The ultimate guide to an Edinburgh Galentine’s to remember

Valentine’s? Never heard of her. 2025 is for the girls, and that means that this upcoming 14th of February is Galentine’s. For the single girls who want to forget about the hopeless prospects of Edinburgh dating, and for the sickeningly sweet taken girls who still just want to spend the day with their friends, this is the guide for you.

1. Book any activities… yesterday

Or a beads night, with keyrings and bracelets

Because of the couples that didn’t get the hint that this year isn’t for them, the 14th of February will be booked up for lots of venues. So make sure you get organised and book an activity to do together. 

If you’re more of the creative type – I would recommend a Take Home Kit from Doodles in Marchmont. The kit allows you to paint and decorate some pottery, just as you can in the workshop, but from the comfort of your own home. That means unlimited time for perfectionists, and the ability to play your own music, and have some snacks.

If you prefer something a bit outdoorsy, I would suggest giving alpaca walking a go. Yes, alpaca walking. Admittedly I have not tried this one yet, but it’s been on my list for ages. There are two different farms that offer this within the surrounding areas of Edinburgh. BobCat Alpacas is in the Pentlands and John Muir Alpacas is in Dunbar, just to the east of the city.

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If you’re a little bit more sporty, why not try Ninja Warrior Edinburgh. Just out in Leith, a recreation of some of the ninja challenges from the TV show and competition Ninja Warrior… and also a huge bouncy castle. This one felt like enough cardio for an entire week, but definitely a well spent afternoon.

Pretty sure I was just checking the floor was still there

If you fancy a different kind of challenge, consider an escape room. There are loads of escape rooms in Edinburgh, with Escape Reality, LockedIn, and Case Closed being amongst the best. Test your communication skills as a group, and hope to make it out still friends on the other side of the hour.

Looks like we’re quite happy that we escaped

And if you’re wanting more of a classic – don’t forget about the cinema. Especially in Edinburgh, because cinemas are a little extra here. You’re spoilt for choice between the old-school atmosphere and real 35mm film screenings at Cameo Picturehouse, and the cosy sofas at Everyman, and of course the 4DX screens at Cineworld. Each of these options ramps up that traditional cinema experience and makes it a little more exciting.

2. Don’t forget the little things

We don’t show our appreciation for our friends enough. Especially as students, our friends have pulled us all through some rough patches. So tell them just how much they mean to you with a handwritten (and extra points for handmade) card. It’s really a dying tradition for Valentines, and it’s a beautifully sentimental one. So why not make something to light up their dorm room?

And if you’re getting into the crafting, you could make a paper flower or two to really seal the deal. These are cheaper, more meaningful, and longer lasting than real flowers. Plus, making them can be a fun little evening activity, given the masses of tutorials online to follow.

A final small gesture, which is sure to brighten a friend’s day, is to print off photos from the year. You can either make a little scrapbook or just keep them together with a little bow. But holding physical copies of photos and looking through some good times together is an extra special touch.

3. Get stuck into baking Pinterest

Whether you’re coming for Mary Berry’s job, or a bit of a hazard in the kitchen, baking on Valentine’s just feels right. What is even better, is finding a ridiculously complicated recipe with your friends and failing miserably together. Despite the failure the sweet treats will still hit, despite looking like they were dropped on the floor. So there’s really no downside to this one.

This one is Valentines’ related I promise.

I hope these tips help you to enjoy a perfect Galentine’s, and create lots of memories with your girls. Writing this has certainly prompted me to start my own planning (watch out for alpacas). After this week, we can all make silly promises to our friends that next Valentine’s Day we will go on dates. I just hope, for all our sakes, that never becomes the case.