Travel Guide: Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is a great weekend destination for anyone staying in or around London! This beautiful city is only a five hour train ride from Kings Cross Station in London. Laurel, Julia and I spent our first free weekend in Edinburgh and in Dublin (stay tuned for my travel guide of Dublin!) We took an early morning train to ensure we would have the full day to explore Edinburgh!
WHERE TO STAY:
The three of us decided to stay in AirB&B's rather than hotels or hostels during our time in Europe. AirB&B is a an amazing way to find a place to stay in a convenient location and for an amazing price! Sharing an apartment with friends ends up being such a great deal because you can split the costs multiple ways.
When looking at location in Edinburgh I would choose one of two places to stay:
1. The Royal Mile
2. Princes Street
Our AirB&B was located right off of the Royal Mile! This made exploring the city very easy and convenient, especially because we only had one and a half days in Edinburgh.
WHAT TO DO:
Edinburgh is filled with so much history, and many beautiful sites to see. Because we had such a short amount of time, we had to carefully select where we wanted to go. I highly suggest walking around any new city you are visiting. By walking you can find hidden treasures you were not expecting to see, and you can save money on transportation!
Princes Street & Waverly Shopping
We started out by walking from the Waverly Train Station, which was right along Princes Street, to our AirB&B on the Royal Mile. Princes Street is full of modern shops located in ancient looking buildings. The contrast between the new stores and old buildings is very interesting. For example, you can see the Topshop located in an aged building.
Royal Mile
Love the iconic Scottish Kilts
After stopping at our apartment to drop off our bags, we began walking down the Royal Mile. This street is full of cute little shops where you can buy any kind of Scottish attire you desire. This part of the Old Town features cobblestone streets and antique looking buildings.
Princes Street Gardens
Scottish National Gallery, which is right next to Princes Street Gardens
Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens
We passed the Scottish National Gallery and Princes Street Gardens, which are both beautiful sites. Located in the Princes Street Gardens is the Scott Monument. This Victorian Gothic monument honors the Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott. If we had a little more time to spend in Edinburgh I would have loved to explore these further.
Dean Village
These pictures were taken around Dean Village
The downstream flow from the waterfall above
Laurel, Julia, and I on the Dean Bank of the Water of Leith Walkway
We continued our walk in the direction of Dean Village. This adorable area of Edinburgh features colorful houses and flowing rivers that makes you feel as if you have been transported to the early 1700's. While in Dean Village we also visited the Water of Leith Walkway which is home to a beautiful waterfall and a great walking path to follow! This area is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Edinburgh!
Princes Street
We made our way back to Princes Street, where we explored some great shops and enjoyed delicious gelato!
Calton Hill
Anyone else having flashbacks to Athens?
The view from the top of Calton Hill
Our next stop on our walking tour of Edinburgh was at Calton Hill. This famous hill is home to many monuments as well as a great view of the city. The hike up the hill is definitely worth it! The panoramic view of the city of Edinburgh is jaw-dropping! These amazing pictures do not even do it justice.
Scotch Whisky Tour
A picture from inside the World's Largest Whisky Collection! This is only a tiny fraction of the whisky they have collected.
We made our way back to the Royal Mile where we took part in the Scotch Whisky Experience. This awesome tour starts off with a Disney-like ride explaining the history of making Scotch Whisky. We were then shown a video of the different areas in Scotland where the Scotch is produced. Our tour concluded with a taste test inside the worlds largest whisky collection! If you are in Scotland, you cannot skip a Scotch Whisky Experience!
Dinner
Haggis Neeps and Tatties Tower
Steak and Ale Pie
By the end of our tour we were starving! We ate at a bar on the Royal Mile called No. 1 High Street. We wanted to have the real Scottish Experience, so we ordered a Haggis Neeps and Tatties Tower appetizer! For dinner I ordered a Steak and Ale Pie. Both of these meals were delicious! While abroad, you definitely need to try the local food.
Breakfast
For breakfast on our last day in Edinburgh, we ate at The Inn on the Mile. Once again, we wanted to try a real Scottish meal, so we all ordered the Full Scottish Breakfast. This meal included bacon, sausage, fried egg, tomato, baked beans, black pudding, a potato scone, and toast.
Edinburgh Castle
The entrance to the castle
The view from the top of the castle
Our last stop in Edinburgh was a visit to the Edinburgh Castle! This castle is located at the end of the Royal Mile, which made it very convenient to get to. This castle is also set on the top of a hill, giving residents and tourists a great view of the city. This castle is very different from castles in England such as Buckingham Palace. This castle looks more like a fortress than a castle, and this helped its Scottish residents protect themselves against the English invasions.
OUTFIT:
During my first day in Edinburgh I wore my black Kooples trench coat. As you can tell, this coat was perfect for my stay in Europe! The weather was even colder than London's; therefore, this jacket was perfect for my time in Edinburgh. I layered this jacket on top of my oversize-knit turtleneck tank top from Nordstrom. This tank top is perfect for weather when it is chilly, but not cold enough for multiple layers (AKA the Florida Winters). Similar options here and here. I also wore my favorite Topshop Skinny Jeans and my Steve Madden Over-the-Knee Boots (similar here). My Kate Spade black cross body (similar here, here, here, and here) was the perfect accessory for travelling! This purse can easily fit my phone, wallet, and polaroid camera, but it is also small enough to not become a nuisance!
Edinburgh is an amazing city to visit. With it's vast history along with its gorgeous buildings and monuments, it is not a city I would skip while travelling in Europe. Make sure to stay on the look-out for our Dublin Travel Guide coming soon!