It's 5 stars all the way! It's just a great spot that connects you to many different parts of Old Town. The views of the castle from here are also incredible. Especially if you want to see the volcanic plug under the castle. The best views of it are from here. It's also where you can make your way up the Vennel Steps to see the old defensive walls of the city. There are even two or three different ways that you can get to the castle from here. The Granny Green Steps are located on the west side of the square. It will take you up to Johnston Terrace where you can take another set of stairs called Castle Wynd North up to the castle. The second option is to take the Castle Wynd South path in the middle of the square which will lead into the Patrick Geddes Steps and directly to the North Steps. Another way is to walk up West Bow from the square to Victoria Street (also in Grassmarket). Take the stairway up to Victoria Terrace and then make your way up to the steps at Castle Wynd North or to the Royal Mile. You'll get a different perspective of the Grassmarket area and the castle from all angles. We visited it daily. We even passed through it on our way to Greyfriars Kirkyard via Candlemaker Row. The National Museum of Scotland is also easily accessible from here. The square in Grassmarket is the perfect meet up location. There's a lot of dark history here as well. It was one of the public execution sites that included the unsuccessful one of "Half-Hangit Maggie Dickson" in 1724. There's a bar at the square named after her. You'll also see a memorial written on the stones of the square for the last person (James Andrews) to be hanged at the gallows there on 4 February 1784. All creepiness aside, it's a very lively and active place that you'll pass through at some point. I mean, how could you not? It's an area full of beauty and history. *Updated on 5/5/2026 to correct a name. read more

Grassmarket - Memorial to the last patron hanged at the Grassmarket Gallows in 1784 - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Grassmarket is located in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, just behind Edinburgh Castle. It's one of the oldest parts of the city, dating back to the 14th century. it is a popular area of the city today, just as it has been for many years. The Grassmarket is one of the most vibrant and charming neighbourhoods in Edinburgh and it's not a place you want to miss. However, one of the best parts about visiting this area are the views you'll get of the castle! Lined with buzzing bars, restaurants with worldwide flavours, delicious coffee shops and eclectic shops, the area's winding streets are a delight to explore at your leisure. Take a historic walking tour. Free historic walking tour maps are available from the local pubs and shops in the area. You can read or listen to the audio history of the area here. OR Visit the Greyfriars Bobby monument and grave site of a devoted little dog. read more

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Dark Fact: In the 1700s there were public executions in the center of the Grass Market. Every Saturday from 9am to 5pm local vendors set up their booths for hundreds of tourists and locals to browse and purchase their trade. Each booth had a different theme, some were vintage records, jewelry, mediterranean foods, leather goods and pastries. This Grass Market is located directly below the famous Edinburgh Castle and surrounded by several traditional Scottish bars like The Wee Pub, Biddy Mulligans, The Last Drop and Maggie Dicksons. read more

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If you only go to Grassmarket for Mary's Milk Bar, you've already won. This part of Edinburgh is like a rectangle with restaurants and shops along the edges and even some greenery below the castle to lay or picnic in! We came for Mary's Milk Bar and had the most delicious gelato! The line was well worth the wait for this creamy goodness! On Saturdays, they host a farmers market starting at 9am with local options to choose from! The view of the castle from her is astounding! read more

Grassmarket - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I'm so happy that we decided to book a hotel in this area. We could walk to all the major tourist attractions and museums like the castle. We could also walk to every restaurant on our list, including high tea at the Palm Court. There are tons of cute shops with very kind shopkeepers. I would definitely stay in this area again if I get back to Edinburgh! read more

Great section in Old Town with view up the cliff to the castle. Lots of little shops, places to eat, and touristy things. Even a small Harry Potter museum in a shop. Cool artisan street stuff when we were there. Has historic plaques. read more

Grassmarket - View of the castle - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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If you are looking for a part of old Edinburgh then the Grassmarket cannot be beaten. Pubs and restaurants, of the highest quality are scattered around with shops and, surprisingly, a bespoke dermographic establishment (tattoo parlour) but by appointment only. We loved it here and went back for lunch a couple of times. read more

