I have been to a few events here and the Grassmarket Community Centre has a modern new building and…read morenice event spaces. I've been in the main hall for a wine reception event and the space worked equally well for that for 100 people and also for a seminar for 15 people. There is a cafe in the front of the building and I believe they do film screenings either in the main hall or another screening room. The location is easy to get to and the staff seemed friendly enough and accommodating to host various events. The lunch they served us was really nice with flavourful carrot soup, an assortment of sandwiches, and a tray of cut up fresh fruit that was nicely presented. The wifi also worked well and I had no complaints about the event space. #underdog #newonyelp

Grassmarket Community Project was the building we stopped in when we were on our guided tour of…read moreEdinburgh. Has a nice café and indoor/outdoor seating area with reasonable prices. Stop in for a cake, coffee, or just to relax and remember that your patronage goes back into helping the community.

Great neighborhood center. Has helped people in my community for many years now and I support it…read morefully. Check out day classes and volunteering here!

This is VERY much worth doing. We did a lot in Edinburgh but this will be by far the most…read morememorable. DO THIS. This is not a good tour for handicapped as there are stairs and these are real caves so you must be sure footed and not afraid of the dark or small spaces. You must get tickets ahead of time before leaving the U.S. This is a VERY small operation and you must email or call many times to get the tickets. Calling from the U.S. is VERY expensive so try emails and keep at it as you will need to do quite a few back and forth emails. To get there from the center of Edinburgh. Get a one day bus pass for Lothian Buses today. Have exact change. Buses only take cash. It was 1lb 70 per person when we went. Take bus #3 to Mayfield or Dalkeith (2 #3 busses) or #29 to Burkenside/Gorebridge from North Bridge, it takes 25 minutes. Get off bus at Gilmerton Crossroads. Arrive 10 minutes ahead of time and knock on white door in Gilmerton Cove bldg. Bathroom is across the street in Gilmerton Cove Community Center (just walk in and follow the signs). Grocery store is right where the bus lets you off (in case you need shortbread or other cookies!). Return by bus #3 Cloverstone or #29 Silverknowes to go back to Northbridge.

I randomly came across this place when I was looking through activities in Edinburgh for work stuff…read moreover a year ago. It was ranked number three on Trip Advisor of places to see in Edinburgh and I had never ever heard of it before, even though I worked just around the corner from it!!! You could easily drive past it as it's on a main road and the entrance is into a small cottage which you wouldn't necessarily notice. It's out in Gilmerton which is only a short bus ride (no. 3 or no. 29) away. Once you go downstairs into the basement you'll see underground passageways and chambers which have been hand-carved from sandstone. You need to make an appointment to see it as it's a very small place and they only take up to 12 people. It's a simple, very enjoyable tour and it will leave you with lots of questions about the place that can't be answered, yet! I would recommend anyone to pay a visit.

Whilst Lifecare does a lot of good in Edinburgh, this review is not for the services they provide…read morebut, rather, for the cafe inside which is open to the public. £1.75 for a bowl of soup and bread. I repeat...£1.75! The quality is no less than that of cafes nearby and it's a real hearty portion too. The Lifecare interior is minimalistic and bright; it very much feels like a community centre. The food is all made in Lifecare and it's all mostly healthy too, with the option of fresh fruit and vegetable juices too. I'm kicking myself for all the times I've bypassed here before, only after something quick and inexpensive when I was caught short with a rumbling tummy. - I could have saved myself quite a few pennies! Now I know, and now you know too. - Lifecare is a reliable spot for a quality bargain lunch!

Attended the lifecare cafe for Christmas lunch with a party from an elderly day centre. They do a…read morecheap two course Christmas lunch with coffee. Cheap the price may be, but you would not get a better quality turkey dinner in a 5* hotel. And plentiful as well. I did not need another meal afterwards. Its in a very spacious and modern building which had all mod cons and is fully inclusive for all people. The staff are great and accommodating. Did I mention that the food was piping hot? This was my first time here, but if in the area I would make a point of visiting again. I have heard that they do a mean bacon roll as well. It is run by a charity but it is no poor second best. Highly recommended.

Tucked away at the foot of Arthurs Seat, just off the Pleasance, this is an Edinburgh Council owned…read moresports centre. There is a huge sports hall which you can hire for use, as well as a gym, shower and changing facilities and a car park outside. The cente offers a list of classes for both adults and children and with prices being roughly £4 for a class, it is very reasonable.

The Crags Sports Centre is now re-opened. A new community group has taken over management of the…read moreCentre with opportunities to get involved in a variety of sports and classes.

This farm was right next to our Airbnb and so we just had to visit! It's not too big so this is…read moregreat if you want to squeeze in a visit while you're exploring. There is a cafe but it was closed when we were there. Entry is free, and there are stations to wash your hands. I didn't see any employees while I was there though, just a couple of other tourists. It was pretty empty so I felt like I had everything to myself. I saw some cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, lambs, and they were all adorable! You can't feed them but they are so friendly they sometimes let you pet them.

was a lovely warm sunny day visiting Gorgie City Farm &…read moreCafe 8/8/19. I think I came here a very long time ago so it was great to see all again. Walking around seeing all the animals was great and taking some photos of my experience. The weather was so hot, it felt like my head was burning a bit. Very impressive what I saw from goats, chickens, pigs, birds and many more. The young goats where so cute, I wanted to fit one in my pocket lol. I would recommend this place to anyone, if you love the outdoors and animals. You can get a Lothian Buses number 25 from Princess Street in Edinburgh and it will take you straight there also Gorgie City Farm is free to anyone too. Check out my article on Gorgie City Farm on my Blog below https://socialsandi1.com/2019/08/08/gorgie-city-farm/

This is possibly one of the most important services I have used in Edinburgh, and I am surprised…read morethat it has not been reviewed so far, so here goes. The Richard Verney Health Centre in Bristo Square is the health centre for the University of Edinburgh, and is situated directly on the university campus, just off Bristo Square. It provides the service of doctors and nurses to students and residents alike. There are a couple of great things about this place. The obvious one of these is the location. Besides that, the first great thing is their open access surgery. This runs from Monday to Friday, every morning between 9 and 10am. During this time, you can turn up without an appointment and see a doctor. This is great if something comes up, or you need some quick advice. Be warned - it does get very busy, especially during term time, so arrive as close to 9am as possible if you want a quick appointment. In the other clinics and surgeries that operate during the day at the centre, the appointments tend to run pretty close to time. Some surgeries can run horribly late, but I don't think that I have ever been in more than 15 minutes after the scheduled appointment time. The other great thing about this place is that there is a pharmacy in the same building, so no need for a long walk to get prescriptions or other pharmacy supplies. As a student, I feel that registering with a health centre is a must, and if you're a student at the University of Edinburgh, then this facility is a no-brainer.

Good organisation, easy location, good number of doctors, onsite pharmacy…read more Plus if you're like me and don't ever plan ahead there is a drop in every morning - if you turn up between 9-10 you will be seen by a doctor. Sure I've had to wait around for a while sometimes but worth it for not having to plan weeks in advance. Probably less good if you drive but for cyclists walking it's fine.

very helpful receptionist,it was unfortunate the cafe didn't open until 10am however excellent well…read morestocked vending machines are available

I've recently joined this gym and have to say I am really enjoying it. I've only been going to…read moreclasses, not using the gym itself as that's what I prefer and I really do like them. The instructors are great. Easy to follow instructions with variety for different abilities and all very professional, but also fun. Not being instructed by robots! It's a really friendly atmosphere which is the reason I keep going back. And I have tried gyms before and just give up as don't enjoy it. The only reason for 1 star being off is because the pool can be seen from reception and the cafe area which for me is off putting. I'm sure a lot of people won't bother about this, but I'd prefer it to be more private.

According to the guy that built this, it was supposed to be a place "to which persons of the…read moreworking class and others can go to sit, read, write, converse and otherwise occupy themselves". Unfortunately, I just came here to vote in the General Election. This is one of those places that you walk past every day but don't know it by name. When I got my letter telling me where my nearest polling station was, I had to get myself on to Google Maps and look it up. Which made me feel really stupid, when I realised it's literally around the corner from my flat. When it's not polling time, this is used as a community education venue offering free classes in things like basic literacy and numeracy, and they also run things like Mother & Toddler Groups from time to time as well.