We have long dreamed of visiting Scotland, and we were thrilled to finally put together an itinerary that included a few days in Edinburgh, a castle hopping road trip through the Scottish Highlands, and even tagging on a couple of days to revisit London.
It also just so happened that we were going to be in Edinburgh on the opening night of the 75th anniversary of the Royal Tattoo. So, we just had to grab some tickets and see this performance at the Edinburgh Castle.
Edinburgh has an incredible amount of history. They have found signs of human habitation from as far back as 8,500 BC during the Mesolithic period in the area. Settlements from the Bronze Age and Iron Age are known to have existed in the Castle Rock area where Edinburgh Castle stands today.
Edinburgh became a royal residence of the Scottish Monarchy after the tenth century and was referred to as the capital of Scotland in the mid-14th century. It was Scotland’s largest city until the early 19th century when Glasgow took over that distinction.
With only three nights in Edinburgh, we basically split our two full days between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. Tickets had to be purchased in advance for both attractions as we were visiting during the high season (August).
Add to that we were going during the Royal Tattoo and the Fringe Festival, so we wanted to be sure to get our tickets in advance to secure our entry.
We bought the 2-week Scotland Explorer Pass for £50 each. This proved to be a money saver as it got us into just about all the sites we visited both in Edinburgh and on our road trip. Just be aware that even when you buy the pass, you must reserve your time slot tickets ahead of time. You simply specify that you are an Explorer Pass member when booking your attraction and the cost shows as zero. Even parking was covered at one of our castles with the pass. A great investment!
Arriving in Edinburgh, Scotland
We connected through London Heathrow to Edinburgh with one of many daily British Airways flights. Only an hour and a half flight but they managed to give everyone a meal and clean up too. A contrast to what we’ve become accustomed to with our local airlines where you’d be lucky to get a drink on such a short flight!
We also saw that you can do London to Edinburgh by train. It may have even worked better for us as our flights got moved around and delayed resulting in a 6-hour stopover in London. Either way, there are lots of choices to get to Edinburgh from London so it would be a good gateway.
We were going to take a cab from Edinburgh Airport to our hotel but as we exited the airport, the Airlink 100 bus was outside and loading up. For only £6 each it took us to within a 5 minutes’ walk of our hotel at the Waverly Bridge stop.
We already felt like locals navigating our way through the city with public transportation. That feeling of saving money disappeared as we checked into the nice Marriott W Hotel for our room with a view however. Still, the hotel was well located and would make a great home base. We checked in and quickly freshened up heading out to explore.
Climbing up Calton Hill
We started by climbing Calton Hill to get some great views of the city. The lookout is incredible, and we could see the Palace of Holyroodhouse below.
All that walking worked up a good appetite, and we devoured a fish and chips dinner at the Old Guildford Arms pub. This historic establishment has been around since 1896 and is one of many traditional Scottish pubs where one can get a quick and reasonably priced meal (although the tourist attraction of these has surely driven up prices!).
Day 1: All about the Edinburgh Castle
After a wonderful breakfast on the terrace with a view at the W, we headed out to the Edinburgh Castle to be there in time for our 10am to 10:30am entry window. All tickets must be bought online in advance, and you pick a half hour entry window. Judging from the size of the crowds you don’t want to miss your chance and be left out of visiting this amazing castle. That would be very disappointing after having traveled a long distance to be here.
Strolling down the Royal Mile from our hotel on St James Square we marveled at all the history on both sides of the cobblestone pedestrian street that joins the Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse (Holyrood Palace).
Even in August we needed a few layers before the sun kicked up the temperature, but once the sun came out from behind the clouds we were good in t-shirts.
We booked our entry for 10am at the Edinburgh Castle and came up the hill a bit early to look around the area as we waited for our time entry slot. 10 am was a good time as the castle opens at 9:30am and the queue to get in at 9:30 was already building up. There was already a sign put up that said ‘sold out for today’ at 9:15. So again, be sure to book in advance online (with or without the Explorer Pass!). One of the guards told us that they only let 8,800 people in per day and tickets sell out routinely.
Exploring Edinburgh’s Castle’s highlights
Another tip we got from the helpful guide was to make our way up to the top of the hill and to start with the Crown Jewels to avoid the long queues that form in the afternoon. We went through and there was no line at all and later in the day we did indeed see long lines forming.
Up near the top we started with the small St Margaret’s Chapel. This is the oldest building in Edinburgh and dates back to about 1130. The small stone chapel was built by King David I in memory of his mother.
Be sure to see Mons Meg, a massive cannon that dates from the 1400s. The 6-ton cannon could fire a 300-pound projectile over 2 miles.
Don’t miss the Great Hall that was at one time converted to a multi-story barracks before being restored to its former glory. Built in 1512 by James IV, the building still has the original ceiling. There is even a special spot from where the King could secretly listen in on conversations while hidden away.
If you have time you can also visit the National War Museum and Scottish National War Memorial.
Afternoon tea at the castle
We had purchased a package that included the Afternoon Tea Experience. Our expectations were to have a lavish castle-worthy setting in a ballroom with white linen making for a fancy outing. We even got dressed up, well a bit at least. But ultimately the bland décor in a back building was a bit of a letdown.
It took a while to be seated in the almost empty Tea Room, and the food was good but nothing to write home about. If nothing else, it proved to be a quiet place to sit down in an otherwise buzzing castle filled with high season tourists. We did get to try a vegetarian haggis!
We got out of there just in time for the 1pm gun firing salute which was quite popular. It was difficult to find a good spot to view it from and we ended up on the stairs a good 200ft from the cannon. Even at that distance we jumped at the loud bang when the cannon fired.
