Why We Keep Returning to Edinburgh
There’s something about the city of Edinburgh that has us returning year after year. Whenever I sit down to plan our travel for the year, I always find myself planning a trip - or at least a stop over for a day or two - in Edinburgh. Every time we leave I tell my husband that some day I want to live there. There are dozens of fantastic cities across Europe and hundreds all over the world so what is it about Edinburgh that keeps drawing me back in?
The city itself feels like it is in between different eras. Old Town Edinburgh has been well preserved with Gothic architecture, cobblestone streets and Edinburgh castle sitting on top of a cliff in the middle of the city. New Town Edinburgh - about 258 years old and not very “new” - has beautiful Georgian architecture, iron fences, and lush gardens and parks. The modern public transportation, retail stores and tourists with selfie sticks stand in contrast to the centuries-old pubs, the artifacts preserved at the Castle and the timeless art hanging in numerous museums all over the city. The city is a beautiful time capsule that continues to entrance visitors. Half of the time I find myself looking up at the architecture instead of keeping an eye out for double-decker buses.
For a city that could fit into London six times over, we are always discovering new places and never run out of things to do. The first time we visited I was told we would only need two-three days to see Edinburgh, but at the end of that trip, I felt like I had barely scratched the surface and couldn’t wait to return. You can’t possibly fit Calton Hill, the Water of Leith Walkway, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the National Portrait Gallery, St. Anthony’s Chapel and Stockbridge all into two days - and that’s not even mentioning all of the pubs and restaurants you’ll want to visit.
One of my favorite ways to see a city is by walking around and with Edinburgh being a relatively small city, it’s easy to explore by foot if you’re so inclined. Walking allows us to stumble upon great coffee shops, local stores and charming pubs that weren’t already on our list. We get to visit different neighborhoods like the West End and Leith on the same day. Of course if it is raining - as it often does in Edinburgh - you can always take the easy to use tram. But as the Scots say, “if you don’t like the weather, wait twenty minutes”.
One of our favorite things about the UK is the pub culture. We love finding a hole-in-the-wall pub - especially one with outdoor seating - and sitting around, talking about our day, playing Wordle and enjoying a pint. Or in Jon’s case, a peaty Scotch. As much as I love to plan our travel itinerary, whenever we’re in Edinburgh, I tend to plan one or two activities for the day and leave time to stop at coffee shops or pubs along the way to relax, enjoy the moment and maybe catch a football game.
Perhaps my favorite thing about Edinburgh, though, is the food. Our favorite sushi restaurant of all time, Harajuku Kitchen, is in Edinburgh. Looking for upscale pub food? Try The Scran and Scallie. Tasty toasties, spanikopita and great coffee? I’d send you to Archipelago Bakery - which also has great vegan dessert options. Fancy some of the best cinnamon buns? Visit one of the many Soderberg Bakery locations. We live in South Philadelphia, a neighborhood known for its Italian food, but I’d put Tipo’s Edinburgh up against the best restaurants in Philly any time. The Cacio e Pepe alone is enough to make me fly to Edinburgh. And the best gelato east of Italy, in my opinion, is Mary’s Milk Bar which has so many flavors to choose from, each more delicious than the last. The line is always out the door so get there early. Trust me, you’ll want to visit every day you’re in Edinburgh.
The locals are friendly, there is plenty of Scotch to be tried and the hotels have that quintessential Scottish charm - just check out The Balmoral with its tartan carpets and pictures of Sean Connery in every bathroom. Walk up Calton Hill and take in the views of Old Town Edinburgh and Arthur’s Seat and then turn around and take in the sights of Leith and the Firth of Forth. With so many reasons to visit Edinburgh, my only question is, when are you booking your trip? I’ll meet you there. Sláinte mhath.
