Final Up to date on twenty seventh June 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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Sometimes called one of many friendliest cities on the planet, Edinburgh is simple to fall in love with and even simpler to go to, it’s additionally among the finest locations to journey solo!
Although the prospect of visiting a metropolis you don’t know all too nicely alone is perhaps daunting at first, going solo travelling may be one of the vital rewarding methods to journey and expertise the world. Learn on for our prime recommendations on going solo in Edinburgh and the finest issues to do by yourself in Scotland’s fairytale capital metropolis.
Issues to know earlier than visiting Edinburgh for the primary time
So that you’ve chosen to go to Edinburgh by yourself? Good thought! Scotland’s capital metropolis is a fairytale historic treasure crammed with loads of sights, pleasant locals and vacationers alike and it’s sufficiently small that you simply’re unlikely to ever really feel too misplaced when exploring.
Scotland’s principal spoken language is British English, and the accent in Edinburgh is usually thought-about very mild. They use the sterling pound because the foreign money, although you would possibly discover that Scottish financial institution notes look totally different, they nonetheless maintain the identical worth.
When strolling across the metropolis, be sure you have a cushty pair of sneakers on because it’s very hilly, and there are additionally a number of cobblestoned streets.
By way of public transport, Edinburgh itself, solely has one bus firm, Lothian Buses, that serves the town centre and surrounding areas, making it a very simple public transport to navigate. You possibly can simply hop on a bus and pay contactless. There’s additionally a tram service which runs from Edinburgh Airport proper by to Newhaven Harbour by the ocean, serving the North of the town.
In terms of climate, be ready! Edinburgh is a wet (and generally very windy) metropolis, as a consequence of its mountainous panorama and proximity to the ocean. All the time convey extra layers than you assume you’ll want, bear in mind you’ll be able to all the time layer down. Additionally, umbrellas often show ineffective within the metropolis as there may be robust winds, so convey a superb waterproof jacket.
Additionally, in the event you plan to go to Edinburgh throughout August, bear in mind that the Worldwide Fringe Competition is on, happening for the entire month. Which means that prices for lodging are a lot larger, however you’ll be able to all the time decide to remain somewhat additional out.
If that is your first solo journey, learn our step-by-step information for planning your first solo journey, to be able to be as ready as attainable and really feel somewhat extra comfy earlier than your travels!
Greatest Issues to Do On Your Personal
Take a self-guided strolling tour of Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a magical metropolis and among the finest methods to expertise its magnificence is to easily discover it by yourself two ft (so be sure you convey a pair of comfy sneakers). In fact, you can even decide to find the town’s historic treasures and hidden nooks and crannies utilizing a guided tour like this one.
However merely wandering round and seeing what you stumble throughout is likely one of the finest methods to expertise Edinburgh. In spite of everything, that means, you’ll be able to cease to snap as many images as you would like! You may also cease for snacks at whichever café most appeals to you, and you may usually benefit from the metropolis at your personal tempo.
Go to a small and weird museum
There’s nothing higher than exploring a museum at your personal tempo and never having to continuously test round to see in case your fellow companions have caught up or sped forward.
Edinburgh is crammed with small and distinctive museums and can be house to the Nationwide Museum of Scotland, which showcases an enormous assortment of Scottish historical past and tradition. And, the vast majority of these spots are free to enter! Listed below are a few of the extra uncommon museums to go to solo:
- Museum of Edinburgh – Showcasing the historical past of Edinburgh by a group of tales, images and objects. A spot the place locals can reminisce and vacationers can be taught. (Free entry)
- Surgeon’s Corridor Museum – Some of the distinctive museums of the town, this showcases one of many largest and most historic pathology collections within the UK. Not for the faint-hearted, if you’re fascinated by the human anatomy then right here, you’ll be able to see all of it in jars proper earlier than you! (£9.50 go to)
- The Author’s Museum – This tiny museum shows an perception into the life and works of a few of Scotland’s most beloved writers. (Free entry)
- Museum of Childhood – That is the primary museum on the planet to specialise within the historical past of childhood, displaying a group of toys and playthings. (Free entry)
- Digital camera Obscura – A world of phantasm’, this vacationer attraction on the Royal Mile was based in 1835 and is 5 tales of fascinating illusions and perception into the magic of the digital camera, in addition to among the finest rooftop views of the town (round £20 to go to).
