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Things to do
in Edinburgh.

It’s 21:32 in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh

Surf, saunas and the Forth.

There's more to do around Edinburgh than you might think. Ride waves in an old quarry turned into one of Europe's biggest surf pools, try electric hydrofoil boards on the Firth of Forth, or warm up in a clifftop sauna by the sea. Back in town, a gin distillery under the railway arches runs tastings, and there are old bridges and riverside paths to explore. Pack a towel and say yes.

Escape Sauna→
Lost Shore→
eFoil Scotland→
Edinburgh Gin Distillery→
Place of the day20 hours ago

Stockbridge’s High Street.

A walk.

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Newly discovered19 hours agoEdinburghSicilian Pastry ShopCafeEdinburghBrewhemiaCafeEdinburghCramond BrigWalkEdinburghBattle of Roslin MonumentAttractionEdinburghWriters’ Museum in Lady Stair’s CloseAttractionEdinburghThe OutsiderRestaurant

Some good places to go, newly added to the site.

The newest places on our pages in Edinburgh.

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Did you know18 hours ago

The John Muir Way crosses Scotland coast to coast for 215km, from Helensburgh to Dunbar, the town where John Muir was born in 1838.

The route is named after Muir, the conservationist remembered as the founder of America's national parks, and the house he was born in is now a museum. The whole way takes nine to eleven days, and towards the end it follows the coast of East Lothian. Trains from Glasgow Queen Street reach Helensburgh, and trains from Edinburgh Waverley reach Dunbar. Cyclists need a sturdy mountain or hybrid bike, ideally with puncture-proof tyres.

From our guide17 hours ago

The Potter Trail.

Now running for more than a decade, this highly rated Harry Potter-themed trail meanders around some of the most scenic parts of the city, taking in the café where JK Rowling penned the first Potter book, the real-life Diagon Alley, the resting place of He Who Must Not Be Named, and much more besides. Owls and broomsticks optional.

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From Issue 8 of Hidden Scotland magazineIssue 816 hours ago

New Town Walking Tour

A walk through Edinburgh's New Town from the Scott Monument, past the National Gallery, Princes Street Gardens and the statue of Wojtek the bear, all the way to Dean Village.

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From our guide14 hours ago

Edinburgh International Climbing Arena.

The largest indoor climbing area in Europe is found right here in Ratho, on the city outskirts. With numerous climbing walls and a bouldering area, it’s suitable for novice grapplers and experienced rock-climbers alike – it even has facilities for kids.

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Did you know13 hours ago

Arthur's Seat is what is left of a volcano that erupted about 340 million years ago.

Arthur's Seat and its crags are what is left of a volcano that erupted around 340 million years ago. Glaciers later carved the cliffs and valleys you walk through today.

See Arthur’s Seat · Edinburgh
Lunch12 hours agoEdinburghMilk at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop5.7 milesEdinburghAlby's5.8 milesEdinburghTeuchters Landing6.0 miles

Lunch near eFoil Scotland.

The three good places closest to it: Milk at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Alby's and Teuchters Landing.

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Open again10 hours ago

The Palm Houses at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh have reopened after a five-year restoration.

More than 800 plants, including a stone gate palm over eight metres tall, are back under 5,750 new panes of glass. Entry to the Palm Houses is by timed ticket, booked online, and the rest of the garden stays free.

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From the magazine9 hours agoThe printed copy of Issue 01Issue 01Autumn / Winter 2020

Edinburgh Zoo, on Corstorphine Hill in the west of the city, was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins.

The zoo spreads over 82 acres on the southern slopes of the hill, with impressive views out over the city. For more than a century it has worked for the conservation of endangered species, and its penguins were a world first in that long story. Today the colony lives at Penguins Rock, which is also home to Sir Nils, a king penguin and the only knighted penguin in the world. A visit to the penguins is a lovely way to spend an hour on a day out in the capital.

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Things to do8 hours ago

Escape Sauna.

Two saunas with cold plunges on the clifftop above Quarrel Sands at North Berwick, one wood-fired, looking out to the Bass Rock.

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Things to do7 hours ago

Lost Shore.

Europe's largest wave pool, in the old Craigpark Quarry at Ratho, with surf lessons for every level, lodges and a restaurant.

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