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Meaghan & Graham

Errol, UK

Meaghan & Graham

Errol, UK

Things to Do: Edinburgh & Glasgow

Edinburgh vs. Glasgow

Unsure of what to do in Edinburgh or Glasgow? Check out peoplemakeglasgow.com and visitscotland.com.


You can find everything from distillery tours to most instagrammable spots, nice walks, tours, restaurant recommendations, etc.


Here's a great list of "must try" foods around Scotland.


The big debate: Spend time in Glasgow or Edinburgh?! Eh, both...here's a good blog post with good arguments.


Below are some great things to do in each city, and we recommend taking a sightseeing tour bus in both Glasgow and Edinburgh to get a lay of the land and see as much of the cities as possible if you don't have much time. Many companies will do hop on/hop off tours. We recommend City Sightseeing for Edinburgh and Glasgow. Bonus: it's usually only £1 extra for a 2-day ticket; which means you have your transit paid for for 2 days!

Edinburgh

eteaket Tea Room

Picture of eteaket Tea Room
41 Frederick St, Edinburgh EH2 1EP, UK
0131 226 2982

A lovely tea room in Edinburgh, near George Street

Website

Kilimanjaro Coffee

Picture of Kilimanjaro Coffee
104 Nicolson St, Newington, Edinburgh EH8 9EJ, UK
0131 662 0135

Graham's favorite restaurant in Edinburgh. Fantastic breakfasts.

Bross Bagels

Picture of Bross Bagels
177 Portobello High St, Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 1EU, UK
0131 629 1860

Montreal style bagels in Scotland! Some call it one of the best bagels in the UK (low bar, but still), and they come highly recommended. There are a few locations around Edinburgh, for those who want carby goodness in the capital.

The Pantry

Picture of The Pantry
1 N W Circus Pl, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 6ST, UK
0131 629 0206

Cafe and popular brunch spot in the lovely area of Stockbridge. Good selection of cakes, all manner of coffee and wonderful avocado on toast. They have a children’s area as well.

Leo's Beanery

Picture of Leo's Beanery
23A Howe St, Edinburgh EH3 6TF, UK
0131 556 8403

A friendly cafe with excellent brunch, lunch, coffee and the best brownie in Scotland.

TING THAI CARAVAN Teviot Place

Picture of TING THAI CARAVAN Teviot Place
8-9 Teviot Pl, Edinburgh EH1 2QZ, UK
0131 225 9801

Thai street food in Scotland! There are two locations, and the one on Lothian road is close to town and a lot of pubs.

The Dome

Picture of The Dome
14 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PF, UK
0131 624 8624

One of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks, the Dome is an upscale restaurant and bar and was first built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland.

Edinburgh Castle

Picture of Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK
0131 225 9846

Edinburgh Castle is one of the coolest places to visit in the city! It's impossible to miss, as it sits on a huge hill in the center of town. You can walk around it at your own pace, or go on one of their tours. Tickets can be bought online or at the gate.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Picture of Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, UK
0303 123 7306

This palace is the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh. Tickets can be bought online.

Arthur’s Seat

Picture of Arthur’s Seat
Edinburgh EH8 8HG, UK

Arthur's Seat is an ancient volcano that sits in the middle of Holyrood Park. You can hike (it's all well-paved) up to the top of it for an excellent view of Edinburgh.

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

Picture of Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2ND, UK
0131 226 3709

Camera Obscura is an attraction in the heart of the city that's full of optical illusions and hands-on exhibits.

The Edinburgh Dungeon

Picture of The Edinburgh Dungeon
31 Market Place, Edinburgh EH1 1DF, UK
0131 240 1001

The Edinburgh Dungeon is an underground attraction full of spooky horror-themed attractions and rides.


Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Picture of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Arboretum Pl, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ, UK
0131 248 2909

The Botanic Gardens are great to walk through to see all sorts of plants and flowers, especially in the summer. Admission is free except for entry to certain greenhouses.

National Museum of Scotland

Picture of National Museum of Scotland
Chambers St, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK
0300 123 6789

The National Museum is full of both historical and scientific exhibits. It's also home to the taxidermied Dolly the Sheep--the first sheep ever cloned! Admission is free.

The Real Mary King's Close

Picture of The Real Mary King's Close
2, Warriston's Close, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1PG, UK
0131 225 0672

Like many places in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots stayed here once! Located underneath buildings in Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the close has great guided tours and history to discover.

Scottish National Gallery

Picture of Scottish National Gallery
The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL, UK
0131 624 6200

The National Gallery houses wonderful paintings and sculptures. Admission is free.

Glasgow

The Corinthian Club

Picture of The Corinthian Club
191 Ingram St, Glasgow G1 1DA, UK
0141 552 1101

Fancy cocktails and great afternoon tea spot

Chaophraya Glasgow

Picture of Chaophraya Glasgow
The Townhouse, Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow G1 2LL, UK
0141 320 0241

A great Thai Restaurant in an epic building.


Located just off Buchanan street opposite the church. Formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, set over four floors the restaurant impressively blends contemporary Thai design with the characterful heritage surrounds.

Mother India Restaurant

Picture of Mother India Restaurant
28 Westminster Terrace, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 7RU, UK
0141 221 1663

Great Indian restaurant with 3 Glasgow locations.

Ubiquitous Chip

Picture of Ubiquitous Chip
12 Ashton Ln, Hillhead, Glasgow G12 8SJ, UK
0141 334 5007

Delicious and quirky restaurant. Good gastropub and great environment.

The Hanoi Bike Shop

Picture of The Hanoi Bike Shop
8 Ruthven Ln, Glasgow G12 9BG, UK
0141 334 7165

Best Vietnamese food in Glasgow (maybe all of Scotland?) Plus Graham once sat next to Sam Heughan here.

Paesano Pizza

Picture of Paesano Pizza
94 Miller St, Glasgow G1 1DT, UK
0141 258 5565

Very, very good pizza.

Glasgow Necropolis

Picture of Glasgow Necropolis
Castle St, Glasgow G4 0UZ, UK
0141 287 5064

The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral. Some of the most amazing views of the city!

Pro tip: go at sunset

University of Glasgow

Picture of University of Glasgow
University Ave, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
0141 330 2000

Gorgeous campus -- so many places worth getting photos of. Fun fact: Scenes from Outlander and Harry Potter were shot here.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Picture of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8AG, UK
0141 276 9599

Kelvingrove has 22 galleries, housing a range of exhibits, including Renaissance art, taxidermy, and artifacts from ancient Egypt.


It's also on the edge of Kelvingrove Park, a lovely city park to walk around in!

Gallery of Modern Art

Picture of Gallery of Modern Art
111 Queen St, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3AH, UK
0141 287 3050

The Gallery of Modern Art is the main gallery of contemporary art in Glasgow, Scotland. GoMA displays work by local and international artists as well as addressing contemporary social issues through its major biannual projects

Riverside Museum

Picture of Riverside Museum
100 Pointhouse Rd, Govan, Glasgow G3 8RS, UK
0141 287 2720

Great museum on the bank of the Clyde River. Houses train cars, motorcycles and cars--naturally, it's one of Graham's favorite Glasgow museums!