Top 10 Free Sights in Edinburgh

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Whitehorse Close has been beautifully restored, whitewashed and worth visiting, in order to see original Scottish vernacular architecture and its typical features. This was once a bustling spot where coaches to and from London congregated. The Inn here dates from the 17th century and thought to be the place where Prince Charles Edward Stuart's Highland army officers were quartered in 1745.

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Up on Calton Hill sits this monument to Nelson's famous victory at Trafalgar in 1805 resembling an upturned telescope it was designed by the architect Robert Burn. Once inside this impressive building, visitors may climb the 143 steps to the top and view Edinburgh in its entirety - behold the great 360 degree views of the city, across to the Firth of Forth, and over to Arthur's Seat. At the very top is a clever timed device that drops a huge ball to coincide with the one o'clock gun fired from the Castle - it was devised to enable sailors to check their chronometers.

Our Local Expert Says:

Arthur’s seat is one of the highest of Edinburgh’s seven hills and makes for a good walk for photo opportunities of Edinburgh below. Pathways are easily located from the foot of Arthur’s Seat with a car park area at the base.

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 Like Castle Rock, Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags were formed by an extinct volcano and carved out by moving glaciers. These hills, lochs (lakes) and cliffs make up Holyrood Park and offer somewhat easy walking trails. Arthur's Seat is the highest point in Edinburgh (251 meters high) and is located at the center of the park while the Crags are located west of it. It is not known if the name is truly related to the mythology of King Arthur.

Our Local Expert Says:

For those who like to spend, Princes Street Gardens is the picturesque gateway to the shopping district beyond. A beautiful park with historic statues and monuments, it’s a peaceful refuge for those who’ve hit the stores all day.

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Step out amongst the vibrancy of Edinburgh city centre and visit Princes Street Gardens. Take in views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town on one side of this splendid park and the bustle of the New Town on the other. Princes Street Gardens is the gateway to the shopping district beyond, it is a great place to wander through with historic monuments and a fountain. Frequented by families, students and performers Princes Street Gardens is alive with people.

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Edinburgh's Royal Mile is the famous road leading upwards to Edinburgh Castle. Cobbled in places and pedestrian friendly the Royal Mile is home to historic buildings which run the length of the street. It is the definitive route to see Old Edinburgh Town. Many of the city's best restaurants and shops line the incline offering traditional Scottish food and memorabilia. Take a moment to wander down one of the narrow and sometimes secret Royal Mile closes, many providing the theatrical atmosphere for grizzly ghost tours.

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Huntly House comprises three tenements that were amalgamated in 1570. It was dubbed "The Speaking House" by a Victorian antiquarian, in reference to the Latin inscriptions on its facade. Informative displays inside tell the history of Edinburgh, from prehistoric times through to the nineteenth century. Visitors are able to see collections of colourful shop signs, pottery and Edinburgh silver and glass. The tenements themselves are the real attractions here. Check for details of temporary exhibitions of art and artefacts. Admission: free.

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The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), is the home of contemporary art in Scotland.

Since 1826, the Academy has occupied William Henry Playfair's magnificent landmark building on the Mound, Edinburgh.  Following a period of relocation due to the major restoration of the RSA building by the National Galleries of Scotland, the RSA returned to its home in spring, 2003.
The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture has a wide-ranging collection of art and associated objects, archives and published material that have been acquired since the academy's foundation in 1826.The core element of the collections is the Diploma Collection, which comprises a single work by each full member of the academy which he or she must deposit as a representation of his or her L'uvre. Coming directly from the artist, and requiring the approval of the rest of the full membership, the Diploma Collection maintains a direct link between artist and collection.

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The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is currently closed while it undergoes a major refurbishment. The Gallery will re-open in late 2011.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery opened to the public in 1889, and is the first purpose-built portrait gallery in the world.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is home to Scotland's national collection of portraits and currently also houses the National Photography Collection. Its origins can be traced to one enthusiastic collector, the mildly eccentric David, 11th Earl of Buchan. His collection of portraits of famous Scots, assembled in the late eighteenth century, formed the foundation of the national portrait collection in its first conception. To this day, the Gallery continues to collect works that are portraits of Scots, though not necessarily made by Scots. It aims to add portraits of those missing in the collection, as well as to bring the collection up to date. Since 1982 there has been a policy of commissioning portraits of living Scots by contemporary artists.

When the Gallery re-opens in late 2011, the way in which the collection is displayed will also be transformed. The portraits will be shown within the context of various historical and thematic exhibitions, bringing to the foreground the fascinating stories behind the sitters and the artists.  Much more photography will be on display, and there will be a strong focus on Scottish art.

While the Portrait Gallery is closed, a selection of portraits from the collection will be on display at the National Gallery Complex, the Modern Art Galleries and exhibitions across the country.

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The National Gallery of Scotland is housed in a striking neoclassical building situated at one end of Princes Street Gardens. With works by Da Vinci and Van Gogh represented within the National Gallery of Scotland's collection this is an essential part of any tour to Edinburgh city. Temporary exhibitions are frequent here and tickets can be booked in advance from the website.

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Home to Scotland's outstanding national collection of modern and contemporary art, the Modern Art Galleries include the Gallery of Modern Art and the nearby Dean Gallery.

Works from the Gallery's collection, plus special loans, are presented here. The early part of the collection features French and Russian art from the beginning of the twentieth century, cubist paintings and superb holdings of expressionist and modern British art. Special highlights include paintings by Matisse and Picasso.

The Gallery also has an outstanding collection of international post-war work and the most important and extensive collection of modern Scottish art. The post-war collection features art by Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Lucian Freud, with more recent works by artists including Antony Gormley, Gilbert & George, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.