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Sunset

Golden Light at Calton Hill

Grab a drink, catch the sunset from the city’s best viewpoint, and head to a warm pub afterwards.

Best time: 15 JanAbout 90 min

Timeline

  1. 15:25

    Sandy Bells

    Start with a pint at Sandy Bells. This pub is a local institution with live folk music every night, making it a perfect, lively warm-up before the evening chill sets in.

  2. 15:40

    Calton Hill

    Walk up to Calton Hill. It is a short stroll from the area and commands great views. Position yourself near the 'National Monument' to watch the sun set toward the SW.

  3. 16:40

    The Elephant House

    End the night at The Elephant House. The cafe is full of creative types and offers consistently good coffee and light bites, a cozy place to reflect after the cold wind on the hill.

Local tip

Calton Hill is a short stroll up from the city centre. The sunset is toward the SW, so face that direction for the best view.

Check before you go

  • Sandy Bells is open Mo-Sa 12:00-01:00 and Su 12:30-24:00.
  • The Elephant House is open Mo-Th 08:00-22:00, Fr 08:00-23:00, Sa 09:00-23:00, and Su 09:00-22:00.

Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Edinburgh (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

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