48 hours in Edinburgh – Weekend Edition
Edinburgh In Less Than 48 Words
Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid once described Edinburgh as “a mad god’s dream.” The aptly-named “Festival City” buzzes with life year round, be it the fireworks or concerts, and is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most beautiful cities – with old and new towns built on scenic hills.
Scott Monument (Photo by Thierry)
First 24 Hours
You may reach the historic city of Edinburgh via the Edinburgh Airport, located some five miles away from the city center. From there, you can take a bus to the Waverly station near the heart of the city (flybybus.com, 0131-555 6363). The journey usually lasts around 25 minutes, and will cost at least £3.50. Alternatively, you can hire a private taxi to the city center, which will cost upwards of £25.
The Scottish capital is built upon a series of hills, tucked in between the Salisbury Crags and the Firth of Forth. It can become a difficult city to navigate, so it is best if you first collect relevant information about the city and its facilities from its main tourist office (3 Princes Street), open daily between 9 am and 5 pm. You may make it a point to collect a street map.
CHECK IN: Get your bearings back at Edinburgh’s hotels
Once in the city, you can arrange your accommodation at Edinburgh’s excellent hotels. Here are some of the best options:
The Chester Residence (Photo from Google images)
- The Chester Residence (7 – 9 Rothesay Place, +44 0131 2262075, website) – offers top-class, spacious rooms, plus a great location and helpful staff
- Holyrood Aparthotel (1 Nether Bakehouse, 0131 524 3200, website) –just a two-minute ride to the Royal Mile, plus quality rooms
- Fountain Court Apartments EQ-2 (1 Lower Gilmore Bank|on Union Canal, +44 1316226677, website) – offers clean, modern apartments, and is located just a short walk from the city center
- Tigerlily (125 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4JN, +44 0131 225 5005, website) – has a top-rated staff, plus great food and spacious rooms
- The Salisbury Hotel (43-45 Salisbury Road|Newington, +44 01316671264, website) – offers an excellent staff and quality rooms
SCOTT MONUMENT: Let’s take a view
One of the first destinations can be the Scott Monument (East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, EH2 2EJ, 0131 529 4068). It is a Victorian Gothic memorial dedicated to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. The structure itself is a marvel to behold, and has been described more than once as a “gothic rocket ship.”
However, the highlight there is to clamber up the 287 steps of its spiraling staircase to its viewing deck. From a height of 200 feet, you will be rewarded with some of the best views of the cityscape in Edinburgh. The site is open to tourists daily from 10 am to 7pm, with admission costing around £3. Don’t forget to get your certificate there for braving the steps.
ROYAL MILE: Go on a historical hike in Edinburgh’s Old Town
Edinburgh Castle (Photo from Google images)
The Royal Mile is formed by a succession of streets in the Edinburgh Old Town section. It runs for a length of one Scots mile, and is the busiest tourist street in the city.
Start your hike from the Edinburgh Castle (Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG, 0131 225 9846), one of the most popular landmarks in the city. It dominates the city skyline, and was a former royal residence. It sits perched on the volcanic Castle Rock, and the main thing to do there is to admire its architecture and interior design. You will also see the National War Museum of Scotland which covers the Scottish military history spanning 400 years. The site is reached via a short walk from the Waverly train station, and admission usually costs around £12.
Next, continue down to Lawnmarket Street, which is lined with shops designed for tourists. The most popular thing to buy there is linen. You’ll also see there the 17th century Gladstone’s Land, an impressive townhouse. After that, you can move to High Street. If you’re lucky, you’ll arrive just in time for the Edinburgh Festival celebrated in the area every August. You’ll see there the Parliament Square, a building noted for its gothic architecture and events.
Move on to Canongate, where you’ll pass by the Moray House (a school), the Canongate Tollbooth (a museum for social history), Kirk of the Canongate (a parish church), and the Scottish Parliament Building. The last street is Abbey Strand, which is most known for the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where you can see a ruined abbey and landscaped gardens.
