The Elephant House, Edinburgh
Established since 1995, The Elephant House in Edinburgh has been renowned as one of the top destinations for tea and coffee connoisseurs. At some point, the place also grew famous through its association with J.K. Rowling, author of the bestselling Harry Porter series, who used to frequent this place, as an emerging writer, and wrote her early novels while sitting in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle.
Other literary patrons of The Elephant House, over the years, have included Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith, author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, 44 Scotland Street and other novel series.
So, if you consider a writing career for yourself or seek inspiration, or simply want to savour a nice cup of tea or coffee prior to venturing out into historic Edinburgh, feel free to pop in and enjoy the place!
Other literary patrons of The Elephant House, over the years, have included Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith, author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, 44 Scotland Street and other novel series.
So, if you consider a writing career for yourself or seek inspiration, or simply want to savour a nice cup of tea or coffee prior to venturing out into historic Edinburgh, feel free to pop in and enjoy the place!
This sight is featured in a self-guided walking tour of Edinburgh, Scotland within the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" which can be downloaded from iTunes App Store or Google Play. Please download the app to your mobile phone or tablet for travel directions for visiting this sight. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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The Elephant House on Map
Sight Name: The Elephant House
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Sight Type: Food/Drink
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Sight Type: Food/Drink
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh
Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Edinburgh Introduction Walk
Comfortably yet tightly packed on the hilly terrain, Edinburgh – the Scottish capital since at least the 15th century, and the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 – is a picturesque city renowned for its unique architecture of the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, currently both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The earliest known human habitation in the area dates... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour
A succession of streets forming the steep thoroughfare at the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, The Royal Mile is one of the city's busiest tourist destinations, lined with numerous shops, pubs and casual eateries, souvenir shops and small museums. It runs on a downwards slope for almost exactly a mile (hence the name, coined in 1920), from the famed Edinburgh Castle to the Scottish... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Famous Squares and Streets Walking Tour
While in Edinburgh, discover the popular avenues, boulevards and streets that lead to its most famous squares. While exploring these streets, you can find a copious amount of historic and religious edifices, fashion boutiques, classy restaurants, famous market areas, and hidden gems. Check out a few popular Edinburgh squares and streets in this self-guided tour.
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Edinburgh is known for its sheer number of pubs, both old and new, suitable for various events, and spoiling their patrons with the best drinks and food in town. Many of them also have live music shows fit to delight locals and tourists alike, and although most traditional pubs are laid back and offer a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, some do have dance floors and double as nightclubs. Take this... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Harry Potter Trail
Years after the release of the last Harry Potter book and movie, the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter doesn't seem to fade away and the fandom continues as strong as ever. For a true Harry Potter fan, adding Edinburgh – the city in which the author J.K. Rowling lived while writing the books and still lives today! – to their travel bucket list is a must. On this self-guided Harry Potter... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
New Town Walking Tour
Largely regarded as the masterpiece of historic city planing, the New Town of Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The elegant area is home to the National Gallery of Scotland, a wealth of Georgian architecture lining broad avenues and open squares, abundant shopping opportunities on and around George Street, and many other delights firmly associated with Scotland's capital... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Top 12 Pubs On and Around Royal Mile in Edinburgh
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19 Best Pubs in New Town, Edinburgh
A guide to the pubs that make up the area that is called Edinburgh's New Town. A description about what you can expect from each of the locations in the directory. A fantastic directory if you are a tourist or even a...
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