Must See Sights and Landmarks in Blackford Area

"Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is one of Edinburgh’s most popular and oldest tourist attractions. Located at the top of the Royal Mile, close to the castle, this museum of optical illusions is really fun and well done. It’s a great visit if you’re visiting Edinburgh with your family!"

"On Castle Hill, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions offers five floors of interactive hands-on optical illusions, tricks and fun things to do including vortex tunnel, mirror maze and shrinking room. Tickets are £12.15 for children and £15.75 for adults."

"Capture five floors full of optical experiences through the mirror maze, giant kaleidoscope, giant vortex tunnel, magic gallery, horrogram and lots more, here in a world that blends reality and illusion. Distance from Hotel:300 m4 mins4 mins2 mins"

"Start at the end Princes Street and climb the staircase up the hill for some of the best views over the city – from here you can see out to the castle and over to Arthur’s Seat. Home to the National Monument, designed to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens but never finished, it’s also where you’ll find the huge Nelson monument. At 1pm, the time ball here drops – designed to be seen by ships far our at sea, the castle’s One O’Clock gun was added as bad weather meant the ball couldn’t always be seen."

"Climb Calton HIll Towards the end of the day, I’d suggest you head up Calton Hill. This is a wonderful spot for a view of the city and can be found at the east end of Princes Street. This hill is home to a series of monuments, including the National Monument of Scotland, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the Parthenon in Greece."

"0 km from city center 2 out of 11 places to visit in Edinburgh. Situated on the east end of the Princes Street, the Calton Hill in Edinburgh is included in the city's UNESCO world heritage site. The National Monument of Scotland is situated on the Calton Hill."

"Address: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJWebsite: The Royal Yacht Britannia. The Royal Yacht Britannia is the former yacht of the British Royal Family which now takes pride of place at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre at Leith in Edinburgh. Over the course of her working life Britannia sailed over 1 million miles around the world and she’s now open year-round for visitors to follow in the footsteps of world leaders as they walk through her beautifully ornate rooms."

"Built on Clydeside, the former Royal Yacht Britannia was the British Royal Family's floating holiday home during their foreign travels from the time of her launch in 1953 until her decommissioning in 1997, and is..."

"Old Calton is situated at the foot of Calton Hill and is the resting place of numerous important people including the philosopher David Hume. Inaugurated in 1718, the cemetery had to be altered due to the construction of Waterloo Place in 1819 and was divided into two. As well as the neoclassical memorial of David Hume, it is also worth highlighting the tall black obelisk erected in the memory of a number of political reformers and an enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln which is Scotland’s American Civil War Memorial."

"A two story extension was added in the 1820s by architect William Burn, and finally a library was added in the 1870s. The interior is beautifully decorated and furnished in Edwardian style and features some beautiful works of art. There are regular craft workshops for all ages held in the Victorian kitchen throughout the year."

"Lauriston Castle has one of the most remarkable Edwardian interiors in Scotland, with elements dating back to the 16th century. Gifted to the nation in the 1920s, the beautiful gardens, which remain free to the..."

"With its mercat cross, cobbled streets, tolbooth, and narrow wynds (alleys), seaside Culross is a picturesque little town. It's also…"

"If you like fun, interactive science museums, then Dynamic Earth is a must-visit. Right next to the Scottish Parliament building and underneath the stunning backdrop of the Crags and Arthur’s Seat, Dynamic Earth tells the story of the history of the Earth."

"Dynamic Earth is one of Scotland’s top visitor attractions and a guaranteed hit with the kids. It tells the story of our amazing planet through an immersive tour. You can feel the heat of a bubbling volcano or touch the icy cold of the arctic."

"Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Open daily from 10.30 to 16.30 Free to enter, donations welcome. Arguably Edinburgh's largest and busiest museum, the National Museum of Scotland has a range of exhibits from around the world, showcasing the Natural World, World Cultures and Scottish History and Archaeology. Before you explore the exhibits on display, take a moment to take in the striking architecture of the Grand Gallery, a beautiful example of Victorian design with soaring high pillars, large windows and a magnificent glass ceiling that floors the gallery with light."

"Kids will absolutely love the kid-friendly interactive exhibits at the National Museum of Scotland. It’s one of my favorite things to do in Edinburgh with kids simply because it’s so large the whole family can enjoy it together. There are plenty of games for the kids that allow them to test out their own strength with a pulley system, try their hand in a flight simulator, or discover the secrets of the underwater world."

"It was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture, and history, and the adjacent Royal Museum (so renamed in 1995), with collections covering science and technology, natural history, and world cultures."

"This one wasn’t recommended by anyone but we did drive past it and it looked great. It was our last day and didn’t have time to stop in but we did see a young family having a bite so it passed the family-friendly test. Not far from Waverly station, we were on the Hop on Hop off bus tour at the time."

"Cruz Bar is one of the most memorable gastro pubs in Edinburgh. It occupies a WWI minesweeper boat anchored in the heart of Leith's docklands at The Shore. There is a cozy and ambient dining area and bar inside the ship, but the on deck seating area really lifts Cruz above the competition."

"Purslane eschews the stuffiness often associated with fine dining|Courtesy of Purslane Restaurant. Situated in a bijou basement in ever-fashionable Stockbridge, Purslane is that apparent oxymoron: a casual fine-dining restaurant. But Purslane, headed up by chef-patron Paul Gunning has successfully pulled it off, serving up ambitious modern cuisine without the stuffy formality often associated with fine dining."

"At first glance Purslane appears to be a contradiction, offering casual and rustic fine dining. Yet scores of happy customers and a rapidly growing reputation confirm that this commitment to excellent cuisine without the stuffy formality sometimes associated with fine dining is very popular. This delightful Stockbridge restaurant has a laid back and welcoming ambience and no dress code."

"Teuchter's Landing is a great little pub close to the docks at Leith. The pub is housed in a quaint and attractive stone building that was once the ferry terminal for boats arriving from Aberdeen (Teuchter, pronounced choochter, is a lowland Scots name for a highlander) and it has retained much of the original stonework. The interior is clad in warm wood with a huge fire to warm patrons on winter nights and the extra seating outside includes a wonderful floating pontoon."

"Teuchter’s Landing has one of Edinburgh’s best beer gardens, a wide array of whiskies and some incredibly hearty meals served in mugs. Cup-a-Soup and Lemsip once fought over the right to use the slogan “hug in a mug” – if either party had visited Teuchtar’s Landing in Leith, they’d hand over the slogan after any one of their comforting mugs. Tuck into a mug of Cullen Skink, Haggis Stovies, Haggis Neeps and Tatties, Mac and Cheese or some chunky chips."