**This is a sponsored post**
I don’t know about you, but whenever I visit a new city, I always plan carefully in advance. With so much to do and see, it’s impossible to get around absolutely EVERYTHING…and if you stick to the main tourist attractions only, you might be missing out on some real gems.
That’s why I always Google the place’s offerings before I go. Recently, I’ve visited places like the Clifton Observatory caves in Bristol, the incredible Porters Lodge Garden and Tearoom just outside Bury St Edmunds, and the surprising Bluewater Nature Trail at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent. Top tip, too: if you’re headed for somewhere that’s steeped in history, Google “[place name] history walk” before visiting: you’ll more often than not find free walking routes that give tons of information about the things you’ll pass along the way.
Edinburgh is somewhere that’s on my to-visit list again soon: in the past, I’ve only been for work trips, which didn’t give me much time to explore. In preparation for when I finally make it back, here are five quirky Edinburgh attractions that are on my list…
1. The Real Mary King’s Close
Not one for the claustrophobic, as The Real Mary King’s Close is completely underground! Hidden beneath buildings on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, this historic alleyway was one of many crowded areas in the city that was badly affected by the plague. In 1753, the Royal Exchange was built as somewhere more sanitary for traders to sell their wares – and it was built on top of the existing streets below. As a result, much of Mary King’s Close still exists below street level and tours are available, offering a haunting, intriguing and unique experience.
2. Escape The Past
Parts of Edinburgh’s history are mysterious and macabre – and you can explore it in a way that doesn’t simply involve a tour. Escape The Past is an escape room in Edinburgh that’s both interactive and immersive, bringing the city’s history to life through historical settings, clever puzzles, live actors and engaging storytelling. In addition to indoor escape rooms set around Edinburgh’s old surgical district and local villain Deacon William Brodie, Escape The Past also offers an outdoor escape room adventure following in the footsteps of the infamous Burke and Hare…
3. Dr Neil’s Garden
A real haven of calm, Dr Neil’s Garden – “Edinburgh’s secret garden” – is also on my list. Located in Duddingston, it was the brainchild of husband and wife, Drs Nancy and Andrew Neil. The land where the garden is located had historically been left untouched because of its rocky surface and its slopes, but the pair’s labour of love transformed the space into an incredible garden designed to integrate with the natural features of the land.
4. The Edinburgh Wild West
Injuring his back when falling off a horse was the end of Michael Faulkner’s North American cowboy career. When he moved to Edinburgh, he opened a furniture store in Morningside, later expanding to add a second store on the same site. In the 1990s, he transformed the lane by installing Wild West-style façades to advertise his business. Sadly, Faulkner ended up bankrupt in 1999 and the site is now garages and workshops. While some of the façades have now fallen into disrepair, it’s a quirky Edinburgh attraction that sounds like a surreal experience!
5. The Roof Terrace at the National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland seems to be one of the city’s most popular museums, but it seems that a trip to the seventh floor is not to be missed! Here you’ll find their Roof Terrace, from which you can see a number of Edinburgh’s best-known attractions: Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh Castle, the St Giles Cathedral and more. The terrace is also home to sandstone sculptures crafted by Andy Goldsworthy, as well as incredible green space that features plants from across Scotland, making it a haven for all sorts of wildlife.
Have you ever visited any of these quirky Edinburgh attractions? If so, I’d love to know what you thought!