Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the United Kingdom and attracts tourists from all over the world. Edinburgh was voted as the United Kingdom’s best destination for young people in the British Youth Travel Awards.

10 Incredible Edinburgh Attractions For Tourists

1. Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is the most visited and most famous tourist attraction built on top of a hill, situated nearly 400 feet above the city, encircled by a massive wall. Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress that overshadows Edinburgh’s skyline. The castle rock is on top of an extinct volcano, there is evidence of human settlement here dating back to the bronze age.

2. Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo was formerly known as Scottish National Zoological Park and was built in the year 1913, it is spread over 82 acres and is situated in Corstorphine, a suburb of Edinburgh.

It houses about 1,000 rare species, the UK’s only giant pandas, and Queensland koalas, and also the Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to procreate penguins, the penguins are major attractions of the zoo. Corstorphine Hill gives an extensive view of Edinburgh’s skyline.

Edinburgh Zoo is not just a place for a family day out but also a prominent center for the breeding of rare and endangered animals, preserving biodiversity, researching and studying animals’ behavioral patterns, and organizing and participating in various conservation programs.

3. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is located near Princes Street. It comprises two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two. The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art was founded in the year 1850 and has a scenic view of the castle of Edinburgh.

The building of this Gallery is built in the Neoclassical style of architecture designed by William Henry Playfair.

The Scottish National Art Gallery consists of a collection of masterpieces from Italian, Spanish, French, English, and Scottish paintings. The paintings are from the early Renaissance period to the late 19th century, showing some of the magnificent works of Western art to the world.

The National Gallery has a huge collection of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. Apart from masterpieces of art, you can also discover cafes and gift shops.

4. Craig Millar Castle

Craig Millar Castle is one of Scotland’s most well-preserved castles, it lies just three miles southeast of Edinburgh city center.

The stone architecture design of the castle is very unique and admirable, the grand hall of the castle and living chambers are the main highlights at Craig Millar Castle. Visitors can climb up the castle tower for an amazing view of the Edinburgh, Pentland Hills, and Salisbury Crags.

5. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, was founded in the 17th century and is one of the leading botanical gardens in the world. It is also a center for the scientific study of plants, their diversity, types, and conservation.

The spotlight of the garden is the Chinese Hillside, the Queen Mother’s memorial garden, and the Woodland Garden. There is history dating back to around 350 years that visitors can discover, and also the beautiful nature spread across 70 acres.

6. National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland was founded in the year 2006 and was merged with the Royal Scottish Museum. It has a collection of prehistoric and medieval objects, finds from archeological sites, and antiques from all over the world.

The National Museum of Scotland has an entire department of natural science, in this section, all the items relating to natural history are displayed, this collection of natural history was initially transferred from the University of Edinburgh.

The museum has special exhibitions as well with tickets and there are gift shops to buy souvenirs of the visit.

7. Dean Village

Dean Village is located at the very center of Edinburgh, one of the most charming villages in Scotland. It is a good escape point from the bustling city center of Edinburgh, it is so beautiful that it seems like a landscape from a fairytale, that sits on the banks of the water of Leith.

In the past, Dean Village was lined up with 11 working mills located on the strong currents of the city’s river. Later in the 20th century, trade lessened, and the village was abandoned and started decaying as a settlement, but the lush greenery, tranquility, and proximity of the village to the city center made it so renowned. In the present day, it is the most popular and sought-after residential part of Edinburgh.

8. Greyfriars Courtyards

Greyfriars Courtyards is a large historic graveyard that surrounds the Greyfriars Kirk Cook the old Scottish word for church. The graveyard has a reputation for being one of the most hunted graveyards in the world and also has a bittersweet infamous tale attached to it.

The story of Greyfriars Bobby, a Scottish terrier who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died. Greyfriars Courtyards tells the historical account of those people who were entombed here.

Covenanters, body snatchers, assassins, and the people who were assassinated, this graveyard has an account of all these people. Greyfriars Courtyards is the perfect destination for visitors who want to know about Scotland’s ancient and gruesome history.

9. Holyrood Palace

The Palace of Holyrood Palace stands at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, this palace is the present-day Royal residence of the British monarch in Scotland. When the British monarch is at the palace, the guards march all the way down the royal mile.

There are 14 magnificent and historic state apartments and ruins of the 12th-century Holyrood Abbey. The Holyrood Palace stays open for visitors throughout the year; a typical visit to the palace takes between 1 and 2 hours with the help of guided tours.

10. Holyrood Park

It is situated just opposite the Holyrood Palace, a place away from the hustle and bustle of the city and ideal for hiking. Holyrood Park is the biggest green cover of Edinburgh city, spread over 650 acres of land; Holyrood Park used to be a 12th-century hunting estate of neighboring Holyrood Palace.

Best place to get a glorious and beautiful 360-degree view of Edinburgh city when you are visiting Edinburgh. Arthur’s seat is believed to have originated from the infamous story of King Arthur and the possible location for Camelot.

Final Note

Edinburgh is an alluring tourist attraction and welcomes lakhs of tourists throughout the year from all over the world. The Edinburgh tourist attractions are not only limited to historical monuments, but it is a fusion place that has city life, cultural life, and historical significance. It should be on your bucket list if you like exploring every aspect of just one place!

Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by Parina Parmar