Condé Nast TravelerOct 10, 2025
Ask a Local: Literary Edinburgh According to Poet Marcas Mac an Tauineir
The poet in residence at the Balmoral shares his guide to the Scottish capital.
Has recurring exhibitions on Scotland's literary world
25 things in this story
- GrassmarketNeighborhoodElides into Fountainbridge, has three bookshops
- FountainbridgeSuburbNexus point for three second-hand bookshops
- Armchair BooksMarketPLEASE NOTE: If you stop by during opening hours and the shop is closed, something happened last-minute and we couldn’t…
- Amnesty International BookshopMarketRecommends for Gaelic literature in Marchmont
- MarchmontSuburbIt lies roughly one mile south of the Old Town, separated from it by The Meadows and Bruntsfield Links.
- Makar's CourtSightHas memorial slab for Duncan Bàn MacIntyre
- Harvey NicholsPlaceLuxury department store, Harvey Nichols, offers designer fashion, beauty, food & wine both online and in-store…
- Rutherford BarRestaurantOld haunt of RL Stephenson on Drummond Street
- Armstrongs VintageMarketSignature shop in Grassmarket has vintage fashion
- Balmoral, A Rocco Forte HotelHotelThis grand dame is a fitting stay in a city known for its history and beauty.
- Bethany Christian TrustSightCharity shop in Leith for bargains
- National LibraryMuseumHas recurring exhibitions on Scotland's literary world
- Central LibraryMuseumBest lending library with vaulted ceilings
- Edinburgh BooksMarket
- Main Point BooksMarket
- Duncan Bàn MacIntyrePlace
- Lorimer and GilliesPlace
- St Andrew SquareSight
- McLachlan and StewartPlace
- South BridgeSight
- Ciao RomaRestaurant
- Drummond StreetSight
- RL StephensonPlace
- Edinburgh University Debating SocietyPlace
- Royal National MòdFestival