It's 5 stars all the way! It's just a great spot that connects you to many different parts of Old…read moreTown. 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.

Grassmarket is located in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, just behind Edinburgh Castle. It's one…read moreof 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.

Beautiful department store on Princes St, with a super unique layout due to the historical building…read moreit's in. If you are from Canada, this store is just like Hudson's Bay. If you are from the USA, it's just like Macy's. Ran out of Clarins cream and stopped here to stock back up. Had AMAZING service by the rep!

Unusual, old-fashioned and charming is how I would describe Jenners. It has a maze-like quality so…read moreit's quite easy to get lost in the multitude of rooms and floors. Definitely worth a browse for a quaint shopping experience. The cafe is very good too, but extremely busy. I had a breakfast of cheese and tomato omelette with a decent cup of coffee. Not very relaxing due to the bustling crowds of people and it's a queue-up to order and pay system, so I was concerned my food would be cold by the time I managed to get my coffee, pay and grab a table. But it was warm enough and very tasty.

I've recently been checking out and reviewing some of Edinburgh's many gift shops. I came across…read morethis one today, situated at the top of the High Street, and popped in. If there was a scale of gift shops, this would be at the upmarket end. There is a wealth of cashmere items along with a great deal of tartan, amongst a small range of other clothes. I would imagine the prices would reflect the high quality of the offered product. Thankfully, this shop is not full of any of the mass-produced tourist rubbish that you find in so many gift shops. This shop is for the more discerning shopper, looking for that high-quality memento of their visit to Edinburgh. If you love cashmere, and let's face it, even the name sounds comfortable, then this place may well be one of your first ports of call. Prime location for prime merchandise. Definitely worth a look.

Hoochie Coochie is a little independant fashion boutique in Tollcross, where you can find an array…read moreof affordable lovely dresses, from vintage-style stuff to more gothic-style stuff. It is probably the only shop in town where where you buy clothes from a pirate, aka the lovely man who mans the shop. Apart from lots of lovely dresses, they also have accessories such as bags and shoes. A great place to treat yourself or buy a present!

Why is there only one other review?…read more Such a fun store to shop at. They have the best Christmas jumpers so I don't see why you would go anywhere else to buy one! (Oh right, the price tag...) The store owner is also a PIRATE. Not really. Kind of. He kind of looks like a pirate. He's really nice! So friendly! In short, great clothing and you get to meet a pirate. Kind of.

We liked it because it wasn't like all the souvenir shops - we are flying out tomorrow and wanted…read moresouvenirs that felt more personal. They had unique items including coin purses, jewelry, scarves, some mugs that didn't look like all the rest .. just a lot of great things in a tiny space.

Overstuffed with all things Harry Potter, Museum Context is located on Victoria Street, thought to…read morebe the inspiration for Diagon Alley. More of a treasure trove for licensed HP merch than an actual museum, but fans will be thoroughly immersed in items they'll recognize from the movie & book franchise. I loved the Chamber of Secrets warning & Basilisk sighting. There is so much to explore in just three cramped floors, you're guaranteed to find something special from the Wizarding World. Though the line outside for staggered entrance is an attempt at crowd control, the inside is nonetheless rammed; there was definitely traffic on the winding staircase with the sheer number of people taking pics so bring your patience. If you or someone you love is a Potterhead, Museum Context in Edinburgh is not to be missed. It's simply magical (the way your money disappears from your wallet here.)

The correct name for this location is Museum Context : Retailer of Harry Potter Merchandise. This…read moreplace is special because it has a Diagon Alley. So I left the name of the check-in as Diagon House. I did not request change it. Because that name is cool. The store has all the retail item for Harry Potter. That includes the wand. The famous wand can be found here. I like the decorative decision in the store. This includes the magic portion that display. I like the most is the final witching hat that you can take a picture of the table with magical book. One quick tip. Visit them in the early morning where there is no line to get into the store. The line can be build up easily.

