With signs of civilisation dating back to 8500 BC, Edinburgh is Scotland’s most historical, and most popular, city. The Edinburgh area is the second largest financial centre in the United Kingdom, and subsequently is a popular destination for business travellers. Named by the Financial Times fDi Magazine as the ‘Best Large European City of the Future’, Edinburgh also boasts the strongest economy in the United Kingdom outside London. Conversely, Edinburgh is perhaps less well recognised for its night life outside of corporate hours. There are a whole host of things to do in Edinburgh at night following a long day of business appointments. Below are a just some of our favourite Edinburgh sundown specialities.
Ghost Walks
No city has mastered spooky strolls quite like Edinburgh. Spine tingling tales are available aplenty as some of the more chilling history of the area is disclosed on these entertaining tours. Ideal in a night time setting, these walks represent a perfect evening distraction, being relatively inexpensive and lasting as long as three hours.
Whilst not exclusive to Edinburgh, ghost tours in this area are unique due to their quality. As a history rich area, the competition for audiences is plentiful, meaning that more often than not visitors are treated to the cream of the crop. A highlight of said tours is the underground tour, where the secrets of ghostly caverns are revealed – a perfect opportunity for some memorable team bonding
Edinburgh Dungeon
Edinburgh dungeon offers an immersive, hair-raising experience only for the bravehearted. Complete with underground rides, live actor shows and an underground journey through Scottish history, the one of a kind experience is more than enough diversion to suffice when wondering what to do in Edinburgh at night.
You’d be hard pressed to find a better hair-raising activity in the United Kingdom than Edinburgh Dungeon; tickets are available for around £20.
Royal Observatory
Steering the proverbial ship away from horror, a more relaxing pastime in Edinburgh at night is exploring the Royal Observatory. First opened in 1894, the historic buildings are coupled with state of the art science and technology to create a fascinating environment for guests.
There are a whole host of public events available, including astronomy evenings and an astronomy talk series, as well as private booking available. There are few better winding-down activities than stargazing when deciding on things to do in Edinburgh at night during your business trip. Situated atop Blackford hill, the spot owns its status as the best area for stargazing in Edinburgh, even if you aren’t fortunate enough to reserve a place in the observatory.
Escape Rooms
A favourite pastime in any city, it’s never a bad choice to fill your evening with the team building atmosphere and puzzle and intrigue that an escape room provides. The rapid rise in popularity of escape rooms can be attributed to their variety as well as the fun competitive challenge they are consistently able to offer.
Some of the highlights in Edinburgh include ‘Locked in Edinburgh’, ‘Escape Hunt Edinburgh’ and ‘Can You Escape? Edinburgh’. These are just a few amongst many, with likely the best experience being experimenting with a few of the options at your disposal.
Harry Potter Experience
Edinburgh is the city given credit for much of the world-famous Harry Potter’s creation. J K Rowling undoubtedly took inspiration from some of the unique scenery in the area; where else in the world can you find a castle situated atop a former volcano? If ever stuck for what to do in Edinburgh at night, a visit to Victoria Street is a great use of evening time, with the cobbled road a clear inspiration for some of the now infamous settings of the Harry Potter series. Wizardly-themed shops litter the street, ensuring you get your full fix of magic in Edinburgh at night.
Other related attractions include Elephant House, a café open until late that is the alleged ‘birthplace’ of Harry Potter (or more likely just a location where Rowling did some of her book writing) as well as the author’s hand-prints - planted before the city chambers to recognise her Edinburgh award.
Incredible Bars and Restaurants
One of the more obvious benefits of a night in Edinburgh is saved until last. Edinburgh is known far and wide for its status as an area with a brilliant service industry. With an estimated 275 bars per 100,000 people in the city in 2018, visitors are spoilt for choice when deciding on things to do in Edinburgh at night. This figure doesn’t include restaurants, of which there is a vast variety. Favourite chain restaurants, as well as plenty of unique, independent venues are available. If you are a scotch fan there are a great range of whisky experiences in Edinburgh you can try. Edinburgh bars and restaurants are perfect for a relaxing evening when free from working restrictions in the city.
Edinburgh has enough of the standard hallmarks of a big city to make you feel at home, whilst also offering a generous helping of unique establishments and experiences to create a lasting impression on business travellers. In terms of night time options, there is more than enough entertainment to fill your spare time whilst learning a bit more about your temporary home.
Our website contains a large selection of Edinburgh serviced apartments, book now and try some of our favourite things to do in Edinburgh at night. Also, check out our previous blogs on the Edinburgh area, such as ‘Top Things to do in Edinburgh and Glasgow’ and our ‘Edinburgh City Guide’.
