Hidden Treasures Map of Edinburgh

The 20 Gems not to miss in Edinburgh

“It is not down on any map; true places never are” — Herman Melville

The original plan was to fly from London to Lion, France to visit a friend and family. This idea was compromised and I flew to Glasgow, Scotland instead. I travelled to Edinburgh by train after a few weeks in Glasgow. This whole trip was a rollercoaster of emotions — from feeling safe and at home, to feeling like a total outsider and misunderstood.

Upon arrival in Edinburgh, the first impression was that this city had stopped in time. It was beautiful! It reminded me of the Medieval Summer Festivals 🐾 across Portugal, Spain & France villages. Edinburgh thrives in its own little bubble of time, where a new modern spiral building emerges in the landscape of granite walls and rocky roads.

However, I was warned that Edinburgh was grayer than the British stereotype of “gray and cloudy countries”. Edinburgh was tiny, yet it was good to explore the Eastern side of the country. This was the second place (after Dublin) I did not feel particularly welcomed. I sensed that the British pride was much stronger here, I was often seen as a student (no perks or discounts applied, however), and the notion of remote work was misunderstood.

Scotland is by no means the best destination for Digital Nomads or long travels. Security and travel flexibility are the strengths here, but the cost of living, remote work accessibility and public transport reliability are not the greatest.

My Hidden Treasures Maps focus on highlighting the best underrated, unique places on each location. These places are often hard to find and most were suggestions made by the locals, others found by chance! They aim to offer off-the-radar places to visit to spice up the main attractions already on your travel list!

📍Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

⭐️ Solo Digital Nomad Rate: 5/10

Attractions🪂

• Visit the Typewronger Books! —This is every reader’s dream: a tiny bookstore decorated with the million colors of its books
• After hiking up to Edinburgh’s Castle, you’ll find this small chapel called St Margaret’s Chapel. It dates back from the 12th century, if not older! Rumors have it that the castle was built to protect this small church while overlooking the city, sea and southern fields
• Along the Royal Mile, you’ll find the St Giles’ Cathedral —Make sure to watch a music concert at this Cathedral! The building is beautifully decorated and the architecture is also very striking
• Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art — A beautiful place for a walk along the parks and to explore the beautiful art that it’s not too contemporary or abstract. The galleries are split in 2, just across the road from each other. Modern One has a stunning lake, which is great for pictures in sunny days!
• Acknowledge the uniqueness of the Greyfriars Kirkyard — the graveyard at the edge of the Old Town, with burials dating back to the 16th century, including the beloved Greyfriars Bobby, the dog, rests! It’s said that the hill where this cemetery exists isn’t part of the original landscape; it is, in fact, man-made! Excuse the graphic content, however, this is site is, quite literally, a “human-based lasagna”! Unclaimed older graves had no place to be left, so piles of dirt and old skeletons have been piled up over the years, forming this hill… Watch out where you step, you can easily find someone’s hand lying around waiting for a shake ☠️. As always, not a place to visit at night! 🦇

Food Spots🍴

• Orocco Pier Restaurant — When visiting Queensferry 🐾, having a meal by the pier is a must! I visited this restaurant, which had great food and cocktails and the most dreamy views through its huge glassed windows! The other restaurants nearby also have excellent reviews, so even if you do not book a space in advance, you’ll have plenty of delicious options to choose from!
• Holy Cow Lounge — Edinburgh is known getting more and more known for Veganism! This is one of the spots not to miss, even if you’re not a Vegan — the food is very tasty here and the portions are very large (I choose the Kids menu and was full!)
• Pizza Geeks — The tastiest pizza you’ll find, totally inspired by Comic Books, Games and Movies. Even if you’re not into this scene, this is such a quirky place with some serious food! Or, well… As far as serious Pizza goes! 🍕 My favourite: Super Mario Pizza, get the milk ready cuz it’s HOT!
• Wine & Peach — A small plates restaurant with an explosion of flavour in each dish! The wine menu is excellent as well as the service, as expected — the whole mood teleport one to Southern Italy. If you visit in a group, make sure to order one of each dish and share between everyone! And don’t forget the deserts!! Oh… the deserts…. 🤤

Places to Work From📶

• Hampton by Hilton Edinburgh West End — Who would have thought that you’d be allowed in at a hotel lounge if you weren’t a hotel guest!? This Hilton allows public from 7am — 10pm to stay and even work long hours! There are plenty of power sockets and the Wi-Fi is reliable and fast! This is also a very quiet place and bright, with amazing food nearby (which you can also bring in) or have a pizza from their own menu or drooling Lebanese street food (from their restaurant, Sophia’s Lounge)!
• TravelHub / CoffeeHub — Although there is not much space here, the coffeHub here has plenty of sockets, there’s WiFi and it’s not too busy for its location either. Of course, add that up with their nice coffee and this is an awesome spot for remote work!

