For decades desirable holiday destinations have been southern: Ibiza, Provence, Tuscany, the Greek islands, California etc etc. But as the endless sunshine and rising temperatures see travellers avoid European heatwaves, northern climates such as Scotland, Scandinavia, Iceland, Finland, northern Spain and other cooler locations have become more aspirational.
The travel industry’s “coolcation” trend has moved from prediction to actual behaviour. Booking.com’s recent research found 25% of travellers actively seeking cooler destinations, while 55% said some destinations had become too hot to visit at their preferred time. Its search data showed peak-season searches for Norway up 33% and Finland 27% year-on-year.
As algorithm-led imagery has pushed travel and design towards placeless international getaways, consumers are moving away from generic aesthetics towards authentic destinations. Instead of perfection and international uniformity, value and aspiration increasingly comes from provenance and local hospitality and design.
Becoming less about the aesthetic and more about the culture, craft and community of a place, sees Scotland and in particular Edinburgh well placed as a city to inspire. With a wealth of history, natural materials, landscapes and a strong sense of identity – think – wool, knitwear, weaving, stone, timber, whisky, lochs, crofts, castles, bothies and general “Scottishness” – along with a new influx of young artists, musicians, designers and chefs that mean the design, food and arts communities are thriving.
Leith is Edinburgh’s port district, where The Water of Leith river meets the sea. It is the city’s creative heart – think Hackney 20 years ago – where the arrival of the tramline from Edinburgh city centre in 2023 has seen it move away from its Trainspotting roots, to a real slice of creative Edinburgh without any sign of a Highland cow or tartan tat.
Bard, Browns Of Leith, Le Kilt
Custom Lane is a collaborative design space in the old Custom House building on the river, with artists’ workshops, galleries and a cafe. Next door, Bard is a gallery and shop designed to look like the home of a collector. Husbands Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens travel across Scotland collecting contemporary Scottish design to feature high end design in a domestic environment.
Across the river is Brown’s of Leith, is the newest addition to Custom Lane. A vast three-storey Victorian warehouse has been transformed into a multi-use creative space by GRAS architects. On the ground floor, three food businesses -ShrimpWreck shellfish bar, Haze for wine and Civerinos pizza – share a relaxed dining area. They also host events and collaborations, with Edinburgh brand Le Kilt, launching their first physical space offering homeware, books and one-off objects, as well as the modern, hand-crafted kilts so loved by Claudia Winkelman on The Traitors.
HERITAGE STYLE
High end bag brand Strathberry has its headquarters and a store in Edinburgh. The minimalist hand crafted leather handbags feature a signature sleek metal bar closure and are fast becoming a firm favourite globally – with a recent pop up in Liberty London, transforming the East Atrium into a poetic journey through the Scottish Highlands.
TBCo is a certified B-Corp in Edinburgh producing colourful, contemporary wool scarves, wraps, clothing, sleepwear, bedding and travel accessories using recycled materials. The brand’s headquarters and shop is in Leith, with stockists in the UK and internationally.
& Daughter is an independent knitwear label that crafts its signature luxury wool and cashmere jumpers using traditional, fully-fashioned methods in Hawick, Scotland.
SCOTLAND REFRAMED
The Fife Arms, Dovecot, Jupiter Artland
North of Edinburgh and into the Highlands, hospitality blend seamlessly at The Fife Arms in Braemar. This “art hotel” features an eclectic collection of around 16,000 artworks. Conceived as a passion project by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, the co-founders of the global contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth the hotel integrates the multi million pound art works into the public spaces and corridors of the luxury hotel.
Dovecot Studios is a world-renowned tapestry studio in the heart of Edinburgh and a landmark centre for contemporary art, craft and design. Established in 1912, Dovecot continues a century-long heritage of collaboration with international artists to make handwoven tapestries and gun-tufted rugs. The current exhibition Costume Couture celebrates sixty years of Cosprop’s creativity and is an opportunity to see behind the scenes of the celebrated costume house.