- Harry Potter Museum – A small store and exhibition house on Victoria Road, house to all issues Harry Potter associated, you’ll typically see queues outdoors the door! (Free entry, although there are paid excursions of Harry Potter areas out there or you’ll be able to take your self on a self-guided tour)
Discover cute bookshops
Spend just a few hours exploring the lovable bookshops of the town. From exploring impartial locations to the second-hand and uncommon copies that reside in Edinburgh’s abundance of bookshops. Listed below are some prime strategies of the place to go:
- Armchair Books – A unusual crammed to the brim family-run bookshop crammed with an enormous collection of second-hand and uncommon treasures.
- Blackwell’s Bookshop – Edinburgh’s oldest bookshop, which boasts over 3 million copies!
- Waterstones – Set over a number of flooring, that is house to a café with among the finest views of Edinburgh Fortress.
- Uncommon Birds Guide Store – A bookshop that solely celebrates works by feminine authors.
- Argonaut Books – A regionally owned group bookshop within the coronary heart of Leith.
- Typewronger Books – A non-profit firm within the coronary heart of Edinburgh promoting new titles.
- McNaughtan’s Bookshop – Subsequent door to Typewronger, this antiquarian bookstore is the place for outdated, hard-to-find & distinctive titles.
Topping & Firm is undoubtedly one of the vital lovely bookshops in Edinburgh. Set throughout three ranges, within the shadow of Calton Hill, this impartial bookstore boasts over 70,000 books! One of many extra distinctive elements of the shop is that it’s a must to climb small ladders to get a more in-depth take a look at the books on the highest cabinets.
Edinburgh’s “Little Free Libraries” – One other factor to be careful for whereas exploring the town is the fantastic book-sharing motion that has made its means all through Edinburgh. Coming in all styles and sizes, you could discover spy out numerous nooks across the metropolis that state ‘free library’. The idea of that is that you could be take a e-book from inside, as long as you exchange it with a unique e-book. Magic!
Learn in a comfortable café
A private favorite factor about solo travelling is having the ability to cease at any given spot (everytime you need) and be absorbed in a e-book, taking small moments to look at the world go by in between.
You’re utterly spoilt for selection relating to cosy cafés in Edinburgh. Listed below are just some prime strategies of locations to go and the place to seek out them:
- Lovecrumbs West Port, 155 West Port, Edinburgh EH3 9DP
- Black Medication Espresso Co, 2 Nicolson St, Edinburgh EH8 9DH
- The Milkman, 7 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1BP
- Margot, 7-8 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 4HP
- Cairngorm Espresso, 1 Melville Pl, Edinburgh EH3 7PR
Climb an extinct volcano
Some of the magical issues about Edinburgh is the very fact that there’s a world of mountaineering proper in your doorstep! House to seven hills, most of that are the remnants of volcanic exercise from over 340 million years in the past and boast fascinating views from their peaks.
The most well-liked and well-known and common hill to climb is Arthur’s Seat, an iconic landmark the place you’ll be able to admire the breathtaking panoramic views of Edinburgh’s panorama and past.
It’s value noting, that each one of those hills are near the town centre that means they sometimes all the time have folks up them, so within the case of getting misplaced or into issue, there’ll all the time be a pleasant stranger to ask for assist!
Take a look at filming areas
Due to the town’s many landscapes and proximity to the ocean, Edinburgh gives a magical setting from which to movie. Which means that it has typically been used because the backdrop for a lot of movies and TV reveals, so a enjoyable exercise to do out by yourself might be to spy out filming areas from common tradition that pursuits you!
Maybe most famously often known as the setting for the 1996 movie Trainspotting, Edinburgh additionally served because the sweeping romantic setting for the latest 2024 Netflix adaptation of One Day, take a look at the filming areas right here.
Though no filming of the beloved world of wizardry movies passed off right here, if you’re a fan you is perhaps to know in regards to the areas round Edinburgh that impressed the Harry Potter novels.
