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We loved a little sandwich shop near where we stayed in Grassmarket called Peppers Cafe & Sandwich Bar.
We loved climbing Arthur's Seat for great views of the city and the Firth of Forth, and of course seeing all the Harry Potter sights.
Visited Edinburgh in July
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Josie’s was amazing! Great service and food was authentic and delicious.
Hop On Hop Off bus and the castle are a must but the free Edinburgh Museum was a pleasant surprise, super interactive and fun for the kiddos!
Be prepared to walk and for cooler temps even in the summer months. I would say pulling our luggage through the cobblestone streets on arrival and departure was difficult for the little ones but doable. Staying in Grassmarket was a high plus given its central location.
The Witchery was such a cool experience for a splurge meal. If you like whiskey, we had fun trying it during the whiskey experience tour. I also recommending getting out of old town and exploring more of the city.
There are so many great walks and free museums that shouldn’t be missed!
Book popular excursions early during the high season. We were told things like, “the castle doesn’t sell out,” but it was when we were there. Even things like the hop on hop off busses could get super full later in the day, so get out and about early too.
We really enjoyed breakfast at the Edinburgh Larder. So many great options for families.
We loved doing the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions. And booking a tour with Andy the Highlander was the best thing we did in Scotland. We got to wear kilts, grab fake weapons, and have a family battle at a castle!
Don’t miss the National Museum of Scotland. There are lots of interactive things for kids as well as a full play area. And the museum is FREE.
I love the entire vibe of Edinburgh - if you are a Harry Potter fan like me, you MUST visit Edinburgh. We will be returning for sure.
Afternoon tea at the Georgian Tea Room in the Dome Hotel. They made my experience very special, greeted me by name, and the setup was delicious!
I loved the free ghost tour of Edinburgh by City Explorers. It was fascinating. I climbed Arthur's Seat on an exceptionally beautiful day. I also loved Princes Gardens.
Visited Edinburgh in April
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Duck and waffles, August37 (fantastic hamburgers), the Spence.
Royal mile, Edinburgh Castle. Shopping! Sticky toffee pudding was awesome
Dress warmly and carry an umbrella! Note that many hotels have no parking. You may have to walk a bit with luggage.
Visited Edinburgh in April
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
The Kitchin - Michelin rated George IV - great cullen & skink
Food tour with Carlos Scotch Whiskey Experience Flytographer photo shoot on Calton Hill
The Kitchin for dinner
The Witchery
Visited Edinburgh in September
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Don't miss Dean's Village. A quaint, picturesque neighborhood in the middle of the city. There is a gorgeous path along the river that is a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Insider tip ask a driver to drop you at Dean's Path. Snap away. Make your way to the river and keep walking!!
Make reservations!!
We really enjoyed everywhere that we went, but we went to Contini George Street the night of the proposal and it was a great place with great food and drinks!
We really enjoyed touring Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill, walking on Victoria Street, and seeing the many great views like Ross Fountain that Edinburgh had to offer!
Visited Edinburgh in August
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Whiski on the Royal Mile. Such good burgers and drinks selections
Edinburgh Castle Princes Street Gardens Arthur’s Seat Hike
Visited Edinburgh in July
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Greyfriars Bobby pub is always amazing but I loved the Badger & Co! The food, the design, the people, the ambiance is wonderful!
Pantry. Amazing food and atmosphere and we just stumbled upon it.
The Real Mary King's Close was a surprise highlight. And our trip to the Highlands and especially Doune Castle was my favorite part.
Experiences > informational tours :)
Visited Edinburgh in July
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
Theatre Room Bar. It was next to our hotel and had great food and service!
Walking around the city, seeing landmarks such as the Edinburgh castle and shopping!
Be prepared to walk!
Visited Edinburgh in June
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
We really loved Piper's Rest, they had great service and (according to my husband) the best Haggis in town!
The historical tour of Mary King's Close is a personal favorite, you learn so much of the city's history and see a hidden "secret" part of the city as well. We also loved touring Holyroodhouse Palace as well as Edinburgh Castle, and definitely recommend doing the audio tours to get the full experience.
Check out the playground in Prince's Street Gardens, it has beautiful views of the castle!
