The 10 Best Things to do in Edinburgh

In February 2018 we visited Edinburgh for the first time. We wanted to head somewhere for our anniversary (any opportunity to get away) and although I was dreaming of tapas and sangria in Seville, the flights were crazy money, so Josh twisted my arm and we booked a trip to not so sunny Scotland (in February).

Despite a four hour train trip taking closer to eight we arrived and we were not disappointed – Edinburgh has all the vibes, the glorious architecture, the noticeable Harry Potter inspiration, the sights, the views and the bars. It most definitely helped that we visited the week before the deplorable ‘Beast of the East’ and we were greeted with blue skies and winter sunshine for pretty much the entirety of our trip.

Anyway to the point of this post – here’s the 10 best things to do in Edinburgh, all photos taken on my Canon g7x mark ii.

Wander along the Royal Mile, (which fyi is a Scots Mile, approximately 1.81km or 1.12 miles) marvel at the architectural gems lining the cobbles and maybe pop into St Giles Cathedral (nb. you can’t take a photos without paying?!– not that I found this utterly exasperating or anything).

Head up to Edinburgh Castle – we didn’t go in because admittedly, 12^th century history isn’t really my thing (I’ll leave that to the other 1.5million people who enter annually)but I love the silhouette it whittles out over the city and the fantastic way it is captured in photos and art prints – we picked up a super cute one from Red Door Gallery.

Also castle-view related, climb up The Vennel – a quaint albeit higgledy piggledy passageway off of the Grassmarket, home to a cracking view of the infamous fortress.

Edinburgh is surrounded by seven hills, so you don’t have to go far for a great view. Take a stroll along Princes Street to the hilltop park – Calton Hill make sure you wander all the way round as you can see across the sea and over to Leith.

Get up early-ish and beat the queues at the Camera Obscura (opening hours vary from 9am in peak season to 10am in low). Although it is pretty pricey, it’s a good laugh and the rooftop has a lovely view (currently trying to work out how many viewpoints is too many for one post – here is a ridiculous photo of us).

Climb Arthurs Seat – it took us about forty minutes to get up there and after faffing around taking all the photos in gale force winds it was approx. 2hours up and down. You can see for miles on a clear day and it’s a lovely way to see a different side to the Scottish capital.

Circus Lane and the surrounding area is, not to sound like a total dick, very instagrammable, though Josh did point out – imagine how happy you’d be paying mega ££££ to live in a beautiful house with a doorway that entices multiple ‘instahoneys’ to pose in front of it everyday – we are all guilty – me very much included although, I firmly reject any title alluding to being an ‘instahoney’.

Dean Village is a gorgeous little detour out of the centre, the walk is lovely, the photo opportunities are plenty and on a sunny day it’s a dreamy little place.

You can’t visit Edinburgh without stumbling across Victoria Street and its colourful crescent of buildings.

Unfortunately, this last one is now out of date as the Lumen Festival ran from the 8^th Feb – 11^th March 2018, but there’s no harm in looking out for future appearance of these funky light installations.

Where to Stay:

I always bang on about using booking.com and for good reason. There are so many perks, from becoming a Genius member, to discount deals – you can’t really go wrong. Just bear in my mind what you are looking for and filter that search down to the small print. For instance, we always filter for ratings 8+, Wifi and air conditioning.

I’ve popped some recommendations below that hopefully cater to your budget option, whether that be a sod it, it’s pay day let’s splash all the cash or a, I need a comfy bed to fall into asap kinda trip.

A Splurge Option:

Old Town Chambers – this stunning apartment complex is in a pretty unbeatable location on the iconic Royal Mile. The views are marvellous, the facilities excellent and you will be close to all the best shops, restaurants and bars in Edinburgh city centre.

A Slightly Kinder to the Bank Balance Option:

Aparthotel Adagio Edinburgh Royal Mile – a 10 minute walk from Waverley station. Whether a cute little studio or an apartment with space for four adults, check out this little gem.

A Budget Friendly Option: 

CoDE Pod Hostels a short walk from Princes Street this hostel offers dorm rooms with shared bathrooms. Each pod bed comes with a light, privacy curtain and designated locker. There’s also a shared kitchen and communal area.

Thankyou for reading, please check out my post about Where to Eat in Edinburgh or if you’re further exploring Scotland check out this guide to 24 Hours in Glasgow.