Greyfriars Bobby is one of Edinburgh's most popular tourist attractions. Located just in front of…read morethe entrance to the Greyfriars Kirk can be found the bronze statue of Bobby. Hundreds of fans flock here every day to pay their respects, all eager to get a closer look at their doggy hero. History and why it is famous- and trust me guys, he is inthe same league as Hachi- Bobby, born in 1856, was a Terrier who spent over 14 years guarding the grave of his beloved owner. John - a dedicated nightwatchman for the Edinburgh City Police Force - carried out his duties with his trusty companion night after night. After John's untimely death in 1858, Bobby refused to leave his master's grave until the day he died himself. The rumours about this little dog began to spread far and wide, and Bobby soon had quite the fan base. In 1867, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh presented him with his very own collar. This gesture signified that Bobby was a licensed dog, meaning that he was protected against the new law that had recently been enforced, which stated that all unlicensed dogs would be destroyed. Bobby passed away in January 1872, and as a final token of his loyalty, was buried close to his master in the Kirkyard. A granite fountain with a statue can be found opposite Greyfriars Kirkyard - a permanent memorial to this faithful pup. Bobby's grave can be found immediately inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard. He was buried close to his much-loved John, ensuring that the pair's astonishing bond would never be broken. It is not uncommon for doting visitors to leave sticks, dog toys, and flowers on his grave.

It's the statue of a cute Skye Terrier named Bobby. A loyal dog who is said to have stayed at…read moreGreyfriars Kirkyard near his master's grave for 14 years until his death in 1872. He lived to be 16 years old with the help of the community who knew his master, John Gray. Bobby was buried in the courtyard entrance of the kirkyard near his grave. This statue is on Candlemaker Row across the street from Greyfriars Bobby Bar (named after this special little doggie). People continue to rub his nose for good luck. As you can see, the paint has rubbed off his nose. It's still a nice statue and tribute. We just happened to see it on our way to the National Museum of Scotland. It was a great little discovery.

Standing just over 200ft (61m) high, and known as the Gothic Rocket, the Scott Monument is often…read moremistaken for a church - understandably, perhaps - and dominates the view of the eastern section of New Town along Princes Street. Following Scott's death in 1832 the people of Edinburgh decided that a monument should be built in memory of one of Scotland's best-loved literary figures. At the time he was probably the most widely read British author of the era. The Scott Monument is the largest monument to a writer in the world. some data says, its 2nd largest though. This is especially fitting, given that Edinburgh is a UNESCO City of Literature, having been home to many notable writers, such Scott, Burns, Stevenson, Conan Doyle and many more! There are 287 steps to the top of the Scott Monument, from where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside.

This gothic monument to the famous Scottish writer (Sir Walter Scott) is so dark and mysterious…read morelooking during the day. It's an even better view at night when it's all lit up. It kind of makes you wonder what it actually looked like before it soaked up "auld reekie's" pollution back in the 19th century. In a way, the black soot actually gives it more character. It's also a nice contrast with the white Carrara marble statue of the writer. Do you see his dog (named Maida) laying to the right of him? So cute! So, if you can actually see the outer architectural details then you're in for a treat. It stands at 200 feet tall and has about 64 statues that represent some of the most notable characters in his novels. To be honest, I was more impressed with the gargoyles. We didn't attempt to go inside to climb up to the top of it, but many pay to do that. I'm sure it's a nice view. The courtyard surrounding it was being decorated for Remembrance Day celebrations. I loved seeing all the crosses and red poppies around it. It's definitely a must see monument, and certainly one that you're going to eventually pass by at some point during your stay in Edinburgh.

