Heads Up: 16 Things to Do in Edinburgh

For more tips on venues and activities, as well as articles exploring the culture and history of Edinburgh, check out the Skinny Guide to Edinburgh, available now and updated for 2023.

Leith Witchcraft Market
Get in loser, we’re going crystal shopping. The Leith Witchcraft Market takes place every few months, coinciding with the various Pagan Sabbats in the calendar. This summer, head over for their Lammas (30 July) and Mabon (17 September) markets, with witchy prints, handcrafted herbal soaps and tarot readings aplenty.

Tram crawl to Newhaven
The tram now goes to Newhaven. What shall we do with this new transport link? Use it to get drunk, of course. There are 23 stops, so we don’t recommend you imbibe at every one. Kick-off at Dreadnought in Newhaven; end at The Roseburn by Murrayfield; and drink responsibly along the way.

Water of Leith path
Edinburgh does not want for lovely walks, but perhaps the prettiest is along the Water of Leith. The path is teeming with nature (ducks, bats, foxes, swans, herons) and foraging opportunities (raspberries and wild garlic abound). Keep an eye out, too, for Antony Gormley’s haunting series of sculptures that stand sentinel in the river.

Water of Leith. Credit: Yousef Espanioly

Turkish Baths
A very charming thing about Edinburgh is that many of its council-run public swimming pools are housed in old Victorian swimhouses. Portobello takes it a step further with an authentic Victorian Turkish bathhouse, with three different hot rooms you work your way through for the ultimate relaxation experience for under a tenner.

Jupiter Rising
Jupiter Rising is magical sculpture garden Jupiter Artland’s once-annual, now-biannual music festival. This year is unfortunately an off year; however, because Scotland’s arts scene simply doesn’t know how to relax, they are putting on a one-night-only special edition of Jupiter Rising, curated by this year’s exhibiting artist Lindsey Mendick, as part of Edinburgh Art Festival. 19 Aug, £5.

Jupiter Rising. Credit: Aly Wright

Colony of Artists
The original idea behind the Abbeyhill Colonies (est. 1867) was to offer affordable, secure and clean housing for a whole host of tradespeople, with community at its heart. Now home to many artists, since 2005 artists annually open their homes, turning them into mini exhibition spaces, and the community comes together with stalls, cake stands, art trails, live music and more. Abbeyhill Colonies, 16-17 Sep

Colony of Artists.

Leith Comedy Festival
Comedy! It’s not just for August, nor is it just for three streets in the Old Town! Leith Comedy Festival have been running a bunch of one-off shows ahead of their first full festival – they bring a bit of the Fringe to The Biscuit Factory on 10 Aug, the Festival itself runs 6-8 Oct, details tbc.

Book Fringe
Every festival needs its Fringe counterpart and the book business is no different. Book Fringe, an accessible alternative festival headed by some of Edinburgh’s best and brightest independent bookshops, is returning this year, courtesy of Lighthouse Bookshop, Typewronger Books and Argonaut Books – keep an eye on their socials for details of dates and programmes.

Book Fringe. Credit: Lighthouse Books

Colinton Tunnel Mural
There are several disused railways-turned-paths to be explored all over Edinburgh, with most perfect for an afternoon amble or cycle; the most exciting lies in the west of the city. Accessible via the Water of Leith, the Union Canal or the less scenic Slateford Road, Colinton Dell is home to the Colinton Tunnel Mural, Scotland’s largest historical mural. 

Go to Jane Street
We’re living through a second brewery taproom boom (a tapboom, if you will). The epicenter is Jane Street, just off Leith Walk; start at Newbarns, then head down the street to Campervan. After that, it’s a brief stroll to the Shore for Moonwake and Lost in Leith. Tapboom.

Cowgate
The Cowgate is one of the Old Town’s main thoroughfares and a must for anyone looking for a top tier night out, especially if you’re after one with live music, and a more underground feel. Pub crawl along the street from east to west, then take in a gig and club night at the award-winning, small but perfectly formed, Sneaky Pete’s.

Cowgate. Credit: Eilis Garvey

Calton Hill
The most accessible of Edinburgh’s seven hills, Calton Hill is a short climb from the end of Princes St. At the top you’ll find stunning views of the city, the Pentlands, Fife and beyond, and one of the city’s most exciting art galleries, Collective. Plus ‘Edinburgh’s Disgrace,’ an abandoned 19th century attempt to build the Parthenon…

Paradise Palms queer clubbing
Edinburgh doesn’t have an extensive queer clubbing scene as such, but one of our favourite places is tropical dive bar Paradise Palms, who serve their queer clubbing with a side of vegan food and indie record labels. Find the likes of Femmergy and Sweet Philly there, as well as cabaret nights like Fruit Salad and Kabaret Kweer.

Femmergy. Credit: Charlotte Cullen

Get a coffee
Edinburgh is home to a frankly absurd number of excellent indie coffee shops, dotted all over the place. In leafy Stockbridge (Fortitude)! By the Meadows (Cult)! Just off Princes Street, right in the middle of town (Cairngorm)! In the shadow of the actual Castle (The Source)! Caffeine fans, fill your boots.

Old Man Pubs
Edinburgh is very very good at old fashioned boozers and traditional pubs, where locals can be found in the same seats at the same time most days. Some of the best include The Bow Bar (80 W Bow), The Blue Blazer (2 Spittal St), Teuchters (26 William St), The Persevere (398 Easter Rd), Roseburn Bar (1 Roseburn Ter) and Athletic Arms (1-3 Angle Park Ter). 

The Bow Bar. Credit: Thomas Mountney

Visit Duddingston
We don’t want to accuse Duddingston of actually hiding behind Arthur’s Seat, so we’ll say that the historic village is ‘tucked away’ behind The Big Rock. Walk through Holyrood Park and you’ll find the lovely Sheep Heid pub, an enormous community orchard, and a chill, bucolic vibe.