By the mid-18th century the Old Town was dangerously overcrowded. In 1766 the city held a competition for a new district on the open ridge to the north. It was won by a young architect, James Craig, whose plan was simple: three parallel streets — Princes Street, George Street and Queen Street — with a grand square at each end. Building began in 1767.
Over the next eighty years the New Town spread northwards in crescents, circuses and terraces of pale sandstone. Remarkably little has changed. Together with the Old Town it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and the contrast between the two — medieval muddle on one ridge, Enlightenment order on the other — is what makes Edinburgh look like nowhere else.
What to see and do: The New Town
Charlotte Square and the Georgian House
The north side of Charlotte Square, designed by Robert Adam in 1791, is the masterpiece of the New Town. Bute House, at number 6, is the official residence of Scotland’s First Minister. Next door at number 7, the National Trust for Scotland’s Georgian House is furnished as it would have been around 1800, from drawing room to basement kitchen.
George Street and Rose Street
George Street is now the city’s smartest strip of shops, restaurants and cocktail bars, many in former banks with spectacular interiors. Rose Street, the narrow lane running parallel, is traditional pub territory.
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
A red sandstone Gothic palace on Queen Street, free to enter. The great hall is ringed with a painted frieze of famous Scots; the galleries beyond put faces to Scottish history, from Mary, Queen of Scots to the present.
St Andrew Square and the St James Quarter
The eastern square has a garden with a café, the tram stop for the airport and Dundas House, a bank with a domed, star-pierced banking hall. Behind it, the St James Quarter is the city’s newest shopping centre, crowned by a spiralling bronze-coloured hotel.
The northern New Town
Walk downhill from George Street to see the quieter, grander second phase: the Royal Circus, Moray Place with its twelve-sided garden, and Ann Street. Keep going and you reach Stockbridge and Dean Village.
How to get to The New Town
- The New Town begins on the north side of Princes Street. From Waverley station, walk up the steps to Princes Street and cross the road.
- The tram stops at Princes Street and St Andrew Square; the bus station is on the north-east corner of St Andrew Square.
- It is a 10–15 minute walk from the Royal Mile via the Mound or North Bridge.
Insider tips
- The streets run steeply downhill to the north. Plan your walk to end in Stockbridge and take a bus back up.
- Many of the private gardens in the squares are for residents only; St Andrew Square garden is open to all.
- For a view over the New Town to the Forth, look down any of the cross streets from George Street — Dundas Street and Castle Street are the best.
- Book restaurants on and around George Street at weekends and throughout August.
Best tours & tickets for The New Town
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to The New Town:
Tour + tasting from €29 Edinburgh: The Johnnie Walker Signature Experience
A modern, theatrical take on the whisky tour at the west end of Princes Street. A short quiz maps your flavour preferences, and the three drinks you are served along the way — cocktails or neat — are tailored to it. Non-alcoholic options are available.
- Immersive, high-tech whisky journey
- Drinks matched to your taste profile
- Rooftop bars with castle views
Walking tour from €21 Edinburgh: Dean Village and Circus Lane Walking Tour
A gentle walk through the prettiest parts of the city that most first-time visitors miss: the Georgian New Town, the old mill village in its gorge, the riverside path and the mews of Circus Lane.
- Dean Village and the Water of Leith
- Circus Lane and Stockbridge
- Small group with a local guide
Bus tour from €21 Edinburgh: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
A loop of the Old and New Towns on an open-top bus, with commentary and the freedom to get off at any stop. Useful on a first day, for saving your legs on the hills, and for the long downhill-then-uphill haul to Holyrood.
- Open-top double-decker
- Stops at the castle, Royal Mile and Holyrood
- Audio commentary in several languages