Edinburgh often comes second Glasgow when it comes to the art scene, but the opening of Jupiter Artland in 2009 changed that. The award-winning 100-acre contemporary sculpture park and garden located just outside Edinburgh, founded by art collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson, features 40 site-specific works from the art world A-list such as Marc Quinn; Andy Goldsworthy; Anish Kapoor; Charles Jencks; Cornelia Parker; Antony Gormley; Tracey Emin; Phyllida Barlow and more, alongside an indoor gallery space and cafe.
NATURAL WELLNESS
Dook, Soul Water Sauna
Wellness in Scotland is generally less about spas, treatments and life-changing products and more about a deep connection to nature. Its dramatic landscapes naturally lend themselves to hiking, wild swimming camping and simply spending time outdoors, meaning wellbeing feel instinctive rather than prescribed.
VisitScotland now highlights these activities within wellness tourism, describing everything from wild swimming and mountain walking to meditation and retreats as ways of reconnecting with nature. Places such as Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms, Loch Lomond, the Hebrides and Portobello Beach have established swimming communities.
Soul Water Sauna
Soul Water Sauna, Portobello describes itself as Edinburgh’s first wood-fired sauna. Located in Edinburgh’s ‘urban seaside’, the small, purpose-built mobile sauna is constructed with natural timbers including larch, silver birch and haze.
Independent skin and body care brand Dook – the name comes from the Scots word dook, to dip, plunge or bathe – is also based in Portobello, with a shop and workshop in Joppa Road. The products include soap, bath salts, skincare, solid shampoo, accessories, home products and textiles. During the 2025 Edinburgh Festival, Dook promoted Soul Water‘s pop-up sauna at the Underbelly Circus Hub where visitors could add a Dook face mask to their sauna session.
THE SCOTTISH TABLE
Lannan, The Keelson, Whirlybird
Edinburghs growing food scene sees an exciting broad food culture emerge around small independent restaurants, bakeries, natural wine, coffee shops, markets, Scottish produce and neighbourhood eating.
The Shore in Leith and the Stockbridge neighbourhood are at the heart of the most interesting food places, with Lannan Bakery in Stockbridge being one of the best examples of Edinburgh’s new food culture. Opening in 2023 by Scottish baker Darcie Maher, who grew up in the Scottish Borders – the bakery became successful very quickly, as tasty images of the croissants, buns, tarts and savoury pastries flooded Instagram and TikTok. At its most extreme, people were reportedly queuing for up to two hours.. The name Lannan derives from a Scottish Gaelic word for house.
The Keelson opened in June 2026 at 58 The Shore, opened by the people behind two established Leith bars, Nauticusand Dogstar and describes itself simply as “a Scottish boozer on The Shore.” The food focuses on its signature rotisserie chicken.
Over in the more touristy old town – on Victoria Street, one of the most photographed streets in Edinburgh – Whirlybirdopened May 2026, offering contemporary Scottish food in a historical, heritage setting.
CREATIVE COMMUNITIES
Portobello Tower, Muther
A growing desire for real-life creative connection is driving the emergence of communities and physical spaces that offer a sense of belonging, participation and shared purpose, providing a welcome respite from increasingly digital lives..
Portobello Tower is a tiny, one of a kind design-led venue with a rooftop terrace overlooking the Firth of Forth and Arthur’s Seat. Showcasing Scottish interiors, the space has been created to feel like a Scottish home by the sea rather than an event venue, with natural linens, candles, seasonal flowers, timber, stone and an open fire. It can hired for private dinners, supper clubs, small weddings, workshops, creative gatherings, brand events, photography and film shoots.
Muther launched in Edinburgh in 2026 by Eve Gardiner Black, a trend forecaster and creative, as a community for creative mothers in Scotland. Eve champions the fact that women can love being mothers while still needing a creative identity and outlet. Described as a place for mothers who “love their kids fiercely” but need creativity in order to feel like themselves – the emphasis is on meeting other creative women and maintaining a sense of self alongside motherhood. Regular meet-ups at Browns of Leith and wellness workshops are planned for the future.