Getting a bird’s-eye view of Edinburgh
One of our favorite parts of our visit was the newly opened Ramparts Walk. It starts one level down from the cannon (and it’s closed during the gun firing from 12:15-1:05pm). From along this path, we had some of the nicest views of the castle and the surrounding areas.
Somewhat miraculously, we were alone on the passageways much of the time. We thought that this nice walkway was the best kept secret of the castle!
Finishing up at the Edinburgh Castle we headed into town to explore some of the smaller attractions.
Exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town
Scott Monument
The Scott Monument is a beautiful memorial resembling a church steeple erected in a park off the main strip. A nice place for people to hang out on the grass in a little park adjoining the sunken park which leads to the Scottish National Museum.
St Giles’ Cathedral
Scotland’s most important church, this cathedral is beautiful inside. We were even treated to a live concert going on as part of the Fringe Festival we assumed.
The church was founded by King David I in the 1100s and built in a Romanesque style. It was renovated later in a Gothic style. Be sure to look up at the wonderful stained glass windows and all the beautiful carvings.
Greyfriars Bobby Statue
This little fountain with its dog statue sits on a corner near Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar.
The legend says that the little dog slept every day on his deceased master’s grave and despite the cemetery caretakers trying to chase him away, he persisted. The caretakers finally got used to him and accepted him. He did this for 14 years until his death.
The loyal dog is now buried in the yard of Greyfriars Church. Passersby have rubbed the nose of the statue so many times it gleams.
National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait
Having a little bit of time left before dinner we made our way to the Portrait Gallery mostly to see the frescoes in the entrance hall. Admission was free, but a small donation is appreciated and easy to do with a tap of the phone.
Day 2: Palace of Holyroodhouse
On day two, after another healthy breakfast on the terrace of the W, we walked down the Royal Mile in the opposite direction to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This beautiful royal palace is magnificent. Very much like visiting some of our favorite palaces such as Versailles, Chantilly, or Buckingham, albeit on a smaller scale.
The rooms are wonderfully decorated with tapestries, paintings and époque furniture. The audio guide brings it all to life with nicely narrated introduction by the Royals themselves.
Note the intricate carvings in the wood paneling, the details in the stucco ceilings, and the curtains amongst all the artifacts and paintings.
Exquisite marble tables and works of art adorn the various rooms. The tapestries are amazing, and centuries of history are depicted (and narrated) in the audio guide.
No photos are allowed inside unfortunately as it’s still a working palace and a royal residence to King Charles III. The outer gardens and the adjoining chapel are also beautiful.
Other attractions in Edinburgh
Royal Yacht Britannia
We made a last-minute decision to head over and see the Royal Yacht Britannia. It was about an hour’s walk so we opted to Uber over which was fast and convenient. No problem getting tickets on site at the door fortunately.
The decommissioned yacht is next to the cruise terminal and accessible through the port building.
There is a touching photo of Queen Elizabeth II seemingly wiping a tear at the decommissioning ceremony that moved us. The many photos of her smiling and laughing on the yacht in her youth clearly showed how much she loved it.
The tour takes one through from steerage to the engine room and was both entertaining and informative.
We also enjoyed the lunch in the tearoom on board that is cooked in the ship’s galley. The selection consisted of simple sandwiches, cakes, and fries, but all was delicious.
Later we took another Uber back to the center of town to continue our tour with the Scottish National Gallery.
National Galleries of Scotland: National
With free entry at all the galleries, we made the suggested donation of £5 pounds with just a tap of the phone at the entrance. While optional it goes to help support the museum’s ability to continue to offer visitors free access and allow everyone to have a chance to get to see these masterpieces.
The collection includes Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, and much more. It’s also nice that you can get close enough to see the brush strokes in the paintings (which are behind a clear glass to protect them).
We opted for another pub, to get another fish and chips dinner near the hotel called The Newsroom. A happening venue, we felt lucky to get a table as we were pressed for time with tickets to the tattoo.
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Held at the Edinburgh Castle in a specially made arena, the Royal Tattoo is essentially a military parade with participants from around the world and acts put on by musicians, dancers, and other performers. There is also accompanying fireworks and a projected display on the castle walls.
Tastefully done are the marching bands, and Scottish bagpipes were featured very prominently. Starting at 9:30pm it went for two hours with no intermission and time passed fast with the performance seamlessly going from one act to another.
Where we stayed
With my husband being an elite member at the Marriott, we selected the W property which is ideally situated down the Royal Mile from the castle. Celebrating our wedding anniversary, we splurged on a castle view room.
The classic hotels such as the Intercontinental, the Hilton and the Balmoral are timeless and also well situated but we were well treated at the W by their wonderful staff.
The modern curled-up ribbon design does seem out of place with the historic buildings of Edinburgh making it stand out and easy to recognize in the skyline.
Some may call it an eyesore while others would call it a modern marvel. We were kind of torn but enjoyed the amenities and the location. After all, we would only be in Edinburgh for a few days!
Tips:
- Do get the Explorer Pass to save considerably on entrance fees if you’re planning to visit multiple attractions
- Stay in the city close to the Royal Mile
- Skip the cab and take the express bus or tram from the airport
- Book your tickets in advance
- Bring some layers (yes, even in August)
- Do the ramparts walk at the castle
- If you dare, try the Haggis but at the very least indulge in the Fish and Chips and Scottish Sticky Toffee Pudding
Conclusion
Two days flew by in Edinburgh, and we could have easily stayed longer. The Edinburgh Castle was huge and even having put aside a full day to visit we didn’t get to see all of it in detail because of the crowds and the lines.
That said, we were off to continue our adventure doing some castle hopping and searching for the Loch Ness monster in the next leg of our road trip in the Highlands of Scotland.