Exploring Edinburgh

Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital and one of the United Kingdom’s most beautiful cities. With a medieval Old Town and a particularly elegant Georgian New Town, it is easy to understand why Edinburgh lures in so many visitors every year.

While I was studying abroad in the UK, I had the opportunity to take a weekend trip by train up to Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is an amazing city, full of life and beautiful architecture. I adore gothic style buildings, so it’s no surprise that I found this city so incredibly breathtaking.

If you’re curious to hear how I spent my weekend in Edinburgh, read on! And if there’s anything I’m missing, please feel free to drop suggestions in the comment section below.

Walk the Royal Mile

Probably my favorite thing we did during our stay in Edinburgh was to walk up and down the Royal Mile.

Stretching from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace, the Royal Mile is also home to parliaments both old and new, churches, cathedrals, shops, restaurants, cafes, and pubs.

Wandering around the Royal Mile is a great way to get a sense of how historic this city really is.

Explore Edinburgh Castle

Possibly one of the most famous castles in Scotland and one of the oldest fortified buildings in Europe.

When you climb Castle Hill, you will walk in the footsteps of soldiers, kings, queens, and even the odd pirate or two.

Visit the Palace of Holyrood

Holyrood Palace is the official home to the Queen whilst visiting in Scotland.

Perched just across from the Scottish Parliament, this is a great place to explore and see a little slice of royal life in the city.

Check out St Giles’ Cathedral

If you love gothic architecture, like me, be sure to stop at St Giles’ Cathedral on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Hike up Arthur’s Seat

Arthur’s Seat is one of the best places for views over Edinburgh and surrounding areas.

The hike up is relatively easy and only takes about 30 minutes.

Fun fact: Arthur’s Seat is an ancient (extinct) volcano that once stood in Edinburgh. Thankfully, the volcano has since long gone, but the impressive mound still exists.

See the Views from Calton Hill

If you don’t feel like walking all the way up to Arthur’s Seat, you can easily pop up Calton Hill for a beautiful view of the cityscape.

Stroll through the Old Town

The Old Town of Edinburgh is exactly as it sounds. The old part of town!

Here, you can expect lots of cobbled streets, historic houses, and picturesque little squares.

Explore Leith

Leith is a buzzing port district just outside of Edinburgh. The streets are busy with people, restaurants, shops, and pubs.

Best yet – the Queen’s boat, The Royal Yacht Britannia, is actually moored in Leith (at Ocean Terminal) and you can even hop on board and have a look around!

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Edinburgh is a fascinating place full of hills, cobbled streets, inviting pubs, and tremendous history.

When traveling, it is always a good idea to have a list of the things you want to see and do while visiting a new part of the world.

However, I often encourage others to simply wander around the city that they are visiting. You would be surprised by how many beautiful things can be discovered in places you would least expect.

Keep an open mind and be adventurous.

Nevertheless, be sure to buy yourself some proper Scottish whisky on your next visit to the city of Edinburgh. Cheers!