Hidden Treasures 🐾

• Dr Neil’s Garden — This little Oasis garden is just a few minutes walk from the centre, with its own tiny loch, wild birds, peaceful herb gardens, a farm, seating areas to enjoy the landscape and the sounds of nature 🐞🍃
• National Museum of Scotland — Although this place is a maze and there’s so much to see, you can easily miss its best hidden gems 🐾 on the Basement (-1) level! You can find ancient artifacts and stone cravings here, things you’ll only find in Scotland! This museum also only houses objects from its country, not importing and foreign art — this is indeed the best authentic museum in Scotland!
• World’s Smallest Working Light Tower — When in Queensferry 🐾, cross the river to the North side to find this tiny Light Tower! Make sure to also go on a river cruise, exploring some interesting historical spots along the coast as well as spotting the wildlife, watching Puffins 🦤, Seals 🦭 and — if lucky — Dolphins 🐬!
• Dean Village — Among all the treasurer’s so far found, this village set the bar miles high! It’s only 20 minutes walk from Edinburgh’s main Street (Princess Street) and is like a tranquil oasis by the stormy lives in the capital… 🌹👑 Originally a small mill town since the 1200s, it fell into decay in the late 1900s. More recently, new generations found the value of this place, brought it back up and is now one of the most unique places in Scotland! Its unique charm doesn’t only exist within the areas where these pictures were taken, however. At the Dean’s Village, you can find both new-built contemporary houses, as well as Victorian homes with the decayed décor in place! You can also walk by the relaxing gardens and pathways along the Water of Leith (the river)! 😌 The cherry on top of the cake is the Deal Cemetery with huge memorials and sculptures and gravestones, including pink granite pyramid!🔺This is a bucket list place, I never knew we needed! 🤩

Honorary Mentions⛳

• Visit the Victorian Turkish Baths at the Edinburgh Leisure — Did you know this is an authentic, original Victorian Turkish Baths in Edinburgh? This is actually the last of its kind in the city! They offer 3 levels of temperature within its hot chambers, enabling you to choose the perfect option for the most unique way to relax and de-street! A session last 1h45 and is very affordable! You’ll need to book in advance, however.
• Wojtek the Soldier Bear Memorial — This is the story of a War Hero — Wojtek, the bear! The WWII had just begun, when a group of Polish soldiers (and previous political prisoners) adopted an orphaned brown bear cub 🐻. As the cub grew, it became used to its surroundings and living amongst humans. Being the central figure within the group to boost their morale and keep on their duties, had learnt to salute people, help carry supplies and even drinking beer and eating cigarettes! One day, when the troops prepared to move forces from Egypt to Italy, they were told they were not allowed to bring pets onboard the ship! So the Polish soldiers listed the bear as one of the soldiers, naming him Wojtek (“joyful warrior”)! Wojtek served until the end of the war and moved with his fellow soldiers to lands near Edinburgh. He was later moved to the Zoo where the soldiers visited him regularly until he passed aged 22.
• The Royal Yacht Britannia — At the edge of the city, you’ll find the Forth Estuary Towage and the exit/entrance to the North Sea. This yacht has been used by the British Royal Family in trans-Atlantic journeys and official state visits to neighbouring countries.
• Jupiter Artland — This outdoor museum is royal in contemporary sculpture and landscape design. Unfortunately, this was closed during my visit and was unable to visit. Nevertheless, this is a must-go for Endingburgh trips!

You may also like: Hidden Treasures Map of Glasgow

Disclaimer: All of these suggestions are unaffiliated and I’ve not been offered any compensation or deals to mention these places on this blog. The aim of these guides is to show my journeys, travel suggestions, wins and fails to enrich your own adventures!

About me: My name is Vanessa, I’m a Female Solo Digital Nomad, working in the Music Industry and traveling the world hunting hidden gems🐾 for you to get inspired and follow these treasure maps! You can read a bit more about how this journey started and how I handed over the keys to my apartment and unlocked the world!

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