Fans of festive frolics will enjoy Edinburgh all year round. As we visited at Christmas (well, the first weekend in December), the grand, stone buildings were adorned with foliage, fairy lights and giant red bows. However, the whole city has an air of yuletide spirit with cosy pubs, winding streets and friendly locals ready to welcome you in. Living in the British Isles with these historic cities often a cheap plane, train or drive away, Edinburgh is an easy kind-of-staycation for 2018.
How to get there
Driving from Manchester took us just under 4 hours and the drive was STUNNING. Take the tourist road (A7/A701) in to the city for some dreamy views of rolling hills, sparkling rivers and all the drama of the British countryside (including loads of sheep). We parked near the botanical gardens, where most of the streets have no charge on weekends.
Where to stay
This was a budget trip for us and we had planned to cram everything in to 36 hours. With that in mind, we picked one of the least expensive Airbnbs we could find in the city. The cosy apartment has a single and double room as well as a large kitchen/living area. We didn’t plan to spend much time there but accidentally got really drunk on the Saturday night and came home a little bit early. The wifi was super quick so we could watch movies until my head stopped spinning! Notes if you do decide to stay here: The bed is a little bit hard but probably great for your back, and the key case is the one at the top that you think it is, it’s just pretty stiff.
What to do
I (of course) had a detailed itinerary of hour by hour activities. Here’s some of our highlights:
Cuckoo’s Cupcakes
We were in need of sugar top-up after our four hour journey and stopped at Cuckoo’s Cupcakes on Dundas street for an Irn Bru and a snack. Their flavours are next level and you can also get cupcakes to takeaway which would be nice souvenir for whoever is feeding your cat.
Open Eye Gallery
A smaller gallery on the end of Dundas street houses pieces from lesser known artists. Check out the mixed media canvases and metal work.
Scottish Portrait Gallery
Exhibiting portraits from Scottish history as well as modern photographs and poignant collections. We saw ‘When We Were Young’ which was made up of scenes of children all over Scotland. If you’re not interested in the art the architecture of the building alone is beautiful.
Edinburgh Castle
A must! The castle itself is beautiful but the walk up takes you through cobbled streets to the Royal Mile and the views from the castle walls are unmissable. We went at dusk, just as the sun was setting (perfect for panoramic Instagrams) and all the twinkly lights were glowing around the city. Don’t bother with the audioguide, there are loads of signs with information. And spot the the dogs’ graveyard.
Christmas Markets
We visited Edinburgh during the first week in December and the markets were RAMMED. There were some cool stalls selling vintage maps and local food, but much of the market is worth weaving through the crowds to head over the Christmas tree maze and German food and drink stands.
The Royal Mile
An amazing spot, steeped in history with every cliche Scottish product you could want; The Royal Mile is perfect for an afternoon stroll but is packed with tourists. Pick out your souvenirs and book a tour or two then head in to one of the pubs off the beaten track.
The Black Cat
A trawl along Rose Street will give you lots of options for a pit stop while you explore the city. We ducked in to The Black Cat for a pint as it started to drizzle which turned out to be a busy pub full of groups crowded around their craft beers. A trendy break from historic visits, The Black Cat is definitely worth a visit.
Whistle Binkies
With half an hour to kill before our ghost tour, we decided to tick a live music venue off the list. Whistle Binkies is a basement bar with a small stage and is seen as rite of passage for up and coming bands. The dance floor was filled with old rockers and the band on stage nailed some covers.
Mercat Ghost Tour (Evening of Ghost and Ghouls)
I was adamant that I wanted to do an underground tour after hearing about the tunnels under Edinburgh. Mercat tours offer a few different routes around the city but the one the stood out to me was a combination of above and below ground, with a glass of whisky included. Our tour guide Artemis was perfect, over the top and knew a huge amount about the history of the city and us all laughing. The best part of the tour is heading in to the underground vaults, where Armitage told us tales of the the people who used to live down there…and the ones that stuck around.
Bramble
Where they invented the ACTUAL delicious bramble cocktail. The only thing that will help you to spot this secret bar is a gold plaque by the door and a bouncer stood at the top of the steps. Don’t miss it!
Calton Hill
While Arthur’s Seat is the traditional tourist hotspot for a morning walk, Calton Hill is a close second. We were short on time and the view from the hill was still pretty spectacular. Head to the Northern and Southern points of the park to see all angles. Get a hot chocolate from the trailer at the top.
The Elephant House
The jaunty and crooked cafe is a short walk from The Royal Mile with laminated menus and a few too many tables and chairs. But the food and drink aren’t what fill this probably once quaint cafe, it’s the fact that J.K Rowling penned many of the Harry Potter books here. Take your phone to the bathroom to snap pictures of all the Wizarding World quotes on the walls.
Greyfriars Bobby and Graveyard
Just behind The Elephant House is Greyfriars ‘Kirkyard,’ said to hold the grave of Tom Riddle. Walk around it and feel the Harry Potter vibes amongst the gargoyles.
Grassmarket
A cool and slightly quieter area, Grassmarket is home to vintage stores and independent shops. Take a seat in the square and watch performers before heading back up the hill.
National Gallery
The Scottish National Gallery is chocca with famous and rare paintings. Play spot the Monet and Van Gogh amongst the halls.
fashionbumble.wordpress.com 