Children’s Activities
Edinburgh offers numerous activities for children and for families to enjoy together. You’ll find several amusements, themed attractions and nature parks that have been developed with children in mind. There are opportunities to handle creepy-crawly animals, watch penguins on parade, explore dungeons and learn about the history of the Royal Yacht Britannia.
 Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World This attraction boasts a colony of butterflies from the tropics and also an extensive population of moths. In addition, there are plenty of other animals resident here. The kids can experience a tropical rainstorm, feed the fish and handle all sorts of creatures. Phone: +44 131 663 4932; website: www.edinburgh-butterfly-world.co.uk.
 Edinburgh DungeonThe atmosphere around Old Town can be spooky and this attraction capitalizes on that with its features including grave robbing and witch hunts. Tours of the dungeons are offered, and visitors are treated to some grisly sights, including instruments of torture and the forerunner of the guillotine. Phone: +44 131 240 1001; website: www.thedungeons.com.
 Edinburgh Zoo Just outside the city, you’ll find more than a thousand animals in an attractive park-like environment. The zoo is known for its penguins that parade each afternoon for visitors, from March through October. From the ‘African Plains’ section you’ll have spectacular views of Edinburgh. A wide range of facilities are on offer, from free Safari rides, to play areas for kids, gift shops and restaurants. Phone: +44 131 334 9171; website: www.edinburghzoo.org.uk.
 Museum of ChildhoodGames and toys from around the world have been collected for the exhibits at this museum that has been called one of the noisiest museums on the planet. There are dolls, teddy bears, train sets and tricycles on display. There are recordings of children from 1930s schoolrooms, and video recordings of local children playing street games in the 1950s. The lives of children throughout the ages have been re-created here through schoolbooks, toys, games and other memorabilia. Phone: +44 131 529 4142; website: www.cac.org.uk.
 Our Dynamic Earth The theme of this attraction, built at the time of millennium celebrations, is the story of planet earth. The entrance is located above ground, but the rest of your visit is spent below ground, underneath craggy cliffs. Children, in particular, enjoy the effects that are featured during this subterranean journey, including a helicopter ride and simulated earth tremors.Phone: +44 131 550 7800; website: www.dynamicearth.co.uk.
 Royal Yacht Britannia Until the yacht was decommissioned in 1997, the British royals travelled the world on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It’s now open for tours, and is a local children’s favourite. The yacht’s 1950s décor and furnishings are the same as when the queen last sailed on it. Facilities include a visitor centre and café.Phone: +44 131 555 5566; website: www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk.
Cultural Activities
Edinburgh is known world-wide for its August festivals, and it’s also noted for its dynamic cultural scene. The capital features the largest collection of art galleries, historic buildings, museums and theatres anywhere in Scotland and rivals other major cities in the UK.
 Dean Gallery Situated opposite the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, this acclaimed gallery is home to a highly-rated collection of Dadaist and surrealist paintings. Particular attention has been paid to the works of Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, a local sculptor whose studio has been re-created here.Phone: +44 131 624 6200; website: www.natgalscot.ac.uk.
 Museum of ScotlandThe history of Scotland, from its origins to the present, is told through exhibits on seven floors of this architecturally innovative building. You’ll find Roman artefacts, armour from the medieval period and an old Scottish guillotine known as ‘The Maiden.’ Incorporated in this same structure is the Victorian Royal Museum of Scotland, known for its glass ceiling and wrought-iron work in the main hall.Phone: +44 131 247 4422; website: www.nms.ac.uk.
 National Gallery of Scotland The gallery’s opulent interior creates the perfect setting for the impressive collection of paintings housed here that date from the early Renaissance period on through the Impressionist era and the entire 20th century. The collection of works by Scottish painters is particularly noteworthy.Phone: +44 131 624 6200; website: www.natgalscot.ac.uk.
 People’s Story
Located opposite the Museum of Edinburgh, this museum is housed in the Canongate Tolbooth, which was constructed at the end of the 16th century. Oral histories and a variety of written accounts are combined to re-create the lives of the ordinary people of Edinburgh from the late 1700s to the current day.Phone: +44 131 529 4057; website: www.cac.org.uk.
 Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art This gallery provides a light and airy environment for its collection of the works of modern artists. Included here are works by Magritte, Matisse, Picasso, Pollock and top contemporary British artists, including the rather controversial Damien Hurst. There’s also a comprehensive representation of Scottish works dating from the 1980s, and a number of sculptures by Henry Moore on the lawn. Phone: +44 131 624 6200; website: www.nationalgalleries.org.
 Scottish National Portrait Gallery The building housing the portrait gallery is a landmark in itself. It was constructed using red sandstone, and the neo-Gothic design of its exterior is quite ornate. The gallery houses an extensive collection of portraits of long-dead Scottish kings and a number of more contemporary heroes. The artistic styles are as diverse as the subjects of the portraits. Phone: +44 131 624 6200; website: www.nationalgalleries.org.
Dining & Shopping
 The restaurant scene in Edinburgh has undergone major change in the last decade, with a boom in the number of restaurants and a trend to finer cuisine. One of the results is that there are only a handful of traditional Scottish eateries remaining. Visitors will hear the fare described these days as ‘modern Scottish,’ meaning sophisticated menus featuring local game and seafood alongside fresh produce.
Whether your preference is for this fresh seafood or game, or for French cuisine, Cantonese, Indian, Italian, Spanish or vegetarian menu, you’ll find it done with style and often with elegance in a good number of restaurants across the city. Areas of the city where you’ll find some of the best choices for dining out include Leith, New Town and the top end of the Royal Mile. The better restaurants are typically quite busy, so reservations are advised.
 Edinburgh’s main shopping area is found along Princes Street, where you’ll find a mix of chain stores and department stores, and lots of shoppers. This isn’t where you’ll find the high-end shops, although the views of Edinburgh Castle are spectacular from here. The better boutiques and shops are found on George Street, running parallel to Princes Street, where the crowds are smaller and the prices are higher. More quirky, unique shops can be found on Rose Street, which runs between George and Princes streets.
A bit away from this central shopping area are Causewayside, home to some interesting antique shops, and the Grassmarket, Broughton Street and Stockbridge, where you’re sure to find a wider range of options than along Princes Street. If you’re in the market for Scottish souvenirs, top quality knitwear and other traditional items, the Royal Mile is the place to shop.
Outdoor Activities
The city of Edinburgh is surrounded by varied terrain, from the rugged Pentland Hills south of the city to the estuary known as the Firth of Forth located to the north. Opportunities abound for most types of outdoor activities, with cycling, fishing, golf and hiking being some of the most popular.
 Bird Watching
In the outskirts of Edinburgh you’ll find natural habitats that are home to varied native bird life. The habitats include parklands and wooded valleys, lochs and coastal mud flats. In addition, many varieties of sea birds can be seen on the Firth of Forth. During the summer months a tour boat operates from Newhaven and South Queensferry into the estuary and provides the opportunity to see much of the native sea bird population.
 Cycling
Edinburgh is hilly and the traffic is heavy so it may be surprising that cycling is so popular here. Also, the weather is rainy and windy, yet it’s considered to be one of the better cities in the UK for cycling. Much of the popularity is due to the extensive network of off-road paths that have been built along defunct railway lines. These pathways have become ‘green belts’ that provide a haven for non-motorised traffic and wildlife. If you’re interested in hiring a bicycle while you’re visiting Edinburgh, you’ll find a number of hire companies around the city.
 Fishing
Enthusiasts will find numerous places for grayling, salmon and trout fishing quite near the city. Licences are not required, but you may well need to pay the landowner a fee for the privilege of fishing on their property. Some of the popular spots include the Almond River, Portmore Loch and the Water of Leith. A booklet called ‘Angling in the Lothians’ is available at most fishing shops.
 Golf Golfers can choose from a number of excellent courses in and around Edinburgh. The Silverknowes Golf Club, for example, is a rather flat 18-hole course with views over the Forth River. Murrayfield Golf Course is a pleasant option that’s open to visitors on weekdays only. Musselburgh Links is a nine-hole facility situated in the middle of a racecourse. This is the site of golf’s first recorded game, in 1672.
 Hiking and Walking
Edinburgh boasts abundant parks and walking trails that follow along waterways and into the hills. Pentland Hills is a village at the western edge of the city and is a good starting-off point for walkers to follow the coastal route to South Queensferry and Dalmeny House. Another scenic walk is to start from Blackford Glen, and continue along the track that runs alongside Braid Burn and finishes at the information centre at the Hermitage House. The Water of Leith is a river running from the Pentland Hills to the sea, with many stretches along its banks making for pleasant walking. In particular, the length from Dean Village to Stockbridge and on to Warriston is quite popular.
Tennis and Racquet Sports
A number of tennis and other racquet sports are very popular with the Edinburgh population, and centres are featured in and around the city. You’ll find a good selection of indoor and outdoor tennis courts available, as well as badminton and squash courts, often in the same facilities where weight and fitness training are offered.
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