Discover how you can have a eco-friendly break in Edinburgh, whilst still enjoying a fun-packed holiday.
Tip 1: Embrace Edinburgh’s sustainable transportation options. Embrace its compact size by walking or wheeling between places, and familiarise yourself with our bus and tram network to explore further. Download the ‘Transport for Edinburgh’ app to plan your journeys.
Tip 2: Stay in eco-friendly accommodation by booking with Green Tourism accredited supplier in Edinburgh.
Tip 3 Try restaurants that prioritse locally sourced, organic and seasonal ingredients to support the local economy and reduce food miles.
1. Use public transport
Exploring Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods and speedy, low-cost travel around the city.
With regular connections to Scotland’s capital city by rail and bus, leave the car at home, sit back, relax and enjoy the views as you travel straight into the heart of the city.
As a small city, it’s relatively easy to negotiate a large part of Edinburgh on foot. However, when the journey is slightly longer, or the weather is on the dreich side, the city is well served by a reliable and affordable bus and tram service. A single adult ticket on Lothian Buses costs £2.00 and a DayTicket, which offers unlimited journeys on day services in the city zone, excluding Airlink, is only £5.00 per person. Edinburgh Trams run every 7 minutes between Newhaven and Edinburgh Airport. There are 23 stops along the route, including Ingliston Park and Ride, Murrayfield Stadium, Haymarket Station, St Andrew Square and Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre at Leith.
Plan your journey now with our guide to Eco-friendly travel to and within Edinburgh
2. Stay in a green hotel
The eco-conscious and curious visitors looking for the greenest stays in Edinburgh.
In Scotland we have the Green Tourism Scheme which offers businesses advice on how to be greener. Accolades are given to participating hotels, restaurants and attractions that have excelled in a range of sustainable benchmarks including energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and community involvement.
Several hotels and accommodation providers in Edinburgh are part of this scheme, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable tourism.
Discover more about Green Hotels in Edinburgh
3. Visit off-season
Enjoying Edinburgh’s exciting winter events programme and cosy get-togethers in our winter-warming venues.
While many people love the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh during the summer months, visiting off-season (September – May) is a great way to explore the city without having to compete with large crowds and queues (and it can also sometimes be more pocket-friendly!)
The autumn months in Edinburgh are particularly attractive as the city is blanketed in glorious shades of red and brown leaves – the ideal landscape for capturing the perfect Instagram image.
For some inspiring images of the city, head to our Instagram channel
4. Shop local
Finding unique gifts and supporting Edinburgh’s local businesses.
Whichever of Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods you choose to stay in, they all have their own collection of unique shops.
Run by people for people, local businesses are often in keeping with the character of the area, adding a sense of pride and joy to the local community. When you shop at the local butchers, bakers or green grocers it is likely that a large proportion of the produce has had a short field-to-plate journey. Along with supporting local farmers, it also means the food is likely to contain more nutrients and have less packaging.
Discover more about the different parts of the city in our guide to Edinburgh’s Neighbourhoods
5. Book a small group tour
Immersive and personalised adventures.
If you want to explore beyond Edinburgh, booking an excursion with a small tour company is a great idea.
From day trips to Loch Ness to 3 days exploring the Scottish Highlands, knowledgeable driver/guides will share with you insider tips, take you to areas off the beaten track, and give you the opportunity to experience Scotland at its very best.
Departing daily from Edinburgh, many tour companies have a number of green initiatives including using low fuel consumption vehicles and contributing to sustaining local communities.
Plan your next trip with our guide to Eco-friendly Tour Companies in Edinburgh
6. Plan ahead
Ensuring you’re well-prepared to enjoy Edinburgh the eco-friendly way.
Know where you want to visit? If visiting Edinburgh Castle or the National Museum of Scotland have been on your bucket list for as long as you can remember, before you visit have a look at their website and learn as much about the attraction as you can – that way you’ll spend less time deciding what to see when you get there and have a more rewarding visit.
Our Top Edinburgh Attractions page has some great ideas to get you started….
7. Explore Edinburgh’s other festivals
Discovering a diverse programme of events, with many focused on sustainability, eco-conscious initiatives and promoting sustainable practices that inspire people to enjoy Edinburgh in a responsible way.
Edinburgh is well-known for its festivals with the likes of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe and Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival pulling in huge crowds over the summer months. But the city also plays host to some smaller, but equally fascinating festivals throughout the year, which are well worth a visit.
Opening up forgotten urban spaces as a platform for new and emerging artists, poets, musicians and film makers, Hidden Door Festival has been held in several disused spaces and venues around Edinburgh, including an abandoned underground vault, a hidden courtyard and an old theatre. While Manipulate Festival sees the very best in puppetry, visual theatre & animated film head to the city each March.
Love harp music? You won’t want to miss the multi-day Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Or if you want to join in the celebrations of the first signs of summer, head to Calton Hill where at the end of March, Beltane Fire Festival brings ancient Celtic traditions to life with a unique modern twist.
Don’t miss any of Edinburgh’s renowned festivals – sign up to our monthly newsletter and receive details of the top events taking place in the city each month
8. Sightsee like a local
Getting a deeper connection with our local communities and embracing eco-friendly sightseeing options: walk, bike, or use public transport, supporting the community while reducing your footprint.
For a completely unique tour, and the chance to support the work of a local social enterprise, why not book an Invisible Cities Walking Tour.
Hosted by experienced tour guides, all of whom have been affected by homelessness, they offer their own personal insight into Edinburgh’s past, present and future, whilst sharing with you stories of one of Edinburgh’s most historic and colourful areas.
9. Discover Scotland’s natural larder
Supporting sustainable local farming practices, reducing food miles, and tasting fresh local delicacies.
Scotland is blessed with a mouth-watering range of seasonal produce and you’ll find some of the finest locally sourced food and drink in Edinburgh’s restaurants and cafes.
Proving that the journey from plot to plate needn’t be long, several eateries are going the extra mile to ensure only best locally produced ingredients are on offer.
Discover more in our guide to Eco-friendly restaurants and bars in Edinburgh
10. Visit the lesser-known attractions
Helping Edinburgh to preserve its historic built environment and supporting local businesses.
There are so many well-known attractions in Edinburgh, it can sometimes be hard to decide which ones to visit. While the renowned Edinburgh Zoo and Scottish National Gallery, are certainly well worth visiting, take some time to go to those lesser well-known ones as well. The queues are often shorter, they tend to be in quieter parts of the city and you’ll leave with a greater understanding of the local community.
Our top recommendations include Dovecot Studios, a must-visit for anyone with an interest in tapestries and fine craftsmanship; the award-winning contemporary sculpture garden, Jupiter Artland and the Museum of Edinburgh which tells the story of the city from the fascinating range of exhibits on display. While St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room and Music Museum is Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall and the only place in the world it is claimed, that you can hear 18th century music being played on 18th century instruments in an 18th century setting!
Find out what’s on in Edinburgh
From January to December, there’s always plenty going on in Edinburgh to keep the whole family entertained.
