Our Favourite Places to Live in Edinburgh

OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO LIVE IN EDINBURGH

Thinking of relocating to Scotland’s capital?   Phil Spencer & Kirstie Allsopp's "Best & Worst Places to Live in Britain 2007" on Channel 4  determined that Edinburgh is the No.1 place to be.  So - a very good choice! We've listed our favourite places to live, make friends and have fun in Auld Reekie!
 

Edinburgh once again swept the boards at last year’s Channel 4 ‘Best and Worst Places to Live in the UK!’.  Hardly surprising given the fantastic lifestyle, the shops, bars, restaurants, museums, galleries and - of course - the Festival!

And so inspiring - Edinburgh has the highest concentration of listed buildings in the UK.  The Old Town is a World Heritage Site and the elegant New Town (also a World Heritage Site) is home to beautiful residences, upmarket bars and restaurants and the famous shops on George and Princes Streets. So where are some of the best places to live in Edinburgh if you want to be part of the action?

Vibrant Villages

Long-term residents will tell you that Edinburgh consists of a number of little self-contained communities or ‘villages’, each with its own distinct ‘feel’.   Though many  are clustered around the bustling city centre, some are nonetheless relaxed and tranquil, others quirky and bohemian.  There’s bound to be one that’s right for you! 

Stockbridge
 

Stockbridge is located to the north, bordered by the New Town and Comely Bank.  Its named after the ‘Stock Bridge’ built in 1801 and traverses the tranquil Water of Leith.  The main street - Raeburn Place - boasts a variety of interesting shops and restaurants.  St Stephen’s street is great for vintage clothing, jewellery, antiques and crafts.  On a sunny day recharge your batteries in the charming Botanical Gardens or take a walk in the wooded depths of Water of Leith. 

Between Glenogle Road and the river 11 streets known as the ‘Stockbridge Colonies’ form a grid pattern. Constructed between 1861 and 1911 as low-cost housing for working people,they‘ve shed their humble image and are very desirable.  In fact, the colonies are a fashionable little village in their own right!

For around 9 days at the end of each June Stockbridge village hosts its own community festival.  The Stockbridge Duck Race which raises funds  local charities is popular. 1000 little rubber ducks are dispersed into the Water of Leith, each with a number.  If your duck is one of the first to pass the winning line, you win prizes for your sponsor(s). 

Leith
 

The port of Leith became part of the city in l920.  It’s recently undergone  major redevelopment and is home to modern hotels, upmarket shops, bars and cutting-edge housing developments.

Leith’s maritime history is reflected  in some of the best seafood restaurants in Scotland.  The famous Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed alongside Ocean Terminal, a huge shopping and entertainment complex.  Each June the Leith Festival features theatre, poetry music and comedy.

Bruntsfield and Areas to the South

Bruntsfield rubs up against Marchmont to the east, Merchiston to the west, Tollcross to the north and an area known as The Meadows to the northeast. Close by is the famously genteel area of Morningside.  The area’s  prosperous, awash with restaurants and speciality shops, many selling luxury goods.  Bruntsfield in particular has many delis, high quality wine merchants and florists.
The housing’s mostly high-quality Victorian tenements, interspersed with impressive early 20th century villas.  Many of the villas have been sub-divided or had blocks of flats built in over-large gardens. The whole of the area to the South of Edinburgh is very popular with students.

This fashionable enclave is home to writers Ian Rankin  (writer of the Inspector Rebus series of novels),  Alexander McCall Smith  (author of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency) and JK Rowling, (author of the Harry Potter books).

The Meadows is a large, lush public park within the area, consisting of open grassland criss-crossed by tree-lined paths.  The Meadows boasts its own links course (for those interested in golf) where you can hire putting equipment.  The Golf Tavern is reputedly built on the site of the first place where golf was ever played!

Dean Village
 

Dean Village (from dene, meaning ’deep valley’) nestles beneath Thomas Telford's famous Dean Bridge. It boasts a captivating blend of quirky old and trendy new architecture, including restored worker‘s cottages  and converted warehouses and mill buildings.

Many buildings overlook the gurgling waterfalls and wooded splendour of the Water of Leith with its many bridges and winding pathways. For culture- vultures the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery are nearby.

Colinton

A mere fifteen minute drive from Princes Street,  the suburb of Colinton feels as if it's in a separate and tranquil world of its own. A designated conservation area, the original heart of Colinton ie - ‘Colinton Village’ is a charming area with lots of original architecture and cute little speciality shops.  The Water of Leith flows through the village and Colinton Dell is a great place to get away from it all and share a picnic.

Newington

Newington is a quirky, bohemian district 15 mins walk from the Royal Mile. The main thoroughfare is highly commercial with a variety of retail businesses and pubs on the ground floor of residential tenements. What gives Newington its real joie de vivre is the fact that it’s heavily populated by students from Edinburgh University, many living in purpose-built halls.

 
Click here for a full A-Z of Edinburgh districts...