Maybe it is just my opinion but I do not normally travel to the same destination again. I mean, what is the point of going there to the same place if you have seen it already? So I always make sure that I never go to the same place unless it is really necessary.
But in every traveler’s heart, there is always one, two or even three places that he/she goes again without hesitation. For me, Edinburgh is one of those places.
I traveled there with my cousins a few years back. It was one of the beautiful places I have ever been. Edinburgh is overflowing of so much history that every alley and street has its own stories to tell. Maybe there was something different in the air or the vibrancy of the old streets or the friendliness of people that struck me that it made me want to go back there again.
Okay, enough of the hard sell. Let us go back to the real aim of this blog. To let you know what is here and what you can do.
Traveling to Edinburgh
There are so many ways and means to get here. I cannot advise or suggest cheap or best transportation because I am pretty sure you have already visited different sites already before you went to this page. But I will tell you how I traveled so at least you have an idea.
First time I went there is by train from London. My cousins and I took a night train. The trip was uneventful but long as it was about at least 10 hours of travel. The train did not have the most comfortable seats but we got there on time. However, I saw that there were sleeper trains so maybe you can consider that if you have extra money.
Caledonian Sleeper Train link: https://www.sleeper.scot/
But the quickest way to get to Edinburgh is by plane. There are loads of airlines that fly to Edinburgh. It is sometimes cheaper if you know where to get the deals.
But one of the advantages of arriving by train is that it will take you right smack in the heart of the city. If you arrive from the airport, on the other hand, you will need to get a bus or a train that will take you straight to Edinburgh Waverly. Do not worry about the tickets. You can get it there once you arrive at the arrival area. It is just outside the arrival exit and just follow the bus.
Traveling to Edinburgh by bus from airport: https://lothianbuses.co.uk/airport
You can also take the train from the airport to the city but honestly, I find the bus way convenient and cheaper. But then, you have to take into consideration where you are staying.
As we are on the subject of transportation, going around Edinburgh is easy and actually cheap. All day ticket around will just cost you £4.00 each (2016).
Accommodation
Since we were on a tight budget, for our first trip, we checked in at a bed or breakfast just outside the city centre. Fortunately (and unfortunately) our room was found at the top floor. There was no lift but we were given this lovely view.
If there is anything that I would like you to learn from here is that when you are trying to book a room, consider who you are coming with. If this is a trip with a family, even if you love the view, maybe look for an accommodation that has a working lift. 🙂 There are a lot of old inns and hotels in Edinburgh that may or may not have lifts so better check that first if you think carrying your luggage to the top is hard work.
On my second trip, I made sure that the hotel was at the centre. Although it was a bit expensive compared to getting a room outside the city, I have to consider the time spent walking. Since on our second trip was short and under a tight schedule, we decided on staying near Old Town, which was one of the most famous areas in Edinburgh.
Food
I am actually excited telling you about this section. Food! Usually when I travel, the first thing that I asked about is where I can eat the best (and cheap) food. I normally look out for the place’s specialties or anything interesting and out of ordinary.
As we were too early to check in and do anything. We arrived around 7-ish am, we decided to look for a breakfast place. We found one by Old Town called Southern Cross Cafe. It was cozy and they serve breakfast. On her first trip to Scotland, little old me decided to try and order a Scottish breakfast. Almost similar with English breakfast but it has haggis in it, which I thought was cool. A haggis is a Scottish national savoury dish made of sheep’s pluck (heart/liver and lungs). You may feel a little bit queasy after hearing that but it tastes amazing. I am no food expert but I like my dish like this. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture to prove it but it was amazing. You have to try it.
There were so many restaurants inside and outside Edinburgh. But if there was one thing that I find consistent was that they have the best seafood dishes. I got to taste a really good fish and chips by chance when our Highlands tour guide suggested Mhor Fish in Callander.
If you fancy eating in a proper restaurant, I can say there are loads of it in Edinburgh. Although some of them are outside the center and you have to take a cab to get there. One restaurant I have been to is called The Kitchin which is found in Leith. My generous cousin reserved me two seats there as a treat so we went there for dinner. I rarely go to a proper much even a Michelin-star restaurant as I find them so expensive but this was just worth every penny.
The Kitchin https://thekitchin.com/
Tours
Of course another reason to travel to Edinburgh was the hundreds of things to do. If you are staying more than three days, you are fortunate to add the Highlands tour in your itinerary and still cover the other attractions in Edinburgh. But if you are on a tight schedule like me, you can still include the Highlands but have to skip some tourists spots.
Here was my itinerary of my latest trip
4:00pm: Hotel check in
6:00pm: Some of the attractions were closing at this time so we just planned having dinner at the Elephant House (Trivia: JK Rowling wrote some of her Harry Potter books here). If you are a Harry Potter fan, this is one of the places you should go to. A funny suggestion but try to visit their toilets inside. Would not say anything but you have to see it for yourself. (And no, Moaning Myrtle does not stay there don’t worry).
