The Best Photography Locations in Edinburgh

We lived in the Edinburgh region for a couple of years, and even now it’s one of our favourite cities to come back to in the UK. We’ve written a fair bit about Edinburgh too, from the August festivals through to getting off the beaten path, plus loads more (see the further reading section at the end).

One thing I somehow hadn’t pulled together until now is a proper photography location guide. Which is a strange oversight given Edinburgh is one of the most photogenic cities in Britain. Medieval streets, dramatic overlooks, a skyline that cooperates beautifully with light. So, better late than never, here is my photography location guide to Edinburgh, which joins my growing series of photography location guides from around the world.

Most of the shots below are tripod work, captured with my Canon 6D and EF zooms at the time (I’m on the R5 these days, but the EXIF on each headline shot reflects what I was carrying that day). I shoot with the Vanguard VEO travel range as part of a long-running ambassador project, useful context if you spot Vanguard mentioned a few times in the kit notes. (Disclosure-style line at the bottom too.)

 

Best Photography Locations in Edinburgh

 

1. Calton Hill

The single most iconic Edinburgh shot is taken from atop Calton Hill, looking across Princes Street toward the castle, with the Dugald Stewart Monument planted in the foreground. It’s the postcard composition, and you’ll see versions of it on tourist boards, magazine covers, and roughly half the Instagram accounts of anyone who has visited the city.

 

You can shoot the headline composition wide, or back up and use a longer lens to compress the elements together. I tend to reach for the 70-200 because the compression flatters the layered hill-castle relationship, but a wide also works (especially if you want to bring more of the monument into the frame). It also reads well with a person in the foreground, looking either at or away from camera.

Calton Hill isn’t a one-shot location either. There’s the National Monument, which looks exactly like an unfinished version of the Greek Parthenon (because it more or less is).

There’s Nelson’s Monument, the upturned-telescope tower honouring the British sea admiral who won the Battle of Trafalgar. You can climb to the terraced viewing area for a small fee, and it’s worth doing if the light is good. Check the official Culture Edinburgh page for opening times and prices.

Next to Nelson’s there’s a separate lookout area which gives you Arthur’s Seat, the Crags, and the Royal Mile in one frame. That’s one of my favourite spots for sunset, and for watching Princes Street tip into dusk, at which point long exposures of the moving traffic make for a nice frame.

 

2. Princes Street Gardens

Down beneath Edinburgh Castle is Princes Street Gardens, a long public park parallel to Princes Street, divided into East and West gardens by The Mound.

Settings: 17mm, f/9, 1/400s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

The gardens occupy what used to be the “Nor Loch”, a defensive lake that sat here until the mid 18th century and was, by all accounts, polluted by everything the medieval city dribbled into it. Today the landscaped park is a slightly nicer environment, popular in summer for lounging around with the castle as backdrop, and one of the easiest places in the city to get a clean photograph of Edinburgh Castle from below.

A favourite vantage of mine is the Ross Fountain, which provides a lovely piece of foreground with the castle behind. The gardens are also one of the best spots in the city to watch the New Year fireworks during Hogmanay.

 

3. Scott Monument

Sitting directly above Princes Street Gardens on Princes Street itself is the Scott Monument, one of the tallest monuments to a writer anywhere in the world (200ft of Gothic spire dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, which feels generous, but here we are).

Settings: 19mm, f/7.1, 1/250s, ISO 200. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

My favourite time of year to shoot the Scott Monument is around Christmas, when there’s usually a fairground ride called the Starflyer planted next to it, a set of spinning chairs that get raised into the night sky. They light up around sunset, which gives you an excellent long-exposure subject (and an obvious reason to bring the tripod).

Settings: 28mm, f/11, 90s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

Outside the festive season the monument still photographs well. You can use the curves of the arches at ground level to frame the statue of Scott, or use the surrounding trees to frame the spire from a distance. Lots of options.

 

4. The Royal Mile

One of Edinburgh’s most famous streets is the Royal Mile, which runs for just under a mile from Edinburgh Castle at one end down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other. It’s also not technically one street, and is in fact made up of five streets running into each other (so the signage gets confusing if you’re trying to find your way by street name).

Settings: 17mm, f/6.3, 1/250s, ISO 320. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

There are a number of spots along the Royal Mile not to miss. Edinburgh Castle sits at one end, and the Castle Esplanade in front of it is an excellent starting point. You get a clean shot of the castle façade plus a panoramic view back across the city.

