The Complete Dog Friendly Edinburgh Guide

When people visit Scotland from abroad, they’re usually surprised by how dog friendly Edinburgh is! Having lived in Scotland’s capital city for almost 10 years with Molly the Labrador by my side, I know more about that than most. I think it’s about time that I shared my complete dog friendly Edinburgh guide!

With Edinburgh being one of the greenest cities in the world, it’s no surprise there are lots of parks to visit, but that’s barely scratching the surface. There are so many other things to do with your dog in Edinburgh, some that might surprise you like St Giles Cathedral! With this guide you can stop wondering “is Edinburgh dog friendly” and start planning the perfect day out with your best friend!

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Dog Friendly Edinburgh Parks

Starting with the most obvious option, any dog friendly trip to Edinburgh is going to include time at a park. You’ve got plenty of choice with roughly 150 of them spread across the city! Here are some of the most popular, central dog friendly parks in Edinburgh:

Princes Street Gardens – The most central green space in Edinburgh, between the Old & New Towns is Princes Street Gardens. While this is a dog friendly Edinburgh park, it’s not one that I take Molly for a run in. Princes Street Gardens are fairly narrow and often packed with people having lunch. If your dog is anything like Molly, those sandwiches might be just a little too tempting!

The Meadows – One of the biggest dog friendly parks in Edinburgh, the Meadows is much better suited for running around. It’s still really central, easily accessed from the Old Town and in the summer you’ll find beautiful cherry blossom everywhere.

London Road Gardens – On the quiet side of Calton Hill, below Royal Terrace, you’ll find London Road Gardens. This is Molly’s favourite walk in Edinburgh, probably because there are plenty of trees dropping sticks! While it is alongside a busy road, the winding path through the woodland is set far enough back you barely even notice!

Dunbar’s Close Garden – Down a close off the Canongate section of the Royal Mile, Dunbar’s Close used to be considered a hidden gem. These days it’s far better known but still a little, green haven in the middle of the city. It’s not exactly a park but there’s a little enclosed grassy section right at the back.

Holyrood Park – If you’re looking for a much bigger dog friendly Edinburgh park then you can’t go wrong with Holyrood. You’ll find locals walking their dogs alongside fitness classes and people just enjoying the view. You can’t miss this one, it’s at the bottom of the Royal Mile, beside Holyrood Palace with Arthur’s Seat looming in the middle!

Climb One of Edinburgh’s Seven Hills!

That leads us nicely into the next dog friendly thing to do in Edinburgh – climb one of the city’s seven hills! Arthur’s Seat isn’t as high or as demanding as it looks from the bottom, it might take around an hour or so to the top. There’s plenty of space for dogs at the top and the same is true of all the hills around Edinburgh.

Calton Hill is another popular spot, easily climbed up steps from either the end of Princes Street or corner of London Road. You’ll get one of the best views of the city from up there. Another great hill to hike with your hound is Blackford Hill and while Braid Hill isn’t as scenic, the Hermitage of Braid just below is a brilliant option!

If you plan on hiking all seven hills of Edinburgh then just be aware that the route is around 27km long with 700m of climbing. That’s only to be attempted with the very fittest of dogs!

St Giles Cathedral – Surprisingly Dog Friendly!

Probably the most unusual dog friendly Edinburgh activity is to visit St Giles Cathedral! All dogs are allowed inside the church but please remember this is still a place of worship. Any loud barking or happy accidents and you might be asked to leave.

The reason St Giles is dog friendly comes down to a man who lived almost 500 years ago. John Craig was an early reformer of the church in Scotland, a colleague of the more famous John Knox. After escaping execution for heresy in Rome, Craig was penniless and in desperate trouble. Out of nowhere, a black dog padded past, dropping a purse of gold at the preacher’s feet!

When John Knox heard the story, he promised that St Giles would always be dog friendly in thanks for his friend’s life!

