A citytrip in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is built on and around 7 volcanoes and therefore the city has many elevation changes. If you do a city trip to Edinburgh you will notice that there are quite a few differences in height in the city. So a lot of stair climbing! But a visit to Edinburgh is definitely worthwhile. The people are very friendly and there is a lot to see and do. In this blog we want to inspire you for your visit to this fun, diverse city. But beware: they drive on the left, so be careful!

Edinburgh Castle

There is an awful lot of history to be found in Edinburgh. Take Edinburgh Castle, for example. The castle that proudly sits on Castle Rock overlooking the city. By the way, Castle Rock is also a volcano and in 1103, so more than 900 years ago, a fortified castle was built there. The castle has been rebuilt considerably over the centuries and still has a military function. Thus, every that at 13:00 the cannon is fired from the castle. A spectacle to see. A visit to the castle is anyway very nice during your city trip to Edinburgh, but also quite pricey. And crowded. We have been there, but fair is fair: there are activities that are much more fun to do in the city. We would like to give you some examples!

Visit the underground city

You might not think it at first glance, but Edinburgh also has an entire underground city! This came about in a bit of a strange way. Back in the day, in the 16th century, what Edinburgh was hugely popular. Everyone wanted to live in Edinburgh. But the city also had its limits and walls. So what was the solution to accommodate so many people? Well, by building in height! And so it is that Edinburgh is home to a relatively large number of high-rise buildings. Just stand on the Royal Mile and look around you. Poor people often lived at street level: the same level where the open sewer was. So when the Royal Exchange was built on top of a number of buildings, those buildings ended up underground. That’s how Mary King’s Close came to be. And that attraction is many times more fun than Edinburgh Castle.

Mary King’s Close

Mary King’s Close is an attraction not to be missed when in Edinburgh. You get a good idea of life in Edinburgh in the 17th century here. But even in the 18th century people were still living in the close: they even had to be forcibly evicted because the living conditions were so bad! When the Plague hit Edinburgh mercilessly, the close was even closed to keep the infections indoors. Those poor people were trapped like rats! However, there was a pet doctor who saved many lives through his admittedly controversial methods. It is haunted, though, there in Mary King’s Close. For example, a 6-year-old girl named Annie is haunted. She was abandoned by her family because she had the disease. During your underground tour you will visit her room, among other things. Be sure to bring her a doll or a stuffed animal: Annie will be eternally grateful…. And of course, real daredevils visit the South Bridge Vaults with Mercat Tours!

Ancient cemeteries

Maybe you wouldn’t do it so easily in the Netherlands, but visiting a cemetery in Edinburgh is actually part of the experience. The most famous is Greyfriarts Kirkyard. This cemetery is best known for Greyfriars Bobby: a Skyterrier who watched over his owner’s grave for 14 years (1). Bobby’s grave monument can be found at Greyfrairs, and at the entrance to the cemetery you will find a pub of the same name. There is also a statue of the tough little dog there. Bobby is probably the most beloved doggie in all of Scotland, but the cemetery itself also houses other interesting graves. For example, J. K. Rowling found inspiration for the names of her characters there. For example, you’ll find the grave of William McGonagall (Minerva Anderling), Robert Potter, Elizabeth Moodie (Wanderer Dolleman) and, of course, Thomas Riddell, or Lord Voldemort himself!

Calton Hill

The best view of Edinburgh city is from Calton Hill. From here you not only have a beautiful view of the castle and the old city, but also of Mount Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Palace. Highly recommended for your city break to Edinburgh! And if you walk to the other side of Calton Hill, you will have an insanely beautiful view of the sea. Because Edinburgh is also by the sea! Take pictures of the Dugald Steward monument, climb the National Monument of Scotland and enjoy the tranquility. It’s beautiful there and you won’t regret it.

Tasty dining out

There are numerous restaurants in Edinburgh for fine dining. If you want a bit of chic then The Dome is an absolute must. The Dome is housed in a historic building with beautiful original features. There are several rooms (with different price ranges!) to hang out. Reservations are recommended! Another upscale restaurant that is great to hang out at is the Witchery by the Castle. The Witchery is located on Castlehill, near Edinburgh Castle. The luxury hotel restaurant takes its name from the many witches who were burned at the stake nearby. The very-very best thing, of course, is to eat at a pub. Pubs are often crowded so you usually won’t have a seat right away. Tip: if you have a spot in the restaurant area, order an appetizer. Then you retain your right to a spot and can dine the whole evening. Cozy, deliciously local and tasty!

Sleeping in Edinburgh

You can, of course, choose a hotel near the Royal Mile: the Place to be! Of course that is nice, but also very expensive. Therefore, choose a hotel just outside the center. By bus or streetcar (Edinburgh has no metro!) you will be in the center in no time. Moreover, it is great fun to go to the center by bus. Try to sit in the front of the bus as much as possible. The old center is higher than the city, so you can really see the city looming up. This is an incredibly cool sight! We stayed at the Village Hotel. From that hotel we had lots of connections to the center, also in the evening. That made it a great base for us. And besides, the hotel was only a few stops from the Scottish Beach. We didn’t get around to that now, so we’ll save that for our next city trip to Edinburgh!

Are you going to Edinburgh soon and want to do a dark city walk by yourself, on your own? The Little Walk of Horrors has two! For more information, check out the website.

Photos: OpstapmetLisa