EXPERIENCE: The Scotch Whisky Experience
Cap off your historical hike with a visit to the Scotch Whisky Experience (54 Castlehill, Royal Mile, EH1 2NE, 0131 220 0441, scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk). There, you’ll learn how whisky is made by climbing up on a whisky barrel-like car that will take you on a tour inside a factory. An expert tour guide will be along to give you a running commentary on the process. The tour ends with a whisky-tasting session. It is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, and admission costs upwards of £11.50.
Scotch Whisky Experience (Photo from Google images)
DINNER TIME: Discover Edinburgh’s restaurants
Conclude your first 24 hours in Edinburgh by recharging at the superb restaurants found all over the city. Here are some of the most popular, especially among tourists:
- The Kitchin (78 Commercial Quay|Leith, 0131 555 1755, website) – one of the best restaurants in the city; it has a Michelin-star rating and features an innovative cuisine
- Wedgwood The Restaurant (267 Canongate|Royal Mile, 0131 558 8737, website) – offers an excellent cuisine at reasonable prices, plus an attentive staff
- Wildfire (192 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 4AZ, 0131 225 3636, website) – serves up a Scottish cuisine in a small and cozy location
- AL DENTE Restaurant (139 Easter Road, Edinburgh EH7 5QA, 01316521932, website) – offers an Italian cuisine, at a short ride from the city center
- Grain Store Restaurant (30 Victoria Street, Edinburgh EH1 2JW, +44 (0)131 225 7635, website) – offers a Scottish cuisine in a romantic setting, with professional service
Next 24 Hours
CHURCH OF ST. JOHN: Let’s go to church
The first option for day two can be a visit to the Church of St John the Evangelist (140 Princes Street, 0131 229 7565, stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk). It is a Scottish Episcopal building noted for its plaster ceiling vault and impressive interior. Admire its Gothic Revival architecture, as well as the jewel-box effect produced by its stained-glass windows when the light shines through them. It is open daily from 8 am to 4:45 pm, and a highlight there is hearing its church choir (one of the best in the city) perform on Sundays.
PRINCES STREET: Go for a shopping adventure
From the church, head down the Princes Street of Edinburgh’s New Town section. It is one of the most popular tourist streets in the city, and is a main shopping hub. There, you’ll find an array of UK high street brands, such as Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, Debenhams, and Bhs. You can also find the St. James shopping center near it. See too the Princes Street Gardens, where you’ll see the so-called “The Mound.” It is an artificial hill upon which the National Gallery of Scotland (+44 (0)131 624 6200) is perched. Inside, you’ll find a collection of over 30,000 works from the period 1300 to 1900. The gallery is open daily between 10 am and 5 pm.
Princes Street Gardens (Photo from Google images)
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN: Let’s take a walk in the park
Head next to the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden (20A Inverleith Row), which is found near the Holyrood Palace. It is a garden where you can find more than 15,000 different kinds of plant species. Take a lovely stroll across its 70 acres of landscaped grounds, and see its Victorian palmhouses and the Scottish Heather Garden. You’ll also see there a library with around 70,000 books and 150,000 periodicals about botany and horticulture. The site is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
NIGHTLIFE: Indulge in Edinburgh’s vibrant pub scene
Lastly, you can get immersed in the excitement of the nightlife provided by Edinburgh’s bars and clubs. Some of the best options are the following:
Vienna @ Le Monde (Photo from Google images)
- Café Royal (19 West Register Street, 0131-556 1884, website) – one of the finest pubs in the city, with a 1860s ambience and a choice of 15 malt whiskies.
- The Living Room (113-115 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4JN, 0131 226 0880, website) – offers lovely food in smart surroundings, with helpful staff
- The World’s End (4 High Street, Edinburgh EH11TB, 0131 556 3628) – has a nice and small bar, with a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff
- Vienna @ Le Monde (16 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PF, +44 131 270 3900, website) – offers a stylish and funky bar, with beautiful décor and delicious food
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