West Princes Street Gardens

If you only have limited time in Edinburgh, head for West Princes Street Gardens which, unsurprisingly, is at the west end of Princes Street. The highlights of West Princes Street Gardens include:

The Ross Fountain with its voluptuous naked mermaids pouring water over their ample bosoms which scandalised the neighbouring church Dean (“Grossly indecent and disgusting; insulting and offensive to the moral feelings of the community and disgraceful to the City”).

The Floral Clock at the north-eastern edge of WPSG has been planted out every summer since 1903. It takes up to 40,000 plants to create a different theme each year. Recent themes have included Fairtrade, Zoo centenary and the Olympics.

The children's play park close to the Ross Fountain has chess-themed play areas for both toddlers and older children. There is a large wooden castle with slide and climbing nets.

Also look out for the cute Gardeners Cottage (the cottage is cute, not the gardener!), the Anne Frank Memorial Stone, and a Footbridge from where you can wave to trains coming to and from Waverley Station.

The Wojtek Memorial Trust has been raising funds to erect a life size bronze tribute to Wojtek the Bear in West Princes Street Gardens and this is hoped to be in place in 2015. 

 

EH2 2HG 

Virgin Lounge

Virgin Lounge membership is completely free. You are welcome to borrow an iPad, use the free Wi-Fi and help yourself to free refreshments (yes, really!). Avail yourself of the magazines, papers and television. You can even bring a friend or family member in with you.

But there's a catch...you have to be a Virgin Money customer.

But...you can open a savings account online with £1...

Then, register to use the lounge, they will even remember how you like your coffee. Now that's a hidden gem!


28 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 1AF
0771 2848 300
uk.virginmoney.com
@VM

St John the Evangelist Church

When St John's was built between 1816 – 18, there was a Gothic revival going on and architect William Burn really packed in the 'faux medieval' features with tall spires, pointed arches and an astoundingly elaborate vaulted ceiling.

The stained glass windows are worth a visit alone. They are amongst the vivid, most dramatic you will see anywhere. The majority are the work of James Ballantine.

A visit to St John's is not complete without visiting the Terrace where you will find Henderson's vegetarian restaurant, One World fair trade shop and the Cornerstone Bookshop residing in the vaults.

(While you're here, you might want to visit neighbouring St Cuthbert Church – although next to each other, they are in different postcode areas). 

Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ

0131 229 7565

office@stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk

http://stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk

@ChurchofStJohn

 

Sahaja Yoga Meditation

Sahaja Yoga is a technique developed by Sri Mataji Nirmala Devi that involves the awakening of a dormant energy, which is located at the base of the spine, and is known as the Kundalini.

Free Lunch Time Meditation every Thursday at 12.30pm - 1.30pm.

Everyone is welcome at this informal session. The yoga is seated, so need for mats or special clothing.

53 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2HT

scotlandyoga@aol.com

http://scotlandyoga.com

Rose Street

The pedestrianised street between Princes Street and George Street Rose Street is undoubtedly one of the city's liveliest streets being usually associated with pub crawls. That's not to say there aren't any hidden treasures, you just might have to look a bit harder to find them.

Few revellers will have noticed the eight large pebble rose mosaics set into the road – each one is a different variation on the rose design.

Essential Edinburgh has plans to revive Rose Street's bohemian air, using the thoroughfare's literary links as a theme, are ongoing. To date these have included the installation of 24 poetry planters; the erection of decorative steel poetry panels in the windows of the BT Telephone Exchange, and the creation of a poetry wall at the rear of the Roxburghe Hotel.

Panda and Sons

79 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4NF

0131 220 0443

pandaandsons.com

@PandaandSons

What's not to love about a hidden bar?!

Your first task is to find the speakeasy. Your second is to figure out how to access it.

Secreted beneath Queen Street, the only visible part of Panda and Sons is the street level entrance in the style of a vintage barbershop. Once you descend to the basement you will have to master a bookcase door.

(Don't get caught out by the late afternoon opening hours – check the website first!)

Freemasons' Hall

96 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH2 3DH
0131 225 5577
curator@grandlodgescotland.org
http://grandlodgescotland.com
Freemasonry began in Scotland and is the oldest secular fraternal society in the world.  Freemasons Hall, built in 1913, is the head office of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.  The four storey elegant building has marble floors, stained glass windows and a beautiful glass domed roof.  It also houses a museum containing the oldest Masonic Records in the world (Aitcheson's Haven from 1599), the 'Burns Inauguration' painting (Robert Burns was a Freemason) and various Masonic artifacts.

Freemasons' Hall is open to the public (no passwords or secret handshakes required) Monday to Friday 9.00 am - 4.30 pm and tours are conducted 10.00 am and 2.00 pm.  At certain times,  tours of the building may be unavailable or limited to the Museum only so be sure to check the 'Kalendar' on their website.

More info: Grand Lodge Scotland

Essential Edinburgh/Privilege Card

Essential Edinburgh aims to revitalise the City Centre. It does this through charging a levy to businesses located in the Business Improvement District (mainly the George Street, Rose Street & St Andrew Square areas). Sign up on the website to find out about events happening in the BID area.

People who live or work in a BID area can register for a Privilege Card which gives discounts and offers in businesses in the BID area.

Dundas House

36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2AD

0131 523 3636

http://rbs.co.uk/

Sir Lawrence Dundas made his fortune supplying goods to the British Army during their campaign against the Jacobites in 1745 and during the Seven Years War (1756-1763). He branched out into banking, shipping, sugar plantations and property.

In 1772 he purchased land at 36 St Andrew Square for £800 and employed royal architect, Sir William Chambers, to build a Palladian villa as his private mansion modelled on Marble Hill House in Twickenham.

When Sir Lawrence died in 1781, his son Thomas had no wish to live in the Edinburgh house – he hardly needed it, as he inherited £900,000 and a portfolio of eight properties – and sold it to the Commissioners of Excise.

In 1825, The Royal Bank of Scotland bought Dundas House for £35,300 and later added a domed banking hall with a star-adorned roof.

It is still a working branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland today with currency exchange service and cash dispensers if you need an excuse to gaze at the architecture.

The Dome

14 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PF

Telephone 0131 624 8624

Fax 0131 624 8649

sales@thedomeedinburgh.com
thedomeedinburgh.com

This large domed structure was once a bank but is now a well-regarded bar, restaurant and venue. Everything about the place from the chandeliers to the marble mosaic floors screams opulence. Even if you just go to take photographs....go!

Debenhams

111-112 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3AA

0844 561 6161

debenhams.com

@debenhams

Prior to being the flagship store of the retail giant, this Grade B listed building was a theatre and cafe and, originally, the home of the Scottish Conservative Club. It still contains a beautiful curved staircase and three stained glass windows, dedicated to the memory of Benjamin Disraeli, which were constructed in 1884 and are the work of James Ballantine & Son (whose work can be seen in Greyfriars Kirk (1 Greyfriars, Edinburgh EH1 2QQ), St John the Evangelist Church (Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ) and St. Giles Cathedral, as well as the House of Lords).

Hidden incongruously amongst the ladieswear on the first floor, is the oak panelled Victorian library featuring antique books and a bust of Gladstone - a remnant of the Liberal Club which also used to be on this site.