Princes Street Gardens
A long park at the foot of the castle between the Old and New Towns, built on the former Nor' Loch; the Floral Clock and Ross Fountain are great spots to photograph the castle
Princes Street Gardens lie on the north side of Castle Rock. The site was once Nor' Loch, a medieval defensive lake, which was drained in the 18th century to create gardens. The gardens are divided into east and west by The Mound. The West Garden has the best views. The Victorian cast-iron Ross Fountain, with the castle as its backdrop, is one of Edinburgh's most classic compositions. At the entrance is the Floral Clock, begun in 1903, one of the world's earliest, planted each summer with tens of thousands of plants. The East Garden has the tall Scott Monument and the Scottish National Gallery (free admission, with works by Raphael, Vermeer, Rembrandt and Scottish painters). On sunny days locals picnic on the grassy slopes. In winter the East Garden becomes a Christmas market, with a Ferris wheel, a carousel and mulled wine stalls. The gardens are next to Princes Street's shopping district and Waverley station, making them a natural starting point for a walk through the New Town.
Opening hours
Usually 07:00 to dusk (about 22:00 in summer, 17:00 in winter)
Nearby sights
- Edinburgh Castle
- Victoria Street & Grassmarket
- Scottish National Gallery
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
- The Scotch Whisky Experience
- The Writers' Museum
- Scott Monument
- Stockbridge & Circus Lane