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What an awesome area! I've known about it for so long but it wasn't until last week I actually made my way over to explore. I wasn't disappointed- it was here I had the best got chocolate of my life (Mary's Milk Bar), discovered a copy of Oliver Twist from 1880 (Armchair Books) and enjoyed a wine at Edinburgh's oldest pub (White Hart Inn). I could keep doing this again and again, it's not a huge area but there's so much happening that I just want to hang around and keep exploring. I also love the wider streets and benches that allow people to just sit. It's an excellent place to just sit and people watch or soak up the rare sun with amazing views of the castle. Really, there isn't anything I don't love about this area. It's the epitome of Edinburgh, just epic. read more

Grassmarket - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Highly disappointed! Came here looking for grass and didn't find any for sale! I would have even settled for astro turf. Instead, I just perused the many shops lining the street and listened to the tour guide tell me about Maggie Dickson, a lady of the night, who was hung here, declared dead, and came back to life. So, since she was legally dead she wasn't married anymore and was free to marry her BF. Died a second time, respectably, from what I remember. read more

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Lovely picturesque area in Old Town, plenty of public seating so you can grab a takeaway drink from the many shops and cafes in the area and sit back. Great for people watching and admiring the castle and general loveliness of the area. The hop on/off bus stops here regularly. There are a few shops for food as well as a vintage shop and souvenir shops, the all year round Christmas shop in this area too (review coming very soon). Definitely worth checking out, it's right next to the castle so easy to work in to your schedule. read more

Grassmarket - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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How lucky, how fortunate we are to live in a city like Edinburgh, and how much more so that it contains something as flawlessly beautiful as Grassmarket. Broad and cobbled, Grassmarket lies glowing in the sun or sparkling in the rain, garlanded about with a bright wreath of independent shops, taverns, and hotels. It's home, too, to a regular market, which fills its central plaza with life and energy. During August, it becomes a hive of activity for those escaping the pressing throngs of the Royal Mile, busy in its own way but retaining a sense of mischief, fun, and self-identity that never quite gets erased by the descent of the hoards. It was a beautiful day last time I sauntered around the Grassmarket area, and since I was early for a meeting I decided to just sit on one of the benches and do some work. To my amazement, there seemed to be an open BT Wifi connection; I'm not sure how stable it is because I tend to hotspot from my phone instead most of the time, rather than using open networks, but still. You could have knocked me down with a feather. Oh, Grassmarket. What an agent of joy you are and shall ever remain. read more

Grassmarket - How lucky we are to have so many treasures like this in this city - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Cool part of town next to the Royal mile and edinburgh castle where you can sit and people watch or enjoy your meal. I was expecting some sort of street market to be there but there were lots of bars/shops/restaurants anyways. They had the fringe street festival going on, so it was a good place to observe street performers. read more

The Grassmarket should be an essential destination for any tourist visiting the city and is also a place enjoyed by locals. There's bags of history and the numerous pubs and eating establishments make it a lively destination at any time of day. I've personally enjoyed sitting outside a pub in the summer sun and watching the world go by. Visit at night and you can expect a lively (if sometimes wild) party atmosphere. Don't forget to look up towards the Castle too. You get some great views. Don / www.edinburghphotowalks.com read more

Grassmarket - The Grassmarket with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo fireworks exploding over the castle. Image by edinburghphotowalks.com - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Colourful buildings along a cobble street and pubs and bars offering outdoor seating in the summer, well, even now! Edinburgh has a few lovely areas to enjoy a bit of buzzing nightlife or lunching possibilities during the days, but Grassmarket is a must see location for every tourist and local alike. The buildings are old and present a certain romantic charm to entice you in a warn and friendly welcome. There are restaurants and pubs lined up and you can pick which food flavour or/and drinks you are after. So many choices. You can also find hotels, hairdressers, car parking, vintage, take away and modern shops. Victoria Street will connect you to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh castle. read more

