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After enjoying a couple of days in London, my next adventure awaited me in the enchanting city of Edinburgh. I caught a flight from London Stansted Airport, assuming I could use my Oyster card for the train journey. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and a 70-pound fine was a lesson learned. I share this experience to prevent others from making the same mistake.
It was a short flight of an hour and a half, I reached Edinburgh on Friday morning around 8 am. Having pre-booked my accommodation, I easily navigated my way from Edinburgh Airport using the convenient Airlink bus service, providing a direct route to the city center. Alternatively, the tram, located near the Airlink Bus stop, offers an economical option.
I will share all the important links at the end of the blog!
DAY 1: FRIDAY
While waiting for my hostel check-in at 2 pm, I explored the medieval charm of Edinburgh's Old Town. The iconic Edinburgh Castle, perched atop Castle Hill, offers a breathtaking aerial view of the city. Built in the 11th century, the castle boasts nearly a millennium of history. Tickets are available online or at the window.
Before settling into the hostel, I immersed myself in the National Museum of Scotland and the National Gallery of Scotland. Personally, the museum stole my heart, especially the T-Rex skeleton exhibit.
Through the meetup app, I registered myself for a pub crawl that was going to start at 7 pm. The concept of pub crawl is very popular and talked about in Edinburgh, so nothing's better than a Friday night. The Friday night pub crawl, featuring visits to 6-7 pubs with around 25 participants, turned out to be a fantastic way to make new friends and create lasting memories.
Here is the link to the Edinburgh pub crawl experience: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g186525-d26186546-Pub_Crawl_in_Edinburgh-Edinburgh_Scotland.html
DAY 2: SATURDAY
I started my second day a little late with no early morning rush. I connected with my friend who I met last night from my hostel, and we made a plan to visit Leith. Leith is a port district that is a 40-minute walk from the Edinburgh city center. You can notice a sudden change in the crowd as you move out of the tourist hot spot, that is, the city center area. The architecture in the center of the city gives more grandeur vibes than the architecture out of the center. In other words, I would say a little more royal look.
There were a bunch of waterfront seafood bistros and pubs on the shore area. I also noticed that there were a lot of houseboats in the area. The tram service provides connectivity from Leith to City Center and vice-versa. On the way, we came across the residence area, local shops, and some industries to finally reach the Newhaven Lighthouse from where you can see the North Sea. Leith has also been listed 16th on the coolest neighborhoods in the world by TimeOut Magazine, London.
Returning to the hostel for a brief pit stop, we set out again to experience the vibrant Saturday night scene, exploring pubs and enjoying the lively streets, which are safe even into the late hours.
DAY 3: SUNDAY
My friend suggested two things to see on my third and last day in Edinburgh. She knew a lot more than me since she had been exploring Scotland for the past few weeks. The first was the hike to Arthur's Seat and the second was the Dean Village.
The Arthur's Seat is an ancient volcano and is considered the main peak of the group of hills of Edinburgh. The hike is easy and takes you around 30 minutes to reach the top. You get to see excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond. We noticed a lot of people with their dogs on the hike, the open grasslands at the top of the hill seemed perfect for dogs to run around.
After the hike, we relished a delightful lunch at Bertie's, renowned for its fish and chips. Our final stop was the 19th-century Dean Village, a picturesque area with cobblestone streets, colorful houses along the river, and lush greenery. Walking along the Water of Leith Walkway provided a continuous feast for the eyes. That was all for a weekend in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland.
Dean Village, Edinburgh
BOOKINGS AND RESERVATIONS
My flight from London to Edinburgh was RyanAir, the best option I found based on the budget and timings. But make sure you make the bookings from the airline's official website, not from any third-party entity. Here is the link: https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en
For my accommodation in Edinburgh, I chose the Edinburgh Backpackers Hostel. Centrally located and super close to both Waverly Railway Station and Airlink Bus Stop. The Edinburgh Castle, National Museum, National Galleries, Royal Mile, popular pubs, etc. all of them are within walking distance. Edinburgh Backpackers Hostel Webiste: https://www.edinburghbackpackershostel.com/ Link for Hostelworld: https://www.hostelworld.com/st/hostels/p/5001/edinburgh-backpackers/
Link for the Friday night pub crawl https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g186525-d26186546-Pub_Crawl_in_Edinburgh-Edinburgh_Scotland.html