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Home > United Kingdom > 12 Free Things to Do in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

12 Free Things to Do in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

By Dymphe / January 2, 2023

Find here the 12 free things to do in Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. If you are on a budget, these are the best things to do while you are in this great UK city!

Table of Contents

  • 1. Visit the Botanical Gardens
  • 2. Go to Edinburgh Castle for a free view
  • 3. See the Scottish Parliament
  • 4. Go to the National Museum of Scotland
  • 5. Get a view from Arthur’s seat
  • 6. See some modern art
  • 7. Do a free walking tour
  • 8. Scottish National Gallery
  • 9. Go to a free festival
  • 10. Panoramic view from Calton Hill
  • 11. Scottish National Portrait Gallery
  • 12. Enjoy a free comedy show

1. Visit the Botanical Gardens

Want to see beautiful diverse nature while you are in Edinburgh? Then you should visit the Royal Botanical Gardens.

It is one of the best botanical gardens in the world.

Furthermore, you find all kinds of plants from all over the world shown in a beautiful way.

Also, you can get a fantastic view of the city from here.

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Een bericht gedeeld door Joe Caunce (@aguynamedjoe92) op 25 Mrt 2020 om 11:01 (PDT)

2. Go to Edinburgh Castle for a free view

Although the castle itself cannot be visited for free, the rock upon which it is located can!

You can just walk up there from the city center to get one of the most beautiful views of the city.

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Een bericht gedeeld door Edinburgh Castle (@edinburghcastle) op 1 Jan 2020 om 6:10 (PST)

3. See the Scottish Parliament

If you want to visit the Scottish Parliament, you can!

You can get a guided tour of the building or attend a live debate. Also, for more information on the opening times, you can check out the website of the Scottish Parliament.

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Een bericht gedeeld door Scottish Parliament (@scotparl) op 14 Dec 2019 om 6:00 (PST)

4. Go to the National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland can be visited for free.

Here you'll find all kinds of objects relating to the history of Scotland, art, science and many other things.

Furthermore, there are many great free museums in Edinburgh that all have no admission fee.

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Een bericht gedeeld door SUITCASE Magazine (@suitcase) op 15 Mrt 2020 om 12:50 (PDT)

5. Get a view from Arthur’s seat

Arthur's seat is an old volcano near Edinburgh. The hill is located just outside the city at a distance of about 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers, making the hill easy to reach.

Moreover, here you can get a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Edinburgh, but also of the beautiful landscape.

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Een bericht gedeeld door Lara Campana (@laroz10.84) op 7 Mei 2020 om 3:04 (PDT)

6. See some modern art

Another one of Edinburgh's free museums is the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Going here can be a very interesting activity.

Here you find some of the best modern and contemporary art in Scotland.

7. Do a free walking tour

To get to know the city better you can try a free walking tour!

During this tour, you will be guided by a local expert who can show you all of the city.

You can learn about the history and culture by visiting many sites. A great tour can be found here.

Colourful street in Edinburgh

8. Scottish National Gallery

Go to the Scottish National Gallery for Scotland's collection of fine art.

The collection includes international works by, among others, Ruben, Titian, and Monet, but also works by many Scottish artists.

Scottish National Gallery Edinburgh
Photo: Klaus with K / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

9. Go to a free festival

Every year you can go to the Fringe Festival. The Fringe Festival is the largest art festival in the world.

You find here all kinds of performances, such as theatre, comedy, dance, circus, and much more!

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Een bericht gedeeld door Fiona Hunter (@fiona_mhairi_) op 10 Apr 2020 om 5:16 (PDT)

10. Panoramic view from Calton Hill

The next activity on the list of free things to do in Edinburgh is going to Calton Hill. Another great view of Edinburgh can be found when you go there.

Also, this is the hill you probably know from photos of the city.

Furthermore, the hill can easily be reached and the Scottish Parliament can be found here.

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Een bericht gedeeld door Diletta Paoli 🔸 (@dilettalavinialucrezia) op 18 Feb 2020 om 2:41 (PST)

11. Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Here you can learn about the story of Scotland through many portraits.

There are several famous historical people portrayed here. Furthermore, this museum is free as well!

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Een bericht gedeeld door Eelco Kappe (@tripimprover) op 4 Mei 2020 om 8:32 (PDT)

12. Enjoy a free comedy show

In for a laugh? Go to The Stand Comedy Club for some great improvised comedy, because there is a free show every week on Sunday that I would really recommend seeing!

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door The Stand Comedy Club (@standcomedyclub) op 15 Jul 2014 om 12:25 (PDT)

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Categories:
  • Europe
  • United Kingdom
Tags: EdinburghThings To Do
  • Hi there! I’m Dymphe, a travel blogger and content creator with a passion for exploring beautiful destinations and travel photography. I’ve been traveling for years and I decided to start this blog to help you do the same in Europe, the United States, and beyond. More about me.

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