Dote

Date spot in Edinburgh

Sandy Bell's

Squeeze into the small Old Town bar that has hosted traditional music sessions every night for decades.

Sandy Bell's bright blue corner pub front on Forrest Road, with its sign above the door

Forrest Road, near the Meadows

25 Forrest Road, Edinburgh EH1 2QH

Why it's a good date: Live fiddles and pipes a few feet away, and the music is free. It fills up fast, so go early for a seat, or turn up for a weekend afternoon session.

Add to Dote

Photo: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

More from our Edinburgh guide

  • The Cameo cinema's red canopy and film listings board above its entrance on Home Street

    The Cameo

    Home Street, Tollcross

    38 Home Street, Edinburgh EH3 9LZ

    Catch a film at one of Scotland's oldest working cinemas, open since 1914, with a bar to take your drinks into the screen.

    Why it's a good date: An old-fashioned cinema date with a good mix of new releases and classics. Get there early for a drink in the bar, then pick up dinner in Tollcross afterwards.

    Add to DoteBookDirections

    Photo: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

  • The nave of St Giles' Cathedral, looking east past green pews to a tall stained-glass window

    St Giles' Cathedral

    High Street, Royal Mile, Old Town

    High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RE

    Step inside the High Kirk on the Royal Mile for its stained glass, blue vaulted ceiling and the carved Thistle Chapel.

    Why it's a good date: One of the few big Old Town sights you can see with your dog: dogs are allowed in the building, and staff or volunteers will bring water if yours needs some. You'll need a ticket now (free with a Resident Pass if you live in Scotland), and it's a dry half hour before a wander down the Royal Mile.

    Add to DoteBookDirections

    Photo: Eveline Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)

  • Edinburgh Printmakers' white-fronted building beside red-brick Castle Mill Works, with café tables in a planted garden

    Edinburgh Printmakers

    Castle Mill Works, Gilmore Park, Fountainbridge

    Castle Mills, 1 Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH3 9FP

    See the free exhibitions in the old rubber mill offices at Fountainbridge, browse prints in the shop, then walk the Union Canal towpath next door.

    Why it's a good date: The whole building is dog friendly apart from the main print studio, so your dog can come round the galleries, shop and café with you. A small print makes a good keepsake of the day, and the canal is right outside for a stroll afterwards.

    Add to DoteDirections

    Photo: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)

From our guide to date ideas in Edinburgh

Run this place? Claim it on Dote for Venues