Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the second largest city in Scotland and has the massive variety of shops. From world-renowned designer brands, to high street stores and tucked away craft shops, Edinburgh caters to every shopper.
Shopping-wise, Edinburgh is a city with two very distinct personalities of the Old Town and the New Town. Between them the city has everything covered.
The New Town
Cutting through the heart of Edinburgh is Princes Street, the city’s main shopping street. Princes Street has hundreds of shops to choose from including high street favourites like Topshop, Accessorize, Boots and Clarks and more traditional souvenir shops, catering to the thousands of tourists that flock to Edinburgh each year.
Premium department store Jenners sits on Princes Street and houses a mixture of high street and designers labels, clothing, cosmetics and home wares.
A label lover’s paradise
In 2002, Harvey Nichols opened their long-awaited Edinburgh store. A firm favourite with the fashion pack, the five story building sits at the end of St Andrews Square and includes the famous brasserie, restaurant and bar of its London and Bristol branches. Diners in the Edinburgh Harvey Nichols get to enjoy panoramic views of the castle.
The St James Centre is one of the most recent editions to Edinburgh’s city centre and includes a number of high street fashion and accessory stores.
The covered mall is within walking distance of Waverly Train Station and Edinburgh Bus Station. Its thoroughly modern design provides a striking contrast to Edinburgh’s medieval and Georgian architecture.
The Old Town
In comparison to the New Town’s smartly thought-out streets, the Old Town is all cobbles and twisting lanes. Instead of big-name department stores, you’re more likely to find quirky independent boutiques, vintage emporiums or stumble upon a never-before-seen book shop.
The Royal Mile has a distinctly Scottish spirit and is the first stop for the tourist: numerous whisky, kilt and woollen shops line the route down from the castle.
With its curving parade of coloured shop fronts, Victoria Street, in the Grassmarket area, is typical of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Here you’ll find brassieres and patisseries, independent merchants and craft shops.
Edinburgh may be a city with a split personality but it has everything covered.
The Edinburgh tourist board
More on St James Shopping Centre, Edinburgh
More on Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh