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Edinburgh has a special quality. It’s very rare you arrive in a city and instantly feel at ease. It almost felt like I had returned home. The sheer beauty of the city coupled with the quirkiness found throughout makes it one truly amazing place to be. The atmosphere that you are constantly soaking up adds to the high spirits. Once you add in the great food, astonishing history and so much more on offer, you are guaranteed to be hooked. Edinburgh gives off the impression of being personally tailored to each visitor. There is certainly no shortage of things to do in and outside the city. Whatever your interests are, Edinburgh is sure to have so much for you to do and see. This Edinburgh travel guide will hopefully help you to enjoy your time there as much as I enjoyed mine.
Currency Converter – £1 = €1.16/$1.30
Getting In
Edinburgh has just one airport that visitors can fly into. The most convenient way to reach the city from Edinburgh Airport is to take the Airlink 100 Bus, this terminates just outside Edinburgh Waverley Train Station. The bus service runs 24/7 and buses depart every 10 minutes. Tickets cost £4.50 one way or £7.50 for a return and the journey takes approximately 35 minutes.
If you are coming by from Glasgow, trains leave Glasgow Queen Street station on a very regular basis. The journey takes just under an hour. Tickets can be bought at the station on the day of travel and you will save money by doing so. For a one way ticket, it will cost you under £10 and a return ticket will cost you £13.50. This train terminates at Edinburgh Waverley.
Where To Stay
Edinburgh is not a huge city. For that reason, finding accommodation in the right area won’t be too difficult. I feel it is best to consider Edinburgh Waverley Train Station as your centre point. The station is what separates Edinburgh Old Town with the newer part of the city. Once you are in walking distance to the station, everything will be easily accessible to you. My personal recommendation comes in the form of Cairn Hotel. A really beautiful, comfortable and recently renovated hotel located in the New Town. Breakfast wasn’t included, but everything else was perfect and represented great value for money.
When To Go
Edinburgh is not a city known for having great weather. Heavy winds and rainfall can be quite common, especially in the winter months. Expect max highs of 7°c from November to February. The peak time to travel to Edinburgh is during the summer months. May to August has mild to warm temperatures with average highs of 19°c. Of course, this does mean more crowds. However, whilst there is still no guarantee of good weather, it gives you the best chance to see some sun. Regardless of the time of year you visit, expect the weather to be unpredictable and pack accordingly.
What To Do
Edinburgh Castle
Almost every visitor to Edinburgh will at some point during their stay, visit Edinburgh Castle. It was certainly a huge draw for me when I decided to visit. Edinburgh Castle, like the city it is located in, is packed with history. From Mary Queen of Scots to Robert the Bruce, there is no end to the information made available to the huge amount of visitors, every day. Your Edinburgh Castle experience is sure to take a huge chunk of a day. The castle and its grounds are ginormous. Every building you see has a unique story to tell, so be sure to grab yourself an audio guide. Whilst you will still have an enjoyable experience without one, I felt that my visit was richer for having purchased it. I loved my time at the castle and it was most definitely the highlight of my visit to Edinburgh.
To avoid waiting in line for tickets, purchase them online by clicking here.
Explore the Birthplace of Harry Potter
Edinburgh is a dream for fans of the Harry Potter series. On almost every street you will find some sort of reference. After all, this is where JK Rowling first began to write what would soon become the best-selling series of all time. Today, the magic still lives on across the city. I found the best way to explore the world of Harry Potter was to take a walking tour of the city. The Potter Trail, a free walking tour, brings you to some parts of Edinburgh that inspired JK Rowling. There are other tours available, even one that charges £12, but The Potter Trail seemed to be the most popular and after undertaking the tour, I was delighted with my choice. To read more about The Potter Trail, check out my post about it here.
National Museum of Scotland
Most capital cities are home to a national museum. A lot of the time they can get quite repetitive. However, the National Museum of Scotland was by far the best I have visited. A huge amount of the museum was interactive. There were puzzles, science equipment, musical instruments from around the world, all available for public use. This sure beats the usual staring at objects that are behind glass. As well as the interactive exhibitions, there is a massive collection of stuffed animals from all over the world that have been donated by zoos to the museum. Entry is free and you could easily spend a few hours at the museum, there is so much to see.
