A Captivating 1 Day in Edinburgh Itinerary
Edinburgh is one of those cities that I think most people can’t help but fall in love with. It’s historic, charming, cozy, and lively, full of the best restaurants, unique attractions, and green spaces that you’ll love.
With this captivating 1 day in Edinburgh itinerary, you’ll have the perfect mix of all the best Edinburgh has to offer. In fact, I wrote this as a kind of choose-your-adventure, because there are so many incredible attractions and experiences to have in Edinburgh. So, instead of telling you what to do based on my interests, I’m giving you some options to curate your own perfect Edinburgh itinerary!
No matter what you choose, buckle up because it’s a doozy of a day (in a good way) to maximize your short time in the city.
Map of Your Day in Edinburgh
How to Spend 1 Day in Edinburgh: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
Breakfast with Flavor or Views
South Indian Breakfast at Dishoom
One restaurant that I saw recommended over and over again by locals and visitors alike was Dishoom. It’s easily one of the best Indian restaurants in Edinburgh, so it’s a must!
Now, on this itinerary, there’s already some fantastic restaurants in the lineup for lunch and dinner, but luckily for us (and now you) Dishoom also serves breakfast! The breakfast-lover in me is screaming (yahooooo!).
Dishoom pays homage to Irani cafés of Bombay, which are welcoming to all and serve South Indian comfort food. For breakfast, you can expect bacon naan rolls, akuri (an egg dish served with tomato), and uttapam (a type of dosa with toppings, similar to a crepe).
- Address: 3a St Andrew Square
- Cost: £11 per person
- Hours: open at 8 am daily
- Nearest transit stop: St Andrews Square (tram), Princes St (bus)
Alternatively…Starbucks with the Best View in Town
I know, I know. Before you roll your eyes and click away, this Starbucks has one of the best views of Edinburgh Castle in the entire city. Plus, they open early enough that you can get a jump start on your day!
- Address: 118 Princes St.
- Cost: £7 per person
- Hours: open 7 am – 10 pm daily
- Nearest transit stop: Princes St. (bus) – stop letter depends on route taken
Pick Your Scenic Poison
Charming Dean Village
Once you finish with breakfast, head out for Dean Village if you’re looking for a scenic city experience. This little area of town is often overlooked, yet it’s one of the most picturesque areas in the city. It was once a milling community in the 12th century where it sits along the Water of Leith. Now, it’s a tranquil residential community with architectural beauty and riverside serenity.
Don’t miss the viewpoint along the water and be sure to take your time walking around admiring the area. It’s meant to be appreciated slowly, so wander away.
- Address: Dean Village View Point, 3 Hawthornbank Ln
- Cost: free
- Hours: 24 hours
- Nearest transit stop: Drumsheugh Place or Drumsheugh Gardens (bus) – depends on route/direction traveling
Monumental Calton Hill
If you want more of an outdoorsy, yet wildly historic experience that’s still scenic, Calton Hill is for you! This is a volcanic hill that sits on the east end of Princes Street.
Not only does it have great city views, but it’s full of monuments. For example, did you know Edinburgh was once denoted as the “Athens of the North” so on Calton Hill, there sits a replica Greek Parthenon. This National Monument is actually an unfinished structure commemorating the servicemen who died in the Napoleonic Wars.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the top from the road, so give yourself ample time and wear the proper clothes for mud, should conditions be wet…and let’s face it, Scotland is always wet.
- Address: Calton Hill (no specific address)
- Cost: free
- Hours: 24 hours
- Nearest transit stop: Princes St. (bus) or Edinburgh Waverly (train)
Victoria Street: a must do on your Edinburgh itinerary
You can’t visit Edinburgh without a visit to Victoria Street. And I won’t lie to you, it’s going to be crowded. Unless you want to tack this onto the front of your day and arrive by 7 – 8 am, you’ll be meet with crowds all day.
Still, it’s a must!
This colorful street was the inspiration behind the author’s book version of Diagon Alley. Not only that, but specific shops inspired some of those in the Wizarding World. For example, John Kay’s Bookshop inspired Flourish and Blotts.
This is more of a admire-at-your-own-pace kind of attraction. There’s lots of interesting and beautiful shops here, so get a little spontaneous (I know, I can’t believe I said those words either).
- Address: 8 Victoria St (John Kay’s Bookshop)
- Cost: free
- Hours: 24 hours (individual shops vary)
- Nearest transit stop: Grassmarket or Victoria Street (both bus stops)
Lunch at Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips
While you’re here, it’s a perfect time for a lunch stop. And while you might be wondering if the restaurants near this tourist attraction are even good or worth the (naturally) elevated price tag, I’m happy to report that some definitely are!
Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips is one of them. In fact, when I was planning my own trip and scouring Edinburgh Facebook groups, this was one of the restaurants that was constantly recommended.
I’m happy to report it was indeed delicious. I had the regular ole fish and chips with a side of garden peas, although mushy peas are more authentic. In my defense (🤺), I had been traveling almost 3 weeks through Spain, England, and Scotland and was craving fresh vegetables at this point.
