Top 20 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh [2026]

What I love most about Edinburgh Castle is how it captures the soul of Scotland so perfectly: strong, historic, dramatic, and beautiful all at once. It’s more than just a tourist attraction; it’s a place that makes you pause and appreciate how much history these walls have witnessed over the centuries. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Scotland.

It is definitely worth a visit, whether you're into the history or just for the views alone. It was fun!

La vieille ville d'Édimbourg, près de la montagne, a une belle vue de la pierre de l'âge moyen. Édimbourg n'est pas seulement une ville financièrement lourde, mais aussi un salon d'art, se promenant dans les rues et se rendant à la joie des artistes partout. C'est là que se trouvent les habits traditionnels écossais, et la combinaison entre l'art et la vie fait que les gens se souviennent et méritent un voyage.

Awesome place! Had an amazing experience—highly recommended for everyone to visit!

Today I went to Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh and saw the British Royal Flag being raised. There were also many police officers on duty. I learned that King Charles was in the palace, but the King did not come out to show his face. [Grinning face]

In my opinion, this is the most worthwhile attraction in Edinburgh, even more beautiful than Edinburgh Castle. Photography is prohibited inside the palace, but free audio guides are available. The entire tour takes about two hours. Buying tickets through Ctrip is convenient, and exchanging them on-site was very smooth.

Very nice experience. You will get a free whisky glass after the wine tasting session. We acquired a lot of whisky knowledge and overall it is very interesting.

Informative tour to learn about Scottish Whisky, plus the tasting after that, highly recommended.

Carlton Hill is an iconic Edinburgh attraction known for its neoclassical complex, 360-degree city views and rich cultural activities. The design inspiration is based on the Parthenon in Athens. The Greek-style columns on the top of the mountain are magnificent, like the skeleton of a temple solidified by time, and they quietly guard Edinburgh. ‌

"Bagpipes sound from afar, I only care about your news. The castle keeps secrets for love, and I keep memories for you." This is the location of Jay Chou's MV "Obviously", and it is also the birthplace of J.K. Rowling's creation of "Harry Potter". If you dream of a medieval city in a magical world, then you must come here in this life. Every building is a natural movie background, and every corner seems to hide a secret passage to another world. In the end, when the sunset on Calton Hill confiscated time, Edinburgh, becoming amber that never fades, will always remain in my memory.

Excellent value. Unlimited rides within 24 hours. Covers all major attractions. The driver scans the QR code to issue the ticket. The expiration date is displayed. Children ride free.

The ticket collection was quick and the children's tickets were checked together.

There are a lot of people here, the streets are relatively concentrated and clean, many shops are worth visiting, there are many artists on the street, if you are interested, you can always take a look, there are also owls you can take photos with! 5 pounds per person

Princes Street in Edinburgh is the main avenue that separates the old and new cities. Walking on this street, you can not only enjoy the pleasant gardens and the magnificent castle, but also enjoy shopping😁😁

The dungeons of Edinburgh Castle once held the famous Duke Alexander Stewart and Janet Douglas. The cast and special effects in the castle will take you to the real underground world of ancient Scotland, while also providing extra fun and interest.

The cast and special effects in the castle will transport you to the real underground world of ancient Scotland, with extra fun and entertainment

The University of Edinburgh is a famous British federal institution of higher learning. It has an old school district with hundreds of years of history. The university is full of classical buildings. The tall buildings are very beautiful. The school is also a free place to visit, and there are connecting areas between different buildings.

The University of Edinburgh is one of the top 20 universities in the world. Its famous alumni include Darwin (Darwin studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and later studied theology at the University of Cambridge), Maxwell, the famous physicist who proved that light is an electromagnetic wave, Adam Smith, the father of economics, the great philosopher David Hume, the writer Conan Doyle (the author of "Sherlock Holmes"), Bell who invented the telephone, and Gu Hongming, a Chinese genius known as the "Weirdo of the Late Qing Dynasty".

this is highest elevation in Edinburgh. the hike is about 1.5km, 260m elevation. hike up from the Queen’s Drive side. coming down is more difficult than going up. bring water.

Slowly walk up from the park. As you get closer to the top of Arthur's Seat, there are more gravel roads and the harder it is to walk up. If you encounter strong winds, please pay attention to safety. After climbing up, you can overlook the surrounding scenery. It's great!