Edinburgh
One of the renowned student cities in the UK. Boasting two UNESCO world heritage sites, this spectacular, historic city is full of surprises; Bursting with bustling coffee shops, plenty of pubs, bars, restaurants and night clubs, a lively music scene, an endless selection of parks (including an extinct volcano) and enough stunning scenery to make your family, friends and Instagram followers incredibly jealous. Student life in Edinburgh is very special.
However, we are warning you - when you study in Edinburgh, you’ll never want to leave.
Neighbourhoods
Edinburgh is a compact city so you are not far from the action, no matter where you live. Getting around is easy, with a great bus service and loads of cycle routes, you can get from A to B in no time. With so many options to choose from with our accommodation, we want to give you an introduction to the neighbourhoods you could live in.
South side
Pollock Halls, Fraser Court, Salisbury Court, East Newington Place, South Clerk Street, Sciennes
Sitting between Holyrood Park (home to the extinct volcano, Arthur’s Seat) and the Meadows, one of the largest parks in Edinburgh, you’ll forget that you are a 15-minute walk into the centre of town. The Meadows and Holyrood Park are ideal spaces for a morning run, a kick about or relaxing with friends. Close to the Old Town, this is a great location for a mixture of open spaces with a mixture of vibrant nightlife.
If you are looking for somewhere to keep fit and active, look no further than the University of Edinburgh’s award-winning Pleasance sports and exercise complex. There is something for everyone at the Pleasance, no matter how you like to keep fit; a gym, a 25m swimming pool, two sports halls (ideal for badminton or ultimate frisbee), dance studios, boxing and martial arts areas and indoor climbing and bouldering walls.
Old Town
Mylnes Court, Kincaid’s Court, College Wynd, Blackfriars Street, Robertson’s Close, Darroch Court, New Arthur Place, Nicolson/South College Street
We have a large variety of self-catered accommodation in Edinburgh’s Old Town, in the city centre. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the beating heart of the City, the Old Town is almost tailor-made for student life in amongst the medieval architecture.
As if living in the neighbourhood of a world-famous castle wasn’t enough, the Old Town offers plenty of things to do between your studies. Whether you want to share a coffee, grab a slice of cake at the birthplace of Harry Potter or venture below ground to the fascinating and ghostly ‘Underground City’ this is an area of town that you won’t get easily bored in. If you are looking for nightlife the Old Town is nestled in the heart of student nightlife.
Bruntsfield
Warrender Park Crescent and Warrender Park Road
This residential area of Edinburgh is very popular with students. A much more laid-back area of the City, though not far from the Old Town, this area is home to Bruntsfield Links, a big open park across the road from The Meadows.
You are spoilt for choice when it comes to coffee shops and cafes here, which provide a good variety of lunchtime takeaway options.
Popular student watering holes and restaurants offer a great value Sunday brunch. Scattered among the cafes and bars are some delightful boutique shops and delicatessens.
Tollcross and Fountainbridge
Riego Street
This area, to the west of the Old Town and adjacent to Bruntsfield, is another popular student area of Edinburgh. The Union Canal ends here, going through to Falkirk and is a popular running, walking and cycling route, great for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city.
At Tollcross, The Cameo Cinema is a hidden gem, one of Edinburgh’s oldest independent cinemas, which has a great café. A short walk down Lothian Road will take you to Princes Street (the main shopping street). Along this street are countless high-quality bars, takeaways and reasonably priced restaurants, with new ones popping up all the time. From burgers and Thai street food to loaded fries and German doner kebabs, there is something for everyone.
Leith
Haddington Place, Shrubhill, Murano Place and Brae House
To the north of the city, Leith has made a name for itself as THE up and coming place to live over the past few years and has a thriving student population. Stretching from the east end of Princes Street to the Port of Leith, this area is not too far from the heart of the city.
With the Playhouse (one of the largest theatres in the UK) at the top of Leith Walk, all the way to the Shore, via Leith Walk, there are plenty of cool pubs, bars, eateries and takeaways right on your doorstep.
The path along the Water of Leith is a firm favourite with locals and visitors, running from the Shore all the way through the city and offers some spectacular hidden views that many don’t know about, be sure to bring your camera!
Slateford/Gorgie
Pentland House
Situated to the west of Edinburgh, this area is home to some big names in sport, some great pubs, parks and plenty of shops. With plenty of bus routes connecting you to the rest of the city, there is a reason this part of town is so popular with students.
Keeping fit is easy in this part of town, with Pure Gym, Lift and Nuffield Health Club all within a five minute walk from Pentland House. World of Football, with its 9 indoor 5-a-side pitches, is a staple for every football-playing student across Edinburgh. Or keep it simple with a kick about at Saughton Park, just behind Pentland House. If you fancy a walk, the Water of Leith, flows through this area and takes you all the way to Leith.
If you would rather watch sport, Murrayfield is a short walk away. The largest stadium in Scotland and home to Scottish (and Edinburgh) rugby, you can’t beat the buzz in this part of town during a big Six Nations match. For football, Gorgie is the home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club (Hearts).
The Corn Exchange is a fantastic music venue and regularly hosts well known bands and artists. Tom Walker, Deadmau5 and ChVrches have all played there recently Keep an eye out for beer, gin and cheese festivals, gin festivals that are held there in-between the concerts. Bigger stadium tours often use Murrayfield, bands such as Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones and Spice Girls have played there over recent years.
The area is full of pubs but the one that stands out is the Caley Sample Rooms, along the road from the brewery. With great food and a variety of beers to try, where else would you rather be?
For food shopping, there is plenty to choose from with a large Asda (with built-in Mcdonalds), a number of Aldi’s and Lidl’s as well as an M&S Foodhall if you fancy treating yourself.