My husband got the cajun baked haddock and after sampling his for research, I can confidently say it was also delish!
Expect to pay around £16 for a meal.
- Address: 9 Victoria St
- Cost: £16
- Hours: 11 am – 10 pm (weeknights) or 11 pm (weekends)
- Nearest transit stop: Grassmarket or Victoria Street (both bus stops)
Dessert at Knoops
I would be doing you the biggest disservice if I didn’t mention my new favorite dessert shop literally right next door to Bertie’s called Knoops (pronounced kuh-noops).
They serve hot and cold chocolate drinks where you can choose your percent chocolate. If you’re like me and love dark chocolate and are constantly hot, an iced 70% chocolate drink with oat milk is like a dream come true. I’m salivating through the screen and crying that I can’t have a Knoops location near me.
Don’t miss it!
- Address: 11-15 Victoria St
- Cost: £6
- Hours: 9 am – 10 pm
- Nearest transit stop: Grassmarket or Victoria Street (both bus stops)
Write your own history this afternoon
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is set upon a massive rocky hill and was used as a stronghold, royal residence, military garrison, and more (very similar to the Tower of London). It’s been around for over a millennium!
There’s lots to see and do at Edinburgh Castle, so I recommend taking a deep dive upon arrival to follow what interests you most. If it’s sieges (this castle is the most besieged one in Europe!), there’s a great exhibit called Fight for the Castle, which follows the dramatic history of the castle when it changed hands again and again and again and again.
Don’t miss the 105mm field gun that is fired every day, except Sundays, at 1pm. They’ve been doing this since 1861, when the blast signaled the time to nearby ships.
For an in-depth experience, consider booking a guided tour.
- Address: Castlehill
- Cost: £19.50
- Hours: 9:30 am – 6 pm
- Nearest transit stop: Castle Terrace (bus)
National Museum of Scotland
I love a good museum, but I’m prone to museum overwhelm (it’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me). So, when a museum is good and can hold my attention for longer than an hour, I promise it’s worth your visit, too!
The National Museum of Scotland truly fit the bill.
They had so many incredible and diverse exhibits that every museum goer will surely find something of interest.
Love history? The Scotland gallery is for you where the exhibits follow Scottish history from early people to the Kingdom of Scots all the way through modern history. This exhibit is where you’ll find one of the museum’s highlights, the Lewis Chessmen, which were the inspiration for the movie version of wizard’s chess pieces in Harry Potter!
Science your vibe? Same here! Well lucky for us there’s multiple galleries on science and technology including innovation in movement, communication, and energy. They even have Dolly the sheep, aka the first ever clone!!
There are also incredible rotating exhibits. We loved the one on fashion where we saw high heel shoes made from zipties, dresses with insane skirt widths, and so much more.
While you’re here, don’t miss the terrace view from the roof! You can access it via the elevator near the Scotland gallery.
From up here, you can see the ocean and unobstructed views of Edinburgh Castle! It’s incredible!
- Address: Chambers St
- Cost: free
- Hours: 10 am – 5 pm
- Nearest transit stop: National Museum of Scotland (bus)
Afternoon tea at The Witchery
Did you really visit the UK if you didn’t indulge in a tea experience? One of the best in Edinburgh comes from The Witchery. This afternoon tea experience is located in one of the most stunning restaurants in the city.
When you make reservations, you can decide between the Secret Garden or the Original dining rooms. The Secret Garden looks like an elevated, floral, bright space while the Original dining room is spooky, gothic, historic, and cozy, all in one!
It’s not an inexpensive addition to this itinerary, but it’s certainly worth the indulgence, at least once! The afternoon tea costs £50 per person or £65 if having champagne instead of tea.
Of course, it comes with a multi-tiered tray of sandwiches, pastries, and other beautifully made finger foods.
- Address: 352 Castlehill (bus)
- Cost: £50
- Hours: afternoon tea from 3 – 4 pm daily
- Nearest transit stop: Grassmarket or Victoria Street (both bus stops)
Make some hands-on memories
Islander Workshop Experience
One of the most iconic souvenirs from Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole is Harris Tweed. This handwoven material is used to make high quality suits, jackets, trousers, and more.
Instead of simply going to a gift shop and buying something, why not craft your own handbag with Harris Tweed yourself!
This is the Islander Workshop Experience and it was easily one of the best things I did on my entire UK itinerary!
They have a few locations around the city, so take your pick. When you arrive, you’ll get to choose out all the components to assemble your bag including the base, Harris Tweed flip top, and straps. You can mix and match all the colors you want!
Then you’ll follow along with an instructor on how to put it all together.
It’s seriously so fun, an incredibly unique souvenir, and something that will surely last a very long time.
Be sure to make reservations ahead of time as they do sell out of spaces. You pay for the size handbag you want and can change your mind in person if you want something bigger or smaller, or if a color you want is limited to a certain size bag.
I did a mini satchel and it was £60.
