Cities of the UK: Edinburgh
Edinburgh can be pricey but it was probably my favorite city that I visited during my time in the UK. As usual I will briefly discuss transport and accommodation before giving some tips on stuff to do.
Transportation
In terms of transportation, Edinburgh is well connected by rail to cities in England and other Scottish cities. Easyjet is probably the best budget airline to fly into Edinburgh. Direct international flights can be pretty expensive though so I would recommend booking a long haul flight from a hub in your home country to London or Manchester and then taking a budget flight or train to Edinburgh on a completely separate booking. I found the bus system in Edinburgh to be efficient and easy to use.
Accommodation
Luckily, hostels are easy to come by in Edinburgh with many dorm options around $20 available on sites like Hostelworld.
Things to do
Edinburgh Castle
The most central and striking part of the city is Edinburgh castle which sits high up on what is called castle rock. Apparently this hill is actually a “volcanic plug” which I didn’t know until googling just now. Edinburgh castle is expansive and worth exploring, but it can get very crowded especially while waiting in line to see the crown jewels. Honestly if you’ve seen the crown jewels in the Tower of London or in Copenhagen (see my Copenhagen post), these aren’t super impressive and not worth the line in my opinion.
The Royal Mile
Extending a long way down from the castle (maybe even a mile) is the Royal Mile which has a beautiful cobbled street and many interesting shops. Most of these are selling souvenirs or very expensive woollen goods, but it’s definitely cool to stop in and look at some kilts with all of the various accessories. Judging by the prices it must be really expensive being a Scotsman.
Some shops on/near the Royal Mile that I liked:
“The Piemaker” has many savory pies for cheap. I had the haggis pie which was delicious and only around 3 pounds. I would say this is a great place to try haggis, the Scottish specialty.
“Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop” has been around for centuries and is a unique place to peruse or purchase a bottle of Scotch. Apparently they source and bottle the Whisky themselves. I snagged a small bottle of 21 year sherry finished whisky which was definitely one of my favorites I’ve ever had for just around 24 pounds. Not a bad price at all considering the location and usual scotch prices.
“Tempting Taddie” provided a yummy and very filling dinner with their classic baked potatoes. I don’t know if you’ve seen those videos of the English food truck that serves baked potatoes, but many in the UK seem to love them. First, the large jovial gentleman added some butter and then heaped on chili, cheese, sourcream, and jalapenos. I got two large taddies and was barely able to finish them, and they were very tasty. The restaurant felt like a classic place from the 80s or 90s where people have headed after their long shift at work for decades. Definitely an atmosphere I wasn’t expecting to find so close to the throngs of tourists on the Royal Mile.
Arthur’s Seat
At the base of the royal mile is the Scottish parliament building and the start of my favorite activity that I did while in Edinburgh. This is the hike up Arthur’s seat and it is especially nice in the summer months. I was surprised at the length of the hike and height of the hill, but this simply meant that the views at the top were better. The day I went, there were some insane winds like I’ve never felt before. It was to the point that it was difficult to walk and you could fully lean into the gusts.
The Royal Yacht
Another sight worth checking out is the Royal Yacht Britannia. It’s especially interesting if you’ve seen a show about the royals like the crown where quite a few episodes feature the yacht, or have storylines about its retirement. The audio guide was a bit lengthy for my taste, and I would recommend only listening when you find something you’d really like to hear more about. It’s crazy to stand in the luxury that the royals are surrounded with their entire lives. From the bedrooms, to the dining room with gifts from various colonies, to the large outdoor deck.
Leith
The Leith area which includes the old docks in Edinburgh is quite different from other parts of the city and worth exploring as well. It’s calmer here and feels like you can get a sense of local life. There’s also a lighthouse that offers a great place to watch the sunset over the water and some solid fish and chips spots.
I hope I was able to give you some good ideas about places to check out if you end up in Edinburgh. Like any city there’s tons more to see including lots of monuments, statues, museums, shops, activities, etc. I’ve heard the botanical gardens of Edinburgh are really nice as well. Even though Edinburgh isn’t a major travel hub (nor do I think it should be) and isn’t the easiest city in the UK to reach, it was definitely my favorite, perhaps by far. I’m going to give it a 9/10.
