Edinburgh tourist attractions

Bagpipers on the street corners, regal stone buildings towering above you, shops selling tartan knits and shortbread: the Royal Mile is the place to begin for Edinburgh attractions. Bookended by Edinburgh Castle and Palace of Holyroodhouse, along the route you’ll find a great range of things to do: there’s the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, where you can check out both mind-bending illusions and unbeatable city views; the Scottish Whisky Experience, a replica distillery home to the world’s largest whisky collection; and the Scottish Storytelling Centre, where you can discover tales of Scotland’s past. For architecture fans, head to the 14th-century St Giles’ Cathedral and admire its iconic crown steeple and ornate windows, before rounding it off at the Edinburgh Dungeons – if you can stomach it...

One of the world’s best-recognised castles and visible for tens of miles in all directions, you can hardly miss this iconic Edinburgh tourist attraction. This rugged, monumental symbol of Scotland tops an extinct volcano and dominates the city. With its ethereal quality, no wonder it’s said to have inspired Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as J. K. Rowling dreamt up Harry Potter in The Elephant House café opposite. The imposing fortress houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the 15th-century gun Mons Meg and the National War Museum of Scotland.

Explore 900 years of history at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which has close links to some of Scotland’s best-known historical figures such as Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. You can look around 14 State Apartments, including the bedrooms of kings and queens and the regal throne room. The Great Gallery, the largest room in the Palace, is lined with portraits of Scottish royals. Dark medieval history lurks in the outer chamber; a brass plaque on the wall points to where Mary Queen of Scots’ private secretary, David Rizzo, was murdered. Step outside and you will find the Royal Gardens, a kaleidoscope of colour filled with a chorus of songbirds in the summer, and the hauntingly ruinous Holyrood Abbey.

Lying deep beneath the Old Town and the Royal Mile is a warren of streets, homes and passageways known as The Real Mary King’s Close. Down on Edinburgh’s only preserved 17thcentury street, you can wander through a labyrinth of Old Town alleyways and discover the stories of the people who lived, worked, and died here. The underground spaces and streets (known as closes) are entangled with chilling stories that have haunted the locals since the 17th century. Ghosts and ghouls aside, this attraction gives a fascinating depiction of Edinburgh life between the 16th and 19th centuries. You can take a one-hour guided tour through this unique and spooky place. When Edinburgh was hit with the pneumonic plague, the city enlisted Plague Doctors to tend to the sick; they wore very striking (and scary) outfits of black cloaks and a black beaked mask.

With its violent poltergeist and a history of stolen bodies, Greyfriars Kirkyard is considered one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world. Ghouls include George MacKenzie, the ‘MacKenzie Poltergeist’ said to be one of the most aggressive paranormal figures around. Known during his lifetime as a ruthless persecutor of the Scottish Covenanters (a Presbyterian movement in the 17th century), MacKenzie’s spirit was supposedly released when a homeless man sought shelter in Mackenzie’s mausoleum and fell through the floor (the resulting hole can still be seen.) Among its collection of mausoleums and gravestones, a dog named ‘Greyfriars Bobby’ once maintained a 14-year vigil to mourn the passing of his owner John Gray (there’s even a Disney movie based on the loyal hound). The best way to see this is on a guided tour - after dark, if you dare.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh, the Scottish National Gallery is home to one of the best collections of artworks in Britain. It’s an international collection with a Scottish twist. You’re bound to recognise Monarch of the Glen, an iconic painting of a red deer against a backdrop of mountains, by Sir Edwin Landseer.

The crowds pounding up the path to the top of Arthur's Seat give Edinburgh’s iconic hill the essence of a modern-day pilgrimage. An ancient volcano 251m above sea level, it’s the highest point of Holyrood Park. The 45-minute hike is tougher than you might expect (don your walking shoes for this one), but the experience is exhilarating, and culminates in brilliant views across the city and sea.