Calton Hill
During your time in Edinburgh, you will get a glimpse of a hill with what looks like monuments on top of it. If you are like me, you may get curious as to what this place is and be keen to explore it. It turned out that it was Calton Hill. Surprisingly, reaching the top was a shorter and much easier walk than I anticipated. When you reach the summit you will be met with the most fantastic view of Edinburgh and its surrounding countryside. The National Monument of Scotland is by far the most impressive structure that you will find. There is also the Nelson Monument, the City Observatory and the Dugald Stewart Monument. It is definitely a must-see for anyone that visits the city. I recommend visiting at sunset to see the city and the hill in its best light.
Palace of Holyrood House
Standing proudly at one end of the Royal Mile is the Queen of England’s official Scottish residence. With the beautiful backdrop of Arthur’s Seat behind the palace, a visit allows you to explore the State Apartments, the Chamber belonging to Mary Queen of Scots as well as the Ruins of Holyrood Abbey. You will also learn how the palace is used today by The Queen when carrying out official engagements in Scotland.
Walk The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is by some distance, the best-known area in Edinburgh. It starts at Edinburgh Castle and stretches all the way down to the Palace of Holyrood House, two very significant locations in Scottish history. The mile is made up of a number of streets, all of which have their own story to tell. Today, the Royal Mile is a mix of shops, restaurants and pubs. There is always something happening, especially the closer you get to the castle. The mile is lively, full of action and you really feel like you are in the centre of a buzzing city. The street gets quieter the further from Edinburgh Castle that you go, but I suggest walking the entire mile. There is always something to see!
Get A Glimpse Into Edinburgh’s Dark History
Edinburgh might look pretty from the outside but the city has a deep, disturbing history. Every street, every nook and cranny has a haunting story to tell. There are many ways to gain some sort of insight into the horrifying past of Edinburgh. Visiting the Real Mary King’s Close is one. An area under the Royal Mile where former residents lived and ultimately died in squalor. You could introduce yourself with a free walking tour. Hear the stories of Burke and Hare, two bodysnatchers who sold the dead to medical professors across the city and learn more about the Witch Trials of Edinburgh. Perhaps the standout is the Edinburgh Vaults. A series of chambers that became home to Edinburgh’s poor back in the late 1700s. What is said to have occurred in the vaults apparently still haunts them to this very day!
Other Note-Worthy Attractions in Edinburgh
Arthurs Seat
Surgeons Hall Museum
Museum on The Mound
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Scottish Parliament Building
Edinburgh Zoo
Royal Yacht Brittania
Where To Eat
Edinburgh is full of fantastic cuisine, both local Scottish fare and delicious International food. To read all about the best food that is to be found citywide, click here
I have to admit, I gave zero thought for a long time about visiting Edinburgh. Even though it was very close to home and a very cheap flight away, it just never came to mind as a city to visit. Maybe, it was the yearning for foreign lands that caused this. Edinburgh seemed too normal and familiar. But then, the more I read, the more interested I became. Finally, I made the trip and was so thankful I did. Edinburgh is a truly amazing destination! Above all else, it has the feel-good factor. A city where you feel constantly thankful for being there and you don’t want your visit to end. Hopefully, this Edinburgh travel guide will go some way into convincing you to go like others did for me.
To read more about Edinburgh, click here
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Great guide to Edinburgh! One of my favourite cities in the UK! Totally agree about the National Museum of Scotland, it’s a fabulous museum and also one of my favourites.
Fantastic blog. Very good coverage. I miss Edinburgh already!
Love this! Edinburgh truly is an incredible city. I love all the places you mentioned and must say Dolly looks really regal in your picture! So glad you loved Edinburgh so much!
Great post. Edinburgh is pretty interesting. I hope to go back there at some point. Keep up the informative content.