Planning to spend a weekend in Scotland’s capital city? Then you’re going to have an amazing time! The UK has many great city break options, but Edinburgh is one of the best.
And if you’re looking for a little inspiration on what to do and where to go, here’s a quick breakdown of how to use your time while you’re in Auld Reekie.
Go Up to Edinburgh Castle, Then Come Back Down
Once you’ve arrived in Edinburgh, you’re likely to come from Edinburgh Waverley Station, or on the tram from Edinburgh Airport.
Either way, you’re going to end up slap bang in the middle of Edinburgh, with the Castle on one side, the old town surrounding you, and the famous Royal Mile just a few streets away.
But before you venture out any further, we recommend going up toward the castle, spending a few hours there, and then making stops as you come back down the hill. It’ll be quite the hike otherwise!
There are plenty of museums and sites to visit
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – 1 minute away
- Museum on the Mound – 4 minutes away
- St Giles Cathedral – 5 minutes away
- National Galleries of Scotland – 6 minutes away
- National Museum of Scotland – 7 minutes away
Stop for a Bite
Once you’ve come all the way back down the hill from Edinburgh Castle, you’re going to be pretty hungry!
So now’s the perfect time to stop for a bite – especially if you’ve timed your visit with the 1pm gun salute that happens every single day. You’ll have plenty of lunchtime options to dig into!
Where to eat
There’s an amazing range of cafes and restaurants throughout Edinburgh, whether you’re on The Royal Mile or not.
You can find plenty of italian restaurants Edinburgh specials, as well as bistros, pubs, and local Scottish dining delights. There’s even a Dishoom around half a mile away from Edinburgh Castle, if you fancy some great Indian food.
Go Shopping
If you want to go shopping while you’re in Edinburgh, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to get into!
You’ve got St James Quarter, Multrees Walk, and Waverley Market all within a 5 to 10 minute walk of each other.
You can then head back down The Royal Mile if you’d like to, and even fit in a visit to Holyrood Palace at the end (if you didn’t get to the day before).
When to go shopping
We recommend saving the shopping part of the trip for your second day, as you’re likely going to be tired from all that walking on day one! Shopping will be a bit more lowkey for you.
And the shopping districts throughout Edinburgh also require you to move a little more out of the city center – although not too far, so don’t worry – so it’s hard to do both the castle and shopping on the same day.
If you’re going to spend 48 hours in Edinburgh, start at the castle and work your way outwards!
Leave a Reply