I couldn’t have asked for a better gift for my 30th birthday than a short trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Details

Visit: March 23rd - March 26th 2017

Season: Spring

Transport: walking, public transport

Old Town

The Royal Mile is the most famous street (in fact, it’s a couple of streets) of Edinburgh and the Old Town, and it is located between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. It is actually about a (scottish) mile long and everyone visiting Edinburgh should and will take a walk here, as it is the most famous and busiest street and starts/ends at the Castle which everyone is probably visiting anyway. 

Some sights, apart from the castle and the palace, are St. Giles Cathedral, Tron Kirk, The Hub (Tolbooth Kirk), statues of Sir Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scot and David Hume, as well as the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions and The Scotch Whisky Experience, which we both visited and really enjoyed. The views from the top of Camera Obscura over the Royal Mile are great, and the tour at the Whisky Experience was very informative and the tasting was very nice at their special tasting room. 

But the Old Town is not just the Royal Mile. There’s other places and streets that are very pretty, photogenic and enjoyable to walk, such as Grassmarket, Cockburn Street and Holyrood.

Edinburgh Castle

A must visit when you come to Edinburgh. It is beautiful from everywhere you look at it, may it be standing directly in front of the castle or from any of the many viewing points around town. But it’s also worth to explore the castle itself, as you learn about the history and can see some of the rooms, but also as it offers great views of Edinburgh itself. 

New Town

New Town adjoins the Old Town and is mostly known for the second busiest street in Edinburgh: Princess Street. This street is a great hub for exploring the Old Town or other parts of New Town, but it’s also the main shopping street in Edinburgh and there’s cafes and restaurants close by.

You will also find Scott Monument on Princess Street, a stunning monument to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. You’ll find it in the Princess Street Gardens which are two parks between Princess Street and Edinburgh Castle. 

At the eastern end of Princess Street, you’ll find Calton Hill, which might be my favourite view point of the city. You will not only get a great view of the castle and some buildings around it, but also an amazing view of Princess Street. You can combine a photo of the city with the Dugald Stewart Monument, or you can climb Nelson Monument and get an even better view of Princess Street. The National Monument of Scotland is a famous place for hanging out on Calton Hill as well.

Arthurs Seat

Arthur’s Seat is a 251 meters high hill east of the city centre of Edinburgh and offers great panoramic views of the city and beyond. It’s easy to hike, and you can easily combine going up there with a walk along the Royal Mile, as it is just a short walk from Holyrood Palace. 

Royal Botanic Garden

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is the second oldest botanical garden in the United Kingdom. The Palm Tree House is stunning and also the biggest of its kind in the UK. The garden does not only have one of the biggest plant selections in the world, it is also one the finest gardens. And there’s a beautiful waterfall as well. So if you’re into Botanical Gardens, you should not miss this one.

Wild West Morningside

This is a place that does not come up first when you google the sights of Edinburgh. And it should not. But if you are in the area, as we were, go have a look, as it is quite interesting to see these American style wild west buildings in the middle of a neighbourhood. Apparently, it was an advertising feature for a Furniture store in the mid-1990s that sold south west style furniture. When store went out of business the street and emptied and became a Ghost Town.