The Ultimate Edinburgh Hen Do Guide 2023

Step into the colourful world of Le Monde, a chic and sophisticated hotel bar situated on Edinburgh’s up-market George Street. This art deco inspired bar is the perfect place to get dressed up and grab a cocktail or two after a long day shopping and celebrating your last night of freedom.

If you’re looking for pizza, prosecco or the perfect craft beer, then look no further than Cold Town House. Located in the vibrant Grassmarket area of the city, this place is a brewery as well as a cool bar, where you can see the popular Cold Town Beer being made, while enjoying a Neapolitan style pizza. Oh, they also have an après ski inspired roof terrace!

No city break hen do is complete without a trip to a Revolution bar. Edinburgh’s offering features industrial chic elements with plenty of cosy booths for you and your hens to enjoy a cocktail deal. Revolution is ideally located in Edinburgh’s Old Town, perfect for exploring. Again, watch yourself on those cobbles, not that we’ve gone toppling over or anything...

In Brazil, a Boteco is a friendly neighbourhood bar where friends can enjoy good food and drinks in a lively bohemian atmosphere and Boteco Do Brasil has certainly captured this essence with their quaint bar nestled on Lothian Street. With regular DJs and live bands, this is the perfect place for hens looking for a lively fiesta vibe.

Located between the Royal Mile and the Cowgate area of the city, you’ll find the pumping nightclub that is The Hive. Situated throughout six of Edinburgh’s infamous underground caverns, this is a nightclub you and your hens will be ‘swarming’ to. On Friday’s, the club hosts chart mashups and rock, pop and punk hits, with Saturday home to more RnB classics.

Tucked away on North Castle Street, just around the corner from the stylish George Street, you’ll find Tonic Bar - an award-winning cocktail bar with live DJs and plush surroundings. Boasting the title of having the 'Best Pornstar Martini in Edinburgh', Tonic’s trained mixologists will ensure you get the star treatment you deserve.

Housed in a former bank, located (unsurprisingly) at 99 Hanover Street, you’ll find this cosy nook of a bar. Decked out in cosy leather armchairs, with classic movies projected onto the bare brick walls behind, this watering hole draws in a very cool crowd. Not surprising considering it is regularly voted one of the best bars in Scotland.

Tigerlily is arguably the crown jewel of New Town when it comes to cocktail bars. Bejewelled disco ball walls, beautiful foliage features and cool and quirky furniture make this the perfect place to get those glam pre-night out pics. As well as instagrammable interiors, Tigerlily boasts indulgent cocktails which are as beautiful as they are delicious.

Perfect for gin lovers, Heads & Tales is a hidden gem, tucked away in Rutland Square – between Princes Street Gardens and the city’s West End. This atmospheric bar with hidden booths in vault style surroundings and gorgeous lounges, is great for late night drinks and offers a very long list of carefully curated cocktails.

Forget dingy dark underground bars, Copper Blossom is a bright and airy sub-level hangout with a beautiful shabby chic inspired interior, described by one blog as “unlike anything else in the city”. Purchase a ‘pimp my prosecco’ package and you and your hens can sip your afternoon away in one of the bar’s chic and cosy corners.

Explore what lies beneath at the ‘Real Mary King’s Close’. Guided tours of the close are led by costumed characters and is an entertaining way to find out more about Edinburgh’s dark history, including alleyways which were bricked up in the 17th Century during the black plague.

Perfect for a little stroll to walk off that hangover, Princes Street Gardens lie within the shadow of Edinburgh castle and separates Old and New Town. The gardens are located within a basin below Princes Street. The reason? The area used to be home to Edinburgh’s largest loch, the Nor Loch.

Located in the in the leafy suburbs to the west of the city centre, you’ll find the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The gallery has over 6,000 paintings, sculptures and installations for you to peruse, with tranquil gardens where you can quietly walk off that headache from the night before.

The beautifully gothic monument just outside of Edinburgh Waverley station is called Scott Monument. If you have a head for heights, you can ascend the 288 stairs to the highest viewing platform, where you are treated to panoramic views of the Scottish capital and even the sea in the distance.

If you’re throwing a hen in August, then Edinburgh is arguably the best city in the world to celebrate as it hosts its annual Fringe Festival. One of the UK’s best known attractions, The Fringe features thousands of shows across the month and attracts thousands of visitor each year, making Edinburgh even more vibrant than usual.

Although we may have lost Harry and Meghan to the Canadians, you can still get your royal fix at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Edinburgh. This beautiful palace has played host to some well-known historical figures from the past, including Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Get your scare fix at the popular Edinburgh Dungeons, which feature scenes from some of Edinburgh’s darkest history. Live action actors bring the past to life as they regale you with stories from The Courtroom, The Galloway Boat Ride and the terrifying tale of Sawney Bean.

One of the city’s most prestigious theatres, the Festival Theatre stands proudly on Nicolson Street in the Southside area of Edinburgh. The theatre has played host to a number of big performances including War Horse and Les Misérables, so keep your eyes peeled as you may just catch a big West End Show.

To the North of the city you’ll find the Royal Botanic Gardens, an oasis in the heart of Scotland. The serene landscaping is great if you need a break from shots, clubs and penis straws. There’s even a nice restaurant where you can enjoy some traditional Scottish grub.

We all know the tale of Greyfriar’s Bobby, the little dog who refused to leave the grave of his owner for 14 years being buried himself. WE’RE NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING. Well, you can visit Bobby’s statue and his namesake’s pub, to commemorate him for being the goodest of boys.