Grassmarket - German Market cheese bratwurst = sausage - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Every time I wander through the Grassmarket, I want to do a Mary Tyler Moore meets Sound of Music interpretive dance. Yup, you got it, I want to run through the cobbled streets with my arms out wide and finish with a twirl and a beret throw for good measure. Why? Because when I learned that I was moving to Edinburgh, THIS is what I imagined. Cobblestone streets, a view of the castle, great little independent shops with heaps character, old school ice cream parlours and pubs to tuck into after a long day of all of the above. Thanks to a recent UYE at that old school ice cream parlour, I was reminded that you can review such places and just thinking about penning this piece made me happy. If you've got an afternoon to kill and the sun is shining, this is a great spot for a wander. If it's chilly, grab a hot bevie from Hula; if it's warm, three scoop it at Mary's Milk Bar; if you want to make me jealous, buy something fancy at Godiva and if you're looking to work up a sweat, bust a move at a drop-in class at DanceBase. Seriously - this little area is like the Jody B's day off spirit animal of awesome. Bonus points on a Saturday when the market is on. Come night, this place becomes a hive of 20 somethings with not enough clothes on. If that's your thing - woohoo for you - but myself, I prefer something a little quieter to end my evenings. However, during my first few weeks in the city, one of the most bemusing things was to walk through here on the weekends and remind myself of my ol' university mischief days. It's like a cross section of everything you're happy you grew out of, so if you're up for a wander down the alcohol soaked memory lane - go forth and people watch! read more

This is a pretty cool, little area. We wandered through here on our way to Edinburgh Castle and decided to sit on a bench eating our sandwiches and enjoying the views (of the Castle, the shops, and the people). The spot right behind where we were sitting appeared to have been the waiting place for the Deliveroo bikes that you see going around the city, bringing tasty morsels and treats to hungry people. There were loads of them! I would definitely recommend coming through this area if you want to take a break and maybe grab a bite to eat or get something to drink. Maybe you can have a Deliveroo guy/gal go grab you something while you sit on a bench! read more

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Slap bang underneath the castle, this is the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Although it's main purpose these days is more for perusing the quirky shops/boutiques by day or boozing by night, I'd guess it's still just as lively and bustling as it ever has been. If it's a pub you're after, you certainly won't be disappointed here: the main street is lined with pubs and bars of varying price ranges, such as the aptly named The Last Drop just in front of one of the city's original hanging spots. Many of these pubs also have their own budget hotels attached, making this neck of the woods ideal for hen/stag parties or birthday groups. If drinking during the day isn't your thing, then you can have a browse through Armstrong's Vintage Clothing Emporium which has been there since 1840 (they have 3 branches across Edinburgh but this is their biggest), or Lookah for any kind of jewellery/pashmina/ehtnic handbag-related bargain you could ever be on the hunt for. Alternatively, there are several lovely restaurants in the Grassmarket, including some very upmarket ones such as The Grain store, on the steep hill winding out of the east corner of the main square. For a slightly more informal meal you should definitely try Petit Paris - their set lunch menu offers excellent value for money and the food's delicious. Come evening, and this is when the Grassmarket area really comes alive. Pubs are full and most definitely lively, and tend to stay that way until midnight or so when people start wandering along the Cowgate in search of a club. It's never going to be the classiest night out of your life, but it will still be a good one. A word of warning - the Grassmarket (and particularly the adjoining Cowgate) can be quite dodgy at night; that's why I'm only giving it 4 stars. read more

