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Edinburgh is such a wonderful city to explore. There are so many things that you can do and places that you can visit.
Though there are hundreds of attractions, you may also want to discover some hidden gems in Edinburgh.
The Scottish capital is full of secret passages, parks and streets.
⭐ WANT TO DISCOVER MORE HIDDEN GEMS? ⭐
Join the Edinburgh Hidden Gems Old Town Guided Walking Tour. This fun walking tour with a local includes both famous attractions and secret spots. It’s an excellent way to discover more about the city.
As interesting as discovering the famous landmarks is, sometimes we just want to get away from the crowds and explore all these secret spots in Edinburgh!
This is exactly what this article is for! Whether you are a visitor or a local, here you will discover some of the most beautiful hidden gems in Edinburgh!
Royal Bank of Scotland, New Town
Address: 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AD
Located on St Andrew Square, in the New Town, this one is an excellent example of places hiding in broad daylight.
Yes, this secret place in Edinburgh is actually located in the Royal Bank of Scotland.
As you arrive at the square, you will notice a lot of different elements including the Melville Monument and all the bars.
The building where the RBS is is much older than the others and, in all honesty, from the outside it doesn’t look that good.
Don’t let that stop you though. Make sure to go to the door and walk in.
It is an actual working bank so you might be asked if you want to open a bank account but don’t worry, you don’t have to do that to visit.
Visitors are actually welcome!
As this is a historical building, there is an exposition inside that explains everything you need to know about the place.
Once you step in, you will be pretty amazed by the beauty of the entrance and the balcony on the first floor but that’s not even the best part!
Walk a bit further in until you reach the main room. This is where the magic happens!
This room features an incredibly stunning dome painted in blue and with stars. The rays of sunshine go right through the stars!
It’s so beautiful and unexpected!
If you want to get beautiful photos of the ceiling, make sure to stand right in the middle of the carpet and look up.
The carpet actually matches the ceiling which makes the place even more magical.
Finally, if you are not from Scotland, you will be happy to know that this is one of the rare places where you can see someone in kilt (that is not a tourist attraction on the Royal Mile!).
The security guards at the RBS have to wear a uniform that is made of a kilt featuring the RBS tartan.
Typewrong Books
Address: 4a Haddington Pl, Edinburgh EH7 4AE
Edinburgh is known for being a city where authors love living.
For this reason, you will find a lot of cute book shops in Edinburgh. While there are a lot in the Old Town, if you fancy discovering a bit of a unique one, make sure to head to Typewrong Books.
This super cute bookshop is located on Haddington Place which is the main road to Leith.
You can easily get there on foot from St Andrew Square. It takes about 10 minutes.
This bookshop is run by Tom Hodges who is known for his passion for typewriters.
Here you can find all sorts of typewriters including very old one.
The most interesting one definitely is the one located on the right hand side of the shop. It’s connected to the internet and actually types out all the tweets the shop’s account gets.
The owner, Tom, also worked alongside the National Museum of Scotland to set up the exhibition about typewriters in 2021.
FUN FACT: In 2021, he also received a letter from Tom Hanks, who is known for his passion for typewriters, calling him “his hero”. How cool is that?
Obviously, the Typewrong Books shop is a cool place to visit if you love literature but also if you want to support small businesses.
Here you will find all sorts of books including some made by local authors.
Antony Gormley Statues
Have you ever heard of Antony Gormley? He is a British sculptor who became very famous was his ‘iron man’ statues.
His main pieces are the Angel of the North in Gateshead and Another Place on Crosby Beach (Liverpool) but you can also find some in Edinburgh.
They are some of the most hidden gems in Edinburgh.
They are a series of 6 standing statues, named ‘6 times’ located in the Water of Leith, the main river in Edinburgh.
They have been spreaded out along the river and you can find some near the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Dean Gallery, Stockbridge, Powderhall, Bonnington and the Leith Docks.
The one in Stockbridge is pretty easy to find however, as previously mentioned, it’s hidden so a lot of people don’t notice it.
As a matter of fact, a lot of locals don’t even know they are there!
If you head to the Stockbridge and cross the bridge from Kerr Street to Deanhaugh Street, you will be able to find it.
Go to the middle of the bridge, on the left hand side (if coming from Kerr Street), and you will see it.
St Bernard’s Well
Address: 2 Clarendon Cres, Edinburgh EH4 1PT
If you are near Stockbridge or the Dean Village, make sure to visit the Dean Gardens. It’s such a beautiful park and it will definitely make you forget you are in a city!
More importantly here, the Dean Gardens are also home to several Edinburgh hidden gems including St Bernard’s Well.
This well is on the banks of the Water of Leith. It was built in the 1700s and has been standing here ever since.
You can go there and see the exterior at any given time however, the interior (which is very pretty with its tiles) is only open during the Edinburgh Arts Festival and on the last weekend of September.
Otter statue in the Dean Gardens
This one is another Water of Leith hidden gem in Edinburgh. Yep, another one!
Most people don’t know that but there is a hidden statue of an otter in the Water of Leith. It’s located in the Dean Gardens and out of all the secret places in Edinburgh we mention in this article, this one is definitely one of the hardest to spot.
You won’t really find any instructions on the internet so here it is.
If you stroll along the path from Stockbridge to Dean Village, you will reach what looks like the end of the path at some point. There is still the river on the right hand side and a house on the left hand side (so far it was just greenery).
Once you get there, you can start looking down on the water and look for the otter.
Depending on the season, you may need to walk a bit further up since the leaves on the trees can be hiding the view.
On top of that, the otter is in a brown colour which makes it even harder to spot.
Nonetheless, it is a cute thing to see and a nice tribute to the wildlife naturally present in the Water of Leith.
Well Court
Located in the Dean Village (yes, very close to the beautiful Instagram spots), the Well Court is one of the most remarkable buildings in Edinburgh and yet, most people don’t know it!
It was originally commissioned in the 19th century by the then owner of the Scotman newspaper, John Findlay.
In 2007 it was completely restored and is now so perfectly beautiful!
The building features a beautiful clock tower and a traditional court. You can walk in if you want to.
The entrance is located on the street Damside, there is an arch and you can walk in.
Please be mindful once you walk in. People live here so try not to be noisy or anything.
Bakehouse Close
Calling all Outlander fans for this one!
If you love everything that has to do with Jamie and Claire Fraser, Scotland will be your paradise. That’s where most of the scenes were filmed and there are so many filming locations you can visit.
Unfortunately though, there really aren’t many in Edinburgh.
If you are a true fan, you will need to go on a day trip or multi-day trip to discover the locations.
Now, that having been said, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have an Outlander location in store for you!
If you head to Canongate (walk from the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Palace), just before the Edinburgh Museum you will find a small arch with a passage to Bakehouse Close.
This little close, besides being super cute, was used as one of the Outlander filming locations in Edinburgh.
Remember at the end of the 3rd season when Claire goes back in time to find Jamie after a couple of decades, she goes to Edinburgh.
At this time, he is a printer, running his print shop under the name Alexander Malcom.
In the scene, we can see Claire walking from a passage, in a close and up the stairs to the print shop.
You guessed it! This is Bakehouse close!
It is a great place to check out and although it is definitely a hidden spot in Edinburgh, it’s also easy to find and can be added to any itinerary without really creating a detour.
Dunbar’s Close Gardens
Address: 137 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BW
If you are walking down (or up) Canongate and want to discover a hidden garden in Edinburgh, this one will be perfect for you!
It’s located near Edinburgh Museum (and Bakehouse Close, previously mentioned).
This garden is tucked away in one of the small alleys on the Royal Mile. It was named after David Dunbar who was a writer from Edinburgh.
Here you will find several sets of small gardens. You can have a quick wander but it’s important to note that it’s not that suitable for a stroll.
What it is though, it’s tranquil and quiet!
If you are visiting during the high season (yes, I’m looking at you, Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and want to escape the crowds for a bit, it will be an excellent place to do so.
Also, if you are on a budget and want to get a nice but yet cheap meal, you can grab a sandwich somewhere (there is a Sainsbury’s less than 5 minutes walk from here) and come here to sit on one of the benches.
It’s very nice and you can truly enjoy your lunch (well, not on a rainy day maybe but otherwise, it’s great!)
Blue statue above the Waverley
Address: 3-5 St Mary’s St, Edinburgh EH1 1TA
The Waverley is a pub located in the old town. It’s just off the Royal Mile, on Mary’s Street.
It is just at the corner of the World’s End, the most famous pub in Edinburgh (and maybe even the whole of Scotland!).
The Waverley is a historic pub and a lot of famous people played here.
The upstairs lounge used to host acts and small concerts. Though the stage is tiny as heck, some big names came here through the years. This includes Billy Connolly and the Dubliners.
Though I particularly recommend you to check out the pub and grab a drink here, this was not exactly the reason why it was added to this article.
Right above the facade of the bar is a blue statue climbing up. This is quite unique and surprising and definitely a hidden gem!
A lot of locals walk in front of it every day and don’t even notice it.
PRO TIP: If you want to learn more about The Waverley, Scotland and taste some delicious whisky, join the whisky and folklore tour. It’s so much fun! The local guide will tell you plenty of stories and the single malt whiskies you get to try are so good!
Mad-Eye Moodie’s Grave
If you are a Harry Potter fan visiting Edinburgh, you probably already know about this one but for the others, here it is!
A lot of names in Harry Potter were inspired by tombs in the Greyfriars Kirkyard.
JK Rowling used to go there with her daughter in the pram and clearly, some of these names have become famous.
While pretty much everyone knows about Tom Riddle’s grave, there are actually others that inspired the famous author.
Amongst them, you can find the grave of Mrs Elizabeth Moodie which is thought to be the inspiration for the name Mad-Eye Moodie.
Want to know more about Harry Potter in Edinburgh? Join the themed walking tour!
Coltbridge Viaduct
If you are looking for the hidden gems of Edinburgh with some Harry Potter vibes, this one is for you!
Coltbridge Viaduct is a beautiful three arch viaduct that goes over the Water of Leith. It was built in 1861 and although it’s not used anymore, it’s still a very pretty sight that nobody ever mentions!
As a Harry Potter fan myself who went on a few occasions to Glenfinnan Viaduct (also known as the Harry Potter bridge), I couldn’t help to notice somewhat of a ressemblance.
Whether you agree with this or not, it’s still a beautiful place that is worth checking out.
It’s very easy to get there from Edinburgh New Town. To do that, you should head to Dean Village and take the path of the water of Leith walkway towards Murrayfield stadium.
After about 20 minutes walk, you will get to the viaduct. At that point, you can keep going for another few minutes and you will reach the stadium and the tram.
This part of the walkway is not that known so it’s usually very quiet.
We hope you enjoyed discovering these secret spots in Edinburgh as much as we did. If you know of any others that should be included, please let us know!
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