The magnificence of history can only truly be appreciated when stepping into the gates of where…read moreevents actually happened. In the palace of Holyroodhouse House, you do exactly that. Being able to step into a place where centuries of vital global, English and Scottish history have played a big part, including Mary, Queen of Scots, is truly something you'll never forget. You are unable to take pictures inside the palace due to the delicate nature of the historical artifacts, including tapestries that date back several hundred years to the 15th and 16th centuries, but being able to witness these in person is truly humbling and really transports you back into a time that was so critical in Scottish and English history. Some of my favorite highlights included the walk up to the bed chamber of Mary Queen of Scots - this is definitely done in a way where you would experience the small narrow staircases that were part of daily life back then as as well as the Grand Hall that actually has paintings of all royalty throughout the ages. Additionally, they allow you to walk the gardens behind the palace and on a clear day you can see how amazingly gorgeous the grounds are and the breadth of them - with the palace in the backdrop and Arthur's seat directly to the side of the palace. This is a must see for anyone visiting Edinburgh and you can probably spend about 2 to 3 hours between the interior visit and the exterior visit. There is also a café just outside the gates where you can pick up some lovely food or have afternoon tea. There is also a nicely stocked souvenir shop where you can pick up items not only for this palace, but also commemorative items for some of the other palaces across the UK.

As others have said, it's the reigning Monarch's official residence in Edinburgh. It was the…read moreprimary home of Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century. It's here where you can still see her private residence within the palace as well as the staterooms that are currently used today for official engagements. Especially during Holyrood Week when Queen Elizabeth II would host grand garden tea parties and lunches to recognize public service and non-profit organizations. The summer activities celebrating Scottish culture continues today with the Celebration of the Keys. It kicks off the week-long event when King Charles III accepts the keys to the City of Edinburgh. Our tour guide stopped here to give us a brief rundown of the history of this palace. It's located at the foot of the Royal Mile. We sadly didn't get a chance to go back for a tour of the palace, abbey, and gardens. Give yourself at least 3 hours to experience it all. There's also a palace café located in the Mews Courtyard (near the King's Gallery & Ticket Office) that serves lunch and afternoon tea. The Scottish Parliament and White Horse Close are nearby as well. It's a great place to be when starting that journey up to the castle.

It's just one of many interesting closes along the Royal Mile. This one is named after the Lord…read moreAdvocate's House. The house of Sir James Stewart used to be at the lower end the stairs near Cockburn St. It's literally steps away from the Supreme Courts building in Parliament Square. Well, about 70 steps up. Today, it's more of a shortcut between Market Street and the Royal Mile. The best feature of Advocate's Close is actually the perfectly framed view of the Scott Monument through the archway. You'll also see how high you are on the hill when walking up or down this steep & worn set of stairs. Hopefully they will add handrails to it one day like others that we've seen throughout the city. I mean, they don't call them "Death Stairs" for nothing. Oh, and theres's a very popular gastropub called the Devil's Advocate near the bottom of the steps. We didn't get to visit it, but it came highly recommended. It's just another reason to visit it.

Edinburgh is riddled with closes and Advocate's Close is a fine example of these narrow lanes that…read moreconnect streets throughout and behind the Royal Mile. The tall buildings that line the path give many closes a canyon-like feel with many of them sloping steeply down from the Royal Mile. It's like walking into the underground! Advocate's Close is particularly popular with tourists and I can see why. At the top, it offers a beautiful peek-a-boo view of the Sir Walter Scott Monument in the distance and some of Edinburgh's central buildings. Walk all the way down and it connects you to Cockburn Street below. Definitely try walking through a close or two as they are great shortcuts to get from one street to another along the Royal Mile.

Amazing museum that if you blind as you walk by you'll miss so much history. The museum is the…read morehouse, the house is the museum. It's filled with three floors of objects and artifacts with interact attractions. At only £7.50 an adult and £1.50 a child (under 18), you get to experience history that ushered the reformation into Scotland. What a neat find! Also, it's more than a museum telling about John Knox and his house, it's also a bookshop that is filled with storytelling, history, and folklore. Enjoy!

