Edinburgh has lots to offer, from being the capital and seat of Scottish government, to being a student city, to the centuries of history present in its city. The history of this city is very hard to avoid when walking around Edinburgh. So, to briefly explain its origins, the name "Edinburgh" derives from the burg, or 'fort', of Eidyn, in Scottish Gaelic, the indigenous language of Scotland which is still spoken today (though mostly in the Highlands). There were settlements in the area as early as the Bronze Age, with the first castle on Castle Rock established by the 11th century. Through Scottish and British history, Edinburgh Castle has been one of the most attacked castles in the world, owing largely to the rocky relationship between the Scots and English, which also account for much of the other historical features of Edinburgh, such as the Flodden Wall or --. Today, the city's entire center - the larger area around the Royal Mile, which is in fact High Street - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it holds Scotland's Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King's official residence in Scotland, making it both a vital cultural and governmental center of the UK.
Edinburgh's medieval Old Town is full of winding streets and 'closes', contrasted by the strict city grid and parks of the New Town (remodeled and built in honor of King George III), Edinburgh Castle and the Waverley Train Station nestled right in-between. Newington and Marchmont in the South represent the lively student neighborhoods (and where I lived for 4 years), near the University of Edinburgh's central campus, and border two of the city's best parks, the Meadows (repeating grass meadows used for physical activity and picnicking, as in the name) and Holyrood Park, which includes the dominant Arthur's Seat and Sailsbury Crags, both incredible viewpoints for the city. Those neighborhoods are flanked by Fountainbridge (newer and bustling) and Bruntsfield (more residential) to the West. The West End/Haymarket are in-between Fountainbridge and New Town, an area with another train station, businesses, and oval-shaped parks. Northwest of New Town is Stockbridge, a popular and cute neighborhood famous for it's Sunday market, which also includes the historic and charming Dean Village and the Water of Leith walkway, a wonderful walk along a bubbling stream.
The northern end of New Town becomes Canonmills and leads down to Leith, which is in a way the sister to Edinburgh, before it grew big enough to envelope the former completely, Leith is the port and industrial center of Edinburgh, and site of the Royal Yacht Brittanica, the ship used by the British royal family to travel until the 1990s. Leith also has a popular restaurant scene along its harbor.
If you're a nerd like me, you might enjoy watching this video on this history and map of Edinburgh to better understand its layout!
The Edinburgh airport is not a huge one but it has some direct flights to the US. From the airport there is a very convenient bus service to the city center, the Airlink 100, that runs every 10 minutes, or by tram, also every 10 minutes but that costs a little more than the bus (£7 vs. £5.50).
Public transportation: the Lothian Bus system is very efficient and extended, you can easily pay by contactless with your phone or card. The tram also goes beyond the center and airport to the port in Leith
Where to stay: These are the places that we tried so far: A lovely airbnb right in the middle of the old town, by the beautiful historic Greyfriars Kirk graveyard; KM hotel, owned by the University of Edinburgh, conveniently located half way from the station, the old town and the university; The Baxter Hostel, pretty and clean, by the train station; and the Hotel Indigo Edinburgh - Princes Street, perhaps the closest on this list to the station, and with an excellent breakfast service. Please know that accommodation in Edinburgh is not cheap, the center isn't huge and being so historical, there is only so much space for hotels, so the supply is fairly low.
Car rental: We rented a car with Budget which has also a convenient location near the city center, right next to Avis (many bus stop nearby). Edinburgh (along with other Scottish cities) has also just established a new Low Emission Zone, for all vehicles above a certain emission standard, meaning that driving within the zone with a polluting vehicle may lead to upwards of £60 in fines. Check the zone map here and maybe stick to public transportation or walking within the city.
Edinburgh has a super vibrant food scene, with lots of restaurants across different cuisines.
Here are my favorites by category:
Cafes/Bakeries:
Lunch/brunch:
Scottish:
Fish & Chips:
International:
Italian:
Indian:
Asian:
Hot Chocolate/Sweets:
(trust me, Edinburgh knows hot chocolate)
Pubs/Bars:
A must-do experience in Edinburgh in August: the the Fringe Festival, which is the world's largest arts festival! It features thousands of performances (when we went there were 2800 scheduled performances!) across a wide array of genres, including theater, comedy, dance, music, and more - and we absolutely loved being there during such a special occasion!
Here’s what you can do at the Fringe:
Planning a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe involves some strategic thinking because of the sheer volume of options. It's a good idea to check out the official Fringe program and website for show listings, schedules, and ticketing information
STIRLING
An hour from Edinburgh, reachable by car, train, or bus, this town hosts Stirling Castle, another important castle in Scottish history and home of Mary Queen of Scots. The castle and town is worth a visit, perhaps on the way north to the highlands.
ST. ANDREWS
Home of the famous University of St. Andrews (alma mater of Prince William and Kate), it is a cute and quaint town, and the best of typical Scottish seaside villages. You can explore the university along its 3 main streets, visit the ruined castle and cathedral, and walk along the wide West Sands or East Sands beaches. Stop for lunch at Cromar's Fish & Chips or Northpoint Cafe, and grab an ice cream at Jannettas Gelateria. St. Andrews is reachable in a little over an hour by car from Edinburgh, but there are no good public transportation links, you can take the train to nearby Leuchars and then a short bus, or take the X59 or X60 buses from the Edinburgh Bus Station (these take over 2 hours).
NORTH BERWICK
A seaside town slightly closer to Edinburgh, it is easy to get to by train and it's the perfect day trip that combines cute coastal town with a nice beach + beautiful castle. When we went there we walked along the seaside road, which has some very nice cliffs and a good small café with the best view, to see our main destination of the day, Tantallon Castle. This 14th century castle, although being quite in ruins, looks still very majestic on the cliff edge and the sheer height of the castle walls is wondrous to behold. They say Queen Mary of Scotts stayed there during the Marian Civil war for the throne of Scotland. In North Berwick you can also visit the small but interesting Scottish Seabird Centre, which focuses on the large bird population of Bass Rock, the island facing right in fron of that, which is covered by seabirds.
GLASGOW