If you’ve met a new partner via your favorite dating platform and are keen to arrange a romantic weekend getaway, one of our hottest recommendations has to be Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. This is a beautiful city, thriving with amenities, restaurants, theaters, and historic locations. It also boasts large parks, colorful botanical gardens, and nestles on the Firth of Forth, an estuary of the turbulent North Sea. To make your visit truly memorable, check out these top five visitor destinations for the romantically-inclined that were carefully selected by relationship experts from this website.

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions

Edinburgh’s so-called ‘Old Town’ is its medieval heart, featuring a ‘Royal Mile’ stretching from a world-renowned castle to a palace and the world’s first skyscrapers! But this popular tourist haunt, nestling in the buildings below that imperious castle, would be an ideal place to commence your date. A museum since the Victorian era, there are numerous captivating exhibits, including holograms and distorting mirrors. The piece de resistance is the original ‘camera obscura’ itself, an observatory point where an ingenious array of mirrors treat onlookers to panoramic views of the magnificent scenery beyond.

Royal Observatory

Nestling on Blackford Hill in the city’s southern suburbs, this is another worthwhile place to touch down. It may be off the beaten track compared to more obvious visitor destinations, but this is well worth investigating. An important center for astronomical research since 1896, you can take advantage of its fantastic facilities on special occasions, with unparalleled views of the cosmos via powerful telescopes. Keep an eye on the website for public events. During daylight, Blackford Hill also offers commanding views of Edinburgh. Why not take along a picnic rug and a supply of refreshments to make your romantic outing truly unforgettable?

St Bernard’s Well

Located just to the north of Edinburgh’s ‘New Town’ (majestic buildings constructed during the mid-19th century Georgian era), Stockbridge is an excellent setting for your date. There are numerous boutiques and eateries to visit, as well as the Water of Leith, the river meandering through the city to the once-bustling seaport of Leith. Drop by St Bernard’s Well, overlooking the tranquil river (or ‘burn’ in the Scots language). Built-in a classic Greek temple style with circular columns, this ornate landmark marks the location of a water well and is dominated by a statue of Hygieia, from Greek and Roman mythology, goddess of purity and health. This idyllic setting would make an excellent place to commence your visit to Stockbridge, with Edinburgh’s beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens a 10-minute stroll away.

Holyrood Park

Arthur’s Seat is the 251-meter tall hill lurking in the middle of this city, the plug of a long-dormant volcano. Surrounded by other hills, sweeping valleys, and three lakes (in Scots, ‘lochs’), Holyrood Park is the perfect setting for walking hand-in-hand, taking in the awe-inspiring scenery, transporting you far from a conurbation with half a million inhabitants. There are hiking trails, ancient ruins to explore, not to mention hungry geese, swans, and ducks who always paddle towards shore when pedestrians might be passing with titbits. The park is famous for Holyrood Palace, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth when visiting Scotland, a fabulous historic building also open to the public.

The Witchery by the Castle

After a day of sightseeing, what better way to round off your romantic excursion to Edinburgh than a superb restaurant? Also offering bed and breakfast accommodation, this building is decorated like some gothic Tim Burton movie, with oak paneling, tapestries, and flickering candles! The cuisine is decidedly contemporary, offering a selection of mouth-watering dishes for courting couples, with a constantly refreshed menu and a sumptuous wine list.