Very busy bar. Indoor & outdoor seating. Hostess will seat you inside to the left or first come,…read morefirst serve seating to the right and outside. The staff was friendly. Full bar to include local gin and beer offerings. Good menu. The pie was great as was the beer and gin we had. Traditional decor inside. It's definitely worth coming in for just a pint or staying for a meal.

Greyfriars Bobby is one of Edinburgh's most popular tourist attractions. Located just in front of…read morethe entrance to the Greyfriars Kirk can be found the bronze statue of Bobby. Hundreds of fans flock here every day to pay their respects, all eager to get a closer look at their doggy hero. History and why it is famous- and trust me guys, he is inthe same league as Hachi- Bobby, born in 1856, was a Terrier who spent over 14 years guarding the grave of his beloved owner. John - a dedicated nightwatchman for the Edinburgh City Police Force - carried out his duties with his trusty companion night after night. After John's untimely death in 1858, Bobby refused to leave his master's grave until the day he died himself. The rumours about this little dog began to spread far and wide, and Bobby soon had quite the fan base. In 1867, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh presented him with his very own collar. This gesture signified that Bobby was a licensed dog, meaning that he was protected against the new law that had recently been enforced, which stated that all unlicensed dogs would be destroyed. Bobby passed away in January 1872, and as a final token of his loyalty, was buried close to his master in the Kirkyard. A granite fountain with a statue can be found opposite Greyfriars Kirkyard - a permanent memorial to this faithful pup. Bobby's grave can be found immediately inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard. He was buried close to his much-loved John, ensuring that the pair's astonishing bond would never be broken. It is not uncommon for doting visitors to leave sticks, dog toys, and flowers on his grave.

Standing just over 200ft (61m) high, and known as the Gothic Rocket, the Scott Monument is often…read moremistaken for a church - understandably, perhaps - and dominates the view of the eastern section of New Town along Princes Street. Following Scott's death in 1832 the people of Edinburgh decided that a monument should be built in memory of one of Scotland's best-loved literary figures. At the time he was probably the most widely read British author of the era. The Scott Monument is the largest monument to a writer in the world. some data says, its 2nd largest though. This is especially fitting, given that Edinburgh is a UNESCO City of Literature, having been home to many notable writers, such Scott, Burns, Stevenson, Conan Doyle and many more! There are 287 steps to the top of the Scott Monument, from where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside.

This gothic monument to the famous Scottish writer (Sir Walter Scott) is so dark and mysterious…read morelooking during the day. It's an even better view at night when it's all lit up. It kind of makes you wonder what it actually looked like before it soaked up "auld reekie's" pollution back in the 19th century. In a way, the black soot actually gives it more character. It's also a nice contrast with the white Carrara marble statue of the writer. Do you see his dog (named Maida) laying to the right of him? So cute! So, if you can actually see the outer architectural details then you're in for a treat. It stands at 200 feet tall and has about 64 statues that represent some of the most notable characters in his novels. To be honest, I was more impressed with the gargoyles. We didn't attempt to go inside to climb up to the top of it, but many pay to do that. I'm sure it's a nice view. The courtyard surrounding it was being decorated for Remembrance Day celebrations. I loved seeing all the crosses and red poppies around it. It's definitely a must see monument, and certainly one that you're going to eventually pass by at some point during your stay in Edinburgh.

Everything went well. My wife was brought to tears just being here. Impressive palace. Loved the…read morehistory and paying a little extra for the additional tours. The history alone was enough for us to enjoy. The grounds were also very beautiful.

Good self guided audio tour of the palace. Some tricky stairs involved but beautiful palace…read more Friendly staff

It's just one of many interesting closes along the Royal Mile. This one is named after the Lord…read moreAdvocate's House. The house of Sir James Stewart used to be at the lower end the stairs near Cockburn St. It's literally steps away from the Supreme Courts building in Parliament Square. Well, about 70 steps up. Today, it's more of a shortcut between Market Street and the Royal Mile. The best feature of Advocate's Close is actually the perfectly framed view of the Scott Monument through the archway. You'll also see how high you are on the hill when walking up or down this steep & worn set of stairs. Hopefully they will add handrails to it one day like others that we've seen throughout the city. I mean, they don't call them "Death Stairs" for nothing. Oh, and theres's a very popular gastropub called the Devil's Advocate near the bottom of the steps. We didn't get to visit it, but it came highly recommended. It's just another reason to visit it.

Edinburgh is riddled with closes and Advocate's Close is a fine example of these narrow lanes that…read moreconnect streets throughout and behind the Royal Mile. The tall buildings that line the path give many closes a canyon-like feel with many of them sloping steeply down from the Royal Mile. It's like walking into the underground! Advocate's Close is particularly popular with tourists and I can see why. At the top, it offers a beautiful peek-a-boo view of the Sir Walter Scott Monument in the distance and some of Edinburgh's central buildings. Walk all the way down and it connects you to Cockburn Street below. Definitely try walking through a close or two as they are great shortcuts to get from one street to another along the Royal Mile.

Amazing museum that if you blind as you walk by you'll miss so much history. The museum is the…read morehouse, the house is the museum. It's filled with three floors of objects and artifacts with interact attractions. At only £7.50 an adult and £1.50 a child (under 18), you get to experience history that ushered the reformation into Scotland. What a neat find! Also, it's more than a museum telling about John Knox and his house, it's also a bookshop that is filled with storytelling, history, and folklore. Enjoy!

