8–10 Apr 2026
John McIntyre Conference Centre
Europe/London timezone

Things to do in Edinburgh

Check out our map of things to do, or try something from the list below!

Touristing

  • Stroll along the Royal Mile. Why not buy an overpriced kilt or Loch Ness Monster hat?
  • Edinburgh zoo features the penguin parade 
  • Fulfil your princess fantasies at a castle or a palace
  • The National Museum of Scotland even has a particle-physics section!
  • Dynamic Earth is great for kids (of all ages) - if you visit on the 7th you can see our colleagues from Boulby Lab be Dark Matter Detectives for free.
  • See how the other half live on the Royal Yacht Britannia
  • Climb Arthur's Seat  or one of the other hills in Holyrood Park
  • Be beside the seaside at Portobello (raincoats optional)
  • Visit one (or more) of Scotland's national art galleries
  • Do a ghost tour or see the underground vaults! Spooky!
  • Picnic on The Meadows
  • Smell the flowers at the Royal Botanic Gardens
  • Do a tour of Holyrood Distillery (we have a discount code for you!)

Going out-out

  • Go to the pub! Close to the venue, we like Summerhall. Small but very authentic - Steel Coulson, John Leslie's Bar, or the Old Bell. Lots of outdoor space and sports on a big screen: Pear Tree.  Once hosted Nirvana in the 90's: The Southern. Folk music: Sandy Bell's. Views, pizza and their own brewer: Cold Town House. There are also many more pubs.
  • Where in the city to go out -  Takeaways: Newington; Chain restaurants and tourists: New Town; Fancy: Stockbridge or Morningside; Bars and lots of restaurants: Tollcross; Drunk Australians: Cowgate; Trendy/boat-themed: Leith; Scenic but overpriced: Grassmarket; Capitalist hellscape: St James Quarter; Cafes and knickknacks: Bruntsfield.
  • Clubbing: Cowgate