Grassmarket - Fashion Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Highyield: A cozy restaurant/shopping/cafe pocket part of Old Town Edinburgh great for strolling, finding food, and a more relaxed pace of life for those who do not wish to live on the bustle and hustle of Princes Street. Has great choices of breakfast cafes, bars, and decent British/Scottish food to choose from. Restaurants: Bars- The Beehive Inn, The Last Drop, etc seemed to be popping at night. Auld Jock seemed good too. All had good business especially in Holiday season. None of them were open on Christmas day, but other days, they are all solid places for a pub crawl if need be. italian- Gennero's, o'Ilivero, and Made in Italy were the 3 Italian restaurants in this area. Made in Italy seemed to be the MOST popular to where you had to get bookings. So if you want good Italian and well priced, this was the place. O'olivero was ok, a little pricey for its fare it was serving. Could not even find Genero's Breakfast- Scooby Doo Cafe and Graze on Grassmarket were the best in my opinion. The rest were all a little uppity and expensive. These two were great for Waffle House like eggs, sausages, toast, etc the works. If you want a french breakfast, The barantine Victoria would have been good, but it is closed often during Christmas holidays. Scottish: Howie's was good. It had solid solid Scottish fare. I thought service was quite lousy here but it is worth going for it's price of less than 10 pounds per dish to get your cullen skink, venison casserole etc. Hotels: The Apex Hotels are solid solid choices in this area. Either one had comfortable rooms and good service, modern like,and even have their own restaurants and cafes within them. Highly recommend this area to stay in for any tourist who wants to see Old Town Edinburgh and avoid the noisiness of the commercial streets of Princes Street and the Holiday Markets read more

Few good restaurant... Great area for pub crawls... Hasn't changed in years! read more

The Grassmarket is a beautiful area of Edinburgh's old town. Filled with delightful cafés, nice little shops, and fun pubs and bars, the area is almost always busy. There's an excellent view up to the castle from the Grassmarket (which is quite low in altitude). At one end, it leads up to West Port towards the theatres, cinemas, and concert halls of Lothian Road, and the other end leads to the (in)famous Cowgate! Some of my highlights on Grassmarket are Biddy Mulligan's Irish pub and the Castle Rock chippy. I've not yet tried Mary's Milk Bar, but it's top of my list, as it's been recommended countless times! There's also an Armstrongs where you can buy a wide variety of retro clothing- very cool place. At night time, Grassmarket is buzzing. There are several excellent bars, and lots and lots of people: locals, tourists, and students alike. Try Biddy Mulligan's and the White Hart Inn. It's a great place, which you must visit. read more

This historic and old cobble-stoned street is small but interesting place. It has pubs (some with weird names), coffee shops, restaurants, tour groups along with tourists learning the history of this place. Located in heart of Old Town in Edinburgh - it is easily accessible. read more

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I very much enjoy my visits to the Grassmarket area, especially since they've pedestrialised more of it. There are markets and shops and all sorts of jolly things. It's where I would go if I was looking for a fairly seedy night out - however there are lots of opportunities for having a slightly classier time. Victoria Street is awesome with great pubs, restaurants and tweed shops. There is a hat shop that sells very nice hats too. read more

I'm glad that the Grassmarket is feeling the love from Yelp as it's a really important part of Edinburgh's Old Town. Lots of folk use it to get into and out of the centre as it links Lothian Road to the Cowgate (via the Pubic Triangle, oh yes), King's Stables Road to Victoria Street, and the Castle to Forrest Road. The way most of the activity takes place on one side of the street matches Princes Street, though it's hotels and lanes that face the shops, rather than the Gardens. For shops read pubs and restaurants and Edinburgh's best stab at street culture - tables spilling out for the punters to sit back and enjoy themselves: to see and be seen. Good restaurants too, with Mama's pizza place the one I've visited the most. The pubs swing from large 'pile 'em high' vaults to small 'squeeze round each other's tables', the latter including The Last Drop which is perhaps the city's best named establishment. There are cafés too, none better than the Hula Juice Bar tucked just around the corner on Victoria Street. I haven't yet mentioned that there are a wealth of events going on down here during the year, from markets to Jazz Festival concerts to uphill bike races. Folk will forever be drawn to the Grassmarket, either to speed through as fast as the traffic will allow, or to sit and pause for as long as the weather holds good. read more

Oh how I love to walk this Edinburgh "Piazza"! I always feel like being on a small holiday (what ever time of the year) when looking around and it reminds me why I like this city. The bars and restaurants are suited and plentiful. the square area is inviting and hold many fairs and fetes. You got to love, nay, ADORE the buildings and the side streets. Yes Grassmarket you rock. That said they should ban cars there - it ruins the atmosphere.. read more

Fantastic, lively place with plenty of stores and restaurants for the entire family. We had a great time walking up and down this street. Felt very safe overall at almost any time of day/night. The streets adjacent are just as friendly and make this area very easy to navigate. Overall this a great spot to land an Airbnb or hotel nearby so that you are right in walking distance and can save some money on taxis or Uber's. read more

