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Scotland Itinerary: 7 Places to Visit in Edinburgh

Would you believe I’m already trying to plot my way back to the UK? Any excuse to get me over there, I’ll jump on it. My partner wants to go to Spain, I do too obviously, but I want to pop over in the UK on the way back if that happens. I absolutely love the UK.

So here’s part two of my Edinburgh guide, again inspired by friend David who will be speaking at UX Scotland in June. These are my 7 places to visit in Edinburgh if you’re visiting for the first time.

The Royal Mile

This one should go without saying, why would you miss out on such a beautiful area full of history? The mile is the main road through Old Town Edinburgh, full of shops, tourist attractions, pubs, and restaurants, the area is bustling. It’s fun to wander down the mile, in and out of the shops as well as all the different closes, which are picturesque alleyways.

looking down the royal mile

There is so much to see around the area, and no matter where you stay in Edinburgh you’re bound to cross the Royal Mile at some point. Take some time to just explore.

Greyfriars Kirkyard & Greyfriars Bobby

Greyfriars kirkyard is said to be one of the most haunted graveyards in the world. It’s home to the violent Mackenzie Poltergeist who is supposedly responsible for a number of attacks as well as bruises and unexplained marks on visitors to the cemetery.

greyfriars kirkyard

Sir George Mackenzie was in charge of the Presbyterian Covenanter persecution on behalf of Charles II and he was known to be a brutal man. The Covenanter prison was on the Greyfriars grounds and many of those who were executed or died in the prison were all dumped into mass unmarked graves so the body count in the kirkyard is actually much larger than you would guess.

Both times I’ve visited Greyfriars, mysterious bruises have appeared on my arms and legs…could it be the Mackenzie? My ghost hunter loving soul sure likes to think so.

greyfriars kirkyard in the evening

At the entrance of the kirkyard is a gravestone for a Skye Terrier named Bobby. There’s also a monument to him just outside the kirkyard that was made by William Brodie, the Jekyll and Hyde character I mentioned in my other post on Edinburgh.

The story of Bobby is so popular because it’s said he stayed by his master’s grave for 14 years until his furry self also passed.

Greyfriars is also a few blocks from the Elephant Cafe, where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. Many of the names of the characters come from the graveyard. We found Tom Riddle’s grave, and it was quite honestly a little strange to be taking a photo next to the gravestone of someone whose name had been used for a character in a book, but I’m a Harry Potter fan so that definitely happened.

 

Dean Village

Confession: I haven’t actually been to Dean Village yet and completely ran out of time on my last trip! From all the photos I’ve seen though, it’s an enchanting little spot that was a former village just a bit northwest of Edinburgh Castle.

dean village water of leith

It’s not an actual tourist attraction, it’s a residential area full of 19th century architecture with the picturesque Water of Leith cutting through the area.

dean village edinburgh

Photo by Tim Martin on Unsplash

If you’re looking for a charming place to take a stroll, this is the spot. On your way to or from Dean Village, take a stroll down Randloph Place and grab a cup of coffee at one of the cafés. Cairngorm Coffee Co is on my list of spots to visit and is along that stretch.

Edinburgh Castle

If you’re only going to be in Edinburgh while you’re in Scotland, you must visit the castle. Perched high up on an ancient volcano, it’s a spot that has been occupied since the 2nd century. There is so much history around the castle, it’d be too much to document here but a few things of note that may encourage you to visit.

edinburgh castle on the hill

If you watch Game of Thrones you’ll recall the horrifying Red Wedding episode. The real events that inspired that particular scene occurred in 1440, the Earl of Douglas, aged 16, and his brother were invited to dine with the King of Scotland, only 10 years old at the time, and then beheaded due to the amount of influence and power the clan held.

inside edinburgh castle

Also of note is St. Margaret’s Chapel, one of the few remaining 12th century buildings standing in a Scottish castle, it is the oldest in Edinburgh and the castle.

st margaret's chapel

Edinburgh Vaults

I dragged my partner on a nightly ghost walking tour of Edinburgh because I wanted to see the vaults. Never mind that I’d seen them on Ghost Adventures, I wanted to experience them myself. The walking tour actually turned out to be really enjoyable, and we learned some really fascinating if not macabre, historical facts along the way, and the end of the tour ended in one of the vaults.

inside an edinburgh vault

These chambers are part of the South Bridge and were actually used as workshops, taverns and storage. At some point though, the vaults became a hotbed for the homeless. Sickness was rife in the vaults and eventually the homeless left too, and the vaults were filled in with rubble. After this, the vaults seemed to have been forgotten and were rediscovered in the 1990s.

inside the edinburgh vaults

During our tour, the guide talked about some of the paranormal experiences people on the tour have had. He asked if anyone wanted to be shut in the chamber alone. While I wanted to, there were two extremely creepy dolls at the back of the chamber, and I’m a weenie, even though I love the Ghost Adventures show.

