Staying in Edinburgh’s elegant New Town puts you close to the city’s top attractions.
Edinburgh’s New Town may not seem too ‘new’ by modern standards, built in the mid-18th century, but this affluent and well organized district in the heart of the city centre still offers a stark contrast to the winding streets and slopes of the Old Town. The New Town is home to some of Europe’s most expensive real estate as well as many of the city’s top restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and it’s just a short walk to many of Edinburgh’s most iconic sights and attractions including Princess Street’s shops and nearby gardens surrounding Edinburgh Castle.
Buildings in the New Town are highly distinctive, designed in an ornate neo-classical style that sets them apart from the more rudimentary surviving structures of the Old Town. This area is also a defining example of urban planning, with its easily navigable blocks and parallel streets making it easy to get around. Despite a number of changes to the interiors of these buildings, many of which have been converted into offices or smart city apartments, strict building codes have ensured that the exteriors and atmosphere of the New Town have been well preserved.
If you’re arriving by train, the New Town will be your first taste of Edinburgh, emerging from Waverley or Haymarket stations onto bustling Princes Street, the city’s primary shopping street. Behind Princes Street lies the entertainment and nightlife centre of George Street, alongside the city’s designer and specialist shops, while the distinctive skyline of the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle can be seen from far and wide up on the hill.
The New Town isn’t lacking in architectural wonders of its own, with the gothic Scott Monument and Nelson Monument as well as the mock Greek architecture on Calton Hill, which offers panoramic views of the Old and New Towns. Edinburgh is a popular travel destination throughout the year, from the summer festival season where travellers flock to see comedy, theatre and music alike to the snowy winter, which transforms the landscape into a fairylighted wonderland.
The New Town offers a wide range of hotels to suit all budgets if you’re planning to stay in the area, and you’ll also be well situated to explore other parts of Edinburgh, from the bridges and steep steps of the Old Town to the historic fishing port of Leith, which still retains a distinct character within the modern city at the far end of Leith Walk, home to the city’s trendy advertising and marketing agencies as well as The Royal Yacht Britannia and some of the city’s best seafood restaurants.
If you’re looking for evening entertainment in Edinburgh, the New Town is home to the city’s principal theatres, including the Playhouse and the Assembly Rooms, and a number of chain and independent bars offering a mix of contemporary and traditional styles. During the month-long Edinburgh International Festival in August, the New Town offers ease of access to venues without the packed streets of crowds and promoters that comes from staying in the Old Town with 2012 seeing the arrival of the street’s very own beer tent and garden where visitors and locals alike relax in the sun by day and drink under the stars come evening.
Also in the new town, The Scottish National Gallery is located half-way down Princes Street, next to Princes Street Gardens which offers a tranquil escape to nature right in the heart of the city, while The Mound nearby offers a view across the New Town and towards Fife- another nod to nature among the busy city.
New Town sounds like a good introduction point to see the sights and meet some locals. We may have to add an excursion next summer.