7 strange attractions that prove Edinburgh is one cool city

When you have boots on the ground in Edinburgh, it’s best to start walking and see what you discover. Surprises and gems line the city streets along the Royal Mile (the main thoroughfare running through the city’s old town) and beyond; if you’ve hit cobblestone, you know you’re in an area worth a second look. Put aside visiting the castle on this trip and stop by these equally worthy locales.

Museum of Childhood | Flickr CC: Martin Moscosa

Museum of Childhood

View playthings of the past at the Museum of Childhood, nestled just off the Royal Mile. Seeing toys of yore might make you feel old, but the warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia will make it worth your while. Experience the museum’s wide-ranging collections featuring games, books and more and besure toplay the macabre Sweeney Todd machine on the first floor.

Food at MUMS | Flickr CC: Mary Rogers

MUMS Comfort Food

Fuel is a necessity when you’re traipsing around, and the offerings at MUMS Great Comfort Food will help sustain your wanderings. Located on Forrest Road near the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard, MUMS serves hearty and traditional fare at affordable prices and stocks good local beers. As an added bonus, the bathroom decor is playful with nods to British film and television.

View of Edinburgh from Calton Hill

Calton Hill

Hoofing it to the top of Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park may not be something you have time or energy for, but you can most definitely squeeze a visit to Calton Hill into your sightseeing schedule. The climb up does require effort, but once you’re at the top, you can see several Edinburgh landmarks from the high vantage point. The National Monument, Nelson Monument and City Observatory all call Calton Hill home.

Writers’ Museum | Flickr CC: Katherine

The Writers’ Museum

No shortage of talented writers call Scotland home, but three authors from the country are particularly well known: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. The three-story Writers’ Museum celebrates these men by displaying various objects associated with their lives and works including manuscripts and personal possessions. What the museum lacks it size it makes up for with charm and character.

The Elephant House | Flickr CC: Sondre Bjellas

The Elephant House

Channel your inner witch or wizard and enjoy a meal or cup of coffee at The Elephant House. J.K. Rowling worked on early installments of the Harry Potter book series at the café; she sat in the back room with a view of Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriars. Muggle fans of the novels visit the restaurant regularly and leave messages about Hufflepuffs, hippogriffs and everything in between all over the bathroom walls and mirrors.

Mary King’s Close | Flickr CC: Christopher Thompson

Mary King’s Close

The bubonic plague plagued 17th-century Edinburgh, and one of the worst concentrations of the infected was in Mary King’s Close. Long after The Black Death moved on, the close was emptied and sealed. It has since been re-opened as a commercial attraction with guided tours that traverse hidden underground passages that used to be above ground. You’ll get a taste of 17th-century life, accompanied by a modern café and souvenir shop.

Wild West Street | Flickr CC: Magnus Hagdorn

Wild West Street

Howdy, pardner. Prepare to dust off your spurs because you can get a taste of the Wild West in Edinburgh. Bring your sense of adventure and explore behind the Morningside Library on Morningside Road, and you’ll find some Western-themed facades built by Michael Faulkner for his Santa Fe style furniture company. The business is closed, but the site remains bizarrely intact among its surroundings.