Edinburgh’s top first date ideas:
Edinburgh is the perfect city for romance: beautiful, picturesque and magical, with its dramatic vistas, tiny alleyways and ancient cobbled streets. Here of all places there’s really no excuse for a boring first date of the ‘dinner and a movie’ variety – but we all know that it can be nerve-wracking trying to think of an activity to impress someone new. To help you out we’ve made a list of some of the best quirky things to do with the person you like, so that your first (or 50th) date is as magical as the city itself. Have fun…
- Get up at 4am and watch the sun rise from the top of Arthur’s Seat Take a torch and a rug – and maybe some bubbly if you want to make it extra special
- Be bemused by the latest crazy installation at the Modern Art Gallery
Then laze around on the grass afterwards and eat ice cream.
- Take a salsa class.
Embarrassing but hilarious. Plus you get to see if your date has rhythm.
- Act like tourists in your own city
Take a tour on a double-decker bus; have your picture taken at the castle, then eat a traditional Scottish lunch at one of the Royal Mile’s many cafes.
- Meet at the Farmers’ Market on a Saturday morning
Buy loads of tasty food and make a huge feast to impress your date. Braised pork cheeks anyone?
- Go charity shopping in Newington or Stockbridge
Set a limit of £5 and buy each other a hilarious present – the more retro the better.
- Go on an East Lothian road trip
Stop off at all the fabulous beaches in the area – and make sure you indulge in some tasty seafood along the way.
- Spend an afternoon at the Turkish Baths at Portobello
Then go for a beachside drink at local bars the Dalriada or The Espy, stopping to play in the old-fashioned amusement arcade along the way.
- Meet at Midnight…
…and wander around the deserted town together. Play on the swings in a park and pretend that you’re the only two people in the world.
- Buy two old fashioned film cameras and go on a photography date around town
Meet up the next week for a coffee and laugh at the funny pictures you took together.
- Go strawberry picking at Lowe’s Farm in Midlothian
- Trawl Edinburgh’s fabulous second-hand bookshops for first editions and hidden gems
- Go on a bike ride to a part of town you’ve never visited before
- Combine food and laughs at The Stand Comedy Club
Do you have any other great suggestions for dates in Edinburgh? Just add them to the comments box below.
Rebecca Jamieson
