Schmap Edinburgh Neighborhood Guide

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Edinburgh - Neighborhood Guide
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The city is basically split into two main districts - the Old Town and the New Town - with Princes Street Gardens separating them. The surrounding areas offer a wealth of places to visit.

The Old Town

This is the largely medieval heart of Edinburgh in which most of its important historical monuments can be found, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse Palace (the Royal Scottish residence) and St Giles' Cathedral.

The Royal Mile is the historical artery of the Old Town, linking together Edinburgh's two royal strongholds: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood. Running the length of four streets - Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate – it's a vibrant, buzzing location. This is especially so during the Edinburgh Festival, when the Old Town is filled with street performers and people thrusting flyers into the hands of passers-by, all in the hope of drumming up larger audiences for their shows. It's also something of a tourist trap and, as a result, souvenir shops have sprung up in droves. However, the vitality and historical significance of this part of town make it an essential stop on any visitor's checklist.

The Cowgate and Grassmarket areas are towards the southern end of the Old Town. This bustling area is filled with clubs, pubs, music venues and second-hand clothes shops. It's a pretty cool place in which to be seen and for the locals it's their first port of call on a night out. When the sun shines the Grassmarket has the feel of a continental town; relaxed al fresco coffee drinking, little traffic and authentic, colourful shop-fronts make this one of Europe's premier haunts.

Princes Street Gardens

These gardens fill the valley between Old Town and New Town, with Princes Street itself lining the northern side. During the Christmas and New Year period there is an ice-rink set up here under the gaze of a crystallised Edinburgh Castle. There is a decidedly festive atmosphere in the park at this time with stalls selling Christmas trees and seasonal ornaments. During the summer months the park acts as a Mecca for visitors in search of panoramic views of the city; for tourists who wish to climb the Scott Monument; for workers lunching in the open; for children who want to play a round of mini-golf; and for just about anybody who needs to relax. In Princes Street Park you never escape the atmospheric sound of the bagpipes, though you can escape the hustle and bustle of Princes Street itself.

The Mound is bang in the middle of Princes Street Gardens. It is called The Mound because it is, quite literally, the mound of earth that was left over from dredging the Loch at the foot of the castle. It's the site of the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland. In the summer it attracts many festival performers and craft stalls.

The New Town

Whilst the Old Town marks the historical part of the city, the New Town is more a celebration of business, order and classical Georgian architecture. This is the terrain of the shops, offices and banks, which are laid out in gridded streets that emanate precision and symmetry.

George Street is the centrepiece of the New Town. It is an up-and-coming area and now boasts high quality shops and restaurants including Browns, Space NK Apothecary, Jones and many others. Flanked by Queen Street and Princes Street, which run in parallel, it is a wide and elegant street with impressive squares at both ends. At the western end lies Charlotte Square, designed by Robert Adam in 1791 and home of St George's church (now West Register House). The other end finds St Andrew Square - home of the Melville Monument and the Royal Bank of Scotland. It also marks the financial area of the New Town.

Princes Street, just below George Street, is the main shopping area of Edinburgh and the most famous part of the New Town. A very busy spot, its views of the Castle and proximity to the park happily make up for the crowds of shoppers. The most impressive building is General Register House, at the northeastern end of the street. Also at this end is Waverley Market, just next to the station. This shopping centre is a popular venue for performers during the Festival. Whilst Princes Street offers shoppers department stores and high street chains, Rose Street, just behind it, is an attractive pedestrian area with small shops and cafes.

Stockbridge & Dean are in the western part of the New Town, and are known for being bohemian and less structured. Funky, trendy little shops and boutiques sit alongside various eating-places and bars. Places like Randolph Crescent and Moray Place give the area a more curvaceous look with classical Georgian fronts. Dean village is an attractive old milling community, whilst Stockbridge is a great place to browse through antique and ethnic shops.

Calton

At the east of the city, this hill is a popular spot for watching the Festival fireworks. The views of Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's Seat are wonderful and if you like, you can climb the Nelson Monumentto increase the panorama. The Royal City Observatory and Old Royal High School are situated in this area.

Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat

This area is just behind the Holyroodhouse Palace. Known as Arthur's Seat (from the Gaelic "ard-Na-Said" meaning "height of arms"), this extinct volcano - it hasn't erupted in 350 million years - towers over of Holyrood Park. Originally a hunting ground, the public can now stroll through the park's 650 acres and walk over lava flows to get a great view of the city. There are also many swans and ducks to feed in St. Mary's loch. The best way to climb is from the east by Dunsapie Loch.

Duddingston

Located at the northeast end of Dunsapie Loch, this area has a tranquil and villagey feel.

Bruntsfield, Marchmont and Morningside

These southern suburbs offer large open spaces such as The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. It is also the site of the medieval Burgh Muir (town heath) - used to isolate dying victims of plagues and for training armies. Marchmont is a popular student area.

