“And yet the place establishes an interest in people’s hearts; go where they will, they find no city of the same distinction.”
-Robert Louis Stevenson
One day in Edinburgh is not nearly enough to take in the beauty of Scotland’s capital. With so many hidden staircases, alleyways, and courtyards, you could spend days just exploring the old part of the city.
However, you can squeeze a lot into one day in Edinburgh! (Having not spent nearly enough time there on my first trip, I had to go back; I love Edinburgh so much.)
Edinburgh is Scotland’s second-most populous city and has been a hub for education, law, and the sciences for centuries. Human inhabitation in Edinburgh dates back to almost 8500 BC. Today, Edinburgh is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its medieval architecture set against rocky crags.
The city of Edinburgh is divided into sections, mainly “Old Town” and “New Town” with outer neighborhoods including Stockbridge, Leith, Newington, and Bruntsfield. (“New Town” was built in the 18th century, though, so the term is relative.) This one-day Edinburgh itinerary focuses mainly on Edinburgh’s Old Town, as it is the center of the city.
While the main drag in Edinburgh (known as the Royal Mile) caters to tourists, as soon as you step off the Royal Mile, there are still plenty of museums, shops, restaurants, and pubs to explore. You’ll feel like you have stepped back in time as you wander down cobbled streets, with Edinburgh Castle sitting above the rest of the city.
I hope after spending one day in Edinburgh you will be as charmed by the city as I was!
Getting There
From London:
- By plane: Take either an easyJet flight from London Gatwick Airport or a British Airways flight from London Heathrow Airport into Edinburgh Airport. The flight is only an hour and a half, and if you book in advance, it isn’t too pricey!
- By train: Direct train routes include the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) from London Kings Cross Station and the Avanti West Coast Railway from London Euston Station to Edinburgh Waverly Station. The train ride last almost six hours, but can be pretty through the English countryside.
- By car: The drive from London to Edinburgh is about seven hours, via M1 and A1.
From Glasgow:
- By train: Take ScotRail from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Edinburgh Waverly Station. The train ride can take 50 minutes to over an hour, depending on the time of day.
- By bus: Take Megabus from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station to Edinburgh. The ride is only an hour and 15 minutes, and it’s definitely the most affordable option.
- By car: The drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh takes about an hour and a half, via M8.
Getting Around
I found Edinburgh to be a very walkable city, as long as you have comfy shoes on! It can get hilly in spots, with stairs for extra cardio work and cobblestone streets to test your balance.
That said, if you need to get from one place to another faster than you can walk, we had good experiences with ride services such as Uber.
Before You Get Started
You will see the words “close”, “court”, and “wynd” on many street signs. These are essentially alleyways or pass-throughs.
Back in the day, the Royal Mile was the main street, lined with tall buildings. The alleyways between these buildings would extend off of the Royal Mile, like ribs from a spine, connecting to courtyards or streets beyond. A close was usually private property (hence closed off), a court would lead to an inner courtyard, and a wynd was wide enough for a horse and cart.
The closes and wynds that are open to the public are fun to explore and see where they lead!
How to Spend One Day in Edinburgh
Prince Street Gardens
If you are an early riser, start your one day in Edinburgh with a leisurely stroll through the Prince Street Gardens. No matter the weather, the Prince Street Gardens always have something to offer. Sitting in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, these beautifully landscaped gardens are home to several memorials and the picturesque Ross Fountain.
Breakfast
As you exit the gardens on the east side, make your way to the castle entrance. You can grab some coffee outside of Edinburgh Castle. Some popular cafes include Coffee Mill Cafe, Deacon’s House Cafe, and Cafe on the Mound. Enjoy your cup of coffee from the parking lot of the castle, where you’ll have stunning views of the city and beyond.
Edinburgh Castle
Cost for Adult Ticket: £15.50 – £18.00 ($21)
Time to Spend: 1-2 hours
The iconic building of Edinburgh’s skyline, Edinburgh Castle, is worth a visit during your one day in Edinburgh, just for the views alone. However, the history of the complex is interesting as well.
Dating back to the 12th century, the castle houses the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny, on which monarchs of Scotland are traditionally crowned. There are various buildings within the stronghold, including historic royal apartments and the National War Museum of Scotland.
Personally, my favorite part of Edinburgh Castle is Saint Margaret’s Chapel. The oldest surviving structure in Edinburgh, the tiny chapel dates back to the 1100s. The chapel was named for Saint Margaret of Scotland, who was an English princess married to Malcolm III of Scotland. (Fun fact: Malcolm III is depicted as heir to King Duncan’s throne in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.)
