Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, a compact city of about half a million people built across a chain of extinct volcanic hills. Its Old Town and New Town together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Edinburgh Castle on its rock at one end of the Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other. Visitors come for the medieval closes, the Georgian crescents, free national museums, Arthur's Seat, Scottish seafood and whisky, and the festivals that fill the city every August.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Scotch whisky
Bottles from £25 (~$34) at Royal Mile Whiskies or Cadenhead's. UK liquid rules for hand luggage can still be strict at some airports, so pack in checked bags or buy duty-free after security.
Tartan and kilts
A tartan scarf from £20 to £60 (~$27 to $80) is a more affordable souvenir than a kilt, which costs from about £500 (~$670) made-to-measure. Look for 'Made in Scotland' labels; much cheap tartan is imported.
Cashmere and lambswool knitwear
Scarves and jumpers from about £40 (~$54) on the Royal Mile and in Stockbridge shops; mill-brand shops sell good-quality pieces.
Shortbread, tablet, and oatcakes
Shortbread tins from about £5 (~$7), tablet (Scottish fudge-like sweet), and oatcakes from supermarkets or delis such as I.J. Mellis.
Scottish gin
Edinburgh Gin, produced at the distillery on Rutland Place, is sold in the city's shops. Bottles from about £25 (~$34).
Harris Tweed
Genuine Harris Tweed carries the Orb Mark, certifying it was woven in the Outer Hebrides. Caps and bags from about £40 (~$54).
Books and prints
Golden Hare Books, Armchair Books, and The Scottish Gallery sell Scottish literature, maps, and prints that travel flat in luggage.
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Stockbridge Market
A weekly Sunday market in Saunders Street, beside the Water of Leith, offering artisan food, street food, flowers, and craft. Entry is free. Walking from Princes Street takes about 25 minutes, or take Lothian Buses 24 or 29 to Stockbridge.
Where: Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Hours: Sundays 10am to 5pm (verify winter hours at stockbridgemarket.com)
Edinburgh Farmers' Market
A Saturday market on Castle Terrace, directly under the castle rock, where Scottish farmers and food producers sell direct. Good for smoked salmon, venison, cheese, oatcakes, and hot street food. Entry is free.
Where: Castle Terrace, West End, Edinburgh
Hours: Saturdays, typically 9am to 2pm; verify at edinburghfarmersmarket.co.uk
Grassmarket Market
A Saturday market in the Grassmarket with stalls selling crafts, art, food, and street food in the shadow of the castle. The pubs and cafes of the Grassmarket are nearby for breaks.
Where: Grassmarket, Old Town, Edinburgh
Hours: Saturdays, daytime; times vary by season, verify before visiting
Leith Market
A Saturday market on the Leith waterfront with food stalls, local producers, and craft sellers, close to the pubs and restaurants of The Shore.
Where: The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh
Hours: Saturdays, daytime (verify current hours before travelling)
Edinburgh's Christmas Market
A large seasonal market in East Princes Street Gardens, with timber chalets selling gifts, food, and mulled wine, plus a Big Wheel and fairground rides in the gardens. Entry to the market is free; rides are ticketed.
Where: Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
Hours: Mid-November to early January, daily from about 10am to 10pm (verify dates at edinburghschristmas.com)
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Princes Street
Edinburgh's main high street runs along the south edge of the New Town, facing Princes Street Gardens and the castle. It is lined with high-street chains and department stores and ends at the Waverley end near the Scott Monument. The former Jenners department store building at 48 Princes Street has been closed for redevelopment, with completion not expected before 2027, so visitors should not plan a visit there. Trams run the length of the street.
George Street and the New Town
The Georgian grid of George Street and the cross streets carries upmarket fashion, jewellers such as Hamilton & Inches, and the pedestrianised Rose Street. Dundas Street and Thistle Street hold independent galleries such as The Scottish Gallery. Quieter than Princes Street and more refined in feel.
Multrees Walk and St James Quarter
A short luxury street and a large modern shopping and leisure district sit side by side at the east end of Princes Street. Multrees Walk houses Harvey Nichols, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, and Max Mara. St James Quarter beside it has more than 80 shops, restaurants, a cinema, a hotel, and John Lewis. The Edinburgh tram stops opposite on St Andrew Square.
Royal Mile and Old Town
The Royal Mile (Lawnmarket, High Street, and Canongate) is the centre of tourist shopping: tartan, kilts, cashmere, whisky, and gifts. Quality varies widely, and mass-produced items imported from overseas are common, so look for a 'Made in Scotland' label or the Harris Tweed Authority orb mark. Cockburn Street, a curved side street off the High Street, has independent vintage, record, and craft shops.
Victoria Street and Grassmarket
Colourful, curved Victoria Street, running from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket, is the city's best browsing street for independents, including cheesemonger I.J. Mellis (30a), quirky gift shops, and vintage and bookshops; the Grassmarket below has vintage clothing shops and pubs. Armchair Books on West Port, a short walk away, is a must for second-hand book lovers.
