As someone who visited Edinburgh twice in 2023, I can’t wait to return again one day. The gothic architecture, walkability, and stellar viewpoints cement Edinburgh as one of my favourite cities. While travelling, I love searching for the best viewpoints and photo ops, and hope you will find this post helpful for your next visit to this incredible city.
For this adventure, I would encourage you to wear your walking shoes. All of these spots can be visited on a solid 1-2 hour walk, predominantly exploring the Old Town neighbourhood. Thankfully it’s relatively small, but still features a decent amount of hills and stairs. I’ve added some additional locations at the end if you have more time to visit that are still on my bucket list. Check out the map at the end for all the exact locations!
If you are interested in visited the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Harry Potter train!), check out my post about visiting here.
Vennel Viewpoint
This viewpoint is one of those quintessential spots in Edinburgh. If you are down in the Grassmarket square, look for Mary’s Milk Bar (superb ice cream BTW!) and head up the staircases to the right of it. As you climb up the stairs you will be greeted by this beautiful view of Edinburgh castle and the stairway you climbed up to get there.
W Bow, Victoria Street
The W Bow is a beautifully sloped road lined with gorgeous shops. This is a staple area to check out while visiting Edinburgh. You can enter from the below Grassmarket square or from above on the King George IV Bridge.
East Princes Street Garden
On a sunny day you will see countless people enjoying the green spaces throughout Edinburgh. One of my favourite locations to people watch is the East Princes Street Garden. My favourite particular viewpoint is perched right above the park, on the deck adjacent to the Royal Scottish Academy. You can see the park below, as well as the Scott Memorial and Balmoral hotel clock tower in the distance.
St Cuthbert’s Kirkyard
After exploring the Grassmarket Square area I continued my walk along King Stable’s Road and stumbled upon this beautiful cemetery. As you wander along the paths in the cemetery there are some beautiful views amongst the trees of Edinburgh Castle on the hill. Be kind and respectful when walking in the area.
Candlemaker Row
As you explore Old Town you might see the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard and Bobby Bar. Here, you can turn right down this neat little street that features various quaint shops and curves down into Grassmarket square. There are so many different photos you can take down here and it’s fun to look up at the tall architecture that surrounds you.
Waterstones Cafe
Calling all book lovers! The Waterstones on Princes Street is not one to miss. The selection of books is ample. More importantly, however, is the view from the cafe a few floors up. Be warned these tables are often busy. I visited twice and lucked out my second time to be able to sit here for a bit.
Princes Street x Frederick Street
As you walk along Princes Street there are a plethora of places to stop for a nice viewpoint. One of my favourites, in particular, is near the cross street of Frederick St and across from the Boots store, on the park side. Here, there are sweeping views of the Edinburgh Castle as well as the upper Old Town skyline.
Dean Village
Situated on the Water of Leith, Dean Village is a fairytale-esque collection of Victorian homes. The easiest way I found to visit was via Bells Brae, down Hawthornbank Lane and across the Water of Leith walkway. Kindly mind where you walk and be respectful of the area – real people live here!
Further Recommendations
While walking throughout Edinburgh, every corner you turn will be incredibly photogenic. A lot of my photos I took were on random streets and places that had no specific ‘viewpoint’. If you have more than a day trip, I encourage you to explore the Meadows near University of Edinburgh, the Stockbridge neighbourhood, and Calton Hill for some meandering.
