royal Botanic Garden not far from New Town
15) Food Tour (suggestion: Eat Walk Edinburgh)
16) Wynds and closes in the Old Town of Edinburgh
17) St. Giles Cathedral
18) Scottish National Gallery Museum
19) Scottish National Portrait Gallery Museum
20) Nightlife in Edinburgh (pubs, live band or a ceilidh)
Thanks again to Samuel and Audrey – Travel and Food Videos for this great video..
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1) Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is world famous and this icon is the most visited tourist attraction in Scotland. The castle is also part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.
The castle has a long and complex building history with the oldest part, St Margaret’s Chapel, dating back to the 12th century. In 1510 the Great Hall was erected by James IV and the Half Moon Battery by the Regent Morton in the late 16th century.After World War I the Scottish National War Memorial was added.
Inside the walls of Edinburgh Castle you will find the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O’ Clock Gun and the National War Museum of Scotland. The castle is a must visit on your trip to Edinburgh
2) Scotch Whisky Experience (suggestion)
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How would you like to become an actual part of making whisky. You can take a barrel ride as you become part of the distilling process. There are many regional whiskies to taste and the experience will cater for anyone whether you like fruity, sweet or smoky flavours. The experts will help you select your perfect dram.
Amazingly you can enter the vault containing the world’s largest collection of Scotch Whiskies and enjoy a special tutored nosing and tasting. Take a journey and explore the rich history of Scotland’s whisky as it started from small beginnings to global recognition.
3) Royal Mile Old Town for souvenir shopping
Collect those gifts and souvenirs to take home by shopping on the stretch of road connecting Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace, the King’s residence in Scotland.
4) Edinburgh Walking Tours
A great way to explore Edinburgh is to take one of the many available walking tours.
5) Eat Traditional Scottish food: Haggis, neeps & tatties
You just have to experience traditional Scottish food. A list of places where it is served, below.
6) Holyrood Palace (Official residence of British Monarchy)
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence in Scotland of His Majesty, The King. The Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and is open to the public throughout the year. Explore the Palace’s close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie, and learn how today it is used by The King when carrying out official engagements in Scotland.
7) Holyrood Abbey and Garden
Holyrood Abbey was founded by David I in 1128. The building was later turned into a modern Renaissance palace – Holyroodhouse – and became the royal family’s main home in Scotland to this day
What to see and do at Holyrood Abbey
- Wander through the abbey nave and gardens after touring the Palace of Holyroodhouse this is run by the Royal Collection Trust and open to the public.
- Admire the east processional doorway, the only surviving part of David I’s original ‘monastery of the Holy Rood’
- The west front of the rebuilt abbey church remains one of the most impressive Gothic façades anywhere in Scotland
- You can also view the royal vault, which is the final resting place of both royalty and Augustinian canons.
8) Edinburgh Gin Distillery (suggested tour)
Gin is definitely back in vogue and we highly recommend this experience.
9) National Museum of Scotland
At the National Museum of Scotland you will not only be able to learn more about the rich history of Sclotland but you can explore the diversity of the natural world, world cultures, science and technology, art, design and fashion. This is one of the “must visit” places in Scotland.
10) Princess Street Garden
11) Dean Village (underrated place to visit)
12) Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat
One of four hill forts, Arthur’s Seat dates back to around 2,000 years ago and is situated within Holyrood Park. The park itself offers walks, solace, wildlife, volcanic geology and unparalleled views of the city from its many vantage points. There are several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the park which are mostly designations due to its exceptional range of grassland habitats and its internationally important volcanic geology.
13) Scott Monument for great views of Edinburgh
This 200-foot spire is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish poet.
14) Royal Botanic Garden
Enjoy peace and tranquility right in Edinburgh city centre with 72 acres of this beautiful park. Founded in 1670, the Garden is acknowledged to be one of the finest in the world.
15) Food Tour (suggestion: Eat Walk Edinburgh)
Walk and Eat! Why not discover Edinburgh’s food culture and history with Eat Walk Edinburgh, the original Edinburgh food walking tour.The Eat walk Edinburgh tours are all about locally sourcing and you can savour whatever is in season when you visit.
The company is based in Edinburgh, the guides are local and the tours showcase locally sourced, Scottish food and drink.Edinburgh city with a fantastic array of restaurants and bars
16) Wynds and closes in the Old Town of Edinburgh
Meander through Edinburgh’s oldest neighborhood, dating back to medieval times: these small streets are lined with wool shops, pubs and historical monuments all beckoning you to step inside.
17) St. Giles Cathedral
With its famed crown spire St Giles’ Cathedral stands on the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is the Mother Church of Presbyterianism and contains the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle (Scotland’s chivalric company of knights headed by the King) and is also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh.
18) Scottish National Gallery Museum
The Scottish National Gallery is home to one of the best collections of fine art in the world and is situated in the heart of Edinburgh. The collection includes masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Constable, Turner, Monet, Van Gogh and Gauguin as well as major Scottish names such as Ramsay, Raeburn, Wilkie and McTaggart.
19) Scottish National Portrait Gallery Museum
At the Scottish National Portrait gallery you can come face to face with the people who shaped Scotland’s past, present and future. The gallery opened to the public in 1889 as the world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery. Admission is free.
20) Nightlife in Edinburgh (pubs, live band or a ceilidh)
End your day in Edinburgh with one of the most lively nightlife scenes that you will find anywhere.
Continue Planning
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many things can you realistically do in Edinburgh in 48 hours?
You'll manage 8-10 activities in two days—and that's if you don't spend hours in a pub on the Royal Mile. Every guide promises 20-30, but realistically, two days covers a fraction of that.
When is the best time to walk the Royal Mile?
Go at 07:30 before 10:00 when it becomes a slow shuffle past tartan shops. Early morning gives you decent light for photos and the chance to actually walk rather than shuffle behind crowds.
Is Arthur's Seat hard to climb?
Yes—it looks gentle from Princes Street but the 45-minute walk up involves scrambling over basalt. Wear proper shoes, bring water, and definitely skip the heels.
Are Edinburgh's paid attractions like the Dungeon worth the money?
No. The National Museum of Scotland, Scottish National Gallery, and Scottish National Portrait Gallery are all free and world-class, while paid attractions are tourist traps.