Visited Edinburgh in May
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
Haggis Box was a cute stop for a quick lunch. The staff were very friendly and cared a lot about their food, where it comes from, and it had a welcoming atmosphere. Great place to have your first or second haggis of the day! We also enjoyed visiting many pubs - among our favorites were Guilford Arms, Kenliworth, and Salt Horse. If you're in the mood for dessert, we loved Mary's Milk Bar for ice cream.
We enjoyed just walking around, shopping, and taking in the sights. Loved people watching from many cafes in the old town. You can't miss the Royal Mile, Grass Market, the Edinburgh Castle, and hiking up Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill for great views.
Greyfriar Bobby’s! Best haggis, keeps, and tatties along with other traditional Scottish fare.
Calton Hill!! The views are absolutely incredible.
Visited Edinburgh in March
Photo Shoot Location: Princes Street Gardens
We celebrated my graduation at The Timberyard. We opted for a vegetarian-tasting menu with wine. The food and drink pairings were all unique and had a fun story behind each option. The ambiance and staff were the cherries on top for a great night of celebration.
The University of Edinburgh campus, the Leith River Walk, Arthur's Seat, and Dean Village
Treat yourself to a photo shoot in your graduation gown around campus! Also, take time to enjoy a fancy dinner to celebrate all your accomplishments!
Dishoom for dinner and Greenwoods for brunch. Both are creative and curated to create an experience versus just a meal.
Climbing Salisbury Crags, walking the waters of Leith, and shopping the vintage and charity shops in Stockbridge.
See the Royal Mile, but make time to walk and explore outside of old town. We loved staying in Stockbridge. It is an easy walk from all the sites, and the neighborhood is delightful - with amazing restaurants, cafes, shopping, and the Waters of Leith path. And, while Arthur’s Seat is the popular climb, we loved the view from Salisbury Crags.
Visited Edinburgh in November
Photo Shoot Location: The Royal Mile
Shay in Edinburgh for Flytographer
Edinburgh larder. Best lunch board! Salt Cafe, the fluffiest GF pancakes
Johnny walker experience. Could have stayed all day and did them all! Wish we got a reservation at the roof top bar.
Visited Edinburgh in September
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
The tasting menu was fantastic at Mono. Everything about the experience was superb-- service, quality of food, wine pairings, atmosphere We also loved Scran and Scallie. Delicious oysters and meat pies. Really cool neighborhood spot in Stockbridge. Grab a drink beforehand across the street at The Raeburn.
Our favorite day was down on the waterfront in Leith. Lots of great restaurants and breweries to visit. Less of a tourist ccrowd more local feel.
The Royal Mile and Old Town can be very crowded. Head into other neighborhoods for dinner and drinks at night to get a better sense of the real city.
We loved Victor Hugo deli. They had great options for everyone in our family, including my son who’s allergic to dairy. Great coffee too! My husband and I were also able to sneak away for a dinner for 2 to Cafe Royal on our last night which was a lovely experience in stepping back in time. Great seafood also!
We stayed in Stockbridge, so aside from the obvious Edinburgh Castle experience, we loved Circus Lane and the shops and cafes in the area. We also enjoyed a walk along the water and Deans Village. My only wish is that we had one more day to spend in Stockbridge!
Playgrounds! We tried to discover and utilize playgrounds as much as we could to help entertain our children and burn some playing energy. We loved the one at Princes Street Gardens, and there was a great ice cream/sorbet shop close by which was also a hit!
Visited Edinburgh in July
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
Our photographer, Shay recommended Indian restaurant, Dishoom and it’s the best Indian food we’ve ever tried, even our son got hooked on it. We ended up going back again in London. We also like Tigerlily, a very pretty restaurants with good food and drinks.
Hike to Calton Hill and you’ll see the best view of Edinburg, which is very beautiful. We also love Dean Village, very beautiful and serene place.
Take advantage of hop in and off bus, since they can’t walk too much. A lot of snacks and water stops. Sometimes bribe them by buying little souvenirs - they love the bagpiper bear stuff animal 😬
Tattu because of the charm of the restaurant with great service and food. Perfect date night experience.
Loved seeing Stirling Castle, Royal Mile, and St Andrew’s golf.
Visited Edinburgh in July
Photo Shoot Location: Circus Lane and St Stephen Street
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