John Knox, leader of the Scottish Protestant movement, the mother and father of the Presbyterian…read morechurch, and doer of Bad*ssery, lived in this home for time. This home was once owned by the Mossman gold-smithing family, but was sort of "Eminent Domain'd" by Knox. It was so enjoyable to walk in the halls of this place and see the study, the sitting rooms, and steps of history and of one of the most renowned preacher in the history of the christian faith. The staff was absolutely lovely on the grounds of the mansion, and the location was just absolutely perfect for a tourist to visit alongside the many other events to take part in. The only issue I took with the historical site was the presentation of the information via the clunky papers we were given, and i certainly would not recommend the restaurant underneath. Overall this was worth a visit, especially if you've missed a reservation for a tour, have extra time in the city, or are an incredible history nerd like myself. Do visit! P.S. The historic "End Of The World" pub is across the street and is also a must visit

Very worthwhile visit to this historical site. More than just one castle; it is/was an ongoing…read moreproject with Scottish royal additions and military installations over the centuries. Full of exhibits tucked away in hidden spots in the stairwells, the old prisons, and military barracks. Multitudes of museums housing the royal jewels, weapons, dress, and military units. Visited in August and purchased our tickets in June. It appears tickets sell out 3-4 weeks in advance. And the crowds get bigger by the hour inside. The 1pm firing of the cannon is a crowd-pleaser. And loud. Be prepared to take a lot of pictures.

Interesting place to visit but I would recommend getting tickets early and not depend upon a tour…read moregroup wi to a guide. We did this just to get in. Guide was knowledgeable for the most part but basically dumped us in the castle which was fine. We stayed until they ran us out and roamed freely and saw everything. It's incredible how something like this is still standing. We thought it was awesome and if in Edinburgh you must see it.

So many fun illusions. I got confused. Especially on the spinning bridge and the mirror maze.read more

We came to Edinburgh for the Taylor swift concert and wanted to do some exploring. My 13 year old…read moredaughter and her friend made it clear they didn't want to do any sightseeing so we looked for fun activities that appealed to teens...and came across this. We found this to be a fun way to kill 90 minutes in this cool city. There's all sorts of rooms with optical illusions, but you also get to enjoy amazing views of Edinburgh on the rooftops. The girls seemed to enjoy, although the favorite part was probably the last room which included some a mirror maze and something that made me super dizzy. Recommended for kid/teen fun!

A must-see in Scotland. Cut off to vehicles, a great place to walk to see Edinburgh at its…read morefunniest. There at the same time as the Fringe, not sure if that amplified the fest, but it was very entertaining with the party atmosphere. Street performers, hawkers and vendors add colorful flair to the street scene.

Let this review slip through the cracks but brought it back to life after scrolling through my pics…read moreof Scotland on my phone. Traveling through Scotland it is mandatory to take a stroll in the Royal Mile to see all the historic landmarks and whiskey stores. #1 See the iconic retro red British phone booths with the cool stickers. #2 Take a few pics with the Scottish guy in his kilt playing the bag pipes. #3 walk to the top of the Edinburgh Castle for a 360 degree view of the area. #4 Find the hidden Devil's Advocate Bar and have a cold craft beer. Great experience at the Royal Mile and cant wait to visit here again.

we did not plan for it, though i knew but somehow our time matched with this, and we wiyneesed this…read morecentulr old tradition. Every day except Sunday) at precisely 1pm, you can hear the Edinburgh Gun go off from the clifftop where the castle sits. native Edinburgers check their watches when it is being fired from the hill. They've been firing it since 1861! There have therefore been a whole series of different one o'clock guns over time. The One O'clock Gun is one of only a few surviving time signals, once a common feature of ports around the United Kingdom History behind it- once upon a time, ships in the Firth of Forth set their maritime clocks by it. Ships previously relied on a visual signal, watching the time ball atop the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill drop - [look out for this next time you're in town at lunchtime.] The time ball wasn't visible on foggy days, so the gun's audible bang solved that problem, firing at the same time as the time ball drops at 1pm.

This was so much fun! Our walking tour brought us here at just the right time. There were already…read morelots of people in front of us waiting to experience the firing of the One O'Clock Gun. Fortunately, I was able to capture a video of the whole experience. As you can see, it was very loud. It was also very timely at precisely 1:00 PM. I must admit that it was louder than the pirate ship cannon at RJS during a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. It was also cool to see everyone's reaction in front of us. Definitely try to experience this when visiting Edinburgh Castle. Don't forget to revisit it on your way back down. That's when you can get up close to the gun without all the crowds of people in the way. There's also a great view of Edinburgh from the wall here.

We did the hour long tour and that was a perfect amount of time and information for our family. Our…read moreguide Louis B was very awesome without being an obnoxious tour guide. We've had some tour guides that are super cringy, but he wasn't. He had a wealth of information without being dry or boring. This tour was very interesting and I am very happy we went on it.

This was a wonderful tour. It was full of interesting stories about Edinburgh's past and the black…read moreplague that struck the city. The actors were very into their characters, which I loved. It was so much fun to hear their stories, see their enthusiasm and hear all about the history. I docked a star since I hate when places limit photo opportunities. It honestly feels like a missed opportunity for promotion to not allow tourists to post photos of themselves on social promoting their business. I do work in promotions so maybe I'm slightly biased but feels short sighted. Overall, a lovely tour and a wonderful guide.