Working down the Royal Mile, there are photo opportunities in both directions: the long shot down the mile itself, plus the side streets and closes that branch off it. White Horse Close is a favourite, an enclosed courtyard of pretty old houses that feels a long way from the foot traffic of the main drag.

At the far end of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the King in Scotland, and one of the most impressive buildings in the city. Worth photographing from outside the gate, but for the best angles you’ll want to pay and go inside. The courtyard is a different building from any vantage you can get from the street.

 

5. Holyrood Park: Salisbury Crags & Arthur’s Seat

Just south of the Palace of Holyroodhouse sits Holyrood Park, a huge royal park containing three lochs, an extinct volcano (Arthur’s Seat), and the basalt cliff edge known as Salisbury Crags. From a photography point of view it’s the most reliable elevation in the city, and you have two main shooting positions on the same hill.

Settings: 17mm, f/18, 30s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

The Salisbury Crags are the easier walk. A short uphill from the Holyrood car park gets you to the cliff edge, with a clean panoramic view back over the city skyline. This is an excellent spot at sunset and sunrise, when the angle of the light flatters the layering of the Old Town.

Arthur’s Seat is the proper hike (twenty to forty minutes from the Crags depending on which approach you take), and it gives you the city plus the Firth of Forth opening out beyond. The summit is windier and busier than the Crags, but the elevation buys you a different photograph entirely. If you only have time for one, the Crags will give you the iconic Edinburgh skyline shot. If you have a morning to spare and don’t mind the climb, do both.

 

6. Victoria Street

Edinburgh has a number of beautiful streets to its name, but the most photographed has to be Victoria Street, which curves up from the Grassmarket to George IV Bridge and the Royal Mile.

Settings: 17mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 1250. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

This street is widely said to have inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter (read all about Harry Potter in Edinburgh here), and it really is a magical place for photography. The colourful shopfronts curve away down the street, with cobbles underfoot and Edinburgh’s tall stone-built buildings towering above.

It’s an easy stop just off the Royal Mile, and definitely one to include. Two warnings though: it gets busy, and it’s almost impossible to photograph it without parked cars in frame. You can reduce the people count by doing a long exposure with a tripod plus an ND filter (the moving figures blur out), or by getting there at first light. The cars are harder. Sunday mornings are your best bet.

 

7. The Vennel Steps

There are plenty of places to get a great view of Edinburgh Castle, but my absolute favourite is from the Vennel Steps. A vennel, for those of you not familiar with the term, is a passageway between two buildings. Basically an alley.

Settings: 35mm, f/6.3, 1/80s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

In this case the steps lead from the Grassmarket up to Heriot Place. Turn around as you climb and you’re treated to a wonderful framed view of Edinburgh Castle, with the steps and alley acting as a strong leading line. It works at any time of day, and also works well at night with the aforementioned tripod.

 

8. Circus Lane

Edinburgh has no shortage of gorgeous streets to photograph, but one of the most popular is Circus Lane, over in the New Town.

Settings: 135mm, f/2.8, 1/250s, ISO 400. Canon 6D + EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II.

“New” is a relative term, of course, given the New Town was built in the 18th century. It was here that the rich of Edinburgh moved, leaving the poor to the cramped and unsanitary conditions of the original medieval town centre.

Anyway. Circus Lane today is a beautiful old cobbled mews with old lampposts, creeping greenery, and lovely houses, making for a perfect village scene roughly ten minutes’ walk from the city centre. I shot the headline frame at 135mm wide open. The long focal length compresses the curving lane into something that looks almost like a film set. Worth experimenting with both wide and long lenses here.

We’d also encourage you to find your own favourite alley or street in Edinburgh. There are plenty to choose from that aren’t necessarily full of people looking for that Instagram moment.

 

9. Dean Village

Speaking of villages, if you make it to Circus Lane you should head a little further out of the centre to Dean Village. This is a wonderfully picturesque little pocket sitting in the valley formed by the Water of Leith, Edinburgh’s main river.

Settings: 17mm, f/4, 1/250s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 17-40 f/4L.

There’s plenty to photograph down here, but the highlights are the colourful mill houses and the river, plus the huge 19th-century Dean Bridge spanning the valley above and carrying traffic away. The combination leaves Dean Village feeling like a place time has almost forgotten.

A current note worth flagging though: Dean Village is a working residential street, and the volume of photography traffic in recent years has prompted residents to put up signage asking visitors to keep noise down and be respectful of front gardens. Worth observing: keep voices low, don’t drone overhead, don’t pose on doorsteps. The shots are still there to be made; the village is just asking for a bit of consideration.

