Edinburgh · Scotland

A city built on rock, history and very good pubs.

Edinburgh City is an independent guide to the capital — the attractions worth queuing for, the festivals worth planning a trip around, and the local trades worth calling when something in the flat gives up.

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Things to see in Edinburgh

The castle and the Tattoo are the headline acts, but the city rewards anyone willing to walk a bit further — into the museums, down to Leith, or out to an airfield full of aeroplanes.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

The castle dominates the skyline above the Royal Mile. What to see inside, the One O'Clock Gun, the Crown Jewels and how to get tickets.

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The Military Tattoo

The Military Tattoo

Massed pipes and drums on the Castle Esplanade every August, ending with the lone piper and a fireworks finale. Its origins and how to book.

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The Fringe Festival

The Fringe Festival

Running since 1947 and now the largest arts festival on earth. Comedy, theatre, dance and hundreds of free shows along the Royal Mile.

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Top Ten Restaurants

Top Ten Restaurants

Ten Edinburgh restaurants worth booking a table for, from Michelin-starred tasting menus to the best fish and chips in the city.

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National Museum of Scotland

National Museum of Scotland

More than 20,000 artefacts on Chambers Street covering Scotland's history, culture, nature and science — and free to enter.

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Films Shot in Edinburgh

Trainspotting, Chariots of Fire, Cloud Atlas and The Da Vinci Code all filmed here. The movies and the locations you can still walk to.

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Trusted Edinburgh trades

Finding a good builder, plumber or mechanic in a city of tenements and cobbles is harder than it should be. These are the Edinburgh firms that came recommended most often.

1130Castle first recorded
1947First Fringe festival
1950First Military Tattoo
20k+Museum artefacts