Advice on things to do in Edinburgh?

Eat a deep fried Mars bar.

I’ve never been to Edinburgh, but I would soooooo love to visit!

This site has a lot of fascinating things to do (including the castle) but it lists some great bars and restaurants and gives some info about “backpacker” specials at some of the pubs and bars. I guess there are so many hostelers that go to Edinburgh, that they try to cater to them with discounted prices of food and drink. They also mention the idea of going on a “haunted places” tour, which I think would be really fun.

I would also want to go to the Conan Doyle Pub which is near Arthur Conan Doyle’s birthplace and his statue.

And the Robert Louis Stevenson based pub The Jekyll and Hyde

Haggis sounds disgusting to me, but I guess no trip to Scotland would be complete without trying it. This Site lists the 5 best places to get haggis.

This Site list 6 places to hear all types of genres of Scottish music in Edinburgh.

Here’s a List of traditional Scottish restaraunts in Edinburgh. Some of them are in old historical buildings, others have great music venues.

The Sheep Heid Inn established in 1360 is the oldest pub in Edinburgh.

The Royal Oak Pub sounds like one of the best places to hear Scottish folk music.

The Channing Hotel was once home to Ernest Shackelton (the polar explorer) and part of this beautiful Edwardian hotel is decorated and dedicated to Shackelton.

If you have any interest in traditional Scottish attire, you’ll probably want to visit Geoffrey (Tailor) kiltmakers and weavers

If you love the history of musical instruments, you might want to visit the Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments at the University of Edinburgh.

Here is a List of 10 of the yummiest and most budget friendly eateries in Edinburgh.

If you like the idea of indulging in Afternoon Tea this is a list of places to get it in Edinburgh.

If you have any interest in Harry Potter, apparently J.K. Rowlings wrote some of her books in the Elephant House cafe and the former Nicolson’s Cafe

If you get tired of eating haggis and offal, you might want to take a break and try out some of the Vegetarian Restaurants in Edinburgh

Visit the burg of Leith

Have a great time and please give us a little travelogue update when you get back : )

Traveling to Scotland fulfilled a lifelong dream, and I thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.

I loved visiting the Scottish National Gallery, and I enjoyed checking out the little destinations along the Royal Mile. Honestly, just walking around was great. I walked from Jenner’s, where I left my friend shopping (not my idea of fun), through Princes Street Gardens and up to the Mound by way of the museum, and then along the High Street, and found plenty of interest along the way.

Dinner at the Abbotsford was wonderful. If I ever get back to Edinburgh, that’s where I’m going at least once. The food was great, and dessert was the best bread pudding I’ve ever had anywhere.

One evening I wandered over to the Grassmarket from my hotel near the Castle and found a little pub with live traditional music and a wide selection of locally brewed whiskies. I was fine there on my own and have a vague recollection of a nice evening. Somehow I even found my way back to the hotel.

The walking tours are worth doing.

I can’t recommend a specific pub, because I have not been there since I was a teenager, and I am in my 40’s now, but go into one or two, and be sure to talk to some locals. Simply some of the nicest people I have ever met were in Edinburgh and Scotland in general. And, even the Scotts I know here in America. Probably some of the most friendly people on the planet.

I was recently in Edinburgh, I love that city (and I always try to spend some time at the castle when I am there – I have been told it’s one of the most haunted places in Europe!!!) The Edinburgh dungeons werereally interesting as I love history. I also make sure I visit Greyfriars Bobby’s statue which is just down the road from the castle and right outside Bobby’s Bar.

I don’t tend to venture much into the newer part of the city as shopping and nightclubbing aren’t really my thing so I apologise if my suggestions aren’t what you had in mind.

Edit: Having read @Jeruba‘s answer, I can also recommend the National Gallery!