Edinburgh | My First Trip To Scotland

Booking an impromptu trip to Edinburgh last month was one of the best ideas I've had, not least because it was my first visit to Scotland and I'd been desperately wanting to go for years. We luckily arrived during the few days in March it was sunny, so good job I packed my sunglasses! 

We were only in the city for a couple of days, but with so much to do and see we headed straight to Arthurs's Seat, a couple minutes away from our accommodation. It's one of the most famous places to walk and hike in Edinburgh, with its sweeping views of the city, and so we decided to go early in the morning so it wasn't too crowded with people. 

Climbing to the top of Arthur's Seat and back takes about 2 hours and it's a relatively easy climb (although try telling that to my mum haha). I also had no idea that it's the site of an ancient volcano, so that's pretty cool.

Another iconic vantage point in Edinburgh is Calton Hill. Famous for its collection of historical monuments, such as the Nelson Monument and the Scottish National Monument. It's a wonderful place to go for a stroll and look out towards the city.

People were clearly having fun taking photos at the monument!

You can't come to Edinburgh and fail to spot its beautiful castle. From every street, you can see it sitting nobly up high and I was really excited to get the opportunity to look around.

The great thing about arriving in Edinburgh during the winter months is that it's not too crowded. Although there were lots of tourists, it was never overwhelming, and so walking through the castle and museums was a lovely experience.  

Edinburgh Castle is a spectacle to look at, and I definitely recommend paying to go inside if you can because there's so much to see. From the Scottish Crown Jewels to the Great Hall and National War Museum, it's a great place to go if you're interested in history. 

The Great Hall

We also ventured to the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. The Museum is so beautiful and has a wide range of displays from animals to technology. We did have to sit down a few times along the way because we'd been walking all day and I couldn't feel my toes! Both the National Museum and Gallery are free to enter, so if it's raining outside or you're tired of shopping, they're both great places to venture into.

Picturesque and hidden away, Dean Village is a great place to unwind away from the busy streets. I've seen photos of Dean Village on Instagram and thought it would be nice to walk there. It's not too far from the city centre and is a quiet place to walk and relax. 

Edinburgh has both the Old and New Town to explore, with the Old Town dating back to the Medieval times and the New Town built during the Georgian era. This means that in between the bustling streets full of shops, cafes and hotels, you have beautiful architecture. Even this adorable bookshop (see below) we found was worthy of appearing in this blog.

Every night we ate and drank in a different Scottish pub along The Royal Mile, the main road in Edinburgh that stretches from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. My favourite pub was The World's End and it was just what you want from a Scottish pub- cozy, friendly and with amazing food. 

I enjoyed this trip so much that I didn't want to come home. The weather was glorious, I walked for miles and miles and bought some more postcards for my collection. I can't wait to visit again!