The streets worth walking
The village itself takes ten minutes to cross: Bell's Brae down from the bridge, the courtyard of Well Court with its clock tower and red-tiled roofs, and Hawthornbank Lane along the water. Then take the Water of Leith Walkway in either direction. West brings you past the Dean Gallery to Roseburn; east takes you under the bridge, past St Bernard's Well, and into Stockbridge in a quarter of an hour. Climb the steps to Dean Bridge itself for the view back down into the gorge — the best short walk in Edinburgh for the effort involved.
Art on the doorstep
The two Modern Art galleries sit at the top of the path west, five minutes from the village: Modern One for the collection and the Landform pool in front of it, Modern Two for Paolozzi's studio recreated in full. Both are free, both have very good cafés, and the sculpture park between them is open all day. It is the single best cultural walk in the city that does not involve the Royal Mile.
Eating and drinking
The village has no restaurants of its own, which is part of its appeal — but you are three minutes from the West End. Stockbridge and its delis are fifteen minutes along the river; the West End's Castle Terrace, Bar Roseleaf and the Bon Vivant's Companion are all within a short walk. For provisions, the Waitrose at Comely Bank and the shops on Queensferry Street cover a self-catering stay comfortably. Guests who want a table booked usually eat in Stockbridge or the West End and walk home along the water.
Getting around
Princes Street's west end is five to eight minutes uphill on foot, and the tram at Haymarket or West End–Princes Street puts you at the airport in half an hour. Buses along Queensferry Road run every few minutes into town and out to South Queensferry and the bridges. The lanes down into the village are narrow and largely cobbled; taxis will drop at the top of Bell's Brae and we send precise arrival notes with each booking.
