One of the most beautiful cities in the UK, Edinburgh rises to a high, rocky pinnacle crowned by the stone walls and towers of Edinburgh Castle. The Scottish capital is a center of culture and the arts, and is especially well-known for its festivals and the sparkling Christmas Markets. I fell in love with Edinburgh, the place where castles and gardens compete with whisky and beer. Nothing can be compared to this atmosphere of medieval times, amazing grey buildings, peaceful local life and true Scottish spirit.
While the most popular tourist attractions are along the Royal Mile, which follows the top of the hill between the castle and Princes Street, be sure to explore the other side of the hill, where you'll find the picturesque Grassmarket. One of Edinburgh's most important market squares since the Middle Ages, it rings with history. I arrived in the city early morning from Leeds and my first piece of business was to have breakfast, before checking in at the hostel located in the historic city centre.
My first visit was the Edinburgh castle, probably the most visited landmark in Scotland. The highlights include hearing the famous One O'clock Salute from Half Moon Battery (cannon fire commemorates the tradition of helping ships synchronize their clocks), the impressive Scottish National War Memorial and National War Museum, and the stunning collection of Crown Jewels housed in the Royal Palace.
The castle which dominates the city's skyline stands upon an extinct volcano. Recent research identified 26 sieges in its 1100-year-old history, giving it a claim to having been "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world". The views of the city are incredible and it is tough to leave the place. Every time I thought of moving on to the next item on my list, I wanted to linger a little longer and just admire the beauty.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse (Holyrood Palace) is the Queen's official Edinburgh residence and has frequently been at the center of Scottish history. When the Queen is away (which is typically 51 weeks of the year, as she's only here for "Royal Week" each summer), public access is permitted to the stunning Historic Apartments and the State Apartments, famous for their fine furnishings. If you've got time, it is a good idea to visit the charming café and enjoy a proper afternoon tea.
Edinburgh has held plenty of nicknames, including Auld Reekie. This is thought to refer to its poor air quality. It’s thought that the nickname also arose from bad smells emanating from nearby Nor Loch. It used to be a ground of dumping dead bodies. No wonder it smelled so bad! From what I learned, the streets of Edinburgh in past times was so full of muck being tossed out of upper storied buildings and littering had always been a big problem. During my visit, I did not see much of that and I was actually quite taken by the beauty of the place.
The Royal Mile (favourite street for walk of monarchs in the old days) refers to the streets linking Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Lined with charming houses, churches, and historic landmarks, this splendid thoroughfare is a great place to stroll for its shops, inns, museums, cafes, and restaurants. Keep an eye out for the narrow little alleys, called "winds," with their hidden backyards. The famous Balmoral Clock intentionally tells the time 3 minutes too fast. This is to help people to get their local trains on time!
Some of the most popular attractions are at the upper end of the Royal Mile (Castle Hill) - Outlook Tower, the Camera Obscura, St. John's Highland Church (with the city's tallest church tower) and Gladstone's land (a six-story merchant's house with pretty ceiling paintings and original furniture). The city's main church - St. Giles Cathedral - is also located nearby.
The Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is an attraction that certainly appeals to all ages. The centerpiece, set in a rooftop room, is a pinhole camera that projects live moving images of Edinburgh onto a viewing table. The panorama is created by a combination of mirror and lenses, and it has been entertaining people here since 1853. The rest of the experience will challenge your faith in your own vision, with a hall of mirrors, a vertigo-inspiring spinning vortex, 3-D holograms, and a whole range of optical experiences. Once you return to reality and shake off the disorientation, you can indulge yourself with a Whisky tour (actually people started producing whisky in Ireland in the 5th century but with over 100 whisky distillers in Scotland, it has become synonymous with the drink today) or for the more daring, take part in a spooky Ghost experience.
It is also worth checking out the numerous museums in the area, especially the interesting People's Story Museum, Museum of Edinburgh, The Writer's Museum, The Museum on the Mound (history of money and economics) etc. However, there were two museums which I loved a lot - one of them was the Museum of Childhood. Not just for kids, it includes excellent collections of old toys, including model trains, dolls, and games from around the world. You will surely remember the good old days when you were a kid!
The second one was the National Museum of Scotland. It is absolutely stunning and will take around 4-5 hours to explore. I had a great time exploring the natural world and discovering world cultures and found it hard to conceal my delight while looking at treasures from around the world.
It also features a diverse range of art and design exhibits, interactive displays and games, and a variety of galleries and exhibitions, all in one visually stunning building.
A robot spelling my nickname "Guns" -
The number of heritage buildings in Edinburgh is bigger than anywhere - there are about 16 thousands historical buildings. It is also known for its summer art festival in August, the same month when it hosts the largest international book festival in the world (one I would love to attend). If I am able to visit Edinburgh again, I would definitely like to come here in the month of August.
You will be lucky to cram all of this in 2-3 days. It is always advisable to get the latest weather predictions as the museum visits can be kept for days when rain (or snow) is predicted, which is what I did. As the weather was clear on day 2 (I was lucky that there was a hint of sunshine as well), I decided to climb the nearby Arthur's seat and the Salisbury Crags.
Arthur's Seat is the highest point in Holyrood Park. The spectacular views from the top encompass the whole city all the way to the mouth of the Forth. I walked from the Old Town, heading up past the Dynamic Earth science center. Also easy to climb are the dramatic Salisbury Crags, a series of cliffs adjacent to Arthur's Seat.
Other features in this huge park are the ancient cultivation terraces, some of the earliest and best-preserved examples of ancient farming practices in Scotland, and the picturesque ruins of the medieval St. Anthony's Chapel. It is incredible that one can get lost in nature so close to a city - I totally forgot about Edinburgh when I was hiking in the area.
Another place where you can get a panoramic view of the city is the Calton Hill. Perhaps the most important of Edinburgh's many memorials is the National Monument on Calton Hill, erected to remember the dead from the Napoleonic Wars. For a spectacular memento of your Edinburgh vacation, be sure to snap a few shots from here over the city at sunset. There is so much to see and do in Edinburgh that I had a constant feeling that I am missing out on something.
After all the walking, it was time to rest my tired limbs. What better place than "the elephant house"! J.K. Rowling used to visit this cafe during a hard period of her life and it was here (in the back room overlooking Edinburgh castle) that she started to write the first book about Harry Potter. A must visit for all the Potter fans out there.
Also, do not forget to try the Scottish pies - I tried it at a place called PieMaker. The vegetarian options I had were cheese, potato and lemon. It was my last meal in Edinburgh, before I moved on towards the Scottish countryside.
Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. A visit here will be well worth it, considering the numerous things you can do and see. It is a city that calls you to explore it by foot – narrow streets, passageways, stairs and hidden church yards on every step will pull you away from the main streets. I had a whale of a time in the city! Scotland is one of my favourite countries in the world, largely due to its countryside. But this charming city has also played its part in me joining the "Scotland Admirer Society"!
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