Edinbus
Creativecommons.org/ Matt Davis
Whether you live in the city or you are just there for a visit, Edinbus is an essential app for travelling in Edinburgh. It taps into the Lothian Buses tracking system and provides up to the minute travel information for every bus stop in the city. Users simply find the desired bus stop or select one nearby and the app’s Google Maps interface pulls up a beautifully formatted and easy to read list of bus arrival times. App users can mark their favourite stops for easy access later and the handy arrow map assures that the bus they boarded is heading in the right direction. This app is available for free on the app store for Android and iPhone devices.
Edinburgh Outdoors
Creativecommons.org/ Jaakko Hakulinen
Within the city limits, Edinburgh has 141 designated parks. Edinburgh Outdoors is a new online resource that brings the city’s outdoor beauty to your fingertips. With the Edinburgh Outdoors app, users can find the nearest play area for their children, outdoor monuments with all the historical information to go along with them and trails leading around the city. The app encourages users to snap photos of the monuments and parks they visit and upload them for other users. This helps continue to make the app better and to showcase the natural beauty of the city. Edinburgh Outdoors is available for free on the app store for Android and iPhone devices.
Edinburgh City Guide
Creativecommons.org/Moyan Brenn
Of course the first thing that any app-happy traveller does when they get to a new city is look for a guide app for it. Edinburgh City Guide is packed full of insider tips and advice from those in the know. This app was written up by a unique collaboration between Edinburgh residents and leading travel journalists. It also allows users to upload pictures and add comments on each attraction. With this app visitors can avoid all the tourist traps so that they can experience the city like a local. Edinburgh City Guide provides detailed information on where to eat, what to eat, where to stay and what to do while in the city – all of which is available offline so visitors do not have to worry about accruing roaming charges while in Scotland. The Edinburgh City Guide is available for free on the app store for Android and iPhone devices.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Creativecommons.org/ zoetnet
The Festival Fringe app showcases all the currently-planned events that are taking place in Edinburgh. As Scotland's capital loves itself a good party, there is often a lot to choose from. From the app, users will be able to see what is happening and when in the city and users can also buy tickets in advanced right in the interface. The app has also been updated with a rating system so those planning a trip for a particular festival can know if it really is worth it. This free app was previously only available for iPhone, but an Android version has now been launched.
Edinburgh Secrets
Creativecommons.org/ Steffen Zahn
The Edinburgh Secrets app was created by professional travel writer and Edinburgh local Andy Hayes. The app is not as thorough as to cover every nook and cranny within the city like the bigger city guides, but it is nevertheless packed with information and secret spots that only a local could provide. Aside from secret spots, the app has been designed with the budget conscious visitors in mind. It provides a plethora of cheap but good places to eat and drink, as well as some free sites around the city. This lovely app is available for $0.99 on the app store for both iPhone and Android devices.
Edinburgh Map and Walks
Creativecommons.org/ Shelley Rodrigo
The Edinburgh Map and Walks app functions as both a map of the city and a tour guide. The Lite version, which is free on the app store for Android and iPhone devices, showcases the city on the map. It displays street names and businesses and can help locate various sites around Edinburgh. The map function allows for location bookmarking and has a "Find Me" option. However, while the map function is useful, the Lite version of the map comes with various walking tours. Combined with the app's movement tracking features, the walking guides take users to various landmarks around the city. Upon arrival, it provides an audio guide about the site's history and other interesting tidbits. The Lite version provides five walking tours, including the Edinburgh Landmarks tour, Edinburgh Religious tour, Art Galleries tour, Popular Pubs tour and the City Orientation tour. The Full version is available for $4.99 on the app store for Android and iPhone devices and includes an additional seven walking tours with it.
Ian Rankin's Edinburgh
Creativecommons.org/ SteveR-
Ian Rankin is a famous Scottish crime novelist who is most famous for his Inspector Rebus novels. Most of his stories take place within Edinburgh, as any fan knows. This particular app is a bit like a travel guide to the city, but instead of just showing off the best sites in the city, it showcases the sites described within Ian Rankin's books. The app contains specially made videos, audio guides and exclusive content for Edinburgh that bring Ian Rankin's books to life. Visitors can tour over 30 key locations from his novels. The app is available for free on the app store for Android and iPhone devices and it is a must for any fan of Rankin's novels.
Edinburgh's Traditional Bars
Creativecommons.org/ David Blaikie
Scotland's capital city has more pubs than the average town. Some of the pubs are new and hip while some of them are old and dripping with charm. This guide app showcases 40 of Edinburgh's traditional pubs aimed to help tourists pick out the finest examples of the Scotland pub experience. Each pub shown in the app comes with a brief history, photos and an interactive map that provides directions to its location from the app user's current position. This handy little app is available for $0.99 on the app store for Android and iPhone devices.