Fountain Park is one of those soulless leisure complexes that is there to use up your hard earned…read morecash. There is a large Cineworld cinema, Pizza Hut, Nandos, a casino, Virgin Active health club, bars, bingo, bowling alley and a kiddies soft play center. I actually quite like Fountain Park because it is right on my doorstep and it has everything I need for an evening on entertainment. There is a large car park so you can drive here and if you use the cinema or other businesses your car park ticket is validated making the parking free. Free parking in Edinburgh is a bonus! You can go for something to eat and know what to expect in the chain restaurants before heading off to the cinema/bowling alley/casino. It's perhaps not as large as some of the out of town complexes you see in the likes of Glasgow, but it does have everything you need and something for everyone.

This is a simple, but modern, leisure complex in Edinburgh. It's got lots of fun things to do,…read moreincluding a huge cinema, bowling, a casino, and several restaurants/bars. The cinema in particular is great, with a huge selection of movies, and comfortable seats. There is a pub/restaurant called McCowan's with decent prices, and a Nando's as well. There's plenty of parking underground, and easy access with buses too. However, despite the amenities on offer (also a soft play!), the place lacks any personality. It's a boring glass building. The architecture isn't very interesting, and there is literally nothing to catch one's eye. In a place like this, it would be so easy, for example, to work with local artists and have some works on display, perhaps in a rotating exhibition. It would give the place a bit more personality, and help people remember the entire complex of FountainPark, rather than just the Cineworld or the casino. Overall, there are great activities on offer at FountainPark, but nothing unique or interesting about the place itself.

I actually really like this place. If you're from the U.S. then it's literally just like TJ. MAXX!…read morethis one is two story. Not too sure if they have a toilet, but I'm sure they do. It's a pretty big store. I also noticed some unique clothing, which I'm a fan of. If I had more room in my luggage then I would've bought some stuff. Haha!

Came here looking for some clothes and luggage. It was just OK and ended up not buying much. Would…read moreput this slightly better than Primark and lower than Mark and Spencer.

This pottery situated on the further edge of New Town is more an artists studio than just a shop…read morethat sells pots. It was started by a Janet Adam about twenty years ago, and along with several other potters, she makes and sells the most beautiful pieces! I've been aware of the more typical clay pottery, but the finished products are so expertly done and refined, it's difficult to believe they've been wholly hand made. The pots vary dramatically from one potter to another, and they're so intricate I couldn't imagine them actually being used for anything practical! We're now on the verge of the festival period, and for the next month or so, it'll be possible to head over there and see exhibitions of the artists at work! However, I'm more keen to get some one on one tuition, which they offer, as I can imagine it would be heaps of fun!

There are 6 potters working out of this little shop and all with different mediums and styles so…read moreyou are sure to find something you will want to take home. Their price are not bad and they even have a seconds area. Good place to find something for a gift or new for your own home.

Had a wonderful experience in this quaint " double " shop. Upstairs is managed by a very…read moreentertaining older woman who could have her own television show, she is so dry witted and funny. I could have stayed there all afternoon listening. Lots of vintage / antique items, all of them very reasonably priced. The second, larger shop is downstairs, managed by her son. He was charming and delightful, the store was full of beautiful items, again, at nice prices. Such a lovely store, well worth the visit. The owners are such a pleasure to speak with and it's easy to find a treasure there !

This was a word of mouth discovery for me. I heard about it from a friend who heard I was going to…read morebe walking on the New Town side of Edinburgh (a rare occurrence) and decided I should check out this cute little antique shop. And I did. And it was pretty much just what I expected. It's just below ground level, so you have to go down some staircases to get to the shop, whose front is layered with antiques: maps, fur coats, etc. This area, for some reason, is peppered with antique shops. I'm not quite sure why, but I'd put money on it being an area full of richer older folk. It's the only reason I can come up with, anyway. And I'd say it's pretty logically sound. Inside the shop you'll find a cluster of unidentifiable objects. Unidentifiable because you don't really want to pick up an antique to figure out what it is, in case you end up dropping it and breaking it. And there are signs around the shop that tell you to ask the shop owner, a sweet old man who sits in the corner of the shop looking preoccupied. My friend and I did spot some sweet cactus earrings, but decided not to purchase them as they cost 7 pounds. Definitely worth a wander in. There're loads of nooks and crannies that hide mysterious antiques.