Have you spent 48 hours in Edinburgh before? If you are thinking about it, then keep reading. A summer ago a few of us got together and did just that. We spent a fun 48 hours around the Summer Bank Holiday exploring the streets of Edinburgh. This landmarked City of Scotland holds so much history. Perfect for a girl’s weekend away, solo adventure or a family trip.
Accommodation:
Edinburgh is a hot spot for tourists visiting Scotland. Therefore accommodation can sometimes be hard to acquire especially during the festive periods. However, we managed to book a great Airbnb in Haymarket which had direct links into the main city centre. You will find the Airbnb’s are usually converted townhouses into flats of 1-2 beds. These are adorned with high ceilings and Georgian style windows overlooking the cobbled streets. There are also many hotels dotted around as well as B & B’s so perfect for any price range.
Transport:
We flew into Edinburgh Airport and used the local tram to get us into Haymarket. The simplicity of transport links within the city was a surprise for me as everything was easy to get to. It is a 20-minute walk from Haymarket straight into Princes Street which is the hub of the City Centre. There are regular trams which are also cheap on the pocket that take you through. These are easy to access with many drop – pick up points along the way. As we were there for 48 hours we did a lot of walking with a few uses of the tram in the evening.
Food:
As with any city food is a big thing! Over the last few years there has been an increase in restaurants catering for the halal consumer. Below are a few restaurants that are not to miss.
If you want a fine dining barbeque experience, then Fazenda is the place to go. Make sure you book beforehand as it is very popular.
Rustom is a fabulous Indian restaurant on Grosvenor Street, you will even find the famous Dishoom in the city centre. However, if you are fancying some Middle Eastern food. Then make sure to head down to Hanam’s, the perfect spot to get your hands on some Kurdish food.
If you are after some Afternoon Tea, then make sure to book some time at The Dome. It was the first time I had the experience of Afternoon Tea, but it was worth it. The Georgian Tea Room was stunning, and the food was magnificent.
Shopping:
Edinburgh is like any city, so shopping is a prime asset to its central location.
If you want to spend some time shopping, then definitely look at Princes Street. Here you will find every shop from Primark to Kiko. There is also a retail mall – Multrees Walk. This mall holds all the designer stores in one place making elite shopping easily accessible.
Wanting to shop locally, then take a walk down the Royal Mile. You will find Scottish goods sourced locally as well as the many tourist shops perfect for gift buying.
A must purchase that is the Scottish Tablet, a buttery fudge like confectionary. Also not forgetting their woollen and tartan goods from scarfs to cosy blankets.
Places to Visit:
In 48hrs what can you visit? To start off we did a lot of walking. So do pack your comfy shoes. As everything is in close proximity, you can explore different landmarks throughout the day. Dotted along the high street are local cafés or parks.
One Day one:
We left our apartment in Haymarket and trekked it down to Princes Street. Here you can stop at the Scottish National Museum. Opposite it is the Scott Monument – a Victorian gothic monument dedicated to the author Sir Walter Scott. This gothic landmark towers over the high street.
Carry on walking further up Princes Street and you will reach Calton Hill. After a short climb to the top of the hill, you will find the famous observatory. Around the Observatory there are many other famous monuments. If you want a breath-taking view of Edinburgh without hiking to the top of Arthur’s Chair. Then Calton Hill is a perfect candidate. On one side you can see as far as the sea whilst in the opposite direction is the cityscape. Do check the timing of the observatory as we missed it by a few minutes. However it is a great place to visit with kids.
On Day Two:
We decided to walk to the Royal Mile. There are two routes you can take to explore this area. Firstly you can start at the top with a visit to the historic Edinburgh Castle. Secondly you can take the midway point and travel south along the old city’s shops. Here you will find mainly tourist and Scottish own makes.
During the festive seasons this entire street will be overtaken with hustle and bustle. Going south from the bottom of the Royal Mile you can circle towards the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Walk past the Scottish Parliament Building which is striking in modern architecture sitting below Arthur’s Seat. Nearby you will be able to view Queen Mary’s Bath House, as it sits on the gate way of Holyrood Abbey. Taking this route, you will end up looping back at the bottom of Calton Hill and then Princes Street.
This was only a glance of what you can achieve in 48 hours. However Edinburgh is a place to discover as you have a vast number of museums. There is also a highly rated Royal Botanical Garden which was something we couldn’t fit into this trip but will be on my list for next time.
If you would like to find out more about my travel guides take a look at thatch.co.