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Edinburgh

Calton Hill at Sunset – City Views and Supper

A few hours, from Waverley Station and back.

The route

Calton Hill rises at the east end of Princes Street, a short, steep climb to a hilltop of monuments with the whole city laid out below, from the Old Town's spires to the Castle on its rock.

Come up as the sun goes down, then walk back down to supper at Howies Waterloo, in a Georgian hall at the foot of the hill.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    Old Town ChambersClose byOld Town ChambersA place to stayMoment George IV BridgeClose byMoment George IV BridgeSleeps 2West End MuseClose byWest End MuseSleeps 4The Scott HotelA mile awayThe Scott HotelA hotel

  2. Book supper at Howies Waterloo Place

    Book a table at Howies Waterloo online for about 45 minutes after sunset, and no later than its last booking at 9.15pm: dinner is served every day from 5.15pm.

The day

Edinburgh

An evening on the hill as the light fades over the Old Town, then a short walk down to a warm table for supper.

About two and a half hours

  1. Calton Hill

    Calton Hill

    An attraction

    From Waverley it's a 10-minute walk along Waterloo Place and up the steps to the top of Calton Hill, a public park that's free and open to all. The steps are steep, about a hundred of them. Be on top half an hour before sunset, and stand by the round Dugald Stewart Monument for the view along Princes Street to the Castle as the light goes. The hilltop is open and windy, with steep slopes at its edges, so keep children close. Come down the same steps while there's still some light. This works best from February to mid April and from late August to October, when a table about 45 minutes after sunset still falls before the last booking at 9.15pm. In midsummer the sun sets after 9.30pm, so eat first and climb afterwards; from November to January it sets before 5pm, so catch the last light and take an early table at 5.15pm.

    More about Calton Hill

  2. 4 min on foot

    Howies Waterloo Place

    Supper

    Howies Waterloo is 4 minutes' walk from the top of the hill, at 29 Waterloo Place at the foot of the steps. It serves supper every day from 5.15pm, with its last booking at 9.15pm, so book a table for about 45 minutes after sunset. From Sunday to Thursday an early two-course offer is £25.95 between 5.15pm and 6.30pm, at the time of writing. There are highchairs and a children's menu, and only assistance dogs are allowed inside.

If it rains

In rain or low cloud there's no sunset to see and the steps turn slippery: skip the hill, and go straight to Howies for an early supper.