- Address: multiple
- Cost: £60
- Hours: 11 am – 6 pm
- Nearest transit stop: varies by location
Scottish Whiskey Tasting
If that interactive option wasn’t speaking to you, here’s another quintessential Scottish experience. Yepp, it’s a whiskey tasting!
There are a few places you can do this.
First, you can choose a specific distillery and sign up for an experience there. One example is Johnny Walker on Princes Street. They have a highly rated Journey of Flavor tour for £30 per person, which is a 90-minute experience with 3 cocktail tastings, live music, and audio guide.
Alternatively, try the Scottish Whiskey Tour experience to learn about the whiskey making process and how whiskey varies in the five regions of Scotland. Of course, tastings are included and you can even upgrade your tour package to Gold for 4 additional tastings. It costs £30 for the base package or £45 for the Gold option.
- Address: varies by experience
- Cost: £30 on average
- Hours: varies by experience
- Nearest transit stop: varies by experience
Dinner at Makar’s Mash Bar
For dinner, there’s no better spot than Makar’s Mash Bar. They’re a totally unique dining concept that I’ve truly never experienced elsewhere.
The idea is that you choose a meat or veggie (typically in-house grown mushrooms) and pair it with a mashed potato. Sounds simple, right? Well, no. These options will have you stressing about which combination to choose.
My husband got the haggis with heather honey and turnip purée with smoked applewood cheese mashed potatoes. Like hello? That’s insane! I absolutely loved mine too! I had Scottish Lion’s Mane mushrooms with red wine, garlic, and rosemary jus with bacon and chive mashed potatoes.
I can’t recommend this spot enough!
Be sure to make reservations as it can (and will) get packed. We waited an hour and a half without reservations on Friday night in June.
- Address: 9-12 Bank St
- Cost: £18
- Hours: 12 pm – 8 pm (Sunday), – 8:30 pm (weeknights), – 9:30 pm (weekends), closed Tuesdays
- Nearest transit stop: Victoria Street (bus)
Drink Options
Classic Pub Experience: Thomson’s Bar
End your night with some drinks. And what better place than a classic Scottish pub?
Thomson’s Bar comes highly recommended from locals for a true pub experience.
- Address: 182-184 Morrison St
- Cost: ~ £10
- Hours: Close at 11 pm Sunday, 11:30 pm Monday through Wednesday, 12 am Thursday and Saturday, and 1 am on Friday
- Nearest transit stop: Grove Street (bus)
A Potterific potions experience: Department of Magic
Alternatively, if you want another hands on experience that’s just plain FUN, look no further than the Department of Magic in Edinburgh. This experience allows you to make your very own potions (aka drinks).
I went with Herbology 101, which had lots of nods to flowers, fruits, and plants and was even “brewed” in a little pot.
Don’t worry, they have non-alcoholic versions so it’s kid and sober friendly.
You pay by the drink, where they’re around £11 each.
- Address: 9 Blair St
- Cost: ~ £11
- Hours: Close at 11 pm daily
- Nearest transit stop: South Bridge (bus)
P.S. You can do any combination of these things and if you’re a fast itinerary item checker off-er, you may be able to squeeze most of this into one day.
Example Timing
8 am – Breakfast at Dishoom
9 am – Calton Hill
11 am – Explore Victoria Street
12 pm – Lunch at Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips and Dessert at Knoops
1:30 pm – National Museum of Scotland
3 pm – Afternoon Tea at The Witchery
4:30 pm – Islander Workshop Experience
6:00 pm – Dinner at Makar’s Mash Bar
8:00 pm – Drinks at Thomson’s Bar
*If you prefer later dinners, you can always add in something else from this itinerary!
How much this itinerary for Edinburgh costs
If you chose the most expensive things on this choose-your-own-adventure itinerary, you can expect to pay £200. That includes all food, experiences/admissions, and transit to get around the city.
Luckily with this itinerary, it’s super flexible so that you can prioritize what you need to in order to meet your interests and budget.
How to have a cheap day in Edinburgh
For the most inexpensive day, I recommend the following choices:
- Breakfast at Starbucks
- Dean Village
- Victoria Street
- Lunch at Bobby’s*
- National Museum of Scotland
- (skip afternoon tea)
- Dinner at Makar’s Mash Bar
- Department of Magic
This way you’re only paying for your transportation, food for the day, and the least expensive interactive drink experience.
This sample itinerary would cost £55 and includes transit, food, and the Department of Magic, which you could sub out for a trip to Thomson’s Bar if that’s more your speed.
*Bobby’s is a grab-and-go sandwich shop with bagels and salads. I paid a whopping £4 for a bagel sandwich, so if you’re on a tight budget, this is a good option instead of Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips.
More time in the UK? These posts will help your planning process:
- How to spend 2 weeks in the UK as a Harry Potter fan
- How to travel between Scotland and England by sleeper train
- A charming Cotswolds itinerary
- Things to do in Oxford for a day
- Harry Potter locations in Oxford and in London
- London travel tips for first timers
- Warner Brothers Studio Tour London review
- How to spend 1 day in London
My Travel Essentials
- Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
- Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
- Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
- Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
- Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
- Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
- Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!
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