Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Miscellaneous Cool Streets

In addition to the major museums, royal residences and cemeteries that we visited in Edinburgh, we also came across miscellaneous streets with interesting architecture and shops or funky outdoor street art.

Right around the corner from our rental apartment on Grassmarket, West Bow Street and Victoria Street form a pair of steep curved adjoining streets that lead to George IV Bridge, running parallel to the Royal Mile.  The streets are full of historic charm and are lined on both sides with colourfully painted buildings whose ground floors are home to restaurants, pubs, and boutique shops including old bookstores and stores selling items associated with magic and wizardry.  In fact, West Bow is nicknamed “Diagon Alley” after the fictional wizardry shopping street in the Harry Potter books.  West Bow is also associated with Major Thomas Weir, a 17th century soldier and occultist who was believed to be a witch, and Lord Ruthven, implicated in the murder of Mary Queen of Scot’s secretary David Rizzio.  From Victoria Street, stairs lead up to Victoria Terrace, which is a balcony walkway that runs above parts of West Bow and Victoria Streets.  More restaurants are found on the balcony and the stunning views of the streets below have been the subject of many iconic photographs.

The Bow Well is located at the west end of West Bow Street where it meets Grassmarket.  Erected in 1674, this is Edinburgh’s first piped water supply. Amongst the many eateries on Victoria St., the Elephant House is a popular café that gained fame as one of the places where J.K.Rowling wrote her first two Harry Potter novels.  Shops that deal with Harry Potter, magic or mysticism include Museum Context, the Red Door and John Kay’s book and antique shop.  Other shops sell touristy souvenirs, clothing and more.

Several interesting sights can be spotted on George Street including sculptures and architectural design.  The statue of James Clerk Maxwell can be found near St. Andrew Square.  Created in 2008, the sculpture depicts the seated Scottish physicist who formulated the theory of electromagnetic radiation in what became known as the Maxwell equations.  A plaque with these equations sits on the ground in front of the statue. Maxwell also pioneered colour theory in optics, demonstrating that any colour can be created by mixing the primary colours of red, green and blue.  At his feet is his Irish Terrier Toby, making this the fourth dog sculpture that we have found in Edinburgh after the two dogs in cemeteries and one in Scott’s Monument.  Also, on George St. is The Dome, a bar, restaurant and nightclub, which occupies the former 1847 headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland (originally Physician’s Hall in late 17th century).  The venue is named for the distinctive glass dome that covers the central lobby.  Finally, the beautiful friezes at the top of the Standard Life Building are titled “Foolish Virgins” and “Wise Virgins”, carved some time between 1897 and 1901.

Perpendicular to George Street and not far away from the Portrait Gallery is the historic garden park St. Andrew Square, named after Scotland’s patron saint.  Constructed starting from 1772, it became the first part of the “New Town” (post Medieval construction).  It was initially surrounded by a wealthy residential area before evolving into a central commercial and financial district where many banks reside including the Royal Bank of Scotland.  At the centre of the square is the Melville Monument, a Doric column with a statue of Henry Dundas, the first Viscount of Melville at the top. While previously honoured for being treasurer to the Navy as well as Lord Advocate and Keeper of the Scottish Signet, Dundas is currently also being called out for delaying abolition of slavery.  A bench facing the monument is adorned with a sculpture of Paddington Bear eating a sandwich that was installed in 2024 to help promote the new movie, “Paddington in Peru”.  Also in the square is a large, 8 foot tall, 17 feet long stone carving known as the “Lion of Scotland” that is a symbol of national pride.

During the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the famous “Spiegeltent” is temporarily installed in St. Andrew Square.  This is a renowned traveling cabaret that has a circus-like feel.  Made of wood, mirrors, stained glass and rich fabrics, it evokes the European cabaret circuses of the 1920s.  Performances are hosted during the festival including music, magic, circus acts and variety shows.  This is also a centerpiece for the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival which is held around the same time.  While approaching St. Andrew Square from George St., we spotted a very unique structure in the far distance that had a distinctive spiral design.  Known locally as the Ribbon Building, this is actually the 12-storied W Edinburgh Hotel with includes a rooftop bar with 360 degree panoramic views.

The façade of the Waverly Bar on St.Mary’s Street features a purple climbing man sculpture that was anonymously installed during the COVID lockdown.  At the corner of Rutland St. and Lothian Rd are a pair of cool sculptures.  A brightly decorated fiberglass Highland cow is part of a 2006 art initiative known as the “Cow Parade” or “Coo Parade”, where a series of over 100 cow sculptures were installed across the city.  A seated laughing child sculpture seems to be part of another initiative since we saw a similar sculpture on the Royal Mile.  After learning about the murderous reign of Burke and Hare during our cemetery tours, we were amused to find a pole-dancing and strip bar named after them in Haymarket.  I really liked Fabhatrix Hat Shop on Cowgatehead, admiring the vintage-styled hats and gloves in the window each time we passed by.  On Candlemaker Road, after thinking about it for several days, I finally succumbed to temptation and purchased a pair or Scottish themed rubber “duckies” including one playing the bagpipes in full tartan and one in the shape of a duckie but designed as a horned Highland coo.