Bonnie Berwick: history and good living on the Scottish coast
Sandy beaches, glorious vistas and a bustling high street add to the charm of this pretty seaside town just half an hour from Edinburgh
July 2023
Edinburgh beyond the fringe: the best day trips from the city by train
There’s a lot to see just a short rail journey from Edinburgh. Don’t miss out on these stunning Scottish countryside delights
June 2023
‘More tram-spotting than Trainspotting’: the new tram linking Leith to Edinburgh
The tramline to the old port means its Michelin-starred restaurants, seafront and cool venues are now just a few stops away from Edinburgh city centre
March 2023
From the Observer archive
A cold, hard look at Edinburgh, 1986
Neal Ascherson’s portrait of his home town pulls no punches, but is affectionate, too
January 2023
Edinburgh’s dark corners: a walking tour of the city’s hidden stories
Invisible Cities’ tours take visitors to the Scottish capital’s juiciest and least-known stories – and with guides who have known homelessness, they are rooted in real experience
November 2022
Let it glow: 10 best Christmas light displays in Britain
Add sparkle and cheer to dark nights at these festive illuminations and light trails
August 2022
A hike in Scotland’s borders – ‘a world of emerald hills, meandering rivers and tiny villages’
The Borders Railway Line opens up walking trails through a landscape of rivers, ruined abbeys and museums, bringing to life a turbulent and poetic past
July 2022
One summer's day
Midsummer up Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh: ‘The world is as it ever was, but everything has changed’
On 2 July we sent six writers and photographers to capture a typical British summer’s day. Chitra Ramaswamy clambered up to look down at Edinburgh
December 2021
A local's guide
A local’s guide to Edinburgh: the best bookshops, restaurants and bars
A food writer picks her favourite spots away from the usual touristy suspects, including parks, walks and inspiring galleries
October 2021
A global first links 13 of Scotland’s Unesco cities and sites in a digital trail
From Edinburgh to St Kilda, destinations in Scotland are being promoted as part of a sustainable tourism drive timed for COP26
March 2021
West Lothian’s sleeping giants: wastelands that shivered into life
A legacy of Scotland’s shale oil industry, these once barren spoil heaps now provide a refuge for rare wildlife – and a sense of hope for the future
December 2020
Edinburgh’s New Year celebrations to go online with a virtual Hogmanay
Three spectacular films involving choreographed LED drones will be streamed on 29, 30 and 31 December to replace the usual fun and fireworks
July 2020
‘With Edinburgh empty, we’re seeing our city through tourists’ eyes’
Novelist Ian Rankin and other locals walk Edinburgh’s locked-down, tourist-free streets, and discover parts of the city they never knew existed
December 2019
Enter the Vault: the 'secret' room at Edinburgh's new hostel
A centuries’ old vault has been turned into a ‘very well soundproofed’ room at a new hostel in the Scottish capital
October 2019
City breaks with kids
City breaks with kids: Edinburgh
There’s a great family trip to be had exploring Edinburgh’s museums, beaches and parks, while an underground tour brings spooky moments, too
August 2019
Take the kids to …
Take the kids to … Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Children will be spellbound at this temple of storytelling, which also puts on plays and spoken-word performances (for all ages)
May 2019
Art in the open: the joys of Jupiter Artland sculpture park
The innovative sculpture park near Edinburgh is reopening for summer, marking its second decade with new commissions and an art and music festival
April 2019
Jay Rayner on restaurants
The Fishmarket, Edinburgh: ‘Seafood cookery of the first order’ – restaurant review
This new place down on the docks comes highly recommended, the chefs are expert, the fish impeccably sourced. Only one thing is wrong, says Jay Rayner
December 2018
On the trail of Mary, Queen of Scots
A major new film about the 16th-century queen will put the castles and battlefields of her tragic final days back in the spotlight. We follow in her blood-soaked footsteps
July 2018
A local's guide
A local’s guide to Edinburgh: 10 top tips
The Scottish capital’s big draw is its festivals but the quieter corners are alive year round – with stylish cafes and bistros, moody bars and thriving art spaces
