The Atlas Obscura Guide To

Edinburgh

32 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland

Unusual
Attractions
in Edinburgh

A street in the close.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Mary King's Close

17th century streets hidden under Edinburgh were once a breeding ground for the black death.

55.9501, -3.1882

Added by Delireus

Edinburgh's oldest purpose built visitor attraction, The Camera Obscura on the Royal Mile

Edinburgh, Scotland

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

360° views of the city plus five floors of optical illusions and hands-on science.

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Added by JocksAway

(Flickr/Wojtek Gurak)

Edinburgh, Scotland

Holyrood Abbey Ruins

Ruined 11th century abbey built by King David I in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Added by aerialdomo

The Palm house

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh

One of the oldest scientific gardens in Britain, containing more than 13,302 plant species in its core collection.

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Added by Laetitia Barbier

Stairway to . . . ? ! ?

Edinburgh, Scotland

Gilmerton Cove

This series of Scottish caves has no clear purpose other than baffling historians.

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Added by rebeccaorr74

Edinburgh, Scotland

Burke & Hare Murder Dolls

Tiny effigies of the victims of Edinburgh's famous Anatomy Murders.

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Added by Annetta Black

Old Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland

Old Calton Cemetery

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.

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Added by Laetitia Barbier

The Witches' Well Fountain.

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Witches' Well

A cast-iron fountain marks the spot where hundreds of accused witches were burned at the stake.

55.9490, -3.1972

Added by satxwdavis

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Unique
Food & Drink
in Edinburgh

Fried Haggis

Gastro Obscura

Fried Haggis

Scotland's beloved traditional dish is deep-fried and served up fast-food style.

Gastro Obscura

Added by thegoodishtraveler

Are we missing a unique food or drink in Edinburgh?

Explore Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Leaderboard

Places Added

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Places Visited

Recent Edinburgh Activity

HL wants to go to The Edinburgh Maiden

jammygem wants to go to George Mackenzie's Mausoleum

sarasiobhan has been to The Heart of Midlothian

jammygem wants to go to Greyfriars Cemetery Mortsafes

dawnparks87 wants to go to The Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh

Stories
About Edinburgh

"The Anatomist overtaken by the Watch carry'ng off Miss W in a hamper." William Austin, 1773.

A Beginner's Guide to Body Snatching

Where to go for an education in grave robbery, the grisliest chapter in medical history.

by Molly McBride Jacobson

January 26, 2017

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