Contrary to popular American belief, Edinburgh is in Scotland which is NOT England (but it’s still the United Kingdom - read this wikipedia article for further clarification).
I freaking loved Edinburgh. Which is saying something because it took me three separate trains, one three-hour coach ride, and lots of sitting around train stations to get there. At least I got some good reading done on the journey.
My hostel was right across the street from the castle which boasted this impressive view:
The city is packed with history and arts and culture and you can genuinely hear bagpipes as you walk down the street - just what you’d expect. On Saturday when I arrived there was a wedding going on at the castle so I got to see several men in kilts making their way down the Royal Mile (the street that stretches from the Queen’s palace in Scotland to the castle) - a special treat.
People in Edinburgh were unbelievably friendly, even if I couldn’t understand them through their Scottish accents. The whole weekend was a whirlwind of new friends, hiking up mountains and hills, Scottish whisky, and tartan print. So I’ll just offer you a series of pictures:
(Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood park - literally straight uphill for miles but with views well worth it)
(An oddly Parthenon-looking monument on Calton Hill)
Things you should definitely do if you’re ever in Edinburgh:
+ Eat haggis at a pub in Old Town - I had already had the, um, pleasure of experiencing haggis whilst in France and did not feel the need to do it again but if you’re in Scotland you have to at least try it. And soaking in the classic vibes of the pubs in Old Town will make you feel like a proper Scotsman. The Grassmarket area has tons of famous old pubs, any will do. I particularly enjoyed Maggie Dicksons.
+ Eat at a hip local eatery in New Town. I went to the Rosehip and it was and superb, but great local restaurants are all over New Town.
+ Drink whisky literally anywhere and everywhere.
+Hit up the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art for a change of pace from all the other museums that you’ve been to in Europe that boast super old paintings.
+Take a free walking tour. There are many offered but I went on one offered through New Europe. These are a great [free] way to learn a lot about the history behind Edinburgh.
(Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art - Reads: Everything is Going to be Alright)
Things not to do if you’re ever in Edinburgh:
+ Wear plaid. I wore a flannel on the second day I was there and got mistaken for a local three times.
