Edinburgh is an easy city to like. It’s compact enough to walk most of it, the Old Town is genuinely old rather than just old-looking, and there’s usually something going on. The castle on its rock, the Royal Mile running down from it, the closes branching off on either side — it all hangs together in a way that makes sense on foot, even if the hills remind you they’re there.
The Old Town is the obvious starting point. The Royal Mile goes from the castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and while it’s tourist-heavy in the middle, it’s worth doing properly — the closes that branch off it lead into courtyards and stairwells that most people walk straight past. The castle itself is worth the entrance fee, particularly for the Crown Jewels and the views. Grassmarket, at the bottom of the hill, has good bars and feels a bit less frantic than the Mile. Victoria Street, curving down towards it, gets photographed constantly and it’s easy to see why.
Across Princes Street Gardens, the New Town is Georgian Edinburgh — wide streets, good proportions, a lot of stone. It’s quieter than the Old Town and worth an hour or two of wandering. Dean Village, down in the Water of Leith gorge, is the kind of place that surprises people — tucked away below the city, very quiet, completely different in feel. Circus Lane in Stockbridge is another one that tends to stop people in their tracks.
For museums and galleries, the Royal Botanic Garden is free and good on any day, the Usher Hall puts on an excellent programme, and the Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith is more interesting than it sounds — the below-decks areas give a surprisingly intimate picture of how the royal family actually used it. Leith itself has become a proper destination for eating and drinking, quite separate in feel from the city centre.
Arthur’s Seat is there if you want a proper walk without leaving the city. It takes about an hour to the top and the views are as good as you’d expect. The Scott Monument on Princes Street is climbable but very narrow inside — worth knowing before you commit to the ticket.
August in Edinburgh is the Festival Fringe, which either sounds like exactly what you want or exactly what you don’t. The city fills up completely, prices go up, and every available space becomes a venue. It’s chaotic and impressive in equal measure.