A castle on a volcano, closes full of secrets and the city that gave the world Jekyll and Hyde.
Edinburgh was built upwards: a medieval town squeezed along a ridge of rock between a castle and a palace, facing a New Town of straight streets and Georgian squares. Between the two you'll find kings and reformers, bodysnatchers, a faithful dog and some of the most famous legends in Europe. Three free routes to explore it on foot, at your own pace.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the mixed route.
Downhill along Scotland's most famous street, from the castle on its volcano to Mary Queen of Scots' palace, past reformers, goldsmiths and a Parliament designed in Barcelona.
Buried closes, a cabinetmaker with a double life, a graveyard with caged tombs and the murderers who sold corpses – always separating the record from the legend.
The most photographed street of coloured shopfronts, a man-made hill linking two cities, a Gothic monument to a novelist and the finest view in Scotland.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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Itineraries
We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.
All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.
See the itinerary 2A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.
See the itinerary 3The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.
See the itineraryWhat to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
A thick, comforting soup of smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk, born in the fishing village of Cullen on the Moray coast. Just the thing for a windy lunchtime. The Tolbooth Tavern, a pub since 1820 on the ground floor of the 1591 Tolbooth, serves it right at the end of the history route.
Where to try it
The national dish: minced sheep's offal with oatmeal, onion and spices, served with mashed swede ('neeps') and potato ('tatties'). Robert Burns wrote a poem to it in 1786, and it's recited in his honour every 25 January. For dinner after the mystery route, the White Hart Inn on the Grassmarket and Deacon Brodie's Tavern on the Lawnmarket are two classics.
Where to try it
A round pie of firm, crisp pastry filled with well-spiced minced meat (traditionally mutton), with a hollow on top for gravy or mash. It's football-terrace food and the ultimate quick lunch, and it even has its own world championship. The Piemaker on South Bridge is a simple stop for something hot.
Where to try it
In Scotland, battered fish with chips is a 'supper', and in Edinburgh you ask for it with 'salt and sauce': salt plus a tangy brown sauce you'll only find here. The Clam Shell on the High Street stays open late; L'Alba D'Oro on Henderson Row has been frying for the neighbourhood since 1975.
Where to try it
To round off the day, a dram of malt whisky, Scotland's pride, with a splash of water if you like. The Bow Bar, a one-room pub at the top of Victoria Street, has a whole wall of bottles and staff happy to help you choose between peat, sherry or honey. It also makes a fine after-dinner drink following a bowl of cranachan.
Where to try it