From all the social media post I've seen, this was on my list for places to check out in Edinburgh. First visit, we actually went to the wrong location...lol.... Made up for the next time. It's a good 15 min or so in the car from downtown Edinburgh or you could walk. We ended walking as it gave us a chance to see things that we've missed from all the other time we've visited. It was probably a half hour walk just taking our time. Faster if we didn't stop to look at things and take pictures. Right when you get to the location, there's Dean Bridge that crosses over. If you reached it, the village is right below. There's a little cobble stone street that literally takes you to the Instagram spot where I've seen. It's another little bridge that looks down to the town. A river below which was somewhat frozen. Of course everyone is there for the same reason, to get the perfect shot. The cute painted homes and rustic architecture gives it a gothic vibe. Walking along the cobble stone streets and checking out the little village was pretty calm. There's even a path that runs along the river you can walk along. The village itself isn't that big. Even though it was winter, the place was still beautiful. Imagine the warmer season when everyone is walking around, it'll get crowded but beautiful. If you walk under Dean Bridge, there's a main path that will take you back to the city. It's wider and below the homes but a really nice walk. People out for their jog or casually strolling. This place was very cute. Nothing big but something worth checking out. The power of social media know what it's doing. read more

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Agree with all the other reviews! Dean Village was such a charming walk during our time in Edinburgh. On a rainy day, it wasn't too crowded, and the views are beautiful, especially considering how close it is to the city center. read more

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A quaint, picturesque neighborhood in Edinburgh is absolutely how you would describe this lovely place. It's fairly small and there isn't a lot "to do" in the area to make you linger too long but the old architecture and the history of the place will make you want to make this visit. It seems as if a lot of tour companies come through here so be ready for it to be a bit jam packed when you go. We were still able to get great pictures and rest a bit here but it was a bit annoying to have a loud tour group trample everywhere and essentially try to push you off the bridge. You can start the Water of Leith walkway here. It's something we wanted to do but time got in the way. If I had more than a few days in Edinburgh I would have absolutely done that. Either way, coming to this tranquil spot is worth the hills. read more

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This is a quaint little neighborhood with beautiful, historic and colorful buildings and great views all around. We had a lovely time walking through it and taking in the sights. It is a residential neighborhood and was a little over run by tourists with cameras, probably not the most fun if you live here. read more

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Dean Village is a picturesque, charming little 'village' built along the Water of Leith; a small waterway that snakes its way through city of Edinburgh. Remnants of its rich history can still be seen by visitors today in the form of various mill stones and decorated stone plaques dedicated in honor of its once-thriving milling industry. We took a leisurely stroll along cobblestoned Hawthornbank Lane and enjoyed the views along the way. At the bottom of Hawthornbank Lane you'll come upon the most lovely, iconic view of Dean Village with the water surrounded by Well Court Hall and 19th century homes. It felt like you've stepped into a real-life fairy tale. We walked down to the edge of the river and snapped a few family photos here to capture the memories. What a beautiful oasis right by the water! My son loved finding dandelions during our walk and it made for great photo ops. Dean Village is just five minutes away from Princes Street and a great quick stop to add to your itinerary. Do keep in mind it is a residential neighborhood so you won't find restaurants or shops here. read more

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Not one of the well-known tourist attractions, but a agreeable activity that brings one into a quiet village and nearby trails. The village is not that far from the main city depending on where you are staying. It was only a ten minute walk for us. Bell's Brae Bridge crossing Water of Leith is the starting point and where most of the visitors take photos. You can then stroll through the residential area or head down to the bottom of Hawthornbank Lane to visit the riverbank. Once there, the Water of Leith Walkway is a 12-mile path that runs along the river full of nature and iconic points like the dam called Water of Leith Weir. read more

Dean Village - View of Dean Village from Bell's Brae Bridge crossing Water of Leith River. - Local Flavor Near Me

Really cool part of town where it's mostly residential but you have a nice walking path along the river with a small but satisfying waterfall. It's free to walk around and you'll see locals walking around with their dogs and kids here. Pretty quiet and soothing place to hang out read more

Although we came to visit Dean village when the sky already turned dark, this place still looked amazing. And the good thing is less people around and more romantic. We took the bus here. We could have a small view when we walked on the bridge. We took the small path next the bridge down to the village and have a work. I just like the architecture style of this place. It looked really different than the rest of city. And this wasn't just historical place for tourist to visit. People do live there. It was interesting to see that. I like the feeling walking along the creek and exploring this place. The whole plave isn't so big but sure it worth to pay a visit. read more

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Dean Village is, perhaps, my favourite place in Edinburgh. Only ten minutes walk from the west end of Princes Street, but feeling miles away, it is a hidden gem full of quaint former mill buildings, tenements and Tudor revivals. In the height of tourist season it is surprisingly quiet, a welcome oasis from the hussle and bussle. Approach it along the Water of Leith from Stockbridge and you walk beneath the towering Thomas Telford-designed Dean Bridge, past a former Victorian fives court, and a pretty yellow mill building which was subsequently acquired by St Mary's Cathedral in the West End (look up, and you see a bell was added to the roof). This takes you to the lovely bridge where you can look back at Dean Bridge and down the river towards the more recent (1990s) Swiss-style apartments. Keep an eye out for the local heron, who often stops here to hunt for food! Until the 1950s there were many shops in the village, but there are none now. Not even a pub. But this is no loss (after all, if you want those you only have a short walk up Bells Brae to Queensferry Street). The jewel in the crown of Dean Village is Well Court, built as housing for local workers by the proprietor of The Scotsman newspaper in the 1880s. It is breathtakingly beautiful. How I'd love to live there! Walk into the courtyard and admire the lovely clock tower building then take the pathway to its right which takes you to the tiny rose gardens. Here there are two benches where you can sit and take in the scenery and listen to the gentle trickling of the water beneath you. Past the baptismal font (rescued from a local church) - an outside christening was held here once - and you come to a small metal bridge that takes you up to the modern apartments. Walk under this and you are taken along past the weir and, eventually, the Aids memorial until you get to an entrance to the Gallery of Modern Art. If you'd like to learn more about the area, the local monthly tours (run by deanvillage.org) are essential. They only cost £3 and last 90 minutes. The tour guides certainly know their stuff and are full of fascinating facts (eg. Dean Bridge is hollow and you can actually walk around inside it). read more

Dean Village - Well Court clock tower - Local Flavor Near Me

You maybe wondering what you should do after eating your fill at a local pub ... well, take a stroll over to Dean Village! It's very walkable from the city center (~15min). The village itself is picturesque and tranquil - and the entire experience is like watching frames from a movie. It'll definitely be worth your time. Go go go! read more

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Lovely little part of the city, with gorgeous buildings and tremendous views along the Water of Leith. I don't know much about what services are available in the area, as I tend to come only for walks along the water, surrounded by nice trees and peaceful silence. Dean Village has plenty of photo ops and is worth a stop for that alone. If you like architecture, rivers, trees, and/or walking, this is the place for you. read more

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I had been wanting to visit the Dean Village for a while, so I finally made the 15 minute walk out from Princes Street to see it today. It is lovely. Picturesque, colourful buildings line the fast-flowing river in a quaint little village just north of Edinburgh city centre. There isn't really a lot to do there rather than walk along the river and take photos though, so don't expect a huge tourist site. There is a museum nearby, but I didn't visit it. I guess the main visitors to it would be residents and people that stumble upon it by accident. I wish I had stayed longer but I didn't really have a reason as I had already taken my pictures that I wanted. I can't really think of anything to say! It's a nice escape from the bustling city and that's all. read more

Ok, I bow down to Ben M's reviewing skills on this one, because next to him, I feel like I have no knowledge of this place beyond the feeling of if I could bear-hug an entire neighbourhood - it would likely be Dean Village. I got lost here a lot when I first moved to the city. Not lost in general - I got lost in Dean Village... a lot. Or more specifically, I got lost and ENDED UP in Dean Village. Why? Because I live in Stockbridge and still live under the belief that the Water of Leith will always steer me in the right direction... Let me tell you, of all the places i've discovered and re-discovered while getting lost my first few months in the city, this is HANDS DOWN the most charming. Honestly, Edinburgh tourism should erect a sign in Stockbridge that says: "Love this super charming, off the beaten path village-feeling neighbourhood just minutes from the city center? SURPRISE! Walk five minutes down this garden pathway and find another wwaayy cuter version of the same thing! Then start looking up real estate, because you're obviously never leaving." Except 1. that sign would be lengthy and dumb and 2. part of the charm of Dean Village is no one seems to know it's there. But now you do, whoever is reading this. So you should go read Ben's WAY more informative Yelp review on it and then wander through here with a coffee in hand and feel what it's like to want to bear-hug a neighbourhood. read more

Just a heads up. - Ben M's review sums up the Dean Village magnificently, as Jody B says in her review too. Having lived in Stirling for over five years, I explored so many amazing, scenic areas during my stay. Often a cycle journey away, and with not a soul in sight, these evening adventures satisfied my curious, adventurous streak. My outdoor adventures in Stirling played a huge part in why I came to love the town so much. Now, living in Edinburgh, I'd missed the magic of exploration. Dean Village more than satisfied that longing. We are nighthawks when it comes to walking. There is something exciting about getting out when most are settling down. We didn't see a single person on our travels and Dean Village felt huge and lonesome; like it belonged to us for just a few hours. Come nightfall, Dean Village is magical. So close to the city, and yet so utterly different. You will see some lovely sights. My favourite part is the waters, which were high and fast after high rainfall. I forget just how close we are to the water and this is a reminder to me that nature is only a short walk away and always worth revisiting. It's worth mentioning that parts of Leith walk are currently closed due to flooding and landslides. read more

One of Edinburgh's charms is the way that it sometimes seems to contain completely different worlds, packed on top of each other, crammed together within the space of one city yet retaining their own distinctive character. So it is that, within minutes of leaving the commercial hustle and bustle of Princes Street, you can dip beneath Thomas Telford's Dean Bridge and find yourself in Dean Village, a serene and picturesque haven that seems incredibly distant from the city centre, in time as well as space. Stretching along the Water of Leith between Stockbridge and the West End, it is an area full of quaint, fairy-tale like houses that were once the homes of mill workers when the grain trade was one of Edinburgh's main industries. You can still see the site of the original mill and the water wheel that powered it, but, in contrast to the past when it must have been a hive of activity, these days it is incredibly quiet, so that it almost feels like a secret hidden away below the rest of the city. read more

This is a gorgeous walk along the river and is popular at weekends. It can get a little muddy underfoot and you do have to be careful due to the numbers of dog walkers that use this route read more

Explored this along the Water of Leith walkway - the cemetary is amazing - you could lose hours in there!

Love this place! A beautiful retreat in the heart of the city! So picturesque and peaceful! Would recommend anyone to come and have a wander around! read more