Burns and Edinburgh

Using an 18th century map of Edinburgh, this treasure tour looks at some of the places associated with Burns’ stays in Edinburgh and other venues with links to the Poet.

Burns first came to Edinburgh in 1786, at a time when the city was undergoing immense change. The New Town was under construction and the city was expanding its boundaries beyond the confines of the Royal Mile, with its tall tenements and cramped living conditions, to the airy suburbs, with their wide streets and spacious houses.

The map is part of 'A plan of the city and suburbs of Edinburgh' by Alexander Kincaid, dated 1784. It is reproduced with permission of the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland. The map can be viewed in closer detail on the National Library of Scotland's website.

This is the Edinburgh Burns would have known and is the map we have used to guide you through some of Scotland’s best Burns treasures.