The Royal Observatory
Take a tour of the dome, housing one of Europe's largest telescopes. Learn about the history of the observatory and some of the cutting edge work they are carrying out today. If the weather is clear you can observe the stars in winter or the sun through a special telescope in summer. On some Fridays there is a special theme - check website for details. Currently out of service for renovation of telescope domes.
Rosslyn Chapel
Already famous due to connections with the Knights Templar and stories that the Holy Grail might rest here, then the Da Vinci Code came along and Rosslyn went ballistic. Despite the crowds it's well worth a visit for the stunning stone-carving and special atmosphere. Be sure to take a walk along the magical Roslin Glen before catching the bus back into town.
Swanston Village
Strangely isolated little village of thatched cottages where the city meets the Pentland Hills. Robert Louis Stevenson spent a lot of time here is his late teens and early twenties, as his parents lived in Swanston Cottage at the time.