Reward yourself with Resident Rewards Edinburgh

Produced in collaboration with The Skinny.

Edinburgh has a lot going on – the history, the architecture, the nightlife, the nature – and people travel from all over the world to experience the city. But for those of us who live here all year round and spend most of our time at work, studying or doing mundane ‘life admin’, there’s still plenty to enjoy, and always new places and spaces to explore. That’s the idea behind Resident Rewards, a scheme designed to help Edinburgh residents make the most of living in one of Europe’s great cities, and to enjoy everything their home town has to offer. The Resident Rewards programme has expanded for 2024 with a host of deals and offers – here’s a brief guide to some of what Edinburgh residents can enjoy.

Like we said before, there’s always someplace new to check out in Edinburgh, but sometimes you just need a bit of a nudge in the right direction. That’s the idea with Star Rewards – these are monthly offers that let you experience one of Edinburgh’s attractions at a discounted rate, but only for that month. February’s Star Reward is a chance to enjoy a great meal at Drinks & Dining at Ten Hill Place Hotel in the Southside, ideal for before a show at the Festival Theatre or after a walk up The Crags or Arthur’s Seat. Edinburgh residents can buy a voucher with a value of £50 for just £25, and use that within February 2024. In March, take a pal on a spooky tour of Edinburgh’s vaults with Mercat Tours – it’s buy one, get one free, so your aforementioned friend can get the drinks afterwards – while April and May’s rewards will take you to the Department of Magic in the Old Town and the Port of Leith Distillery at the Leith waterfront.

If you’re more of a free spirit, or you’re so organised that your whole February is booked up, check out Resident Rates. These are special prices available to Edinburgh residents to use at their convenience year-round – locals get 10% off tours of the city with Edinburgh Bus Tours, 20% off their food at the Thirty Knots pub in South Queensferry next to the iconic Forth Bridge, and 20% off experiences at Johnnie Walker Princes Street.

Annual Passes are at the other end of the scale, offering local residents the chance to take multiple trips to some of their favourite places in the city without it costing them each time they return. Head to the Royal Yacht Britannia, do a loop around, then come back later in the year and check out your favourite bits to your heart’s content without it costing you anything more.

For an extra-special treat, check out Resident Previews. These are early chances to check out brand new events or experiences launching in the city before anyone else. Previews have included an exclusive tour of the freshly-renovated National Gallery of Scotland at the Mound, and an early sneak peek at the Scotch Whisky Experience’s revamped Silver Tour. And as a final cherry on top, sometimes living in Edinburgh means you get great stuff, for free, just for being here. Half Price and Free Days allow locals to, on certain days and times, take a look around some of the city’s best attractions for less than usual. In the case of the Holyrood Distillery, Thursday nights offer the chance to take a tour of the excellent distillery, tucked away next to Holyrood Park, completely free. Now that beats a night of doing your laundry and watching TV…

T&Cs apply; Rewards are subject to change.

Keep up-to-date with Forever Edinburgh and the Resident Rewards Edinburgh Programme. Sign up to the Forever Edinburgh Resident Newsletter here today!

This project is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund