The Most Instagrammable Spots in Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. Some people like to seek out particularly good places to get a photo. If that’s you, here’s all the spots I checked out during the three years that I lived there.
Views of the Castle
The first spot is the view of the castle from the Starbucks on Princes Street.
Next is Vennel Viewpoint, which is on the steps leading from Lauriston Place down to Grassmarket.
There’s also the view from Princes Street Garden, immediately below the Castle.
I saved the best for last. It’s Calton Hill. This is actually my favorite spot in Edinburgh. You can see the whole city, the First of Forth, Arthur’s Seat, and the Pentlands from this spot. This spot is a short walk from the center of town and is a must-see.
Just outside the entrance to Calton Hill, you also get this amazing view looking down Princes Street.
The View From the Castle
If you pay to go in the castle, you will also get incredible views of the town from all directions, since it’s one of the highest points in the city.
Arthurs Seat & Holyrood Park
This is another must-see in Edinburgh. From pretty much every part of Holyrood Park, you won’t be disappointed
Blackford Hill
Blackford Hill is Arthur’s Seat lesser-known friend. It’s a bit further out of town, but from the top you get the complete profile of Arthur’s Seat and a panoramic view of Edinburgh.
New Town
Edinburgh can largely be divided up into two parts. New Town refers to the part of town north of Princes Street, generally.
If you are in the area, Inverleith Park has this one section of sidewalk that is perfectly lined with trees. Nearby, you can sit by the pond and also get a view of all of Edinburgh.
Circus Lane is one of the most Instagram-famous places, given that it’s not really a destination. It’s just one of the most picturesque streets in Edinburgh.
Then there’s Dean Village. It’s this small area nestled along the river and tucked away. It has a totally different feeling than the surrounding area.
Further down the river is Stockbridge. There’s this house that’s at №33 India Place, which is so cute and always has lovely plants outside.
Another spot is if you’re walking around near the National Portrait Gallery, Dublin Street looks down over the New Town architecture and then over the water. I love this view.
The last spot in New Town is the view from Newhaven Harbor.
Old Town
The other major part is Old Town. This is where the Castle and most of the really ancient stuff is.
One of the first spots I’ll recommend is Victoria Street near Grassmarket. They’ve now stopped letting people park cars there, so it looks even better these days. The best view is from Victoria Terrace.
Another good spot is The Mound, near the Scottish National Gallery. I love the view of the Balmoral Hotel and the Scott Monument.
You can also see the Balmoral Hotel from Princes Street.
The University also has some good spots. I love Old College. Sometimes there are cool art installations there.
The Meadows is a park next to the university. Middle Meadow Walk is symmetrically lined with trees and looks beautiful all year round.
In spring, usually in early-to-mid-May, the cherry blossoms bloom, which is spectacular.
Portobello Beach
Portobello Beach is a really great place to walk and get views of the sea. The boardwalk is really cute.
Wildcard
The last one on this list is a bit of a wildcard. This is an alley over in Morningside that looks like it’s straight out of a Wild West film!
I hope I’ve helped you if you’re planning on visiting Edinburgh to find some cool spots to visit and take some pictures. If you weren’t planning a visit, you probably are now!
I’m a Linguist writing about travel, language, and society & culture. If you enjoyed this article you can support me by becoming a member and reading my other work. You can read more about my year without social media on my personal blog.
