After leaving Belfast, I made my way up north to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. This city was absolutely magical! Its architecture was beautiful, and the atmosphere was just so whimsical. I loved everything about it.
In Edinburgh, I stayed at a hostel, which worked out quite well. It was directly in the city center, so I was in walking distance to everything. After getting settled in my hostel on the first night, I had two full days in Edinburgh. I started out by exploring the center of the city and walking along the Royal Mile, a popular street with numerous shops, restaurants and cafes on it.
The Edinburgh Castle was right outside my hostel and is the centerpiece of the city. It sits upon Castle Rock, the remains of a dormant volcano. The castle was constructed in the 12th century and and welcomes over one million visitors every year. I walked along the outside of it, and saw how it overlooked all of Edinburgh.
The city of Edinburgh seen from the castle
After visiting the Edinburgh castle, I walked down the Royal Mile, a street full of shops, street performers, pubs, and churches.
The Royal Mile
One place that I had to stop along this road was St. Giles' Cathedral. The steeple is one of the icons of Edinburgh and the ceiling of the nave is a brilliant blue. Today it is the main church of Edinburgh and it is free to visit, although donations are welcome.
St. Giles' Cathedral
My next point of exploration was Arthur's Seat. This large, grass covered hill that is the remains of an extinct volcano that erupted 350 million years ago is located in Holyrood Park. It is a short, strenuous hike to the summit but it is definitely worth it. The views of Edinburgh from this vantage point are amazing.
Not far from Arthur's Seat is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh and the home of Scottish royal history.
Fan of feeline friends? You're in luck because Edinburgh also has a cat cafe: Maison de Moggy. After climbing Arthur's Seat, I had a midday snack here, with some cats as company. Note that you have to make a reservation beforehand for your hour time slot.
The cats of Maison de Moggy
After the cat cafe, I continued my tour of Edinburgh. I visited the Scott Monument, an iconic landmark of this city. It is dedicated to the author Sir Walter Scott. If you climb up this monument, you can enjoy a bird's eye view of Edinburgh.
From the Scott Monument, I walked to Calton Hill, one of Edinburgh's main hills that is in the city center. It's pretty quiet on any day, and offers panoramic views of the city.
Also situated on Calton Hill is an unfinished acropolis. It was meant to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens as a memorial to those who had died in the Napoleonic Wars, but it was never completed after the start of its construction in 1822. Still, it's a lot of fun crawling up and down its giant steps.
Another must-see in Edinburgh is Dean's Village. Dean's Village is a small residential area in Edinburgh. It's quiet, charming, and off the beaten-path. I went here for a nice walk to end my day of touring the city.
If you're a fan of Harry Potter, consider the free Harry Potter walking tour. I did this the next day, and I was not disappointed. The Potter Tour covers most of the Old Town of Edinburgh. During the tour, you will see many sights that served as inspiration for scenes, settings, and characters in the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling wrote the majority of the Harry Potter series in Edinburgh, so you will also see the two cafes and hotel where she wrote the books.
This school, George Heriot's School, inspired JK Rowling to create the houses in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This school, like many other schools in Scotland and Great Britain, divides the students in different houses. Of course, the houses in these schools do not divide their students based on their different personalities, but based on their different classes and cohorts.
On the tour, you will visit a cemetery that inspired JK Rowling for different characters in the series, like Professor McGonagall and Tom Riddle.
This is a nice clothing store that used to be a joke shop that inspired the joke shop in Harry Potter. Evidently, it still has the same decor as the joke shop on the exterior.
This street in Edinburgh, Victoria Street, was the inspiration for Diagon Alley.
After the Harry Potter Tour, my last stop in Edinburgh was the National Museum of Scotland, which is actually free for entry. The museum has a wide variety of exhibits, from fashion, to science and technology, to animals, to Scottish history, and modern art. You will definitely not be disappointed if you stop by here.
The National Museum of Scotland
Different exhibitions on fashion, Formula 1 racing, and the Pacific Island culture
So, there you have it! Those were my two days spent in Edinburgh. Like I said, Edinburgh was beautiful and is filled with ruggedness, charm, as well as many cashmere and lambswool stores. If you have more time than me here, I would recommend visiting the Highlands or Loch Ness.
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