7 Extraordinary Edinburgh Walks

Planning a trip to Edinburgh? With its cobbled streets, scenic views, historical landmarks and stunning walks on its doorstep, Scotland’s capital has so much to offer on a visit. Home to a vast number of beautiful parks and green spaces to discover, it’s one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for some fresh air and natural beauty. Here at Leonardo Hotels, we’ve listed our pick of seven extraordinary Edinburgh walks waiting to be explored within this gorgeous and vibrant city

Royal Botanic Gardens

First on our list of must-do Edinburgh walks is the city’s stunning Royal Botanic Gardens. Featuring over 70 acres of beautiful gardens, trees and ten glasshouses filled with exotic botanical plants, the Royal Botanic Gardens offers a fascinating and picturesque walk in all seasons. A mere mile from the centre, the gardens are a green haven amongst the hustle and bustle and offer amazing panoramic views of the city too. Learn more about all its amazing plants and greenery in its Living Collection here before you go!

Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat

Next on our list of extraordinary Edinburgh walks is Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat, an amazing green park and rocky summit situated in the heart of the city. With 640 hilly acres to explore, Holyrood Park itself makes for a stunning walk, taking in the rugged scenery, grassy slopes and freshwater loch. In the centre of the park sits the Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano and one of the seven hills that dominates Edinburgh’s skyline. Offering unrivalled views of the city from the top, a climb to its summit is well worth it!

Cramond Island

Cramond Island is an amazing Edinburgh walk to enjoy on your visit for taking in the beautiful beach scenery and breathing in the salty sea air. A tidal island connected to the mainland off the village of Cramond, you can only reach Cramond Island by crossing a long, paved causeway over the Drum Sands when the tide is low - so plan your walk carefully to ensure you can get back before the tide rises! You’ll find a noticeboard at the beginning of the causeway that lets you know the times of day you can safely cross, and you can find the tide times here to preplan your walk.

Portobello Beach

While we’re on the theme of beaches, Portobello Beach is another amazing Edinburgh walk we recommend you explore! It’s hard to believe this beautiful beachside suburb is only three miles from Edinburgh’s city centre. With two miles of stunning seaside scenery to take in, you can take a stroll down beachfront or promenade, stopping by at one of its little cafes for refreshments.

The Water of Leith Walkway

The Water of Leith is Edinburgh’s main river and is accompanied by a long, green walkway you can walk along through the heart of the city. The Water of Leith Walkway is nearly 13 miles long, but you can choose to leave it and rejoin it at various points along the way and also link up to other paths and routes. With birds, wildlife and picturesque scenery to take in, it’s one of the best ways to explore the city and take in all its natural beauty along the riverside.

Inverleith Park

Yet another stunning park right in the centre of Edinburgh, Inverleith Park has something for everyone. With avenues of trees, a large pond, walkway through landscaped marshes and a secluded Sundial Garden, it’s a beautiful Edinburgh walk that also offers amazing views of the city’s skyline, including the Castle. It’s also home to several rugby and football pitches and a children’s play area, making it a popular area for all the family!

Calton Hill

Last, but definitely not least on our list of top Edinburgh walks is Calton Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts amazing 360-degree panoramic views of the city from the top. Calton Hill is also home to several iconic Scottish monuments to explore, including the National Monument, the City Observatory and Nelson’s Monument, which is open to the public for a small admissions fee. With all its famous monuments and amazing views, we highly recommend this walk on a visit to the city!

So, there you have our top 7 extraordinary Edinburgh walks. With so many walks to explore in and around the city, whether you manage a handful or even just one of these beautiful walks on your stay in Edinburgh, the city’s green landscape makes it an unmissable location for visit.

Looking for Edinburgh hotels? Here at Leonardo Hotels we’ve got the perfect options ideally located in the heart of the city, including the Leonardo Boutique Hotel Edinburgh City, our Leonardo Hotel Edinburgh Murrayfield and our Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket, all perfect for exploring the city and its walks.