 

10. Blackford Hill

Last on my list of Edinburgh photography locations is Blackford Hill, a fairly large hill to the south of the city centre that’s home to an ancient hill fort, Edinburgh’s Royal Observatory, and (most importantly here) spectacular views back across the city.

Settings: 145mm, f/4, 1/15s, ISO 100. Canon 6D + EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II.

This is the place to come if you want a single frame containing the whole city: Castle, Arthur’s Seat, the spires of the Old Town, the Firth in the distance. It’s an excellent location for either sunrise or sunset, and dusk in particular is rewarding when the city lights start coming on. The headline frame above is at 145mm: Blackford Hill is far enough from the centre that you really need a telephoto to get good compression on the skyline. A wide lens here gives you a thin band of city across a lot of foreground.

 

If you only have one day: a photo walk

If you’re trying to fit a chunk of this into a single visit, the spots group naturally into three rough areas.

The Old Town circuit (Royal Mile, Vennel Steps, Victoria Street, Princes Street Gardens, Scott Monument) is walkable in an afternoon.

The New Town circuit (Calton Hill, Circus Lane, Dean Village) is another half-day, with Dean Village adding the longest single walk.

Holyrood Park (Salisbury Crags + Arthur’s Seat) is its own half-day, and Blackford Hill is best as a sunset side-trip if you have transport.

Realistically, doing all of it well takes two full days of light, plus an early morning for the Victoria Street and Vennel shots before crowds build.

 

Tips for Photographing Edinburgh

And that wraps up some of my favourite photography locations in Edinburgh. A handful of practical thoughts before the rest of the article.

 

1. Embrace the rain

Edinburgh has roughly 190 wet days a year, which is more than most of us would choose. The temptation is to wait for clear weather, but the city actually photographs beautifully in rain. Wet cobbles reflect colour, the light goes moody and even, and the streets empty out. Bring a waterproof bag for the gear, a microfibre cloth for the front element, and shoot what’s in front of you. Some of my favourite Edinburgh frames are from drizzle.

 

2. Light direction matters

Edinburgh Castle’s main face and esplanade look broadly east, so the front elevation lights up at sunrise and goes into shadow by mid-afternoon. Calton Hill and Blackford Hill both shoot toward the castle, which means golden hour from those vantages is sunset (sun behind you, castle lit). Salisbury Crags shoots roughly west-northwest into the city, so dawn there flatters the layered Old Town. Knowing which way the major spots face saves a lot of mid-day disappointments.

 

3. Telephoto compression on the hill viewpoints

The Calton Hill, Blackford Hill, and Salisbury Crags views all benefit from a longer focal length than you might instinctively reach for. A wide lens spreads the city across an empty foreground; a 70-200 (or longer) compresses the layered hills, spires, and distant Firth into a frame that actually feels like Edinburgh.

The headline shots in sections 1 and 10 above were taken at 70mm and 145mm respectively. If you only have a wide lens, work the foreground deliberately (a person, the monument, a railing line) to give the eye a way in.

 

4. Beat the crowds at the headline spots

Victoria Street, Circus Lane, and Dean Village have all become significantly busier over the past five years. The reliable answer is the early morning. Most of the foot traffic doesn’t arrive until after 9am, and you can usually get clean shots of any of them between sunrise and 8am. Sunday mornings are quieter still. (For Dean Village, see the resident-respect note in section 9; early morning helps that too.)

 

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a wide range of accommodation (hostels through luxury properties) and we’d advise finding something city-centre so you can walk to all the spots in this list and skip the taxi or public transport faff.

If you’re travelling during the busier periods (the August festivals or Hogmanay), book as far ahead as you can. Edinburgh fills up months in advance for those.

A few places at different price points:

• The Haystack Hostel: fantastic location and great reviews
• Castle Rock Hostel: a large, well-rated, castle-themed hostel with both dormitory and private rooms. Adults only, and one of the best castle views of any property in the city. Five minutes from the Royal Mile. Also worth a look is the Royal Mile Backpackers
• Elder York Guest House: a budget-to-midrange B&B option we’ve used. Rooms are small but comfortable, breakfast is good. Note it’s a stairs-only building (no lift)
• 24 Royal Terrace: round the back of Calton Hill, excellent reviews, good value
• Holiday Inn Express: well-priced 3-star in the Old Town
• The Grassmarket Hotel: well-reviewed 3-star in the Grassmarket area
• Leonardo Royal Hotel: business-focused 4-star in Haymarket, about 20 minutes’ walk from the Royal Mile. We’ve stayed here and found it comfortable, food was good
• The Kimpton Charlotte Square: a lovely, well-located hotel and a good couples’ choice
• The Witchery: one of our favourite properties in Edinburgh, right next door to the Castle. The restaurant is excellent. A treat-yourself option for a special occasion

Our default for accommodation booking is Booking.com. They tend to have the best deals across hotels and apartments, and the booking flow is easy to use.

