Scotland’s capitol

We always say that Edinburgh is a city we’d love to live in one day. It’s got everything; multicultural, artistic, great food scene and it’s not overwhelmingly large like London. On our first visit together, we firmly established what we both liked to do in the city and have since kept to it. Do use the contact page to let us know what we should check out on our next visit! In the meantime, here’s what we usually hit up when we have a weekend free to spend in Edinburgh.

Transport

We always get the train out of London, using Virgin trains. At 4 hours 30 mins it’s quite a long trip, and we were once stuck in York for hours when the line had issues, but we prefer to travel by train than fly anytime we can. It’s much kinder to the environment and gives us time to read and nap - our two favourites things.

Edinburgh International Film Festival

Full disclosure, we have not yet managed to make it to the celebrated, infamous Edinburgh Fringe Festival yet although, as huge fans of the theatre and arts, it’s firmly on our bucket list. With Lauren working in the film industry, she has instead been a frequent visitor to Edinburgh International Film Festival for years. Fans of independent movies can see the best of the bunch, as well as cast and crew Q&As and workshops. In 2019, we finally went together and spent the few days we were in the city dividing our time between the different screening venues and discovering different parts of the city at the same time. The festival has a great energy and in the past has attracted filmmakers including Elijah Wood and Danny Boyle. It’s definitely an annual highlight for us, and Lauren’s firm favourite festival. We get a bunch of tickets for random films and always end up discovering something new that we never imagined we’d love as much as we do.

Whisky tasting

As whisky is one of Rob’s biggest passions, we needed to celebrate our first trip to Edinburgh together with a visit to The Scottish Whisky Experience, right next to Edinburgh Castle in the Old Town. It’s pretty touristy but a lot of fun. We chose the ‘Gold experience’ where, for around £30 each, we were given a history of Scotch whisky and their different aromas and origins, a viewing of the world’s largest collection of Scotch whisky and a tasting experience with the group. We then went to the bar where a tasting tray of four single malt Scotch whisky was waiting for us and we took our time practising our new sensory skills and enjoying the different flavours. Well, Rob did!

Edinburgh Castle & Royal Mile

Edinburgh Castle has a huge history, dating back to at least the reign of David I in the 12th century. Once a fortress, now it welcomes tourists every day to explore it’s story and awe-inspiring structure, which emerges from a rock high above the city. It is also home to the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo every August, where performers come from across the world to take part in the parade to celebrate the Scottish military. We love nothing more than grabbing a coffee and walking to the Castle and around the Old Town including the main thoroughfare, the Royal Mile. Ignoring the tourist traps and souvenir stalls, this is home to some jaw-dropping Scottish architecture, traditional style restaurants and all kinds of street performers.

Parks & Museums

We usually visit in the summer and there’s nowhere better to take a breather and watch the world go by then Princes Street Gardens, a beautiful park slap bang in the middle of the city, with manicured gardens, sloping lawns and a view of the nearby Castle. We also try and pop into either the Scottish National Gallery or the Scottish National Portrait Gallery as both offer a wonderful morning worth of snooping around the incredible gallery halls (& you can use your National Art Pass for discounts on the special exhibits at both, a real win!).

Another great place to visit is Calton Hill. It’s a bit of a climb but is well worth it, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city with great views and the unfinished national monument at the top that makes for stunning pictures.

Ghost Tours

Edinburgh has had a long and sometimes violent history and some say that many parts of the city are haunted. It’s easy enough to believe this when walking in the Old Town at night. Naturally, the only sensible thing to do is to head down to the underground vaults to see if you can see or hear any spirits for yourself. Lauren’s favourite is the ‘ghost walking tour’ given by Mercat Tours for an evening full of suspense and the chance to see these amazing vaults where people used to live and work.

Lauren Loves

My memories of Edinburgh always come back to film and enjoying the amazing festival that the city offers. They also strive to make cinema accessible to everyone, with free screenings in parks throughout the summer. I also love the Old Town and romantic dinners with Rob, who introduced me to The Witchery, now one of my favourite restaurants, hands down!

Robert Loves

When the total travel times are similar I will always choose a train journey over a flight. Edinburgh has a lot to offer culturally and is a great way to escape our busy lives in London. As we only stay for short periods of time there is a lot of eating, exploring and a few drinks involved. Being a fan of whisky I’ll always try to go for something new, with Macallan being a safe fallback.

Where did we stay?

For those on a tight budget, Lauren recommends Castle Rock hostel, which is super close to the Castle and very convenient when experiencing the film festival venues. When visiting the city together, we’ve stayed at Ballantrae Albany Hotel. It’s a great price for it’s location in the city centre, a few minutes walk from Princes Street Park and Georges Street and we love it’s town house vibe.

What did we eat?

We love love love visiting The Witchery. Sometimes we want to plan a weekend in Edinburgh just so that we can go and eat at the Gothic boutique hotel and restaurant. Super fancy and full of people celebrating something (it’s that kind of vibe), we always ask to sit in the ‘Secret Garden’, which, lit by Baroque candelabras and surrounded by fresh flower displays, is the prettiest room ever. The food is also outstanding and relies on locally-sourced produce. We’ve said all we need to say. Go!

Top Tips

• Take lots of snacks with you for the train journey. The last thing you want to do is buy a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar from the trolley for what seems like all of your weekend budget.
• Make sure to explore the city by night, whether that’s on a walking tour or a stroll after dinner. The city comes alive with an ethereal beauty, especially with the castle softly lit from above.
• Be careful when shopping for tartan and cashmere goods at the stores in the city. Some imply that their goods are made in Scotland, but are actually made in China, so best check where they source their materials and craftsmanship if you want a legit souvenir to take home.