Where to See Edinburgh’s Most Wonderful Sights, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is nothing if not picturesque. The city is quite hilly, which makes for some wonderful views from the hilltops and the cobbled streets beneath them. These are some of the best places from which to enjoy Edinburgh’s most wonderful sights and views.

At one end of Princes Street, you’ll find the monument-filled Calton Hill. As one of the highest points close to the city, it offers the best views of Edinburgh including Old Town and Edinburgh Castle. The top of the hill is deceptively large, not just containing a series of monuments, but full-sized buildings. As you make your way around the structures up there, you also get a complete 360-view of the city. Some of the notable structures include the National Monument of Scotland, which are a series of massive columns, and the Nelson Monument. If you want to get an even higher vista, you can climb up the tower of the Nelson Monument for 5 pounds.

The City Observatory on Calton Hill is now a contemporary art space known as Collective. There’s a suggested donation of 5 pounds to enter. At the cafe, you can also get some refreshments after the tiring walk up to Calton Hill.

Another popular hike in Edinburgh is Arthur’s Seat. This former volcano sits about a mile from city center and can be seen from all over the city. It takes up most of Holyrood Park, so if you visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth’s home in Scotland, then Arthur’s seat is basically the backyard. The palace is 15 pounds to enter and includes the royal apartments, the gardens, and the ruined remains of Holyrood Abbey. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).