Leith

A docklands area, Leith feels quite separate from the rest of the city - people here often prefer to say they're from Leith, rather than from Edinburgh. It has its own financial centre, waterway (the water of Leith) and shopping/eating areas. A source of inspiration for Irvine Welsh's "Trainspotting", it is today the scene of a thriving café society. Leith Links, the park where the rules of golf were originally formulated, is a lovely place to stroll. The sport has been prohibited on this ground, however, since 1907.

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Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside

Edinburgh
United Kingdom

These southern suburbs offer large open spaces such as The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. It is also the site of the medieval Burgh Muir (town heath) - used to isolate dying victims of plagues and for training armies. Marchmont is a popular student area.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Keith Dumble

Photo: Keith Dumble

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Stephen McKinley

Photo: Stephen McKinley

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Katie Russell

Photo: Katie Russell

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Megan LaBrecque

Photo: Megan LaBrecque

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Shane Kleinpeter

Photo: Shane Kleinpeter

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Penny Sim

Photo: Penny Sim

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Bruce Wedgwood-Oppen

Photo: Bruce Wedgwood-Oppen

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Donny Hammell

Photo: Donny Hammell

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by P Derham

Photo: P Derham

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Jaroslav Sevcik

Photo: Jaroslav Sevcik

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by James Macdiarmid

Photo: James Macdiarmid

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by littletex114

Photo: littletex114

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Ben Mordue

Photo: Ben Mordue

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Dr Science

Photo: Dr Science

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Mark Munro

Photo: Mark Munro

Bruntsfield/Marchmont/Morningside photo by Alex Young

Photo: Alex Young

Calton

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
At the east of the city, this hill is a popular spot for watching the Festival fireworks. The views of Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's Seat are wonderful and if you like, you can climb the Nelson Monumentto increase the panorama. The Royal City Observatory and Old Royal High School are situated in this area.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Duddingston

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Located at the northeast end of Dunsapie Loch, this area has a tranquil and villagey feel.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Andrew Short
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Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
This area is just behind the Holyroodhouse Palace. Known as Arthur's Seat (from the gaelic "ard-Na-Said" - meaning "height of arms"), this extinct volcano - it hasn't erupted in 350 million years - towers over of Holyrood Park. Originally a hunting ground, the public can now stroll through the park's 650 acres and walk over lava flows to get a great view of the city. There are also many swans and ducks to feed in St. Mary's loch. The best way to climb is from the east by Dunsapie Loch.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Andrew Short
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Leith

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
A docklands area, Leith feels quite separate from the rest of the city - people here often prefer to say they're from Leith rather than from Edinburgh. It has its own financial centre, waterway (the water of Leith) and shopping/eating areas. A source of inspiration for Irvine Welsh's "Trainspotting", it is today the scene of a thriving caf¡§

Review © 2007, Wcities

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New Town

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Whilst the Old Town marks the historical part of the city, the New Town is more a celebration of business, order and classical Georgian architecture. This is the terrain of the shops, offices and banks, which are laid out in gridded streets that emanate precision and symmetry. George Street is the centrepiece of the New Town. It is an up-and-coming area and now boasts high quality shops and restaurants. Princes Street, just below George Street, is the main shopping area of Edinburgh and the most famous part of the New Town. A very busy spot, its views of the Castle and proximity to the park happily make up for the crowds of shoppers. The most impressive building is General Register House, at the northeastern end of the street.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Old Town

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
This is the largely medieval heart of Edinburgh in which most of its important historical monuments can be found, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse Palace and St Giles' Cathedral. The Royal Mile is the historical artery of the Old Town, linking together Edinburgh's two royal strongholds: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood. Running the length of four streets - Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate - it's a vibrant, buzzing location. This is especially so during the Edinburgh Festival, when the Old Town is filled with street performers and people thrusting flyers into the hands of passers-by, all in the hope of drumming up larger audiences for their shows. It's also something of a tourist trap and, as a result, souvenir shops have sprung up in droves.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Portobello

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Portobello is the nearest seaside resort for most of Edinburgh's population, and the town's roots can be traced back to the mid-Eighteenth century. Originally the settlement was considered a separate entity from Edinburgh, but, with the advent of the Industrial Age, the Scottish capital swelled in size and, by the end of the Victorian era, it had become difficult to judge where Edinburgh ended and Portobello began. Portobello was incorporated into its larger neighbour in 1896, though many residents still do not consider themselves Edinburgh citizens. This sense of community helped the area win the 1999 Urban Community of the Year Award, and there is a palpable vibrancy within the streets of Portobello.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Laura Anderson
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Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh
United Kingdom
These gardens fill the valley between Old Town and New Town, with Princes Street itself lining the northern side. During the Christmas and New Year period there is an ice-rink set up here under the gaze of a crystallised Edinburgh Castle. There is a decidedly festive atmosphere in the park at this time with stalls selling Christmas trees and seasonal ornaments. During the summer months the park acts as a Mecca for visitors in search of panoramic views of the city; for tourists who wish to climb the Scott Monument; for workers lunching in the open; for children who want to play a round of mini-golf; and for just about anybody who needs to relax. In Princes Street Park you never escape the atmospheric sound of the bagpipes, though you can escape the hustle and bustle of Princes Street itself.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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