Waverley Mall is Edinburgh's central shopping mall, located right on the corner of Princes Street and Waverley Bridge, where you'll find a wide range of shops to peruse. One of the more interesting aspects of this mall is that it's located predominantly underground, with its roof serving as an open-air plaza and tourist centre. Every aspect of its construction was designed with utilitarian and aesthetic values in mind, offering delights alongside convenience.
When you visit this shopping centre, you just might forget that you're actually underground. The mall is spacious and consists of multiple floors, and it offers both budget and luxury items as well as a food court and sit-down dining options.
Waverley Mall in Edinburgh - one of the highlights of 14 Best Places to Go Shopping in Edinburgh (Read all about Edinburgh here)
photo by Lewis Clarke (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
Waverley Mall highlights
The major highlight of this mall is its construction. It's built underground to offer convenient shopping right in the centre of Edinburgh without disrupting the view of Edinburgh Castle and Old Town from Princes Street. That's why the rooftop plaza is largely flat. Of course, the mall was also inspired by Waverley Market, the trading centre that was in the same spot decades before the mall opened in 1984.
This mall went through quite a few iterations before being renovated in 2016 to its current standard. This latest development created a modernist design with a white colour palette, sleek lines and large glass panes on the roof and in shop fronts. That aesthetic stretches as far as the entrances and rooftop plaza, with the sleek lines standing out that make it not only pleasing to look at but easy to navigate.
photo by Andrew Curtis (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
Waverley Mall shopping
You'll find all sorts of shopping opportunities at Waverley Mall. In the upper mall, you can enjoy high-street fashion favourites with shops like Superdry and New Look. More obscure shops, like Damaged Society, are also found here. You can also find ethical cosmetics and bath shops on this floor, as well as a Starbucks coffee shop.
The lower floor of the mall consists primarily of restaurants. You can find a quick bite to eat in the local McDonald's or Subway, or you can order takeaway from the local Chopstix and Indian Express. The rooftop plaza contains a few shops as well, including The Whisky Shop and Arran Aromatics, offering unique drinks and scented gifts, respectively.
photo by M J Richardson (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
Good to know when visiting Waverley Mall
Waverley Mall is in one of the most convenient locations in town. Whether you're heading to the city centre by train, tram or bus, you can reach the mall with just a few steps. In fact, there's easy access to the mall directly from Waverley Station.
When visiting this mall, you'll be close to a variety of other exciting attractions, such as the Scott Monument that's just a few steps away from the mall's west entrance. Head a bit further that same direction and you'll reach Edinburgh Castle. You can also find several museums in the area, including the Scottish National Gallery and the National Museum of Scotland. All of these locations are just minutes away even if you're travelling by foot.
photo by M J Richardson (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
Waverley Mall in Edinburgh
Location: 3/48 Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ, UK
Phone: +44 (0)1315 573759
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