• Test your mettle by climbing Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano (its last eruption was more than 300 million years ago) in Holyrood Park. Enjoy the city views from the summit.

• Try your hand at keyhole surgery with a laparoscopic training unit set up for visitors at the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, which also exhibits a huge collection of historic surgical instruments.

• Mingle with the beautiful people at LuLu, an ultra-hip club and bar with a sophisticated vibe and limit of 300 people, or brave a signature cocktail at the trendy Dragonfly Bar near Grassmarket, complete with leather chairs and chandeliers.

• Stay in shape on the guided three-mile Edinburgh Jog Tour, which combines jogging, sightseeing, history and even a little theater.

• Search for your ancestors at www.ancestralscotland.com, then see if you can find some relatives.

• Bring your camera to record the Great Scottish Santa Run charity event in early December, where the astonishing sight of thousands of jogging Santas has to be seen to be believed.

• Explore the network of off-road cycle paths in Edinburgh, many of which follow defunct train track routes.

• Go paintballing at Bedlam Paintball, an outfitter in the city that provides equipment and game zones.

• Bring a group and participate in team-building highland games, including falconry and archery, at Maximillion near the city.

• Tee off at the Mortonhall Golf Club, the oldest active course in Edinburgh (1892).

back to top

• Attend the annual Edinburgh International Festival in August, widely considered to be among the most important music and theater events in Europe.

• Learn about whisky making at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, and follow that with a visit to Dallas Dhu, a preserved distillery in Forres.

• Laugh out loud at the Stand, a comedy club in New Town near Princes Street that even offers lunch shows for the early-to-bed crowd.

• Pick your own bottle and libation — from dessert liqueurs to a single-cask whisky — and have your choice bottled on the spot at Demijohn for a one-of-a-kind keepsake. (Remember, you cannot take this souvenir on the plane as carry-on.)

• Bundle up for the Torchlight Procession that kicks off the four-day Hogmanay street festival in December, followed by live music and mayhem at the Royal Bank Street Party.

• Save your appetite for the eight-course tasting menu at Abstract in Inverness, made famous by Gordon Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares” TV show.

•Welcome spring at the annual three-week Ceilidh Culture, an April festival featuring music, dance and storytellers.

• Take a side trip to such A-list sightseeing destinations as the Isle of Skye, Fife Argyll and Inveraray Castle.

• Join an Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour, complete with actors performing excerpts of Scottish literature washed down with a few beers.

• Check out the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland at www.tmsa.org.uk
to find traditional Scottish music sessions taking place throughout the city.

back to top

• Attend the annual Edinburgh International Book Festival in August, with more than 700 events and 600-plus authors on hand. Yes, it overlaps with the Edinburgh International Festival.

• Climb aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is now permanently docked at Ocean Terminal in the charming Port of Leith area.

• Pay homage to locations in the city connected with Harry Potter’s creator J.K. Rowling, including the Elephant House Cafe, the Balmoral Hotel and Edinburgh Castle.

• Shop for bath and home fragrances from the Scottish island of Arran at Arran Aromatics or pick out Harris Tweed bags and clothes at Ness.

• Stroll along the Royal Mile, the original street in the city, bracketed by the castle at the high end and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other.

• Examine the oldest intact crown in Europe — it dates back to Robert the Bruce in the early 14th century — in Edinburgh Castle.

• Have your own kilt made from your family tartan or to your own specifications at 21st Century Kilts or at other fine kilt makers.

• Walk, lounge or just flop on the grass at Princes Street Gardens, a park situated five minutes’ walk from the High Street, or bring the kids to the play park in the West End.

• Enjoy free admission to the National Galleries of Scotland, featuring art from the Renaissance to modern masterpieces.

• Spend an evening at the theater — from the classics at the Royal Lyceum to more edgy fare at the modern Traverse Theatre.

back to top

For more information, consult VisitScotland's Edinburgh pages at www.edinburgh.org
and VisitScotland at www.cometoscotland.com.

To find a knowledgeable travel agent at the VisitScotland site, click on Plan Your Trip and choose Find Your Local Scotland Travel Expert, or just go to http://cometoscotland.com

back to top