Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and it most certainly is a city to visit! The journey to Edinburgh can be a bit tiring considering its 5 hours long by train, but I think that’s enough time to complete any pending assignments or readings before you take the next few days to relax!
Edinburgh is one of the most picturesque cities I have seen in the United Kingdom. With its cobbled streets, narrow alleys, dark buildings, it is truly breath taking! The best thing about Edinburgh, or simply something which I truly loved was how lively and friendly the people are. Coming from the hustle and bustle of London, with everyone always rushing, Edinburgh made me feel so much more relaxed and calmer! You could actually sit and talk to people passing by without worrying that they might shut you down! Everyone seemed cheerful, proud of their city and always offering to help and give their recommendations for places to eat and visit.
The streets of Edinburgh have so much history and culture engraved in them that you just want to continue exploring! It was home for few of the most eminent people from David Hume to Alexander Graham, Adam Smith and JK Rowling among many others! Few of my favourite places in Edinburgh were definitely around the old town! All the cobbled streets up to Royal Mile were so scenic, as if you were in a Harry Potter Movie! The Royal Mile itself, being one of the most famous tourist attractions was full of street performers, from the sound of the Scottish bagpipes, to street plays and magicians; it was all there. If you are a Harry Potter fan, then I guess this place is probably your dream. JK Rowling took a lot of inspiration from Edinburgh, in fact when you walk around the Victorian Street and Cockburn Street, you might find some of the building and their names extremely familiar because they were in the movie as well!
Edinburgh is known for their dark buildings and roads which goes extremely well with the volcanic mountains surrounding the city. To get a great view of the entire city while watching the sunset, I’d recommend hiking up Arthur’s Seat. It is a 30-minute hike but the view at the top of the volcanic rock makes up for it! However, if you are not a fan of hiking but still want to see the view of the city, go to the Calton Hill which is also one great spot to view the city from! Visiting the Edinburgh Castle is something which has to be done. It is the most famous castle in Scotland which sits on top of an extinct volcano. If you’re lucky then you might get the chance to even hear the one o’clock cannons which is fired everyday as a part of a tradition dating back to the 19 th century.
September to November is a great time to visit Edinburgh as there is so much happening around that time. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival from 18 th to 31 st October showcases performances, panel discussions, storytelling workshops and activities bringing together Scottish and international story tellers to celebrate this art of storytelling.
The Edinburgh coffee festival takes place from October 5 th for all the coffee lovers to taste varieties of coffee’s and increase their knowledge regarding the same. Edinburgh’s Cocktail Week is from 14th to 20th. October Over 70 of the top bars in Edinburgh take part in this festival preparing their signature cocktail for the attendees as well as giving workshops on how to prepare it at home!
October is also the time for Halloween. With those narrow alleys and eerie backdrops, it’s the best setting to celebrate Halloween. During the days counting down to Halloween many bars and restaurants bring in the Halloween theme and if you truly want to experience a spooky night, go take a tour of the Edinburgh Dungeon!
Exploring Edinburgh specially in these months is a great idea. Not only do you get to attend various festivals hosted in the city during that time, but you also get to see Edinburgh during autumn which I think is the prettiest time of the year, perfectly suited for Edinburgh’s beautiful scenery!