University of Edinburgh campus tour: Old College, George Square and more

Few universities have a setting like Edinburgh's. Its oldest buildings stand a short walk from the castle and the Royal Mile, its students picnic in a park beneath an extinct volcano, and every August the city's streets and the university's own squares become part of the world's largest arts festival. Founded in 1583, it is one of Scotland's ancient universities. Rather than one campus, it has several areas across the south side of the city. Here is how they fit together, and how to plan a visit as a future student or parent.

Start at Old College

The university's historic heart is Old College on South Bridge, a few minutes' walk from the Royal Mile. Robert Adam drew up the original design in the late 18th century, and William Henry Playfair completed the quadrangle in the early 19th. The dome, topped by a gilded figure known locally as the Golden Boy, was added later in the Victorian era. Today the building houses the law school and the Talbot Rice Gallery, which shows contemporary art and parts of the university's collections. Step into the quad for the classic view.

The Central Area: George Square and Bristo Square

Walk south for five minutes and you reach the Central Area, where most arts, humanities, social science and medicine students spend their days.

Bristo Square is the open plaza at its centre, overlooked by the domed McEwan Hall, where graduations take place.
Teviot Row House, a Gothic-style building beside the square, is one of the oldest purpose-built student union buildings in the world and remains a busy social hub.
George Square, once a Georgian residential square, is now lined with university buildings around a central garden, with the Main Library on its southern side.

Just beyond lies the Meadows, a large park crossed by tree-lined paths. It's where students run, play football, cycle to class and gather on long summer evenings.

Other parts of the university

Not every course is taught in the centre, and it's worth knowing which site you would use:

New College, on the Mound near the castle, is the School of Divinity, with a courtyard that looks out over the Old Town.
Edinburgh College of Art, at Lauriston Place, joined the university in 2011 and teaches art, design, architecture and music.
King's Buildings, a few kilometres south, is the main base for science and engineering, linked to the centre by frequent buses.
The BioQuarter at Little France, beside the Royal Infirmary, is the base for much of medicine and biomedical research.
Easter Bush, outside the city to the south, is home to the veterinary school.

Student life in the city

Many first-year undergraduates live in university accommodation, and the best known is Pollock Halls, a large residence at the foot of Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park. Walking up the hill for sunrise is something of a rite of passage. Other halls are spread across the south side and the city centre.

The students' association runs hundreds of societies and several student venues, and the sports union covers everything from rugby and rowing to mountaineering. The university's sports centre on the Pleasance is close to the Central Area, with playing fields further south. The neighbourhoods of Newington, Marchmont and Bruntsfield, full of tenement flats, cafés and small shops, are where many students live after first year.

The August effect

During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Bristo Square, Teviot Row House, George Square and the Pleasance all become festival venues, with temporary stages, bars and big crowds. It's a spectacular time to see the city but not an easy time to understand the university: buildings are repurposed, accommodation is scarce and much pricier, and some spaces are closed to the public. If you are visiting mainly to see the university, other months are usually more practical.

Open days and campus tours

The university holds undergraduate open days, typically at set points in the year, with subject talks, information sessions and tours led by current students, and it offers campus tours or self-guided options at other times. Registration is usually needed. Dates and formats change, so check the university's official visiting pages before you book travel.

How to get there

By train: Edinburgh Waverley is the main station, with direct trains from London King's Cross taking around four and a half hours and frequent services from Glasgow. From Waverley, Old College is about ten minutes' walk uphill.
From the airport: trams run from Edinburgh Airport into the city centre, and an express airport bus also serves Waverley.
Around the city: the centre is walkable, though steep in places. Frequent buses connect the Central Area with King's Buildings and the other sites.
By car: parking in the centre is limited and expensive; most visitors are better off without a car.

Picking a neighbourhood for your stay

Southside and Newington, closest to the Central Area and Pollock Halls, with guesthouses along the main roads.
The Old Town, for walking to Old College, the Royal Mile and the castle.
The New Town, elegant Georgian streets north of Princes Street, a 15 to 20-minute walk from campus.
Bruntsfield and Marchmont, residential areas on the far side of the Meadows.

Our where to stay in Edinburgh guide compares the city's neighbourhoods in more depth.

Tips for your visit

Book accommodation early if your visit falls in August or around graduations.
Pack layers and a waterproof: Edinburgh's weather changes quickly in any season.
Leave time to climb Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill for a view over the whole city.
If your course is at King's Buildings or another outlying site, go and see it; it will shape your daily life more than Old College.

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Cover photo: Stinglehammer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons