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Sunset at Calton Hill Edinburgh (Scotland) – Planning Tips + Photos

Last updated on March 10, 2021 By Claire, the Travel Planning Geek

To get some of the best views of the city, you MUST enjoy the Calton Hill walk in Edinburgh.
With many Greek inspired monuments and lots of greenery, it is quite a contrast with the streets of the old town. 
Below is my practical guide to visiting Calton Hill, especially at sunset.

Edinburgh Calton Hill sunset
Quick Navigation
About Calton Hill in Edinburg - Intro
PLANNING TIPS - Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland
Calton Hill Walk
Views from Calton Hill at Sunset
Calton Hill Monuments - Things to do in Edinburgh
South Slope views from Calton Hill
View towards Arthur's Seat
View from Edinburgh Castle

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.


About Calton Hill in Edinburg - Intro

Why visit Calton Hill

Calton Hill Edinburgh, Scotland, is one of the hills in the center of the city. It is included in the Unesco World Heritage site of Edinburgh. One of the things to do in Edinburgh not to be missed.

It offers great views of the whole city all the way to the sea. It is a favorite sunset spot for locals.
So this is probably the most photographed place in Edinburgh.

Dugald Stewart Monument - Calton Hill Edinburgh 1

Calton Hill Walk Map

But the interest is not only in the views but also in the many monuments standing on top of the hill.
Below is the map of Calton Hill with all the places to see:

Edinburgh Calton Hill Map

Calton Hill Walk Map

More photos and info after the planning tips.


PLANNING TIPS - Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland

How to get to the Calton Hill Location

  • Located at the east end of Princes Street
  • Busses do stop at the foot of the hill, but you will have to walk up anyway
  • Mix of stairs and well-maintained paths
  • Calton Hill and the best locations in Edinburgh are included in my eBooks:

Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!

small Scotland Road Trip Guide ebook cover

15 Maps, 150+ locations, 170+ photos
LEARN MORE

Cover Road Trip Edinburgh to Skye

8 Maps, 60+ locations, 115+ photos
LEARN MORE

How long does it take to walk up Calton Hill?

  • You can walk from the city center. Plan 15 to 20 min to reach the top of the hill from the city center 
  • Otherwise, 5 min uphill from the Regent Street entrance

Visit Tips

  • Calton Hill is a park open all day. 
  • Several monuments are located on Calton Hill. Go to the section below for more information and opening hours.
  • Paths are well maintained, no more stairs once at the top
  • Where to park? I always recommend exploring Edinburgh without a car. It is a very walkable city and there is an hop-on hop-off bus. However, if you really want to get there with a car, the largest carparks in the area are OMNI and Edinburgh Waverley Station which are both 5 min away.

Accommodations in Edinburgh

Check out the best rated accommodations in Edinburgh
or find suggestions in my article about where to stay in Scotland


Calton Hill Walk

To reach Calton Hill, walk on Princes Street towards the East.
You will find signs indicating the access with steps and walking pathways.
Below is a picture of Princes Street as you are climbing the hill.

Princes street from Calton HIll Edinburgh

You will find boards explaining the different monuments you can see from the viewpoints.

Signs with views from Calton Hill Edinburgh

See below the path leading to the grassy area and the first monuments. This is coming from the Regent Street entrance.

Calton Hill Walk

Views from Calton Hill at Sunset

The most famous and most photographed view of Edinburgh is taken from the back of the Dugald Stewart Monument. This is a memorial to the Scottish Philosopher Dugald Stewart modeled on the Greek architecture.

It makes a great foreground with the old town behind and the Edinburgh Castle at the back. This only issue is that people will keep standing in front of you to take their pictures. It gets quite busy at sunset...

Dugald Stewart Monument - Calton Hill Edinburgh 2
View of Edinburgh Old Town from Calton Hill Edinburgh

What can you see from Calton Hill?

So many things!!!

  • Edinburgh Castle
  • Arthur's seat
  • Parliament Building
  • The top buildings of the old center
  • The sea and Inchkeith island
  • ...

Zoom on the Edinburgh Castle from Calton Hill

From the Edinburgh Calton Hill you can clearly see the other hill across the old town with the Edinburgh Castle on top.

Can you see in the pictures below the medieval fortress above the other buildings? This is the castle.

Edinburgh Castle view from Calton Hill Edinburgh 1
Edinburgh Castle view from Calton Hill Edinburgh 2

View towards the sea

As you walk around the hill (see the map at the top of the article), you discover the newest parts of the city of Edinburgh. On one side, you can see the sea and the island of Inchkeith.

Views of Edinburgh town from Calton HIll 1

Calton Hill Monuments - Things to do in Edinburgh

You don't go to Edinburgh Calton Hill only for the views. Many monuments are located there.

  • We already talked about the Dugal Stewart Monument.
  • You also have the National Monument that looks like the Parthenon in Athens. It is a memorial to the Scottish soldiers who died during the Napoleonic Wars. Construction finished in 1829
  • The Nelson monument is the tall tower commemorating Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson. It is built at the highest point of Calton Hill (171m - 561ft) and is 32m high (105ft). Open during the day, you can climb the 143 steps to get an even higher view of Edinburgh (Opening hours here)
  • You can also find Observatory House and the Calton Hill Observatory. Inspiration is Greek again. You can learn more on the ROE website.
National Monument Calton Hill Edinburgh

National Monument

Nelson Monument Calton Hill Edinburgh

Nelson Monument

Royal Observatory Calton Hill Edinburgh


South Slope views from Calton Hill

The South slopes of Calton Hill Edinburgh are very steep. From there you have a really good view of the New Parliament House building.

New Parliament House Edinburgh Calton Hill 1
New Parliament House Edinburgh Calton Hill 2
New Parliament House Edinburgh Calton Hill 3

View towards Arthur's Seat

Calton Hill Edinburgh really has 360° views of the city. On one side you can see Arthur's seat, the famous volcanic feature. There are some signs set up with geological explanations and benches to admire the view.

Arthur's seat view

View from Edinburgh Castle

Below is what Edinburgh Calton Hill looks like from afar. This was taken from the Edinburgh Castle. You can clearly see the Nelson Monument and the National Monument.

View of Edinburgh Calton Hill from Edinburgh Castle

Other things to do in Edinburgh

  • Edinburgh Castle - Read article
  • The Royal Mile - Read article
  • St Giles Cathedral - Read article
  • Or check out my complete article with the best things to do in Edinburgh

Want to see more of SCOTLAND?

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ST GILES CATHEDRAL EDINBURGH

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VISIT GLASGOW IN ONE DAY

Travel Scotland Destination Guide

Do you like getting to higher grounds to see cities?

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