8 of the best · Edinburgh, Scotland
Parks, Gardens and Beaches in Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden, Princes Street Gardens below the castle, the Meadows, Inverleith Park, the Hermitage of Braid, Portobello’s beach and the Pentland Hills.
Our 8 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
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Insiders' picks
Three we return to, chosen by people who know Edinburgh’s closes, crescents and quaysides.
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Inverleith
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
One of the world’s great botanic gardens, in Inverleith, with its glasshouses and views of the castle.
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Below the castle
Princes Street Gardens
The gardens in the valley between the Old Town and the New, below Castle Rock, with the Ross Fountain.
The full list: Parks, A–Z
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Parks & nature 8
Gardens, hills and the sea.
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Midlothian
Dalkeith Country Park
A country park south-east of the city: woodland, Fort Douglas play area and the Restoration Yard.
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Local nature reserve
Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill
A wooded glen and a hill with one of the best views over the city, south of Morningside.
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Next to the Botanics
Inverleith Park
A wide park beside the Botanic Garden, with a pond and a view of the city skyline.
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On the city’s edge
Pentland Hills Regional Park
The hills on the city’s southern edge, with paths for walkers and cyclists.
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Below the castle
Princes Street Gardens
The gardens in the valley between the Old Town and the New, below Castle Rock, with the Ross Fountain.
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Inverleith
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
One of the world’s great botanic gardens, in Inverleith, with its glasshouses and views of the castle.
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Tree-lined paths
The Meadows
Edinburgh’s great open park south of the Old Town, crossed by tree-lined paths.