Stockbridge
A village-like district just north of the New Town, with Raeburn Place and St Stephen Street (home to Golden Hare Books) holding independent boutiques, vintage and charity shops, delis, and cafes. The Stockbridge Market on Sundays is the main draw. Walk from the New Town via Dean Village or take Lothian Buses 24 or 29.
Leith and Leith Walk
Leith Walk, the long road from the east end of Princes Street to Leith, has an eclectic mix of independent shops. Italian deli Valvona & Crolla at 19 Elm Row, near the top of the Walk, is a long-established favourite. Down in Leith, Kinloch Anderson on Dock Street makes kilts and tartans, and Ocean Terminal is a large waterfront shopping centre.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
St James Quarter
A large retail and leisure district opened in 2021 on the site of the old St James Centre, at the east end of Princes Street. It combines high-street brands such as Zara, H&M, and Mango with a John Lewis store, a cinema, restaurants and bars, and the W Edinburgh hotel. Under cover and free to enter.
Hours: Typically Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm; restaurants and bars later (verify at stjamesquarter.com)
Multrees Walk
A short pedestrian luxury shopping street beside St Andrew Square. Home to Scotland's only Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Max Mara stores and to Harvey Nichols. Five minutes' walk from Waverley station.
Hours: Typically Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm (verify at multreeswalk.co.uk)
Harvey Nichols Edinburgh
A luxury department store on St Andrew Square with designer fashion, beauty, and food hall. Its fourth-floor Forth Floor restaurant and bar overlooks the city and is open for lunch and afternoon tea; booking is recommended.
Hours: Typically Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm (verify at harveynichols.com)
John Lewis Edinburgh
The city's main department store, with fashion, homeware, and a cafe, linked to St James Quarter. A good place for practical purchases such as outdoor clothing and adapters.
Hours: Typically Monday to Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm (verify at johnlewis.com)
Ocean Terminal
A waterfront shopping centre in Leith with high-street shops, a cinema, and restaurants. The Royal Yacht Britannia is moored alongside. Reached by Lothian Buses from Princes Street.
Hours: Typically Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm; verify at oceanterminal.com
Fort Kinnaird
A large retail park on the south-east edge of Edinburgh with outlets and big-brand stores at discounted prices. About 20 to 30 minutes by bus from the city centre; useful for sportswear and electronics.
Hours: Typically Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm; verify at fortkinnaird.com
The Gyle Shopping Centre
A large enclosed shopping centre on the western edge of the city, close to the Gyle tram stop and not far from Edinburgh Airport. Houses a supermarket and major high-street shops.
Hours: Typically Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm; verify at gyleshopping.co.uk
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining is not customary in Edinburgh shops. Prices are fixed in shops, department stores, and market stalls; a polite question about a discount on multiple items is acceptable at craft stalls only.
At second-hand and vintage shops such as Armchair Books and Grassmarket vintage shops, prices are marked and rarely negotiable.
Compare prices between Royal Mile tourist shops and independent specialists; for whisky and cashmere, specialist shops often offer better value and more reliable origins than souvenir stores.
Sale periods run from late December and from late June or July; department stores mark down 30 to 70 percent.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Items:
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- No tax-free shopping for tourists
- Detail
- The UK ended its VAT refund scheme for overseas visitors on 1 January 2021, so the 20 percent VAT in shelf prices cannot be reclaimed on goods carried home. Some retailers will sell VAT-free if they ship the goods directly to an address outside the UK; ask at the till. A proposal to bring back tax-free shopping has been made by the Conservative opposition in September 2026 but is not law.
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- Alcohol and tobacco allowances (arriving in the UK)
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- Travellers entering the UK may bring 18 litres of still wine, 4 litres of spirits, and 42 litres of beer, plus 200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco, for personal use. Check gov.uk/duty-free-goods for current rules.
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- Goods returning to the EU or the US
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- Allowances for goods brought home from the UK depend on the destination (for US visitors, US customs allows a duty-free personal exemption, currently $800 per person; confirm with cbp.gov). Keep receipts.
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- Scottish banknotes
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- Scotland issues its own banknotes (Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Clydesdale). They are accepted across Scotland, though they are not legal tender anywhere in the UK, and some shops in England decline them. Exchange them for Bank of England notes before leaving Scotland if travelling south.
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- Payments and bags
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- Contactless payment is accepted almost everywhere. Shops charge for single-use carrier bags (minimum 5p in Scotland), so bring a tote.
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- Opening hours
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- Most high-street shops open about 9am or 10am and close at 5:30pm to 6pm Monday to Saturday, with later hours (to 8pm) in malls. Sunday hours are shorter, typically 11am or 12pm to 5pm. During August and December, many Old Town shops stay open late.