You can wander Edinburgh Castle at your own pace with a guidebook, audio tour, or just read plaques as you go. Tickets can be reserved online, and it’s best to go early as it can get busy in the afternoon!
The Witches’ Well
When you exit the castle esplanade, take a peek at the corner of the first shop on the left, behind the Edinburgh Castle sign. There you will see a little flower box called the “witches’ well”. This little marker commemorates the thousands of people (many being women) who were killed for witchcraft in the 1400-1700s, at roughly that location.
Much like in Salem, MA, women were unfairly accused of black magic for a number of things, from knowing about medicinal herbs to making a snide remark about their neighbor. During the height of witch-hunting times in early Europe, the women of Scotland were some of the most targeted.
Now, centuries later, Scotland is attempting to make amends, with a group known as the Witches of Scotland campaigning to clear the names of those accused.
Writers’ Museum and Makars Court
Cost: Free
Time to Spend: 30 minutes
For a picturesque stop off the Royal Mile, turn onto the Lady’s Stair Close and into Makar’s Court. This quiet little courtyard is home to the Writers’ Museum, a beautiful 17th-century house that holds personal artifacts and manuscripts pertaining to three of Scotland’s most well-known writers: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
(Note: The Writers’ Museum closed during the pandemic and has yet to reopen.)
Victoria Street
Even if you aren’t a Harry Potter fan, you should visit W. Bow/Victoria Street during your one day in Edinburgh. Known for being some inspiration for the magical Diagon Alley, this slanted street is indeed home to fun shops and restaurants. The buildings are painted bright colors, making it one of the most photogenic streets in Edinburgh.
Located just southeast of the castle, Victoria Street can be admired from above along the Upper Bow as well.
Greyfriars Kirkyard and Greyfriars Bobby
Continue walking south on Candlemaker Row and swing by Greyfriars Kirkyard. This famous cemetery is the final resting place of people whose names would be familiar to Harry Potter fans, such as Cruikshanks, McGonagall, and Tom Riddell.
It is also the final resting place of John Gray, whose loyal terrier, Bobby, guarded his grave for fourteen years. Dubbed Greyfriars Bobby, the dog passed away in 1871, and a bronze statue was erected the next year in his honor. It is tradition to rub the very good boy’s nose!
Grassmarket
From Victoria Street, walk west along Grassmarket. Formerly a livestock market, the Grassmarket area is home to lively pubs and restaurants. Wander the cobbled streets and read the various historical plaques, then stop in for a pint or lunch.
Some popular pubs along Grassmarket are The Last Drop and The White Hart, which claims to be one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh. (The White Hart was also where, as I closed the stall door, I was startled to read that the women’s restroom is supposedly haunted!)
Another fun spot is Cold Stone House, which serves up pizza and bubbly and has a rooftop dining area in nice weather, offering a lovely view of the castle.
Vennel Viewpoint
For one of the prettiest views in Edinburgh, walk along Grassmarket until you see the Vennel Steps. The viewpoint from the top of this flight of steps perfectly captures Edinburgh Castle between the buildings.
At the top of the steps, you can also find a piece of the Flodden Wall, a remnant of Edinburgh’s 16th-century defenses that still stands.
The Royal Mile
From the Vennel Viewpoint, make your way back to Grassmarket, and take the stairs up the hill, to the side of Cold Stone House. They will bring you back to the castle entrance, where you can begin your procession down the Royal Mile.
You can’t spend one day in Edinburgh and not walk along the Royal Mile at least once!
As the name would suggest, the Royal Mile is roughly a mile long and is filled with shops, museums, and restaurants. The Royal Mile stretches from Edinburgh Castle in the west to Hollyrood Palace in the east. There’s usually always a bagpiper somewhere, in addition to other buskers, and it’s a lively street day and night.
There are, of course, kilt-making shops and places you can buy beautiful wool scarves. You can pick up some really nice souvenir tea towels and plenty of knick-knacks with highland cows on them.
However, my favorite shop on the Royal Mile is The Fudge House, which offers hand-made souvenirs that obviously won’t last but are delicious!
The Real Mary King’s Close
Cost for Adult Ticket: £19.50 (~$25)
Time to Spend: 1 hour
While it may be one of the most touristy things to do during your one day in Edinburgh, I found the Real Mary King’s Close fascinating. It’s a unique museum experience, and you learn a lot about the ever-changing layout of Edinburgh’s streets and people.