Admire artwork in a gallery
Like a scene from a film, be the solo traveller who strolls by the artwork galleries alone, filling your artistic thoughts! Edinburgh’s artwork galleries are crammed with Scottish and worldwide artwork from way back to the 14th century to now. Listed below are a few of the principal galleries value testing:
- Nationwide Galleries of Scotland – There are two buildings in entrance of each other, each showcasing Scottish and worldwide artwork that spans proper from the start of the Renaissance as much as the beginning of the twentieth century. (Free entry)
- Scottish Nationwide Portrait Gallery- Set inside a Neo-gothic palace, this lovely house homes the nationwide assortment of portraits and the nationwide assortment of pictures, most of that are by Scottish artists. (Free entry)
- Nationwide Galleries of Scotland One – There was once two galleries till 2023, therefore the ‘one’ nonetheless, right now there’s only one, showcasing a everlasting assortment of latest artwork in addition to rotating exhibitions. (Free entry)
- Stills – Devoted to displaying exhibitions on pictures, this gallery house additionally has a darkish room the place you should purchase workshops and discover the method of creating photographic movie. (Free entry)
- Fruitmarket – A up to date exhibition house that hosts a variety of worldwide and native modern artists of every kind of mediums. (Free to go to, exhibitions generally price)
- Talbot Rice – Owned by the College of Edinburgh, this exhibition house holds touring artists and their works, which are usually centred on cultural points. (Free entry, dependant on exhibitions)
- Metropolis Artwork Centre – A set of historic and fashionable Scottish work, pictures, sculpture and handcrafts. (Free entry)
- Dovecot – That is one in all two working tapestry weaving studios that also exist in Britain. Set inside a former Victorian public bathhouse, this magical house is the place historical past is woven by a crew of full-time weavers who’re commissioned to create tapestries of well-known artworks, generally taking a number of months to finish! (Free entry to see the weaving ground, exhibitions are paid)
Go to the fairytale view of Dean Village
Uncover the quaint and romantic little pocket of Dean Village which is tucked away and never too far faraway from the conventional hustle and bustle of Edinburgh metropolis life. This hidden little gem is located alongside the Water of Leith and has a historical past that traces again to the twelfth century, for its authentic function as a milling settlement.
From right here you’ll be able to stroll alongside the trail that follows the Water of Leith proper by to one in all Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods, Stockbridge, which is a beautiful space crammed with cosy cafés, second-hand retailers and a bookshop referred to as Uncommon Birds Guide Store, which is devoted to celebrating feminine authors and sharing the very best of ladies’s fiction.
Go classic procuring
The most well-liked and iconic locations to get classic garments from is Armstrong’s & Son, which is a classic garments store that was established in 1840, making it one of many oldest of its variety within the UK. Right here, you odor the age of the garments, and also you’ll be capable to discover any classic vogue period you’ll be able to think about!
Take in sundown from Calton Hill
Benefit from the warming shades of orange, yellow and purple because the solar melts into the horizon. Calton Hill is a well-liked spot because it’s a 5-minute stroll to the summit and also you’re not too removed from native bars and eating places to move to straight after. The hill gives 360 panoramic views too, so you’ll be able to select to take a seat at whichever facet your most well-liked view is.
Additionally, apart from boasting essentially the most iconic and delightful views overlooking Edinburgh’s skyline and onto Arthur’s Seat, discovered atop a few of Edinburgh’s most essential historic monuments!
Hearken to stay conventional folks music
To have a real expertise of Edinburgh, head to an area pub and luxuriate in a native Scottish beer or whisky (or get a half-and-half, which is a half pint of beer with a dram of whisky) and see some stay conventional folks music!
There are such a lot of historic pubs throughout the town that present stay music and welcome guests to take pleasure in and embrace the jovial environment. Plus, Edinburgh is crammed with solo travellers and pleasant folks, so heading to a pub is a superb place to fulfill folks (and in addition probably get some nice suggestions!)
Dance at a ceilidh!
Feeling courageous? Why not be taught the standard Scottish dance at an area ceilidh membership? Pronounced kay-lee, this conventional dance is accompanied by Gaelic folks music and is a energetic and social affair, good for assembly folks and having a good time.
Take pleasure in eating solo
Have you ever ever dined alone? Chances are you’ll end up shocked by simply how many individuals do! And what a pleasure it may be.
Whether or not you convey a e-book alongside or just absorb the atmosphere and people-watch, among the finest methods to take pleasure in a meal in your travels is alone. For extra solo eating inspiration, take a look at our recommendations on
And at last… Is Edinburgh protected for solo feminine travellers? (In addition to security suggestions!)
Scotland’s capital metropolis is each accessible and protected, each with its pleasant environment and well-patrolled streets I might say this is likely one of the finest locations for feminine travellers to go, particularly if making an attempt out solo journey for the primary time.
In fact, as with wherever you go (particularly as a solo feminine traveller), it is best to all the time proceed in sure conditions with warning. I recommend carrying a crossbody bag or bag which is definitely secured and fixed, although pickpockets aren’t recognized to be an enormous downside in Edinburgh.
Additionally, if consuming alcohol be certain to take action responsibly as you’re chargeable for your security and getting house okay. And by no means depart your drink unattended, if you’re in a pub you’ll be able to both ask the bartender to maintain your drink behind the bar whilst you use the bathroom or wait till you might have completed. Though typically you may be effective, it’s all the time higher to be on the facet of warning.
A remaining word, I like to recommend checking in with somebody again house as soon as every single day or two, primarily for the peace of thoughts of the individuals who might fear about you exploring a unique place by yourself!
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