Aww, Grassmarket. It's a beautiful place. Great view of the castle and lots of pubs for something to eat and drink. A great place to meet up with a friend. read more

On a nice summers day, the majority of people will go to the meadows. But there are no bars in the meadows...!! The grassmarket is brilliant fun. Although take it from personal experience - during the day is better than during the night. At night time, particularly at the weekend, the grassmarket turns into a hen party and stag do bonanza, as well as student pub crawls and rugby haunts. It can get a bit crazy, and a bit uncomfortable. Which is precisely why I prefer to come here on a nice hot day and sit outside! You can go for drinks outside at Biddy Mulligens, you can get a tour of the area, you can eat delicious food at the Steak and Mussel Inn or you can go shopping at Godiva. It's a lovely little area. One of my favorite parts is the creperie that always sits in the middle of the square. The staff are lovely and the crepes are delicious!! Overall, I think the Grassmarket is a wonderful part of Edinburgh that should be used more!! read more

The Grassmarket is a diverse, glorious part of Edinburgh brimming with cute, unique shops and lively pub haunts. As the previous reviewers have said, this area gets a bit crazy at night. It can be quite intimidating and leery, which is a shame since a large number of the bars are very nice. But because they are nice, they attract a number of groups, some of which are empty vessels making a lot of noise at three in the morning. But if you visit during the day and early evening, you are treated to lovely bars, pubs, cafe's and shops. This is my first stop for all things vintage, and I often lose myself in Godiva, Barnardos vintage, Armstrong's and Herman Brown. There are also some very cool contemporary shops, including Analogue and the Mutt's Nuts. With its cobbled, winding side streets and unusual attractions off the beaten track, the Grassmarket is sure to impress. Just don't pay a visit at half three on a Friday night. But the same could be said of any city's centre at the weekend. read more

A couple of weeks ago, I had the misfortune of having to sit next to an annoying, slightly posh hen party on the train from Glasgow to Edinburgh. The bride and one of her coven sat down at my table, and proceeded to whine on about their careers, Weightwatchers, and the new Sex and the City film for the duration of the journey. It was a thoroughly wretched trip, and only got worse near the end as their M&S cava kicked in and the banter switched from low-calorie chicken tikka to how her drip of a future husband was hung like a dormouse. Anyway, come 11 o' clock that night, I've no doubt they and their gaggle would have been down the Grassmarket, crudely propositioning young men and performing degrading acts on a disinterested male stripper. At night, it really is one of the seediest, rowdiest and downright horrible city centre boozing districts I've ever seen, mixing hen / stag parties and rugby funs, surely the most hideous combination imaginable. It looks lovely during the day though. read more

Absolutely fell in love with this place. After the Tattoo, we were trying to find some pubs, it was our first night in town, one of the locals had pointed us in this direction. When we walked down the stairs and saw all the shops, cobblestone streets, pubs, restaurants, I was so excited. The square is a great area for people watching, and it has a ton of things to enjoy. Pretty sure we crawled all the pubs in the square. read more

This area has lots of bars and restaurants, and is probably one of the best places to have a pub crawl. It's always vibrant and busy. It's always bustling with hen parties on a Saturday night. It's nice, and there are the usual suspects, a candy store and a fish and chips shop in the neighbourhood, just for good measure! read more

Came to Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival and the Grassmarket was ALWAYS packed with people. Not only does this market have a cafe with AWESOME hot chocolate, but it's so lively even when there werent performances. When my friend and I left our hotel early in the morning to do a bit of exploring as our other friends slept in we walked out and we saw a the market being set up. All the stalls had very interesting things, one even had a box filled with old postcards from all over the place. Grabbed myself two records to take home for my dad and the nice man even gave me an old record for free! Made my day! read more

Get a free map and history guide at any store or restaurant. It is at the base of Edinburgh Castle and a hop on and hop off stop. Cobblestones and lots of open air restaurant seating. Lots of architecture and the Castle to take photos. And a memorial to those executed at this spot: alleged witches and Presbyterian martyrs. read more