Remember how I said Edinburgh is full of “closes”? Mary King’s Close is a 17th-century close that now sits under the Royal Mile. The close was named for one of its most well-known residents, a businesswoman of the 1600s named Mary King.
A tour guide in character will take you through the various stages of the close throughout history. You’ll learn about what life was like for its residents, as well as those who visited (like the plague doctor), and one resident who haunts the place still!
Dunbar’s Close Garden
For a quiet respite from the busy Royal Mile, step off into Dunbar’s Close in the Canongate section of town. There you’ll find a pretty little garden full of trees and shrubberies with benches on which to rest. Dunbar’s Close Garden has been recreated to look like it may have in the 1600s. A true hidden gem, you wouldn’t even know it was there if you weren’t looking for it!
Arthur’s Seat
Perhaps my favorite thing to do in Edinburgh is to climb Arthur’s Seat. Even if you only have one day in Edinburgh, it’s worth putting in the effort to summit this iconic hill.
Actually, Arthur’s Seat isn’t just a hill…it used to be a volcano! Like the hill holding Edinburgh Castle, it was once volcanic before being eroded by a glacier about two million years ago. Traces of civilization on and around the hill date back to the Iron Age.
Its name is debated, and no one knows its origins for sure. Some people believe that the hill is named for King Arthur and that it was once the location of Camelot. Others believe it is a morphed version of the Scottish Gaelic words for “height of arrows”, “archer’s seat”, or “place on high ground”.
Whatever its origins, Arthur’s Seat is now a fantastic place for hiking. There are various levels of difficulty when ascending, but it does get steep towards the top. (Again, make sure to have suitable footwear, as it is rocky and can be muddy as well!)
Enter the trails at Holyrood Park along the north end to swing by St Anthony’s Chapel Ruins, sitting high above St Margaret’s Loch. Not much is known about the medieval ruins, but they’re pretty and provide a stunning contrast to the modern buildings below.
Once you reach the summit, the 360-degree views are awesome! Just hold on to your hat if you have one because it is windy up there!
Dinner
After climbing Arthur’s Seat, you deserve a good, hearty meal! You can swing into any pub along the Royal Mile you’d like, but some of my favorites are Whiski Bar & Restaurant and Devil’s Advocate.
If you don’t have it in you to walk anymore, take a cab to the southern end of Holyrood Park and eat at the Sheep’s Heid Inn. They claim to be the oldest surviving public house in Scotland, established in 1360!
While you’re in Edinburgh you might as well try some Scottish haggis. It is the national dish of Scotland, after all. I promise it doesn’t look or taste nearly as gross as it sounds! (Who knew the minced-up internal organs of a sheep could taste so good?) Many places serve haggis with “neeps and tatties” (parsnips and potatoes).
Wherever you go, if they have sticky toffee pudding, you must order it for dessert! (It’s a sponge cake topped with a toffee sauce, and it’s amazing.)
Live Music and Entertainment
Although Edinburgh is known for its theatre Fringe Festival, the festival only takes place in August. During that time, theatre-makers from all over the world gather in Edinburgh and perform at theatres all over the city. If you happen to be visiting during the Fringe, take advantage of the myriad of performances!
If you’re not visiting in August, you can still enjoy live music on almost any given night. Drop into Whistlebinkies, Stramash, or Sandy Bell’s for some traditional folk music. It’s a great way to relax after your very busy day in Edinburgh!
Honorable Mentions
Of course, it isn’t possible to see everything in one day in Edinburgh. If you have more time (and I hope that you do), be sure to check out these other fun things to see in Edinburgh:
- Palace of Holyroodhouse and Abbey: The official Scottish residence of Britain’s monarch, the Palace of Holyroodhouse sits at the end of the Royal Mile. It is open for tours, although the medieval abbey behind it is currently closed for the pandemic.
- Calton Hill: Rather than Arthur’s Seat, you could choose to climb the other prominent hill in Edinburgh. Calton Hill also offers panoramic views and several monuments.
- Dean Village: This little area within Edinburgh looks like something out of a fairytale. Nineteenth century homes sit along the pleasant Water of Leith walkway.
I cannot wait to return and spend more than one day in Edinburgh. It is such a pretty historic city, and I could just wander around it for days!
Have you ever spent a day in Edinburgh? What are your favorite spots?
Pin this post for your future trip to Edinburgh!
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