7:00pm: Before we head to the Elephant House, we went to check out first the schedules of the Ghost Tours. Yes. Edinburgh is famous for its bloody history and ghost attractions. So for those who are not scared of scary stories, try the Ghost Walk Tours. You can find most of them in Old Town. So around this time, we, together with twenty people, went and followed the narrator through the dark alleys and cobbled streets. For an hour or two you will at the end be aware and even fascinated of the dark history and what became of Edinburgh.
The Elephant House http://www.elephanthouse.biz/
9:00pm: Go back to the hotel. Apologies but I do not drink so I could not say anything about the bars or pubs.
First day (technically)
8:00am: We are off to the Highlands. Unless you have a car, I suggest getting on one of the Highland Tour Buses. They are not that expensive and they provide you the most convenient and informative way to enjoy the Highlands. I did some searching beforehand and found a nice tour operator called Hairy Coo. They provide FREE tours to the Highland. Free? Yes, they are technically free. However, they operate and live on what people give them at the end of the tour. You have to make sure that you book ahead of time though as they can get fully booked.
Hairy Coo Tour http://thehairycoo.com/our-tours/free-scottish-highland-tour/
The whole day was spent touring. We arrived back to the Old Town around 5:00pm. It was unfortunate that it rained for most of the trip but it did not diminish the beauty of the Highlands. There were so many places to see. It was quiet, serene and full of history. I do not want to splurge everything here about the Highlands. Part of the excitement is discovering it yourself so better book a day tour to Highlands!
9:00pm Dinner at The Kitchin.
Third day
10:00am We were so tired from the Highlands Trip we ended up wasting almost the whole morning sleeping. After a quick breakfast, we visited Edinburgh Castle. Unless you are really into history and you want to read everything written inside, then two hours is enough.
1:00pm Lunch time. There were a lot of restaurants around Old Town. So we just decided to stay there for food as it was convenient for us.
2:00pm We went to Camera Obscura which was near the castle. Children and adults will like it here. I definitely enjoyed being here. It was quirky, fun and really interesting. What makes it special is its visually stimulating. It makes you look twice of everything there because what everything is not what it seems.
4:00pm By this time, we were rushing to the bus as we wanted to visit the Roslyn Chapel. If you have read the Da Vinci Code, you will know about this place. It was actually not a good time go to there but our schedule was too tight. By bus, the travel time took 45 minutes so it was really long. So we came (or ran) to the place and it was almost closing and getting dark. If you can, better do this in the morning or afternoon. But on a positive note, there was no crowd and since it was almost dark, it felt more serene and magical even.
8:30pm After dinner we got really nothing to do but walk. We had no plans but since it was our last day there, I felt we needed to do something different. Pubs or bars were out of the question since I do not drink and museums were already closed, I did some searching online on what to do in Edinburgh in the evening and I found this little gem.
Its an improv comedy bar called the Monkey Barrel Comedy. It was worth every penny! The show called Spontaneous Sherlock was an improvised comedy play about… Sherlock Holmes. For two hours, we were giggling and laughing at these talented bunch of people doing amazing improvisations. It was a new experience and I definitely would like to go back again. I may also advise you to book ahead. I booked two tickets three hours before the show so we were lucky. Also try to come early so you can get the best seats.
Monkey Barrel Comedy http://www.monkeybarrelcomedy.com/find.html
Fourth day
9:30am It was our last day in Scotland so we checked out early, left our bags by the front office and started heading towards Edinburgh Museum. When we came it was still close so we visited a cemetery called Greyfriars Kirkyard so kill time. Try to visit some of the cemeteries around Edinburgh.
12:30pm After lunch, we went around to go shopping for souvenirs. Cashmere scarves to Scottish shortbread were almost everywhere in town so we had fun looking around for deals and discounts.
3:00pm Good bye Edinburgh!
Safety
I have already mentioned how friendly the Scottish were. A Scotsman even crossed the street to get to us because we looked so confused about directions. Another one even randomly did a magic act with his card to make us feel welcomed in Edinburgh. If you are around the vicinity of Edinburgh, I can say its fairly safe in the night. You will still find one drunk man every now and then but that is pretty much the same in many cities. I came with my female friends before here and we felt fairly safe even walking in the night. I guess being in a tourist place where people still are out in the night make all the difference. Just always stay smart and be aware of your surroundings.
The time to visit can be tricky. I came twice and they were in November and January. I always make sure that I travel when its not peak season. I am not really a big fan of crowded places. I can manage the rain and cold but not the long queues and packed places. But its definitely up to you when you want to go.
Overall, if you tell me if I want to go back, I would definitely say yes if time permits. There are still so much to see in Edinburgh, so many places that you can visit. The place is just oozing with personality, packed full of history, culture, amazing food and activities. Go discover Edinburgh. 🙂
LittleCheTravels 