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Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens lies at centre of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site, within New Town and Old Town Outstanding Conservation Areas.

Princes Street Gardens

About Princes Street Gardens

Princes Street Gardens Princes Street, Edinburgh New Town EH2 2HG
01315297921
Princes Street Gardens Website

It is listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscape in Scotland and has geological and botanical scientific interest. The Gardens are set in the valley between the old and new towns with Edinburgh Castle on its rock towering above the western end. The park has been awarded a Green Flag since 2011 and its central location make it a popular choice with residents and visitors.

The world renowned Floral clock was first planted in 1903 and each year the planting scheme commemorates a special anniversary. The planting schemes are designed by the Technical team in the Parks and Greenspace Service. The colourful displays take 30,000 plants, and a variety of flower and foliage plants are used in the designs. All are of a dwarf nature, suitable for carpet bedding, including annuals such as Lobelia, Pyrethrum and Golden Moss and succulents such as Echeveria and Sedum.

There is a diverse and fascinating collection of public monuments and memorials in Princes Street Gardens dating mainly from the 1840s to 1990s. There are three types. The first commemorate influential Scottish men of the 18th and 19th centuries, including the Scott monument and the David Livingstone statue. The second group remember those who have died fighting in wars, including the Royal Scots Regimental Memorial and the Scots American War Memorial, and the third group include miscellaneous sculptures and monuments such as the Ross Fountain.

Upcoming Events at Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh’s Christmas: Christmas Market

15th November 2025 - 4th January 2026

One of the most iconic Christmas Markets in Europe, Edinburgh's Christmas Market returns to East Princes Street Gardens showcasing the best in artisan festive products and goods from local makers!

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Edinburgh’s Christmas: LNER Big Wheel

15th November 2025 - 4th January 2026

The LNER Big Wheel returns to East Princes Street Gardens to give passengers a unique perspective of our spectacular city!

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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Around the World Starflyer

15th November 2025 - 4th January 2026

Try it if you dare! The Starflyer is back at Edinburgh's Christmas giving the finest, and most thrilling, views of the stunning city centre skyline!

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Edinburgh’s Christmas: Santa’s Stories

21st November 2025 - 24th December 2025

Santa is back at Edinburgh's Christmas this year! Make your little one's day and bring them along to our Santa Experience in West Princes Street Gardens!

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A lovely public park in the Trinity area of Edinburgh. The park has been awarded a Green Flag since 2011, in recognition of it being a quality greenspace.

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Newhailes House and Gardens

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Discover 300 years of Scottish history through the magnificent and carefully conserved neo-Palladian villa that is Newhailes House and Gardens!

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Inverleith Park

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Sighthill Park

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Sighthill is a large park with flat expanses of grass which are dedicated to football and it is bounded by community woodlands.

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All Gardens and Parks listings in Edinburgh

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Popular Events

Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk
Join Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Jordan Young for the GIANT of a pantomime we've all BEAN waiting for!
Edinburgh’s Christmas: The Polar Ice Bar
Take some time to ‘chill’ at the Polar Ice Bar, the coolest bar in the city, where your table, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.
Castle Of Light
Make Castle of Light: Fire and Ice part of your festive plans and enjoy the largest annual projection show in the UK when it returns for its sixth year!
Leith Toy Hospital & Picture to Puppet’s Christmas Open Day
Leith Toy Hospital & Picture to Puppet’s are holding a Christmas Open Day on 20th December in their new toy making and repair workshop in Musselburgh and would love to celebrate with local families!
Wes Banderson
Wes Banderson will be performing a selection of the original score music and deep-cut needle-drops from the films of Wes Anderson at The Mash House on Saturday 28th March!

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