John Knox, leader of the Scottish Protestant movement, the mother and father of the Presbyterian…read morechurch, and doer of Bad*ssery, lived in this home for time. This home was once owned by the Mossman gold-smithing family, but was sort of "Eminent Domain'd" by Knox. It was so enjoyable to walk in the halls of this place and see the study, the sitting rooms, and steps of history and of one of the most renowned preacher in the history of the christian faith. The staff was absolutely lovely on the grounds of the mansion, and the location was just absolutely perfect for a tourist to visit alongside the many other events to take part in. The only issue I took with the historical site was the presentation of the information via the clunky papers we were given, and i certainly would not recommend the restaurant underneath. Overall this was worth a visit, especially if you've missed a reservation for a tour, have extra time in the city, or are an incredible history nerd like myself. Do visit! P.S. The historic "End Of The World" pub is across the street and is also a must visit

Edinburgh Castle is the most visited attraction in Scotland, welcoming over 1.3 million visitors…read moreeach year who come in search of views, royal history, and a glimpse at the 'Honours of Scotland' - Britain's oldest crown jewels. Edinburgh Castle is not only the dominant feature of the city's skyline, visible from miles around, it's also the feature which gives the city its name -- the old Gaelic name translates roughly as 'the fort on the hill'. trust me, you might underestimate this castle, and even i have kept 2 hrs for this, but it needs more time. With several museums, a large war memorial, a royal palace, a Great Hall & several other little stops/activities, if you want to actually see all of Edinburgh Castle's sights and attractions, you'll need much more than two hours... especially considering the line to see the Honours of Scotland (AKA the Crown Jewels) can last 20+ minutes. * Three regimental military museums * The National War Museum * The Scottish National War Memorial * The Honours of Scotland, featuring the Scottish crown jewels and Stone of Destiny * St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh * Optional 30-minute introductory tours available throughout the day * Prisons of War exhibition * The Great Hall where banquets were held * The One O'Clock Gun, fired every day (except Sunday) at 1pm * Visit the small antechamber where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her son, James VI of Scotland * Three gift shops and two cafes The oldest surviving structure at the castle (and the oldest in the city) dates back to the 12th century. It is of course St Margaret's Chapel, built by King David I in honour of his mother. This same king is the one credited with turning Edinburgh Castle into a royal residence. As the years rolled on, royals came and went, with new additions being made to the castle, creating the complex we see today. The Renaissance of the 1400s for instance brought us the Royal Palace that now houses various royal paintings and displays (including THE closet where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI of Scotland, AKA King James I of England). The 1500s brought us the Great Hall, which was needed of course for fancy banquets. The 1600s brought new defences and barracks as the castle eased into its role of a military outpost more than swanky royal digs Tickets to Edinburgh Castle should be booked online before you arrive. Tip: these spots across the city offers great view of the castle- Calton Hill, The Grassmarket, Salisbury Crags, Castle Esplanade, Ross Fountain, St Cuthbert's Churchyard, The Vennel

Must-visit if you're in Edinburgh…read more We had reserved tickets to get in, and got lucky as it was a beautiful day, sandwiched between dreary rainy ones which are more common in this part of Great Britain. We enjoyed the history, the magnificent views of old and new town sprawled below us and the Firth of Forth beyond, the museum, and the One-O-Clock gun! Pro-tip: Book a late morning entry time so you can be there at 1 pm for the gun, duck indoors into the museum or gift shop if it rains, and dress in layers, as the weather can change in minutes.

We came to Edinburgh for the Taylor swift concert and wanted to do some exploring. My 13 year old…read moredaughter and her friend made it clear they didn't want to do any sightseeing so we looked for fun activities that appealed to teens...and came across this. We found this to be a fun way to kill 90 minutes in this cool city. There's all sorts of rooms with optical illusions, but you also get to enjoy amazing views of Edinburgh on the rooftops. The girls seemed to enjoy, although the favorite part was probably the last room which included some a mirror maze and something that made me super dizzy. Recommended for kid/teen fun!

Pretty cool with or without kids, stunning views from atop. Multilevel, nice gift shop and opens up…read morenext to the Edinburgh Castle. Book ahead, we had to purchase tickets and wait another two hours to get in.

Let this review slip through the cracks but brought it back to life after scrolling through my pics…read moreof Scotland on my phone. Traveling through Scotland it is mandatory to take a stroll in the Royal Mile to see all the historic landmarks and whiskey stores. #1 See the iconic retro red British phone booths with the cool stickers. #2 Take a few pics with the Scottish guy in his kilt playing the bag pipes. #3 walk to the top of the Edinburgh Castle for a 360 degree view of the area. #4 Find the hidden Devil's Advocate Bar and have a cold craft beer. Great experience at the Royal Mile and cant wait to visit here again.

