As I mentioned in the comments of my castle post, tourist attractions in Edinburgh tend to fall into one of two categories: free, and rather overpriced. Travelers on a budget can focus in on the free sights, as there are plenty. I chose to do a lot of both, because I was in Edinburgh for a long time, and because the average price per attraction is still pretty low if you average the free stuff with the expensive stuff. This post covers my favorites of the free sights.
The Royal Mile – This isn’t really one sight, but rather a mile-long road through the center of the old town, connecting the castle at one end with Holyrood Palace at the other. Along it you’ll find pubs, shops, restaurants, several churches, and plenty of tourists. One place to stop in for a look is St. Giles Cathedral, one of the only churches in the area that is still actually a church (go on a sunny day if you can: the sun streaming through the stained glass windows is stunning). There are also a couple of free museums along the Royal Mile, including the Museum of Edinburgh; the squeaky old building alone is worth at least a quick visit.
Arthur’s Seat – I love that you can hike in the middle of the city in Edinburgh. I chose an icy but sunny day to climb this earthy protrusion that sticks up right behind Holyrood Palace at the end of the Royal Mile. The view from the top is lovely, so I hear; the slippery ice caused me to turn back a little way before the summit. Next time.
National Galleries – How I love Great Britain for its free art museums. Edinburgh is no London, but it’s still home to an impressive collection of art for a city of its size. The main National Gallery Complex is located right in the middle of the city, between Princes Street and the old town. The Modern Art Galleries are located in a park just beyond the West End (another area worth exploring). There’s also a Scottish National Portrait Gallery, but it’s closed for renovations for most of 2011.
Water of Leith Walkway – The Water of Leith winds through Edinburgh and out to the harbor. It offers a pleasant and varied walk that goes on for miles, although it’s easy to just walk a part of it if you don’t have time to go the whole distance. Out at the end (near the harbor) there are a bunch of yummy-looking restaurants (mostly of the seafood persuasion) to choose from.
City Art Centre – This building offers story after story of art galleries. The exhibits are varied but the collection is heavy on the Scottish art. Across the street is the smaller but equally free Fruitmarket Gallery, which hosts contemporary art exhibits.
Scottish Parliament Building – You can go on free guided tours of the Scottish Parliament. I never got around to going on one, but the exterior architecture of the building is pretty nifty. Another item for my next visit.
What fun free things to do in Edinburgh have I left off the list?
i sure love kostenlos. did the beach scene fail to make your highlights? i love the sky in your neat bus picture.
How could I forget all those beaches? I’ll have to do another version of this after a summer visit.
It has its faults, but I do love how good the iphone camera is at capturing sunsets. Edinburgh had so many that were photo-worthy.
I actually stumbled across this site when I googled free things to do in munich almost two years ago! Great advice to those traveling who don’t want to spend a bunch of money.
Thanks, Eava. Glad someone’s enjoying my tips. 🙂
It’s free to walk out to Cramond Island when the tides are right. We wanted to do that, but got the timing wrong (not sure how) and enjoyed the seaside stroll from the mainland side instead (also free).
Interesting post and some really nice pictures…and I think pretty useful too 🙂
The Botanic Gardens are gorgeous (I think you still have to pay for the Glasshouse, but the rest is completely free) and definitely worth a visit, easily reached by bus or a 15-20 min walk from the centre 🙂 and there’s a lovely fountain in Princes Street Gardens if you haven’t gone for a wee stroll through there yet.