Hike up a former active volcano that’s only a few minutes from the city center and enjoy impressive views of Edinburgh.

Enjoy a hill walk up a reminder of Edinburgh’s volcanic roots. Arthur’s Seat is part of a large extinct volcano that last erupted more than 350 million years ago. Visible from most parts of Edinburgh, the rocky peak rises to a height of 823 feet (251 meters). From a distance, the landmark resembles a crouching lion.

The true origin of its name is unknown though there are two principal competing theories. One is that the hill is named after King Arthur. The other is that the name is a distortion of “Ard-na-Said,” a Gaelic phrase meaning “Height of the Arrows.”

The ascent is considered to be fairly straightforward no matter which route is taken, although the summit is rocky and exposed to the wind. The walk to the top is just under 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) and can take between 30 minutes and a couple of hours, depending on how fast you walk and the path you take. Visitors not used to hill walking may find the ascent difficult.

As you make your way up, watch for the evidence of lava flows, the mounds of dark gray basalt rock. Once you reach the top, stay a while and enjoy elevated views of the city. Many people consider the best views are to the west, looking out over the castle and the city’s Old Town and New Town. You can also see across the Firth of Forth to Fife. On clear days it’s possible to make out the Highlands. On the eastern side of the summit you’ll see two stony banks, remnants of an Iron Age hill fort.

Arthur’s Seat is situated in Holyrood Park in the center of the city, a short walk from
The Royal Mile. The walk starts near the visitor car park of Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is serviced by buses from central Edinburgh.

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Grassmarket hotel

Old Town Edinburgh

￥600,216

per person

Oct 27 - Oct 31

found 4 hours ago

Roundtrip non-stop flight included

Tokyo (TYO) to Edinburgh (EDI)

8.6/10 Excellent! (1,000 reviews)

We loved our stay at this hotel, as we did our one day in Edinburgh. We were first-time travelers to Europe, and Edinburgh was such a treat, even though we were only here for a day. The hotel is perfectly situated right on the corner of Victoria and Grassmarket, and it had the feel of a quaint boutique hotel. The room was a good size, as was the bathroom. We loved the free bottle of Prosecco, and we found the beds comfortable (we had two twins, but they kindly pushed them together for us). Though we were in the midst of the city, the noise level was not a problem (we kept the windows closed, enjoying the wonderful air conditioning!). A couple quirks that we didn't particularly care for: 1) The bags of clean (?) laundry for the hotel were stacked in the hallway right outside the lift and our room. That seemed very unprofessional. 2) The bathroom--there is no partition between the shower and the commode. So, when you shower, everything in the room gets wet--towel rack, toilet seat, etc., and the floors become super slippery. This seemed like poor design to us. All in all, we would definitely stay here again. In fact, we wouldn't bother to look at other accommodations. Recommended!

Reviewed on Sep 7, 2026

Stay Central

Old Town Edinburgh

￥602,652

per person

Oct 27 - Oct 31

found 4 hours ago

Roundtrip non-stop flight included

Tokyo (TYO) to Edinburgh (EDI)

8.4/10 Very Good! (1,006 reviews)

great location and clean rooms. it was a little loud at times but that was to be expected with 5 festivals going on that week and this location being a hot spot for younger people to come and drink. that being said, some underage kids tried to sneak in by climbing through the windows and they mistakenly tried entering through the window in our room. in the middle of the night. very scary in the moment but no harm done and the staff apologize when we brought it up.

Reviewed on Sep 6, 2026