Edinburgh-Yes, I ate Haggas
Someone’s having a bad day
💬 First Impressions
Edinburgh is a beautiful city. It could be a sliver of Ireland that somehow got cut off and sent adrift — which is likely what happened back in the last ice age or something.
Green, hilly, a great combo of old and new, and home to some of the pubbiest pubs in all of Europe.
The place is wet — I think it’s wet all year. It has that mossy, damp feel that somehow adds to the whole Dark Shadows / Harry Potter vibe. And honestly? It works. After a few thousand years, nobody’s in a hurry to change Edinburgh’s image — and good for them.
I love the vibe here. The pubs are packed, the food’s fine, and the tourist stuff runs deep. The people are EPICALLY nice — top 2–3 in Europe, easy. Like a 9+ on the niceness scale.
Really enjoyed this trip and will definitely go back — haggis and all.
Poor Elizabeth-she’s lost her head
🛏️ Where We Stayed
Our hotel was perfectly placed — right on the edge of everything without being in it. Ten-minute walk ➜ and you were right in the middle of it all.
Great breakfast (not by accident), comfy rooms, and massages (ding ding ding). Bonus: right across from the Old Calton Hill Burial Ground, where David Hume and others are in eternal rest.
Hume-Still doubting everything.
⚡ Buzz Factor
Edinburgh doesn’t really buzz — it just is.
Never in a rush, never trying too hard. It’s got that quiet confidence of an old, beautiful city that just says, “Here I am — love me.”
As cold as it gets outside, this place was clearly built for the inside — pubs, fireplaces, cozy corners, warm chatter.
Tourist central is smaller than you’d think. One end of the Royal Mile ➜ the old castle. The other ➜ the palace.
So you get really old on one side and regular old on the other.
Between them sits St. Giles’ Church — a stunning architectural gem, free to enter and worth ten times that.
🗺️ Things to Do
We stayed central, hit the highlights, and found a few standouts:
🍴 Walking Food Tour ➜ One of the best we’ve ever done. Sampled member-only whisky from a private club, tried haggis (after a couple of strong drinks), and hit several fun bars. Full-meal experience — count it as dinner. Long walk across both sides of the city but worth every step.
🏰 Edinburgh Castle ➜ Lots of original history still intact, plus a nice little museum. Dramatically perched at the end of the Royal Mile — a must-see.
🚶 Cheap Walking Tour ➜ €5 (about six bucks). Picked it up off the street — total bargain. Great “underbelly” view of the city.
🕳️ Underground Vaults Tour ➜ Fantastic. A deep dive into Edinburgh’s seedy past — creepy, cool, and completely worth it.
🏛️ Royal Palace ➜ Another palace. We admired it from outside and moved on.
🍰 Mimi’s Tea Room ➜ Famous for cakes — and rightfully so. Proper tea-and-cake moment in a cozy, very Scottish setting.
🌄 Scottish National Monument ➜ Nice views, big park — not a must-do, but a good walk if you’ve got extra time.
🚖 Getting Around
We Ubered in from the airport ➜ easy.
The city has a central tram / bus / train station, but honestly, you’ll walk everywhere. Most of the good stuff is right on or near the Royal Mile — or spilling down the slopes on either side.
About as traditional as it gets-World’s End!
🍽️ The Bite Test
We found two spots worth the calories:
🍝 Amarone ➜ Excellent Italian, good prices, classy atmosphere. One of our favorite out-of-town Italian spots.
🍺 World’s End Pub ➜ Warm, authentic Scottish food (I had the fish & chips), great beer list, friendly crowd. Solid pick all around.
And of course, a bit of street food and a few random walk-ins — hit or miss, but part of the fun.
💭 Final Thoughts
We missed plenty — it was just a long weekend. But I’ll definitely be back.
If you go, hike Arthur’s Seat — the view overlooks the entire city. We ran out of time, but it’s top of the list for next visit.
Aing. 🎶
