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A collection · Things to do

Things to Do in Edinburgh on a Shoestring

Some of the very best things in Edinburgh cost nothing at all, from the national galleries to the hills to the streets themselves. These are the things to do when you'd rather spend the money on lunch.

Curated and written by Hidden Scotland

Updated 22 September 2026.

Some of the very best things in Edinburgh cost nothing at all. The national galleries are free to walk into, the closes and staircases are just streets, the hills give you the best views in the city for the price of a climb, and a whole village sits hidden in the middle of it with a river running through.

We've gathered our favourite things to do in Edinburgh for little or nothing, from the famous to the tucked away. Spend the money you save on a long lunch, and see the city the way the locals do.

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