It’s so difficult for me to pick a single favorite weekend trip I took during my study abroad. What’s easier is for me to appreciate all the cities I visited and the wonderful experiences I had.
At the end of November, my roommate, Isabella, and I visited Edinburgh. We were lucky to have a long weekend, enabling us to see and experience more of the city than we would have in only two days. Let me break down everything we did.
Day 1: New Town, Old Town, Christmas Market, and Dean Village
Our first day kicked off painfully early, with a 3 a.m wakeup in London. We took the tube to Liverpool Street station, then the Stansted Express to the airport for a 9 a.m flight. Landing in Edinburgh around an hour later, we hopped onto the tram into the city. Our first stop was our hostel to check in and drop off our bags. I had picked to stay at CODE The Court, a courtroom-turned-hostel that sits in the middle of Parliament Square. Seeing as it was Isabella’s first time staying in a hostel, she was initially skeptical, but she loved it just as much as I did. The facilities were super cool, and the location is truly unbeatable. The pod-style beds make the dorms a bit less social than other hostels, but since we were together, Isabella and I weren’t bothered.
Because we had no set itinerary for our first day, we simply wandered around. First, we checked out the National Portrait Gallery and got an incredible full Scottish Breakfast at Greenwoods. We were both pleasantly surprised by the haggis, a traditional sheep’s intestine and oat “pudding.” For sunset (which was very early, as it was winter), we walked to the picturesque and historic Dean Village. The village was adorable and a great place to take photos. Once the sun had set, we made our way back to Princes Street.
There, we wandered into the bustling Christmas market. Everywhere we looked, stands were selling all sorts of things: ornaments, scarves, mulled wine, cheese, wood crafts, socks, custard, you name it. Isabella and I got hot chocolate from Uplands Roast, which we’d seen praised extensively online. It was absolutely delicious and made for the perfect pick-me-up in the cold. Lastly, we rode the Ferris wheel, did some more window shopping, and then headed home for an early night in.
Day 2: The Highlands
Our second day started around 6 a.m, as we’d booked a full 12-hour day trip into the highlands with The Hairy Coo bus company. Seeing the highlands was genuinely at the top of my list of things I wanted to do/see. The only issue is that Isabella and I have different approaches to nature: I love everything outdoors and nature-related, while Isabella prefers city life, far, far away from dirt or mud. With the bus tour, we found a compromise.
The first stop was in the small town of Balquhidder for breakfast. At a bakery, we got haggis and pork sausage rolls. They were hot, flaky, buttery, and absolutely delicious. We also got sandwiches, snacks, and water for the rest of the day. Around 9:30 a.m, we pulled into a small farm to say hi to a family of hairy coos (highland cows), then hit the road again.
Along the way, we learned so much about Scottish history from our wonderful tour guide and got to admire the magnificent nature around us from the warmth of the bus. At 10:30 a.m, we stopped for photos at a scenic viewpoint in Glencoe. At 11 a.m, we stopped again in Glencoe Valley. There, we took in the view of the Lagangarbh Hut, also known as “the Wee White House,” which rests at the foot of the Buachaille Etive Mòr mountain. Between the water, the deep green mountains, and the hut, the view was breathtaking in ways I can’t begin to put into words.
The next stop was Loch Shiel and the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, popularly known as the Harry Potter Bridge. Unfortunately, the Jacobite Steam Train (aka Hogwarts Express) doesn’t run in the winter season. Still, we loved strolling to the Viaduct, taking loads of photos, and admiring the precious little birds by the stream. Even more beautiful was seeing all the shaded land covered in an intricate blanket of white frost.
Before we knew it, we were on the road again. Around 4 p.m, we were in Pitlochry, a small village known for its whiskey ice cream. After tasting the artisanal ice cream, Isabella and I went shopping for gifts. Soon enough, we got on the bus and were back in Edinburgh by 7:30 p.m.
Somehow, our day wasn’t over yet. Determined to make the most of our time, I forced Isabella to get ready to go out. For a few hours, we enjoyed fantastic live jazz music at Stramash. The band that played was beyond talented, and we genuinely felt so lucky to hear them on a random Sunday. Needless to say, we slept like babies that night.
Day 3: Swanston Farm, Victoria Street, and The Royal Mile
On day three, we hit the town around 10 a.m in search of coffee and breakfast. Our walk was so pleasant. We saw Edinburgh Castle perched majestically on its hill, moseyed along Victoria Street, and walked up the iconic One Day steps before grabbing breakfast sandwiches and heading to the bus stop.
We made our way to Swanston Farm, a family-owned farm with acres of land on which highland coos are said to roam freely. At the entrance, we befriended a lovely older couple and their dogs, who gave us tips on where to find the coo herd. Following their instructions, we made our way up through the hills. Unfortunately for Isabella, the coos were a little farther away than expected, and the hills were ripe with mud. She was a really good sport about it, even though I was frolicking around and chirping about how happy I was. In my defense, I wasn’t trying to rub it in; Swanston Farm has a truly beautiful property. For miles, the land just stretches in vast waves of green and yellow, completely untouched by man.
After about an hour of walking, we finally found what we were looking for: highland coos in their natural habitat. They were adorable. The coos are healthy, fluffy, and peaceful, just grazing or lying about, but certainly paying their admirers no mind. When we were satisfied with our time with the coos, we headed back into town. There, we strolled through Greyfriars Kirkyard: the famous cemetery known for the story of the loyal dog, Greyfriars Bobby, and numerous Harry Potter character name inspirations, including Tom Riddle!
We got butter beers on Victoria Street, then popped into the National Gallery while waiting for our lunch/dinner reservation time. Dinner was at the famous Makars Mash Bar, followed by fried Mars bars for dessert (don’t knock it until you try it). Of course, we checked out Museum Context (aka Diagon House). We ended our night with a rainy evening stroll up to the castle and down the Royal Mile.
Day 4: Arthur’s Seat and Departure
Our last day was short but no less memorable. I woke up a little before sunrise and took the bus to the Royal Commonwealth Pool, which is the closest stop to Arthur’s Seat. The hike up was magnificent. I got to appreciate the sky changing colors as the sun came up, lighting the rolling hills around me. The hike itself was a little slippery in my sambas and very windy at the top, but absolutely worth it.
When you get to Arthur’s Seat and look around, you really feel like you can conquer anything. Even the imposing Edinburgh Castle feels small from up there. On the way down, I struggled to wipe a giant grin off my face. Between the sun having doused everything in pooling golden light and the endorphins pumping through me from the climb, I felt positively invincible.
Around 11 a.m, I returned to the hostel where Isabella was waiting to check out. We stopped for brunch — which we ate in record time — then hopped on the tram back to the airport. Our perfect weekend had come to an end.
If you’re looking for an itinerary for a few days in Edinburgh, consider mine!
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