We stayed at and Airbnb in this area and it was perfect. Not too loud at night but close to a lot. There are some great bars and restaurants including the oldest pub in Edinburgh! read more

i actually feel a bit bad writing this review, as i don't think i've ever really gotten a chance to fully experience the grassmarket. it's an area of edinburgh that has always been just that extra bit out of the way for me so i've not spent much time there. i think i may be missing out, so hopefully this review will spur me on to return and experience more that this area has to offer. so yes, i've had a few wanders through the grassmarket before and visited a couple of the restuarants. i remember having a really lovely meal at petit paris and the mussel and steak bar a number of years ago so if i was in the area i would happily return to these places. i've also had a few drinks in the dragonfly bar which was lovely, but i've not had a chance to return. i'm aware that the number of bars and pubs here make this a rather lively location on the weekend nights, but i've not had a chance for that experience. i do find this a very popular tourist spot which is probably why i tend to avoid it. there's nothing wrong with tourists, but as edinburgh is my home, i find that i tend to avoid anywhere that may contain too many tourists stopping suddenly to take a random picture so that i nearly walk into them. or congregating in groups across the whole pavement so i have to shout excuse me loudly to be able to continue on my way. perhaps i should up my patience levels a bit, but as this is a tourist hotspot i have to knock a star off for that as i struggle to enjoy areas like this. i do like that this place has a joke shop, costume shop, and vintage clothes shop but i so rarely find an occasion that i would need to visit these places. there is also the famous hula juice bar which is supposed to be lovely but i've sadly not tried. so yes, some good places in the grassmarket but not a place i'm overly fussed to make an out of the way visit for. read more

I love how Edinburgh has loads of wee nooks and crannies; it's easy to see why it's such a huge attraction for tourists, as each time I visit I find something new and exciting to add to my favourites list (and I only live in Glasgow) Enter the Grassmarket area, which is definitely one of my favourite places to go. I love Lady JoJo, the retro clothing shop that sells gorgeous 50's replica swing dresses and bathing suits, not to mention some seriously funky rockabilly jewellery, and Godiva, which sits next door. Enter into a world of vintage wonder as you step inside this cooler than cool little shop. All items are available for individual tailoring too! My favourite boozer has got to be the fabulous Dragonfly cocktail bar, enticing you in with bright dragonflies adoring the windows and keeping you there with the awesome and delicious cocktails made authentically and professionally by trained waiters and waitresses. Rock n Roll Dramnation anyone? After a couple of tasty drinks, call into Olde Jock's Pie Shoppe for a tasty haggis filled pastry that certainly has the taste of Edinburgh! Perfect for an all round day out, and going on into the night! read more

Until recently, Grass Market was a place I had rarely frequented in my time at Edinburgh so far. Lately however, it seems I am spending more time here - throughout the day I make use of the shops, cafe's and pubs. At night, I visit the restaurants, bars and pubs. A lot of pubs. It's always really nice down here, especially if you catch it on a lovely day - the Grass market is right in the centre of the city and the point where you turn the corner and you suddenly spot the castle looming over you is pretty breathtaking. This area can get full of tourists/stag/hen parties which makes it a bit hectic at times, but over all the atmosphere of the whole place is pretty amazing. read more

Theres just something about this street in the city that makes you just feel a sense of mystery or power. It could be the beautiful backdrop of the castle looming over head, or the fact this street is where they used to have public executions. Either way I always feel some ambiance on this street. But whats not to love, theres plenty of pubs to get your drink on and theres a very big diversity in a small area. I love the fact I can get italian food then run next door for traditional UK food if I wanted or even go back a bit and get some tasty french pastries in the little cafe. Theres also a wee bit of shopping across the street or I can just run on up to the royal mile or towards the Uni for all the places up there. There are also always street vendors who sell food thats better then some of the restaurants in the city! I love just walking up grassmarket enjoying the scenery even on a rainy day its still captivating. Go here folks to see a little part of the city thats a bit hidden and off the beaten path. read more