About

It is hardly a secret that Edinburgh is a beautiful city, steeped in history and blessed with a rich cultural and architectural heritage. However, there is a hidden side to Edinburgh which visitors - and even residents - rarely notice. Secret Edinburgh is a carefully curated guide to Edinburgh which aims to showcase the capital's more obscure treasures and celebrates the unusual, overlooked and under-appreciated attractions as well as giving tips to get the most out of your time in the city.

Lovers of the offbeat and weird will delight in the revelation that down a quiet alley in a well-to-do leafy suburb of Edinburgh, there lies a 'Wild West' street, complete with jail and saloon. Ethical shoppers will love the specially chosen social enterprises and 'free shop' listed in our guide. Stressed out consumers will be thankful for the free lunchtime meditation workshops in the heart of Edinburgh's shopping district. But that's not all, Secret Edinburgh reveals a whole new side to the capital including:

• the most centrally situated cafe and hidden garden in Edinburgh - that thousands of visitors walk past every day!
• monthly lane sales where you can pick up a bargain at an open air auction.
• a “demonstration of evidence of the afterlife” every Wednesday behind an unassuming door in the West End.
• pedestrian-only staircases that link streets at different heights.
• how to gain access to buildings not normally open to the public.
• secret societies, supper clubs, geocaches and much more...

Whether your interest is in escaping the tourist cliches, discovering a macabre exhibit, or a bit of urban exploration, there is a cemetery, museum or tunnel for you!

Secret Edinburgh is by no means an exhaustive list to all the hidden treasures that our beautiful capital city has to offer, but is an invitation to residents and visitors alike, to observe it with the fresh eyes of a flâneur and hopefully to discover more gems for themselves.