Things to Do around Edinburgh
Eat & Drink
Three Birds
HAraJuku Kitchen
Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food
Kim's Mini Meals
Ghillie Dhu
Montpellier's
Beer Kitchen
Dishoom Bombay Cafe
El Cartel
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The castle is at the top of the Royal Mile and has fantastic panoramic views of the city and across the water to the Kingdom of Fife. The audio tour is well done and the castle prison exhibit is fun to explore!
Edinburgh Old Town
Our favorite part of Edinburgh is the city itself. Wandering the streets and narrow closes of Edinburgh's Old Town just off the Royal Mile and down into the Grassmarket and Princes Street Gardens makes you feel you've just stepped into a story book circa 1700s or rather just entered Hogsmeade. Make sure to check out a walking tour that will bring you down into Edinburgh's underground vaults and discovered the darker side of Edinburgh's history.
The palace is at the bottom of the Royal Mile and it is the Queen's Residence when she visits Edinburgh. This is a great place to visit to learn a bit about the Royals and how they lived through the ages. The abbey ruin on the palace grounds is stunning.
Arthur's seat and Salisbury Crags are located in Holyrood Park adjacent to the Palace of Holyrood House. Hike up to the Crags or all the way to Arthur's Seat for sweeping views of Edinburgh and across the water to the Kingdom of Fife. If the weather is nice, this is well worth a visit. It's incredible to have access to hiking right in the city. One of the many reasons we love Edinburgh.
Calton Hill is another scenic viewpoint in Edinburgh which can be reached more easily than Arthur's Seat. It can be found at the end of Princes Street a little ways past Waverley Train Station and offers views of Edinburgh from a different angle as well as a variety of historical monuments.
The Edinburgh Zoo is a particularly nice zoo and they allow you to see some of the animals in unique enclosures where there is no physical barrier between you and them. They also have a penguin parade every afternoon where you get to walk with the penguins outside of their enclosure. We have loved visiting the zoo and it’s a great day out, especially if you are traveling with kids. There are also beautiful views of the Pentland Hills and the city from the top of the hill.
Awesome museum of all things ranging from History, Engineering, Science, Art, and Fashion. You can see Dolly the sheep and enjoy a nice museum day for free!
Other EveNts in Edinburgh June 2017
Royal Highland Show
Edinburgh Film Festival
Exploring ScotlanD
If you have the time, visit the Scottish Highlands. It is one of the most beautiful stunning places you will ever visit. The views are endless, the charming small towns give you an idea of Scottish life outside the big city and if the weather is good, the hikes are magnificent. If you are a big movie fan, you can see iconic film locations from James Bond, Harry Potter, Highlander, Trainspotting and even the new Avengers movie!
Glencoe
To us, Glencoe is has the most beautiful vistas of anywhere we have visited in the Highlands. The imposing mountains and fast moving misty cloud makes you feel like you may have just stepped into the Shire from Lord of the Rings. Visiting Glencoe is a must if you are going to do any highlands explorations. Also, the Glenfinnan Viaduct (aka Hogwarts Express Steam train) is just a 30 minute or so drive from Glencoe, so that’s an added bonus.
Isle of Skye
If you have a few days to explore the highlands, make your way up from Glencoe to Isle of Skye. It is a beautiful place for leisurely hikes on rolling hills with a view of the water or exploring the Fairy Glen for picturesque views of natural land formations and waterfalls. A visit to Isle of Skye will allow you to enjoy the unique landscapes of Scotland and to get away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. We can highly recommend staying at The Cowshed Hostel and having drinks at The Ferry Inn in Uig. Also, this 2 hour hike just in Portree is well worth it.
Isle of Arran
Known as “Scotland in Miniature” this small island packs in all he major landscapes of Scotland which can be seen in a 2.5 hour drive around the circumference of the island. It is off the west coast of Scotland, not far from Glasgow and can be accessed by a car/foot passenger ferry. Perfect for an island getaway with several charming small villages, including a cheese factory, a brewery and distillery. You can walk along the beach and hike up through a forest to view a waterfall, all within a single 1 hour hike. You can also explore the King’s Caves along the Arran coastline, where some say Robert the Bruce had his legendary encounter with a Spider. We loved our trip to Arran and would recommend it to anyone who would like to see a beautiful Scottish island not typically explored on the standard tourist trek.
British Isles and Beyond
We've also been fortunate enough to spend some time in Ireland (Northern Ireland and the Republic) while we've been here, and here are some places we have just loved! Driving around the countryside is the easiest way to explore the Scottish and Irish countryside if you are bold enough to drive of the left side of the road. Otherwise bus routes provide the next best access, but train travel always is the most comfortable.
We have thoroughly enjoyed visits to Belfast, the Giant's Causeway and the coastal towns of Northern Ireland around Portstewart. Dublin is also a great jumping off point to explore Ireland and if you find yourself on the west coast, we are particularly fond the small coastal town of Dingle. The town itself is incredibly charming, with beautiful coastal views and hiking, delicious food, live music and lovely people.