If you’d rather an apartment, we recommend Plum Guide. They don’t have the volume of bigger platforms but they curate carefully, so the listings tend to be high quality. See their Edinburgh listings here.

If neither shape works, we wrote a whole guide to the best alternatives to Airbnb, plus a separate guide to holiday cottages in the UK.

We also have a page of general travel resources including our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find here.

 

FAQ: Photographing Edinburgh

 

When is the best time of day to photograph Edinburgh?

The short answer is golden hour and blue hour at either end of the day. Sunrise gives you the cleanest streets (no crowds at Victoria Street, Circus Lane, or Dean Village) and good light on the castle from Calton Hill. Sunset is best from Blackford Hill, Salisbury Crags, and the Calton Hill terrace beside Nelson’s Monument. Mid-day works fine for the wider street scenes, but the headline castle shots are noticeably weaker without warm directional light.

 

Can you use a tripod for photography in Edinburgh?

Yes. For the public outdoor spots in this guide, you’re fine to use a tripod without permits or hassle. The exceptions are inside Edinburgh Castle and inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where tripods aren’t permitted. Some private buildings (galleries, certain courtyards) will have their own rules. As a rule of thumb, if you’re outside on a public street or in a public park, you’re fine.

 

What’s the best lens for photographing Edinburgh?

If you can only bring one lens, a 24-70 or 24-105 zoom covers most of the city well. If you can bring two, add a 70-200. The hill viewpoints (Calton, Blackford, Salisbury Crags) really benefit from compression at the long end, and the rest of the city does fine on the standard zoom. A wide-angle (16-35 or similar) is useful for the closes off the Royal Mile and the Vennel Steps but isn’t essential.

 

Where is the best sunset view in Edinburgh?

Calton Hill is the most popular and the easiest to get to: five minutes uphill from Princes Street, with the castle silhouetted against the western sky. Blackford Hill is the best skyline shot but requires transport (bus or taxi from the centre). Salisbury Crags is a strong alternative if you want elevation closer to the Old Town. All three reward arriving forty-five minutes before sunset to set up.

 

Is Dean Village still worth visiting for photography?

Yes, but with awareness. Dean Village has become significantly busier over the past few years, and the residents have asked visitors (via signage and local press) to keep noise down and be respectful of front gardens. The shots are still there (the colourful mill houses, the river, the bridge above), but go early, keep voices low, and don’t pose on people’s doorsteps. Treated with respect, it remains one of the most photogenic corners of the city.

 

Further Reading for Visiting Edinburgh

And that wraps up my tips on the best photography locations in Edinburgh. We’ve put together a fair bit of further content on photography and on visiting the UK that you might find useful, plus some external resources.

• I have a whole category of articles dedicated to improving your photography, including how to pick the best camera for travel, tips for cold weather photography, and the case for why you need a tripod.
• This is one in my series of detailed photography location guides, covering destinations all over the world.
• For Edinburgh specifically, we have a two day Edinburgh itinerary, a guide to things to do in Edinburgh, suggestions for getting off the beaten path in Edinburgh, our pick of the best day trips from Edinburgh, plus guides to visiting Edinburgh for the August festivals and Christmas in Edinburgh.
• You’re in Scotland for this location guide, so worth a look at the rest of our Scotland content:
  • A guide to the highlights of the North Coast 500 road trip, plus accommodation options along the route, photography highlights of the NC500, and the full NC500 planning guide
  • A two-day Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary, our guide to Glasgow, and ten things to do in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
  • A guide to touring the Scottish Borders and a 5-day Isle of Skye and Highlands itinerary
• For the wider UK:
  • Itineraries for one week in the UK and two weeks in the UK
  • Our London itinerary series: One Day, Two Day, and Six Day
  • The Best Photography Locations in London
  • How to Save Money in London with the London Pass
  • The Highlights of Oxford
  • Visiting Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds
• If you’d like to push your photography further, take a look at my online travel photography course, which covers everything from picking a camera through mastering settings and editing.

And that’s it. Got a favourite photography location in Edinburgh, or any questions about the spots above? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclosure: I’m a Vanguard ambassador, which is why you’ll have seen Vanguard mentioned a few times in the kit notes above. As always, the opinions and recommendations are mine. Full code of ethics here.