As far as I know, access to the vaults are extremely limited so you have to go on a tour of some sorts to go down into them. We went on the Underground Tour that you could book on the Royal Mile in front of Starbucks. Location of the booth for that is here.

Arthur’s Seat

If you’re looking for sweeping view of Edinburgh and the surrounding area, hiking up Arthur’s Seat is place to find those views. When my partner and I were there we didn’t climb all the way to the top, I was more preoccupied the the ruins of a St. Anthony’s Chapel that were perched partly up the hill.

arthur's seat

Photo by Claudel Rheault on Unsplash

But after visiting those ruins, if you’re so inclined and prepared for a bit of hike uphill, you can reach the top of Arthur’s Seat.

st anthony's chapel ruins

Just be prepared for slick conditions if it’s raining. Proper footwear is needed. I feel like I have to mention that because I’ve seen people on vacation in other locations show up to hiking spot, women usually, in platform heels or sandals and they can’t make the hike to the actual viewpoint.

For an even better experience, make the climb to watch the sunrise from the top of the hill.

Calton Hill

Perched upon Calton Hill are a number of monuments, all with varying history and built for different things. If the hike up Arthur’s Seat is more hiking than you planned for, the views of the city from the top of Calton Hill are just as beautiful, offering a picturesque view down Princes Street.

calton hill from old town

At the top of the hill there is a small art gallery and coffee shop, where my partner and I grabbed a hot drink from on a crisp October morning.

Heading down the hill and across the street to the south is the Scottish Government headquarters building, built over the site of an old jail, the Governor’s House is the only building that is actually a part of the old jail still standing.

scottish government building from calton hill

Next to the government building, to the southeast, is the Old Calton Hill Burial Ground. Another old cemetery in Edinburgh, it has some unique buildings like an obelisk and another monument. Continuing on down the hill you’ll hit Princes Street with some lovely architecture. On my last visit, it was a dreary and wet evening but it made for some beautifully dark and gothic feeling shots.

princes street

Once again, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what Edinburgh has to offer, let alone Scotland. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited in it’s own unique way. I adore Scotland, and if you ever get the chance to visit you will too.

xx
Stephanie

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9 Comments

  • Reply
    Amrita McIntyre
    February 12, 2018 at 10:16 am

    Scotland is on my bucket list! My husband actually went to school in Scotland for a semester and he loved it! All these places look so dreamy, especially The Royal Mile and Dean Village! I’ll have to remember these spots! Visiting a castle is definitely a must as well!

  • Reply
    The Elephant Mum
    February 12, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    For years we’ve been saying we should visit Scotland. Thank you for this guide, maybe this is finally the push we need to just buy the tickets and go!

  • Reply
    Taylor Fisher
    February 12, 2018 at 1:08 pm

    Oh WOW! We’ve been wanting go to to Scotland for a long time and might be headed there in 2018. This is an awesome guide list of places to see. Dean Village looks adorable and Arthurs Seat would be such a great spot for photos. Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Reply
    Alexandra Quinn Barlow
    February 12, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    Oh man, one more reason to add Scotland to my bucket list. You created such an awesome list of places to visit in Scotland as well! I mean, now I have no excuse NOT to go, right?

  • Reply
    Elyse Anna
    February 12, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    Edinburg Scotland has always been on my bucket list!! I will definitely keep all these recommendations in mind when I finally go there! I just want to explore and adventure there!

  • Reply
    Ressa
    February 13, 2018 at 6:05 am

    This post gives me wanderlust for Edinburgh! What a beautiful place to be! Glad to see your adventures there I hope to visit myself one day!

  • Reply
    Katie Kelly
    February 13, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    I just texted my cousins the other day saying let’s go back to Edinburgh… I LOVE it there!

  • Reply
    Jennifer M Outlaw
    February 13, 2018 at 7:48 pm

    So many great spots to see! I absolutely love to travel and see all the important spots. How beautiful is Edinburgh castle! I so want to see it in person.

  • Reply
    Helene Goldnadel
    July 28, 2019 at 3:04 am

    There is a reason why Edinburgh is the most popular short break destination in the UK. The city’s size and accessibility means you can experience its top tourist attractions over a weekend.

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