Best Areas to Stay in Edinburgh, Scotland

Situated around Castle Rock, Edinburgh’s lovely Auld Toun (Old Town) is the medieval heart of the city.

Together with the New Town, it has been part of the “Old and New Towns of Edinburgh” protected UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

Dominated by Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town features a street layout consisting of a broad east-to-west High Street with dozens of alleyways, narrow streets and courts leading off of it to the north and south. This layout, called a “fishbone” urban pattern, is one of the best-preserved in Britain.

Edinburgh Castle, the most visited paid tourist sight in Scotland, sits at the top of Castle Rock. This royal fortress dates back to the 11th century and has been involved in many historical conflicts including the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Jacobite rising. The grounds of the castle are the site of many attractions including 12th-century St. Margaret’s Chapel, the National War Museum of Scotland and Scottish National War Memorial, the Royal Palace, Crown Square and Portcullis Gate. A series of performances known as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place on the Esplanade during August.

Edinburgh’s main street, the Royal Mile stretches from Edinburgh Castle in the west to Holyrood Palace in the east.

Edinburgh’s main street is home to several tourist sights including the Parliament House, St Giles’ Cathedral, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, as well as many shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs.

Officially, no part of the “Royal Mile” is called that. The street is actually made up of five stretches called Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand.

Many Edinburgh walking tours depart from or near the Royal Mile.

The best way to move around Edinburgh’s Old Town is on foot. This historic quarter is compact enough that you can simply walk to most of the city attractions. Additionally, Waverley Station, the city’s main transport hub, is a 3-minute walk from the Royal Mile.

Being the heart of the city, the Old Town is also the site of many of the top-rated hotels in Edinburgh.

Located north of Edinburgh’s Old Town, across the geological depression of the former Nor Loch, the New Town is Edinburgh’s commercial, transport and cultural hub.

This elegant neighbourhood retains much of its original Georgian architecture and was planned and built between the 18th and mid-19th centuries.

The New Town is the site of Princes Street, one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh. This wide avenue is home to several British and European high street department stores and retailers, as well as many of the best-rated hotels in Edinburgh.

After the construction of the New Town, the highly polluted waters of the Nor Loch were drained and its bed was converted into the Princes Street Gardens. The gardens are home to several of Edinburgh attractions including the Royal Scottish Academy, the Scottish National Gallery, Ross Fountain and the Parish Church of St Cuthbert.

The Victorian Gothic Scott Monument, dedicated to Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, is the second-largest monument to a writer in the world.

Not far lies Edinburgh Waverley Station. This transit hub offers connections to Glasgow, London and dozens of other destinations across Scotland and England.

When it comes to public transport, the New Town is the best-connected area in Edinburgh. The city’s tram system runs through Princes Street and St Andrew Square connecting this area with the airport in under 30 minutes. Furthermore, Edinburgh’s main bus terminal is situated on Elder Street and most of the local bus lines have stops on Princes and George streets.

On its eastern edge, the New Town is dominated by Calton Hill. Home to the Collective contemporary art gallery and the unfinished National Monument, this major tourist attraction offers breathtaking views over the city centre.

Edinburgh’s New Town is also the best area to stay in Edinburgh for nightlife; George Street is the site of many cocktail bars and upscale clubs, while the area around Calton Hill concentrates many of the LGBTQ venues in the Scottish capital.

Being Edinburgh’s most upscale central neighbourhood, the New Town, particularly Princes St, is also where some of the fanciest 4 and 5-star hotels are situated. That said, this lively district is also home to more modest accommodations ranging from family-run B&Bs and hostels to mid-priced hotels by well-known brands.

Located directly west of Edinburgh Castle, Haymarket and the West End are some of the liveliest areas in Edinburgh.

Packed with pubs, restaurants, cocktail bars, theatres and concert venues, these centrally-located districts are among the best areas to stay in Edinburgh for nightlife, particularly for young travellers.

The area is centred around the busy Haymarket station, a recently redeveloped transit hub offering convenient railway connections to Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen, as well as local tram services west to Edinburgh Airport and east to the New Town.

Edinburgh is the second-largest financial centre in Britain, and the West End, particularly around Lothian Rd, has been traditionally regarded as the city’s main financial district.

This area is home to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, one of the main convention and conference centres in Scotland, as well as many office towers, business centres, administrative buildings and foreign consulates.

The northern half of the West End is within Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains long rows and crescents of gorgeous Georgian terraced houses.

Other attractions in this area include St Mary’s Cathedral, Dean Village, the Water of Leith Walkway and the nearby Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

Being a centrally-located nightlife and financial hub, Edinburgh’s West End offers a wide variety of accommodation options ranging from party hostels and modest lodging to the most luxurious business hotels by internationally renowned chains, as well as a wealth of tourist apartments.

Leith is located some 5 kilometres northeast of Princes Street, on the southern coast of the Firth of Forth.

This charming port area was an independent burgh until the early 20th century and still retains a distinctive vibe and energy that has earned it the title of “the coolest place to live in Edinburgh.”

As Edinburgh’s main port, Leith was one of Scotland’s main industrial hubs for many centuries. Today, Leith has managed to shed most of its rough industrial skin while keeping its unique identity to become one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Europe.

Leith is home to Edinburgh’s most exciting dining scene, lovely bars, traditional pubs and quirky cafés, as well as unique boutiques, local designer shops record stores and independent retailers. Needless to say, Leith is Edinburgh’s main hipster area.

When it comes to tourist attractions, Leith is home to the scenic Leith waterfront, the Royal Yacht Britannia; the former royal yacht of the British monarch, Leith Links and the Trinity House Maritime Museum.

To move around, Leith is connected to Princes Street and Edinburgh’s city centre by bus routes 13, 16, 22, 25, 35 and 36. The journey takes around half an hour.

Newington is a neighbourhood located south of the Old Town, around Newington Road and at the foot of Arthur’s Seat.

This largely residential area is characterised by its lovely Georgian and Victorian terraced houses and villas.

South Clerk Street and Newington Road are the main shopping streets in the area. Meanwhile, Minto Street is home to several guesthouses and B&Bs.

Newington is very close to the University of Edinburgh, so the area also offers several student accommodations that double as budget hotels during the summer and holiday periods.

Quiet and residential, Newington is one of the best areas to stay in Edinburgh for nature lovers as it’s very close to Holyrood Park, an extensive parkland with walking and cycling paths and a loch set around the slopes and crags of Arthur’s Seat.

Broughton is an ancient feudal barony located northeast of Edinburgh’s New Town, west of Leith Walk and South of Pilrig.

Centred around Broughton Street, this quarter is located at the heart of Edinburgh’s “pink triangle“, an area with a large number of gay bars and clubs.

Some landmarks in the area include the 1920s theatre Edinburgh Playhouse, the 18th-century Gayfield House and the former Mansfield Place Church.

Broughton is a central area to stay in Edinburgh. It is within walking distance from the New Town and Calton Hill, as well as the York Place tram stop. Bus lines connecting the different streets in the area include routes 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 25, 26, 44 and 49.

Located directly north of the city centre, Stockbridge is a quaint area filled with Georgian and Victorian terraced houses.

Its charming small village atmosphere has long attracted artists and young professionals, giving the area a bohemian vibe.

The main tourist attraction in this quarter is Stockbridge Market, a Sunday food market offering artisanal goods from local producers and international street food.

On its northern edge, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh features manicured gardens with greenhouses, exotic plants and cafes.

Raeburn Place is the area’s main shopping, dining and nightlife street. It is also where most bus stops are located.