12 - Adventures in Edinburgh

8 places you must visit in Edinburgh, Scotland

    In June 2021, my 3 university housemates and I traveled from our uni house in York to Edinburgh by train. It was my first visit to Edinburgh and I was in awe of the charm of the Scottish capital. We spent 4 days and 3 nights in the city, spending lots of time wandering the streets and finding interesting places to eat and drink. Of all the UK cities I have visited, Edinburgh has been one of my favourites as there is so much hidden down its quaint streets. From tiny shops selling adorable gifts to museums, monuments, and countless restaurants, cafes, and bars.

    After returning from Edinburgh, I compiled this list of my top 8 favorite places I visited during the trip... 

1- Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh Castle is a top tourist attraction in the city, but for tourists on a budget, there is plenty of spots in Edinburgh to view the castle without paying the steep entrance fees. During my trip to Edinburgh, we picnicked in Prince Street Gardens and ate dinner at Cold Town House, both of which offered stunning views of the hilltop castle. 

2 - West Bow Street.

West Bow Street is one of the most picturesque streets in Edinburgh, with colorful shop fronts curving round corners forming a spectacular optical illusion. Down West Bow Street, we found the Red Bow Gallery, which sold beautiful art prints, jewelry, and crafts by local artists at reasonable prices. Harry Potter fans must also visit the three-story Museum Context shop, bursting with Harry Potter gifts. 

                                   

 

3 - Dean Village

On our third day in Edinburgh, we walked from our Air BnB in the outskirts of Edinburgh's old town to Dean Village. Despite the rainy weather, we spent some time in Dean Village strolling photographing the views of the picturesque buildings clustered around the Water of Leith river banks. There is also a quiet riverside walk, which for us was a little more muddy than usual, on which visitors may be able to spot a love lock or too! Not far from Dean village is the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, but be warned that Covid times travelers will need to book or you may end up like us, admiring the National Gallery of Modern Art from the car park. 

4 - EDINBURGH ZOO

Edinburgh Zoo is a must for anyone visiting Edinburgh. It is one of the only zoos with Giant pandas and Koalas, but also one of the only zoos that will require you to climb a mountain to reach some of its enclosures! My personal favorites were the giraffes, which were new to Edinburgh Zoo in 2021 and seemed extremely curious by the guests to the zoo. I must also shout out to red pandas since they are my favorite animals and all of the many penguins, which were so entertaining I could've watched them for hours! We also took the initiative to buy bagels from Bross bagels in the morning and bring them with us for lunch later that day at the zoo, which was a great solution for us students traveling on a budget as buying lunch from Edinburgh Zoo itself would most likely have cost us considerably more. 

5 - SEVEN CAFE

One of the most iconic and cutest cafes in Edinburgh, it's hard to miss Seven Cafe as you can see its bright pink shop front from miles away! It is a perfect place for breakfast and lunch, and they also sell an amazing isle of Skye hot chocolates! Decorated with plants and art prints, this is an Instagram hot spot and one of the many independent coffee shops well worth a visit. I had a bbq pulled pork ciabatta, which came with homemade coleslaw and salad, which you can see next to my hot chocolate in its pretty yellow teacup below. 

6 - MONTPELIERS

Montpeliers, an independent restaurant in Edinburgh, is a great spot for good food and drink with friendly and relaxed vibes. It has the cutest entrance decorated with trees and plants and offered us a chance to 'dress up' for a meal in the city. Other than having to run back to our Air BnB to grab my forgotten ID to buy my mixed fruit cider (because despite being 21, I still get asked for ID almost everywhere), my housemates and I had a super cute last evening here. We also caught the cutest view of Edinburgh at sunset as we left. 

7 - MCLARENS ON THE CORNER

McLarens on the corner, a modern, lively bar, and restaurant with a cute outside seating area, where you can even sit in Ski Gondolas. They offer evening meals, brunch, afternoon tea, and an authentic collection of cocktails, including a chocolate martini (which practically was made for me). We got seated at possibly the best table in the house, a massive royal blue booth in a gigantic window. We even managed to find a golden vault on our way to the toilets, which I'm still confused about! I am definitely hoping to return to McLarens again to try their food menu! 

8 - CAIRNGORM COFFEE

A perfect spot for a coffee and cake in Edinburgh Old Town is Cairngorm Coffee. Their outside seating allows visitors to enjoy their tea and coffee with views of St Mary's Cathedral, but they also have modern inside seating for rainy days. I had an iced latte, but my tea-drinking amigos were pleasantly surprised by a tea 'board', complete with a timer which the waiter insturcted ensured the best possible brew of tea. 

Edinburgh is a great location for a staycation in the UK as it offers plenty of sightseeing, places to eat out, and things to do. I hope this post offers inspiration for what Edinburgh could have to offer you. 

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out my posts Adventured in the Dordogne and Adventures in the Algarve for more travel inspiration.

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