What's the first thing that pops into your head when you hear Royal Mile.... If you know Edinburgh,…read morethen you know it's here that lies the fame Edinburgh Castle. At the top of the cobble stones sits the majestic castle that's a staple to Scotland. If you haven't been it's great to check it out. Purchase tickets ahead of time as they do sell out and are limited everyday. But if you can't make it, you'll still hear the canons being shot often from up there. The views are amazing from top looking out to the new town and even the waterfront. Plenty of souvenirs shops along the mile. They tend to caters to the holiday makers as locals tends to have their regular spots that they go to. There's loads of restaurants as well as hotels pretty much near the mile. Just over the over side you have old town where more of the gothic building are. To the other end is new town where you'll have the fancier designer shopping as well as the bigger more fancier dining. Plus loads of the bigger upscale hotels are located there. Edinburgh Waverley train station is nearby. It's a staples of Scotland where yearly it brings people. No matter what the wether is like, it'll alway brings holidays makers out to enjoy. During the summer months of August, the streets are line with performers as well as loads of show. That's the month of the Fringe Festival. One of the biggest attractions during the summer. There's also plenty of whiskey tasting which they're known for. Tons of tours that's will actually show you around the area more. Scotland is beautiful and there's loads to see. It's not just green...

we did not plan for it, though i knew but somehow our time matched with this, and we wiyneesed this…read morecentulr old tradition. Every day except Sunday) at precisely 1pm, you can hear the Edinburgh Gun go off from the clifftop where the castle sits. native Edinburgers check their watches when it is being fired from the hill. They've been firing it since 1861! There have therefore been a whole series of different one o'clock guns over time. The One O'clock Gun is one of only a few surviving time signals, once a common feature of ports around the United Kingdom History behind it- once upon a time, ships in the Firth of Forth set their maritime clocks by it. Ships previously relied on a visual signal, watching the time ball atop the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill drop - [look out for this next time you're in town at lunchtime.] The time ball wasn't visible on foggy days, so the gun's audible bang solved that problem, firing at the same time as the time ball drops at 1pm.

This was so much fun! Our walking tour brought us here at just the right time. There were already…read morelots of people in front of us waiting to experience the firing of the One O'Clock Gun. Fortunately, I was able to capture a video of the whole experience. As you can see, it was very loud. It was also very timely at precisely 1:00 PM. I must admit that it was louder than the pirate ship cannon at RJS during a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. It was also cool to see everyone's reaction in front of us. Definitely try to experience this when visiting Edinburgh Castle. Don't forget to revisit it on your way back down. That's when you can get up close to the gun without all the crowds of people in the way. There's also a great view of Edinburgh from the wall here.

Real Mary King's Close was one of the most eerie, immersive experiences I had in Edinburgh. It…read moreisn't about Scotland's royalty or power struggles. It's about survival and daily life through really dark times. I took a guided tour with Daisy, and she was absolutely incredible! So knowledgeable, genuinely funny, and her acting and storytelling took you back in time... literally. It never felt scripted or forced, just engaging and real. She was so warm and sweet, which made the experience even better. It's hard to believe she's only 25 given how much depth she brought to the tour.

Went to the Real May King's Close tour based on a recommendation and didn't really do any research…read more It turned out to be one of the best tours of our 7 day trip thru Dublin, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. In case you don't already know, the current Edinburgh city center is built on top of the old city that is several hundred years old. This tour takes you beneath the streets to the old city. You will see the original close with houses and workshops. You will learn how they lived, "meet" other prominent people of that time, and learn about the black plagues. Really cool tour, very informative, and sometimes funny. Please note this tour is NOT for people with mobility issues or concerns. Tours leave on time from the street front store. So, be on time. They can't easily add you to your group if they have already left and gone underground. Highly recommended that you buy your tickets in advance. P.S. Photos are prohibited, and they try to sell you a picture of yourself in the old close on the way out. Tacky, I know, but still worth it.