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Sight Old Town, Edinburgh

St Giles' Cathedral

A sight in Old Town, Edinburgh, free to visit and worth about 40 minutes. Best time to go: Midday.

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St Giles' Cathedral in Old Town, Edinburgh
Photo: Carlos Delgado · CC BY-SA 3.0 · license

Why go

Medieval High Kirk with the ornate Thistle Chapel.

It is one of 15 curated places we feature in Edinburgh, alongside 5 sights, 2 activities and 2 bars & cafés. 6 more of our picks sit within about half a mile in a straight line, so it pairs easily with Royal Mile and Victoria Street. At about 40 minutes, it slots neatly between bigger plans.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Old Town
Price
Free
Time needed
40 min
Best time
Midday

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Edinburgh, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Royal Mile

    Old Town spine of closes and wynds running from the castle to Holyrood.

    Sight · 0.1 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Victoria Street

    Curving street of colourful shopfronts that drops from George IV Bridge to the Grassmarket.

    Shopping · 0.1 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Oink

    Hog-roast rolls carved from a whole pig in the window.

    Food · 0.1 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    The Bow Bar

    Traditional pub on Victoria Street with cask ales and a deep whisky list.

    Drinks · 0.1 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    National Museum of Scotland

    Free museum from Dolly the sheep to Lewis chessmen, with a rooftop terrace.

    Sight · 0.2 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Edinburgh's Christmas

    The city's Christmas market and fair, with stalls, rides and a big wheel in East Princes Street Gardens below the Scott Monument.

    Shopping · 0.2 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

St Giles' Cathedral is a stop on our Scotland’s Highland Rail Line route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More sights to see in Edinburgh

3 more curated sights in Edinburgh. See the full Edinburgh guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Edinburgh run from 42°F in January to 65°F in July; August is usually the wettest month. For St Giles' Cathedral itself, we suggest: Midday.

Modelled monthly averages for Edinburgh from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Edinburgh weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for St Giles' Cathedral, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, UK
Coordinates
55.94948, -3.19089
Destination
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

St Giles' Cathedral: quick answers

How much time do you need at St Giles' Cathedral?

Plan on about 40 minutes at St Giles' Cathedral. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit St Giles' Cathedral?

Our pick: Midday. Insider tip: Free entry; small fee to take photos.

Is St Giles' Cathedral free?

Yes, we list St Giles' Cathedral as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is St Giles' Cathedral?

St Giles' Cathedral is at High St, Edinburgh EH1 1RE, UK, in Old Town. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include St Giles' Cathedral?

St Giles' Cathedral appears on Scotland’s Highland Rail Line, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add St Giles' Cathedral to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Edinburgh.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.