Dogs Welcome At Camera Obscura

There is another place that you wouldn’t expect to have a dog friendly day out in Edinburgh. The Camera Obscura near the castle is somewhere for all the family and that includes our beloved pets! Beware that there’s lots of stairs inside and the attraction stretches over five floors. If you need water (or have an accident) then don’t worry, they’re happy to help.

Expect some mind-bending optical illusions, test your dogs natural insulation with a thermal camera and watch them seem to outgrow you in the Ames Room. Dogs are even welcome into the Camera show, as long as the rest of the audience are comfortable with it.

Doggy Paddle Down The Beach

After a couple of indoor activities, it’s time to stretch the legs and go for a dip. It takes a little bit of effort to reach one of Edinburgh’s beaches but lucky for you the buses are all dog friendly too! Portobello Beach is by far the most popular, you can expect it to be busy but there’s more than enough space for dogs to swim.

For a much quieter spot, head north of the city to Wardie Bay. It has a much smaller beach but it’s popular with wild swimmers and has a good bit of shelter. With its Clean Water Certificate, you can be sure your dog is enjoying only the best bit of sea!

Dog Walks Down The Water of Leith

Don’t worry if your pet is more into rivers than seas, there’s something for every dog in Edinburgh. The Water of Leith Walkway is an amazing little haven, running for 13 miles through the city. Don’t feel like you have to do the whole thing, there are plenty of short sections to hop on and off in a circular route.

Following the river from Leith up to St Marks Park is a far nicer route than through the city streets. My favourite place to walk with Molly along the Water of Leith is between Dean Village and Stockbridge. It passes through a deep gorge that makes you feel miles away from the city.

You’ll pass St Bernard’s Well and eventually come out where Stockbridge Market is held! If you’re visiting on a Sunday then that’s a dog friendly Edinburgh staple, often with a stand selling treats. It does get very busy though so if your pooch is nervous around crowds then give this one a miss.

Dog Friendly Edinburgh Bus Tours

Not only is the regular public transport in Edinburgh dog friendly, the bus tours are too! Hop on the Edinburgh City Sightseeing Bus and see the sights while giving your four legged friend a break. All of them start at Waterloo Bridge but you can hop on and off anywhere around the route with your ticket.

Head along Princes Street, and right around Edinburgh Castle to the Grassmarket below. You’ll pass the National Museum and as you head down the Canongate have the opportunity to stop at my favourite, the Museum of Edinburgh. These dog friendly Edinburgh bus tours are also child friendly with audio guides in the style of Horrible Histories!

Visit Edinburgh’s Most Famous Dogs

If you’re going to visit Edinburgh with your dog, then they might want to pay their respects to Edinburgh’s most famous pup. At the corner of George IV Bridge and Candlemaker Row stands the statue of Greyfriars Bobby – the most loyal dog in the world. In the mid-19th century, Bobby refused to leave his master’s grave for 14 years, becoming a local celebrity.

Inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, the first grave you’ll see is Bobby’s. Lots of visitors leave him sticks as gifts so just make sure your dog doesn’t help themselves to one! While lots of dog friendly Edinburgh guides mention that Greyfriars doesn’t allow them inside, that rule changed some time ago. Just keep them on a lead!

There is another dog statue in Edinburgh that often gets missed. At the end of Princes Street, in the grounds of St Cuthbert’s, you’ll find a statue of Bum. He was a lovable stow-away dog from San Diego and after the two cities were twinned, they donated statues of each other’s famous hounds!

Dog Friendly Movies at The Picture House

For those who wish their pet could accompany them everywhere, there’s another unusual dog friendly Edinburgh attraction. Why not bring them along to the cinema with you?

The Cameo Picture House in Tollcross, just off Lothian Road, loves dogs so much that they run specific viewings for them. While the first screening I heard of was the appropriate “Isle of Dogs”, they also run other less animal related films! You’ll need to time things well since these showings don’t happen every day and tickets are limited so there’s space for everybody.

