With May approaching and two bank holidays in England (and Memorial Day in America), we wanted to share a post on a weekend getaway in Edinburgh.
Over the Easter break, we decided to make the most of the four day weekend by searching “Everywhere” on Skyscanner to see where we could find a last minute flight. We had hoped to find a warm beach to unwind, but the best flights we could find were to Edinburgh. Even though we live in England and Scotland is basically our neighbour, we hadn’t considered this before – often opting to go Far East instead because of our love of Asian food.
Choosing Edinburgh for this short break was the perfect choice. After all, where else will you find a historic castle sitting on top of an extinct volcano? And luckily for us the sun was out the whole time.
Our top 7 recommendations for food & sightseeing
Hanover Street has so many great places for breakfast, lunch or brunch. We decided to go to Urban Angel and were not disappointed. This place prides itself on organic and locally-sourced ingredients and you can tell why. Brunch is served all day, with delicious smoothie bowls and all kinds of eggs. Try the Peanut Butter & Maca Smoothie Bowl.
After a hot day walking around the city and up hills, this is the best place to cool down. Run by Mary herself, Mary’s Milk Bar is situated right across the street from Edinburgh Castle. The ice cream selection changes daily based on seasonality and local produce. It’s not just ice cream that this milk bar is famous for, they also do awesome hot chocolate floats. Ginormous tankards full of Mary’s handmade chocolate topped with ice cream and there are 30 different kinds chooses from. Beware: there will be a queue to get in, but the wait is totally worth it.
Having read Harry Potter as kids, you could really feel it come alive in Edinburgh with Harry Potter themed paraphernalia a dozen. It is clear how the beautiful terraced buildings and cobbled streets on Victoria Street, could have inspired JK Rowling to imagine iconic streets such as Diagon Alley. If you’re looking for Olivander’s wand or a Nimbus 2001 broomstick, check out Museum Context (Diagon House), where you’ll find all things Harry Potter.
This is by far the best view of the city, with a 360 view of Edinburgh on top of yet another extinct volcano. We never really quite figured out who is Arthur or why he has a “seat” named after him, so if you happen to find out drop us a message. The easiest way to find Arthur’s Seat is to walk down the Royal Mile towards the car park next to Queen’s drive. You’ll see two trails you can take. Take the longer route on the left (Green route) to go to the top of Arthur’s Seat. Also on your way back down don’t forget to walk down to the loch on the side. You probably won’t find the loch ness monster, but it’s the perfect spot to rest after a hike.
Dominating the Edinburgh skyline, this impressive Castle is visible from all around central Edinburgh. It is not hard to see why this beautiful fortress is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is steeped in history, think Mary Queen of Scots and the Stuarts, and the views from the top are breath taking. A refreshing change to the skyscraper landscapes of big cities like London and New York.
A short walk from our hotel, we found stunning gardens full of cherry blossoms. The perfect place to sit down for a picnic or to listen to your favourite music or read a book, for those visiting in the warmer months.
A trip to Scotland just wouldn’t be complete without a whisky tasting. You will find whiskey served at pretty much every restaurant and bar. If you have time, go for a whisky tasting, we recommend Whiski Rooms.
Where to stay in Edinburgh
The Principal Edinburgh George Street
We stayed at The Principal on George Street. This was a great location, with so many restaurants right on our doorstep and only a 5-10 minute walk to the park and castle. The hotel was also the perfect retreat for a night in. A nice touch was the tuck box full of British sweet treats laid out for us and topped up daily – the perfect indulgence in all things British.
Check out more photos on our Instagram page @eat.through.travel
Eat.Through.Travel 