Free things to do in Edinburgh

Edinburgh can feel expensive, especially in August. But some of the very best things to do here are free: the views, the national museums and galleries, the parks and the walks. You could easily fill three days without buying a single ticket.

These are the free things I’d recommend to anyone visiting. All of them were free to enter at the time of writing, but it’s worth checking opening times before you go.

Free viewpoints

Edinburgh’s hills give you some of the best city views in Europe, and none of them cost a penny.

• Calton Hill: a ten-minute climb from the east end of Princes Street for the classic view of the Old Town skyline and the Castle. Free and open at all times.
• Arthur’s Seat: the 251-metre extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, with views across the city to the Firth of Forth and Fife. Allow two hours there and back.
• The Vennel: a stepped lane off the Grassmarket with one of the best street-level views of the Castle.
• Blackford Hill: a quieter hill in the south of the city, popular with locals, with views back over the whole skyline.

Free museums and galleries

The national museums and galleries are free to enter for their main collections. Some special exhibitions charge.

• National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street: Scottish history, science and nature, with a roof terrace overlooking the Castle.
• Scottish National Gallery, the Mound: European and Scottish art.
• Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Queen Street: famous Scots, in one of the city’s most beautiful buildings.
• Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Belford Road: modern and contemporary art across two galleries.
• Museum of Edinburgh and The People’s Story, Canongate: the story of the city and its people.

See my rainy day guide for more on each.

Free parks, gardens and walks

• Princes Street Gardens: the valley garden below the Castle, with the Ross Fountain and the Scott Monument at its edges.
• The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: 70 acres of gardens in Inverleith, free to enter. The restored Palm Houses reopened in October 2026 with ticketed entry.
• The Water of Leith Walkway: a riverside path through the city. The stretch from Dean Village to Stockbridge is the prettiest.
• The Meadows: the big park south of the Old Town, full of students, picnics and cherry blossom in spring.
• Portobello beach and promenade: Edinburgh’s seaside, a bus ride east of the centre.
• Holyrood Park: beyond Arthur’s Seat itself, the park has lochs, ruined chapels and paths to explore.

Free streets and corners worth wandering

• The Royal Mile closes: the narrow alleys either side of the Mile, many of them public rights of way.
• Victoria Street: the curving, colourful street from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket.
• Greyfriars Kirkyard: one of the most atmospheric graveyards in Britain, with the Castle above its wall.
• Circus Lane: the cobbled mews lane in Stockbridge with the church spire at the end.
• Dean Village: the old mill village on the river, ten minutes from the West End.
• The New Town: Edinburgh’s Georgian streets, crescents and squares. Walk from George Street to Moray Place and Stockbridge.

Free things that feel like an event

• The One O’Clock Gun: fired from the Castle at 1pm every day except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day. You’ll hear it all over the city centre, and you can watch the time-ball drop at the same moment on top of the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.
• The Scottish Parliament: the building at the foot of the Royal Mile is free to visit, and you can watch debates from the public gallery when Parliament is sitting.
• St Giles’ Cathedral: free to enter, although donations are welcome.
• The August festivals: during the Fringe, the Royal Mile and the Mound are full of free street performers.

A free day in Edinburgh

1. Morning: Climb Arthur’s Seat, then walk back up the Royal Mile, exploring the closes.
2. Lunch: A picnic in Princes Street Gardens or on the Meadows.
3. Afternoon: The National Museum of Scotland and its roof terrace.
4. Late afternoon: Victoria Street, the Grassmarket and Greyfriars Kirkyard.
5. Sunset: Calton Hill.