I love Scotland. I even lived there once, albeit briefly because of a doomed romance. I especially love Edinburgh. Easy to get to thanks to cheap domestic and international flights, its old and beautiful buildings stand proudly alongside new developments and of course there is a fantastic castle to visit. The shopping is to die for and the bars are full of friendly Scots. So if you are planning a trip up to the capital of this beautiful country, have a glance at my favorite things to do there.
- Buy a hop on/hop off bus ticket – definitely worth the money and allows you to see the whole of the city without the sore feet! If the weather is nice the top deck is open and they run quite frequently, every 15 mins or so.
- Visit Edinburgh Castle – very typical tourist but the castle really is spectacular. The view alone is worth a visit. Beware it does cost £16 per adult to get in though.
- Dine in style at the Dome – a spectacular restaurant and cocktail bar set underneath a massive glass dome. The food is exquisite and the cocktails match. I indulged in a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne and the fresh sea bass during my visit. Highly recommended. They also serve up Scottish classics including Haggis!
- Party like a student at Shanghai Nights – a student nightclub during the week and a serious party venue on a Saturday. It is a stone’s throw from The Dome with amazing drinks offers and guest list promotions available. The atmosphere is brilliant and the tunes are epic. Something for everyone.
- Drink cocktails like a lady/gentleman at Le Monde- Set in a hotel, this trendy cocktail bar has every drink imaginable and the bar staff put on a good show when they make them. Chilled out tunes and lots of seating, some by a log fire. I recommend the long island ice tea if you want to feel a little lightheaded!
- Shop ’till you drop on Princes Street – no trip to Edinburgh would be complete without a little shopping. Princes Street has every store imaginable, all set in amazing, old buildings. You can even see the castle!
- Check out the world buffet at Cosmo, Omni Centre – I stumbled upon this amazingly good value world buffet by accident. Walking from my hotel to shopping, I noticed a huge line of people queuing for something at 11:30 am and decided it must be worth the queue. I joined them and when I got closer to the door I realized what it was. The food here is delicious and incredible value at £8 for the lunch menu. It gets very busy so make sure you arrive early!
- Take a ghost tour beneath the streets – several versions of this tour exist, and they get scarier as the day goes on. For a real spook fest go to a night time tour. The added bonus is you will learn lots about Edinburgh’s history.
- Visit the National Museum of Scotland – the architecture alone is worth a visit. Edinburgh’s National Museum features many exhibits which could keep you amused for hours. Oh, and it’s totally free!
- Get lost wandering around the streets – Edinburgh is full of little alley ways that lead to random streets and beautiful tall buildings. Take a walk and try to spot men playing bagpipes in the streets and anyone wearing a kilt or dressed as Braveheart!
This is only a list of 10 things to do in Edinburgh, there are much more!