Great Britain’s Best

Sitting in the north of the United Kingdom, Edinburgh is one of Europe’s finest gems. Few cities can captivate visitors like this one, which effortlessly blends into the mysterious, rocky landscape on which it is built. Edinburgh is a city of subtleties; it feels elegant and unpretentious at the same time. Boasting a stunning, medieval Old Town along the Royal Mile, a mighty stone castle, craggy outcrops for a great day of hiking outdoors, and fantastic pub culture, Edinburgh is a place with much to discover. Before you know it, you’ll realize it’s singing to your soul like a Scottish bagpipe.

Official Languages: English.

Best time to visit: June through October. (Go in August for the famous Fringe Festival.)

Budget: $$$ (The United Kingdom is one of the more expensive destinations in Europe. Mid-range travelers can expect to spend about $150 dollars per day, including hotel/AirBNB, food, and sights.)

English Level: Perfect, but be careful of the Scottish accent!

Edinburgh Sights and Culture

**A quiet autumn morning in Edinburgh. The weather in Great Britain can change very quickly, so bring a rain jacket!**

As the bustling capital of Scotland, Edinburgh enjoys the comforts of a large, modern city while still maintaining its Scottish roots. Although Scotland forms one of the four entities of the country of the United Kingdom, Scotland is its own sovereign nation. To call it a part of England is a gross disservice to the Scottish people, many of whom consider themselves fiercely independent from the English crown. If you need further proof, read about British history or call a Scottish person English and see how they react.

**Edinburgh is COZY. Especially in autumn or winter, it’s the perfect city to relax in a coffee shop or bookstore.**

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh’s top tourist attraction is its castle, a mighty fortress hewn of solid stone. It sits on Castle Rock, a volcanic formation which thrusts the castle above the city like its mighty protector. When I first approached the fortress I was struck by its impenetrable look, which exudes pure strength and power. The first part of the castle was constructed as St. Margaret’s Cathedral in the 12th century and steadily grew over several centuries to encompass the entire property.

**View of Edinburgh Castle from below.**

Nowadays, Edinburgh Castle houses the Royal Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, and the National War Museum of Scotland. There is a lot to do inside even if you are not the biggest fan of castles. I though it was definitely worth visiting, especially if you like Medieval architecture!

Royal Mile

The Royal Mile could be considered Edinburgh’s “Main Street,” for it is here that one finds the city’s Old Town. Running about 1.6km long, the Royal Mile connects Edinburgh Castle at the top of Castle Rock to the Holyrood Palace, and in between visitors can find a large number of pubs, attractions, restaurants, and shops. Within the Royal Mile, there are several points of interest, such as High Street, Castlehill, and Canongate. These are all subsections of the Royal Mile worth visiting. I would recommend going on a tour of the Royal Mile because there are many plaques and symbols related to Scottish history that might not be easily understood unless a local explains them to you.

**Looking up Victoria street toward Castlehill.**

Palace of Holyroodhouse

At the bottom end of the Royal Mile, you will come upon the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a large palace made of stone which is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II in Edinburgh and also the home of important Scottish royal history. Inside are the famous State Apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots. Queen Elizabeth II always comes to stay here for one week during the summer, during which time the apartments will be closed, so look ahead to make sure!

Calton Hill

Probably the greatest panoramic shot of the city of Edinburgh waits for you on top of Calton Hill. Overlooking the city, this picturesque site has several interesting monuments. One of the most iconic is the National Monument, which is an uncompleted version of the Parthenon in Athens (the government ran out of money to finish it, and they left it so.) There is also a monument to the Lord Horatio Nelson, the British naval admiral who died in the Battle of Trafalgar.

Arthur’s Seat

Any avid hikers must take the trip up to Arthur’s Seat, the extinct volcano which sits just east of Edinburgh city center. Depending on the route you take up, you can make it an easy hill walk (from the east) or a more difficult climb (from the west.) It sits about 880 feet up, with excellent views of the city. If there is ever a sunny day when you visit Edinburgh, that should be the time to make the climb up Arthur’s Seat. It is well worth the walk!

“Harry Potter” in Edinburgh

Fans of the Harry Potter series will be delighted to visit Edinburgh, which has deep roots with the Wizarding World of J.K. Rowling. She spent much of her early adult life living here and much of the inspiration for characters and settings in the books can be found right here in Edinburgh. Here are the some of the places worth visiting if you want a little Harry Potter history.

**Victoria Street is the inspiration for Diagon Alley, from the Harry Potter series.**

Victoria Street: This narrow, curving street is filled with brightly painted shops and buildings. It is believed to be Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley, a shopping street in the Wizarding World that sells magical supplies and books.

**Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, the famous cemetery of Edinburgh.**

Greyfriar’s Kirkyard: Edinburgh’s famous cemetery surrounding the Greyfriar’s Kirk (church) contains the tombstone of Thomas Riddell (Thomas Riddle in the books,) better known as Lord Voldemort, the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series. It’s a beautiful place to go for a walk even if you don’t like Harry Potter.

The Elephant House and Black Medicine Coffee Company: Two coffee shops where J.K. Rowling famously wrote several chapters of Harry Potter on napkins. In the Elephant House bathroom, there is a lot of graffiti dedicated to the Harry Potter series.

But wait, there’s more!

There is more to Scotland than just Edinburgh. Glasgow is a funky, cool city we will explore in another article, as well as the Scottish Highlands. Stay tuned!

Edinburgh, Scotland