Edinburgh is a beautiful city known for its incredible architecture, coastline and cosy pubs. The only drawback is that it can be rather expensive if you don’t know the right places to go. To help you make the most of the city on a budget, we asked our teachers and staff at BSC Edinburgh about the best things to do for free in Scotland’s capital city.
Visit the National Museum of Scotland
Discover the history of Scotland and its people at the National Museum of Scotland – look out for the interactive Millennium Clock Tower that plays at regular intervals throughout the day!
Enjoy the view from Arthur’s Seat
Climb up the dormant volcano Arthur’s Seat for a beautiful panorama of chimney tops, green rolling hills and blue sea.
Discover the beautiful Portobello beach
Take the bus to Portobello beach and enjoy an ice cream along the promenade.
Take a Walk to Dean Village
On a sunny day, there’s nothing more relaxing than taking a wander along the Water of Leith through the woodland to Dean Village, one of Edinburgh’s oldest villages.
Watch the street performers on the Royal Mile
Be mesmerised by the street performers on the Royal Mile and Princes Street during the Edinburgh Festival.
Admire the artwork in the National Portrait Gallery or the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art
One of the amazing benefits of living in Edinburgh is the fact that many of the city’s museums are completely free to visit. Spend an afternoon browsing the National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art and get out of the cold weather.
Take in the views at Cramond
Walk along the beach at Cramond, a small village that is easily accessible from central Edinburgh. At low tide, you can even get there by walking across the causeway.
Play the oldest short-hole golf course in the world
On Bruntsfield Links by the Meadows, you can bring your own gear or rent from the Golf Tavern from April to September.
Explore the monument on Calton Hill
Climb up Calton Hill and wander between its many monuments – see what happens to the white ball at the top of Nelson’s Monument at 1 pm when the daily gun goes off at Edinburgh Castle!
Visit the Museum of Edinburgh
Another one of Edinburgh’s free museums is the Museum of Edinburgh. This museum is home to the original collar of Greyfriars Bobby, the city’s well-loved dog!
Do you want to discover more of Scotland? Find out more about learning English at our English language college in Edinburgh city centre.
You might also like to read:
