10 Free Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
While Edinburgh may not be the most budget-friendly destination, it is a wonderland of free, and low-cost, activities for anyone looking to explore this beautiful destination without breaking the bank.
I really lucked out with some amazing recommendations from social media connections and friends who visited previously who all know I am on a budget-budget.
These were some of my favorite free (or mostly free) things to do in Edinburgh
Take a Free Walking Tour
Edinburgh has so many free walking tour options, from Harry Potter themed, Night Time Ghost Tours, History Tours, and more there is a free walking tour for every interest.
I find free walking tours the best way to get a feel of a city, so I take one soon after arrival. In Edinburgh, I hit the ground walking and took a Night Ghost Tour just a couple hours after arriving.
The next morning, I threw my sneakers back on to head out on a historical walking tour.
Both were great, with an enthusiastic and friendly guide, and I got a lot of both dark and historical information about the city, as well as a good sense of where things where and what I wanted to return to.
There are several free walking tour companies in Edinburgh, but I opted to book both my tours through City Explores Tours.
⭐While free walking tours are technically free, they are “tips based” and tips are always encouraged.
Walk The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile runs between two significant locations in the royal history of Scotland: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The name derives from it being the traditional processional route of monarchs, with a total length of approximately one mile. The streets which make up the Royal Mile are (west to east) Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street, the Canongate and Abbey Strand. The Royal Mile is the busiest tourist street in the Old Town, rivalled only by Princes Street in the New Town.
Perhaps Edinburgh’s most famous street, the Royal Mile is a 1.1-mile-long stretch lined with shops, cafes, cathedrals, and old city charm.
Here you will find endless souvenir shops, cute cafes, street performers, and the starting point for most walking tours.
Noteworthy stops along the Royal Mile:
Edinburgh Castle
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Parliament Square and the Heart of Midlothian
John Knox House
St Giles’ Cathedral
The Heart of Midlothian
Museum of Childhood
Whether you stop into any of the shops or sites on The Royal Mile or just stroll the street and take in all the sights and sounds, it is well worth it to visit this area.
⭐The Royal Mile is especially beautiful (and quiet) at sunrise.
The Writer’s Museum
The Writers’ Museum, housed in Lady Stair's House at the Lawnmarket on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, presents the lives of three of the foremost Scottish writers: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Run by the City of Edinburgh Council, the collection includes portraits, works and personal objects.
🗺️Lawnmarket, Lady Stair's Cl, Edinburgh EH1 2PA
🕰️Daily 10a-5p
The Writer’s Museum is in a beautiful historic building and features well curated and interesting displays highlighting the lives and works of Robert Burns, Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
I really enjoyed the displays and lay out. It is well worth committing an hour or so to visiting this little museum.
The gift shop also has some really unique items at reasonable prices.
National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait
National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. Portrait holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection.
🗺️1 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JD
🕰️Daily 10a-5p
The Portrait Museum was one of my favorite things in Edinburgh. I loved that variety and diversity of the art and thought the museum was beautifully curated.
The building that houses the portrait museum is beautiful itself and includes a stunning library.
Arthur’s Seat
Arthur's Seat is an ancient extinct volcano that is the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh, Scotland, which form most of Holyrood Park, described by Robert Louis Stevenson as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design"
Arthur’s Seat offers incredible panoramic views of the of the city.
To get those views, you need to ascend the hill. Depending on who you ask, it is a light to moderate hike to get to the top.
I found it on the easy side, but there are some short steep inclines so good footwear is highly recommended, as well as pacing yourself if you aren’t much of a hiker.
The hike typically takes about 2 hours round trip, but sure to allot time to stay and enjoy the views along the way and at the top.
⭐There are numerous trails in Holyrood Park to explore if you are looking for a bit more outdoor time.
Calton Hill
Calton Hill is a volcanic hill rising beyond the eastern end of Princes Street. The hill boasts a collection of some of Edinburgh’s most important monuments and offers fantastic panoramic views of the city. In the 19th century, Edinburgh was envisioned as the ‘Athens of the North’ and Calton Hill was considered Edinburgh’s version of the Athenian Acropolis, complete with classical revival architecture.
A UNESCO Heritage site, Calton Hill is a beautiful place to just wander around, take in views and the architecture of the monuments, which are all packed with their own history and charm.
Even on a cloudy day, Calton Hill offered great views. I imagine this is a perfect place for a picnic in warmer weather.
Dean Village
Dean Village is one of the oldest of the villages that lay around the original Royal Burgh of Edinburgh
Dean Village was recommended to me by almost everyone familiar with Edinburgh. It is a beautiful little village (said to have a Harry Potter feel) and well worth a visit, but I felt the surrounding area and walk along the river was the truly impressive part.
A bit of a walk from the city centre, Dean Village can be reached by foot in about 20 minutes.
Visitors can take a bit of time to see the village and take a few photos or spend a couple of hours walking along the tranquil stream that runs through it.
⭐This is a great place to catch a sunset
Colinton Station & Tunnel
Scotland's Largest Historical Mural
This enchanting mural in a Victorian railway tunnel was created to bring visitors to Colinton and to make people smile! The talented art team, led by Chris Rutterford, transformed a dark and scary tunnel into a safe and welcoming home for Scotland's largest historical mural; celebrating the industrial, social, artistic and literary history of Colinton's community.
A visit to Colinton Station and Tunnel will cost you bus fare (4£ RT) but a visit to the tunnel is free.
If you are an art lover, or just want something cool and unique to do, Colinton Station is worth the trip which takes about 40 minutes by bus from Princes Street.
If you want to make more of your trip to the tunnel, there are gorgeous walking trails surrounding the tunnel and a very quaint area with a cafe, park, and cozy village feel.
Cemeteries
There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to visiting cemeteries as a tourist: ‘Love them!’ or ‘Absolutely not!’.
If you are in the school of “Love them!” then Edinburgh is an ideal city for you.
There are so many famous cemeteries in Edinburgh that are packed with history. I learned some of the interesting, dark history, of Greyfriars Kirkyard on my Ghost Tour, but also enjoyed the beauty and of, and views from, several other cemeteries in the city.
Greyfriars Kirkyard is probably the most famous cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a historic burial ground that dates back to the late 16th century.
Other notable cemeteries include:
Cannongate Kirk
Old Calton Burial Ground
New Calton Burial Ground
St Cuthberts Cemetery
Portobello Beach
Portobello Beach, a few miles from Edinburgh city centre, is a charming seaside suburb, with two miles of sand making it perfect for swimming and sunbathing
Beaches? In Edinburgh?
Am I alone in not considering beaches, at all, when thinking about Edinburgh?
Luckily, a social media connection put beaches on my radar when I asked for local recommendations. Portobello was one of the highest recommended beaches, and immediately after getting off the bus, I could see why.
The little seaside town is adorable and so charming and the coastal walk is beautiful and seems to go on forever. I met a fellow traveler here and we took a 16km walk along the coast. Even on a cool, somewhat cloudy day, it was a great walk.
To get to Portobello beach will cost bus fare (4£ RT) and takes about 20-30 minutes.
Bonus Free Activity:
See the Highland cows at Swanston Farm! For all the details on how, click here
