Places to Visit in Edinburgh This Spring

From hidden gems to well-known landmarks, here are 5 places to visit in Edinburgh this spring, and their connections to the community.

Tourism is more than just showing off the best places to visit in Edinburgh (though of course we love doing that, too!). We also preserve heritage, celebrate stories and nurture people every day.

As a Certified B Corp, we're dedicated to benefitting all people, communities and the planet.

Every place we visit on tour has a story—or, stories—to be told. There are stories of architectural feats, of millennia of geological formations, of the everyday people and royals alike that have graced these cobbled streets. 

We visit these places because of their stories. But it’s not only history these locations link back to. Edinburgh is a living, breathing city with a thriving population. 

It’s easy to see a medieval city and forget that just like hundreds of years ago, these tenements are still filled with everyday residents. When we introduce tourism to these spaces, we have to do so in a way that supports both the history of the city, and its current communities.  

Here are five places to visit in Edinburgh this spring if you want to learn about its history while also supporting its present. You can build connections to the city while respecting both its past and present! 

 

Blair Street Underground Vaults 

The Edinburgh Vaults are known to be one of the most haunted places in the UK, but their history is long and varied.  

Originally intended to house workshops and storage areas, they eventually became refuge for both poor citizens and criminals. 

You can visit the Blair Street Underground Vaults on a guided tour. When you do, you’re supporting an Edinburgh B Corp that supports our local community, while also telling the stories of those often forgotten about in history books. 

 

Dunbar’s Close Garden 

Tucked away off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, you might be surprised to discover a quaint, quiet garden in the middle of a bustling capital. 

Visiting places like this reminds us of the importance of protecting green spaces and pushing for environmentally friendly ways to enjoy Edinburgh. 

Walking tours, for example, are a great way to get to know a new place! Discover everything from hidden gems to popular haunts. 

 

Mercat Cross 

The Mercat Cross is a staple across Scottish cities, and Edinburgh is no different.  

It was once a place with many different uses: finding a caddie (or guide), doling out legal punishments and making royal proclamations. 

Take some time to admire its medallions, and you’ll probably spot a member of the Mercat team there, too. Say hi if you do—our team are at the heart of our business (it’s one of the reasons we’re a Living Wage & Living Hours employer!). 

 

Magdalen Chapel 

This 16th century chapel contains the only intact pre-Reformation stained glass window in Scotland. Arrangement must be made to visit inside, but it’s conveniently located just outside the Grassmarket if you wish to take it in from the outside. 

Just around the corner you’ll also find our friends at the Grassmarket Community Project. This social enterprise supports vulnerable adults in Edinburgh, and we support them through the Our Stories, Your City project. 

This project allows us to build connections between Edinburgh’s residents and the city's stories, unveiling the history of places like the Magdalen Chapel, which is a hidden gem in plain sight. 

 

Witches’ Well 

This easy-to-overlook fountain is the only monument to the victims of the Scottish Witch Trials in Edinburgh. Situated on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade, it looks out over the place where executions once took place.  

Some of the names associated with the witch trials might be familiar: Geillis Duncan, Agnes Sampson, Helen Duncan. 

But what about the thousands of women whose names and livelihoods have been lost to time? Who tells their stories? The answer is simple: we do. 

On our Witches: Trial & Truth tour, we dispel centuries of myths and uncover the very real and very dark history behind Scotland’s Witch Trials. We unearth their names from the archives and make sure they are remembered. 

 

This spring, we’re considering the ways we can enrich the connections between Edinburgh, its past, its community and its visitors. Stories are powerful things. Our goal is to share ones that you can take home and revisit long after you’ve left.