Dog Friendly Edinburgh Shops

Edinburgh is a great place for a little retail therapy, but nobody wants to tie up their dog outside. Fortunately, there’s a whole host of dog friendly Edinburgh shops. If in doubt then look for either a dog bowl outside, a little sticker on the door or just pop your head in and ask! Here are some options to get you started

John Lewis – It’s a little known fact that the enormous John Lewis in the St James Centre happily welcomes dogs. In fact, all branches of this British staple do!

Cloud 9 – Found on Easter Road, this wee shop full of gifts, plants and crafts almost always has a dog or two in there!

Those Were The Days – This vintage clothes shop is full of treasures and even has its own resident dog!

Blackwells Bookshop – There are lots of bookshops in Edinburgh but at Blackwells on South Bridge you can bring dogs in with you. You might also be able to pick up a copy of the Scotland’s Stories book…

Dog Friendly Edinburgh Pubs

One thing you can expect to see in Edinburgh are dogs in pubs. It’s more of a surprise when a pub or bar says that it isn’t dog friendly, something that has only ever happened a handful of times for me. So here are just some of my favourites:

Holyrood 9A – Just off the Royal Mile, Holyrood 9A has always treated Molly like an honoured guest. That means a bowl of water without asking and even treats on a silver (stainless steel) platter!

Kilderkin – On the Canongate, not far from Holyrood Palace, Kilderkin is another great dog friendly Edinburgh pub that serves good food.

Oxford Bar – Over to the New Town, you’ll find the Oxford Bar on Young Street. It’s a no-nonsense, traditional Scottish pub where you might bump into author Ian Rankin as well as a fair few pups.

Stockbridge Tap – I was lucky enough to have a friend who worked in the Stockbridge Tap at one point so Molly and I were frequent visitors. A great spot with great beer!

Brewhemia – Right next to Waverley Train Station, there’s almost always space inside enormous Brewhemia. It loves dogs so much that it even holds occasional “Pawhemia” events! Just make sure to get out of there before late evening when this place starts to get really packed.

Teuchter’s Landing – Down in the cool dock are of Leith, you’ll find Teuchter’s Landing. Along with some of the best pub food in the city, it’s a great spot to drink with the dog out beside the river!

Dog Friendly Edinburgh Hotels

With so many things to see and do, you might not want to limit yourself to just one day. Stay overnight with this selection of dog friendly Edinburgh Hotels:

The Balmoral – You might be very pleased to know that the fanciest hotel in Edinburgh is dog friendly! There is an extra charge and you’ll need to inform the Balmoral in advance of your pet’s details!

Eden Locke – Incredibly central, located on George Street, I’ve picked up plenty of tour guests from Eden Locke who have all loved their stay!

Kimpton Hotel – Just around the corner on Charlotte Square is the beautiful Kimpton Hotel. Dogs have to be under 35kg so make sure to check the scales before your trip!

Malmaison Leith – If you want to stay a little further out of the hustle and bustle then head for Malmaison down in Leith!

East Claremont Guest House – If you’d rather avoid big hotels then fortunately East Claremont Guest House is dog friendly. It’s also in a slightly quieter area but very easy to reach from the city centre.

Motel One – For somewhere right in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, try Motel One which allows one dog of any size for just £15.

Places In Edinburgh That Aren’t Dog Friendly

After all of those great options, I thought I should point out a few of the big sites in Edinburgh that are off limits. Sadly, Edinburgh Castle is not dog friendly although you can walk right up to the gate and get great views. The other big glaring omission that’s usually one of the city’s most popular attractions is Edinburgh Zoo which doesn’t allow dogs either.

Edinburgh has lots of art galleries and museums but none of these are dog friendly. If your pup does like a bit of culture then there are usually small displays at Summerhall though!

If you’re looking for other Dog Friendly trips then you might be interested in Molly’s adventures around Oban or the Cairngorms!

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