If you are one of those who love traveling to ancient cities, then among all European cities, Edinburgh will certainly capture your imagination, as it is a city that combines tradition, Scottish authenticity, and the modernity of the present with the splendor and beauty of picturesque nature.
It looks like a city in ancient novels, with its streets extending as far as your imagination. Most of these streets are paved with stones, and green hills surround the city as far as the eye can see, while it is guarded by luxurious castles and palaces.
What caught my attention most was its friendly residents, who welcomed every visitor to the city. There is no racism or hatred for strangers. You will only find a warm reception and the kind smiles they distribute to every passerby in the city!
I spent years dreaming of that moment when I would visit Edinburgh in search of stories of the past, warm cafes, and historical palaces and castles embraced by the picturesque nature there. My first feeling upon arrival is that Edinburgh is a city that is seen before it is understood!
Edinburgh stage
As soon as you set foot in the old city of Edinburgh, you will have the feeling that you are standing on the stage of a historical theater extending as far as the eye can see. Its narrow streets are paved with black stones and its tall buildings are built with dark stones, giving them a solemnity that you rarely find in any other European city. This composition is like the decoration of a classic novel with multiple chapters and stories.
Edinburgh is 4 hours and 30 minutes away from London by train and 6 hours and 30 minutes away by car, making it an ideal trip during which you can explore several English cities.
If you are a fan of quick trips, please take your time because Edinburgh is a city that resembles coffee, which you cannot drink in a hurry. Likewise, you cannot visit it in a hurry, as it is a charming city with all its details that cannot be tired of its atmosphere. It has a special charm in the winter, just as it has its splendor in the spring and summer.
Edinburgh Castle is a symbol of the city
Edinburgh is distinguished by its many tourist attractions, the most prominent of which is Edinburgh Castle. It occupies a distinctive location revealing all of the old city, and we can reach it on foot uphill, so be prepared and take a long breath to start your journey from there.
The castle is located on top of an extinct volcanic hill and is the first symbol of the city. Inside it displays valuable weapons and the Royal Crown of Scotland. To begin your tour inside, all you have to do is book a visit time online so that you do not have to wait in the endless queues for visitors to the place.
Above that hill, you can see as far as the eye can see old Edinburgh and modern Edinburgh in a picturesque view, embracing the green plains and blue sea waters, which you will not see clearly unless the weather is clear, which is rare, as fog inhabits the city most months of the year!
The oboe is the pride of Scotland
After I finished visiting the castle, I wandered through the old streets surrounding it, and found the sound of bagpipes penetrating the air as if it were the soundtrack to our tour.
This instrument is considered a Scottish national symbol. You will certainly hear its sound everywhere, as the players always roam the streets of the city playing old pieces for the tourists who gather around the player to take pictures and record videos of him. The players wear the famous Scottish uniform consisting of a short woolen skirt patterned with checks called a “kilt.” He also wears a dark black wool jacket, usually a white shirt, leather shoes, and a hat, which is decorated with a feather or badge, showing his or her military rank. His affiliation to a clan or group.
Royal Mail…the most famous street
While wandering through the streets of the Old City, I reached the Royal Mile, which is the most famous street in Edinburgh, because of its historical peculiarity, as it combines palaces, shops, museums, and restaurants in a long, extended line that connects the street exactly one mile long between Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Palace.
The Royal Mill is the most suitable place for walking around and shopping, and it also attracts tourists who love exploring, and you can enjoy a hot cup of coffee there to break the cold weather while walking.
When you walk on this street, you will feel that you are moving inside a time machine. On the right, you will see shops selling the famous English wool that was woven to suit the frigid climate of Scotland.
To the left of Royal Mill Street are huge halls frequented by kings, writers, and philosophers throughout the ages, and beneath them are corridors that were used years ago as bars and shops for craftsmen. Over time, these basements turned into homes for the poor and destitute and became random. Some of them turned into brothels and were infested with diseases and criminal hotspots. Over time, they were closed until they were discovered in 1985 during a chance excavation, and today this part of the city is open for public visitation.
The construction of this street dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was paved with gravel and surrounded by a wall called the Flodden Wall. Few parts of this wall still exist today, and tourists take souvenir photos there.
5 other streets branch off from Royal Mill Street: Canongate, Castle Hill, Abbey Strand, Lyn Market and High Street, all of which are full of famous shops, cafes and libraries. The people of Scotland were known for their fondness for libraries and their love of reading and coffee.
Because Edinburgh is a city that you cannot explore unless you walk through its streets as if you were walking through time, I had to visit another famous street, which was recently classified as the most beautiful street in the United Kingdom, which is Circus Lane, which was built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as part of the city in the Stockbridge area. It is a curved street and is distinguished by its heritage architecture surrounded by trees and flowers. Due to its beauty, it has become a destination for many tourists and photography enthusiasts. Souvenir photos.
The most popular coffee
As I continued my journey in the city, I stopped for a break at “The Milkman”, which is one of the oldest cafes in Edinburgh, and which has become a “trend” these days due to its presence in the historic Cockburn Street, close to all the shops and other tourist attractions, and close to the castle, the Royal Mill Street, and the National Museum of Edinburgh.
This café has a story that began with an idea from its owner that was new at the time. He thought of creating a service to deliver fresh milk manually by horse. The idea and project developed over time over the years to turn into one of the most popular cafés in Edinburgh, and a destination for philosophers, thinkers, and writers.
Over time, the café turned into a desirable destination for all tourists coming from all over the world, as the shop offers all types of coffee that suit all tastes, and it is always crowded. If you find a quiet place to sit and enjoy drinking your favorite coffee, then you are definitely lucky.
When I finished enjoying “The Milkman” coffee, I returned to the historic heart of the city, and passed through Victoria Street, which is a curved street with colorful multi-storey buildings and many shops, but tourists always go to visit a special store dedicated to the characters of the famous Harry Potter films, where they buy souvenirs.
St. Giles’ Mother Church
This street is considered one of the most attractive streets for tourists in Edinburgh, and through it you can complete the tour by walking to the other end, where the road leads to St. Giles Cathedral, which is considered the mother church of Scotland and is located in the middle of the old city.
Do not miss the opportunity to visit the cathedral and take stunning photos of one of the oldest churches in the world, as its history extends back 900 years since it was established as a Roman church in 1124, and in the past it was considered a center for religious reform and guidance in Scotland.
Among the most attractive places for tourists in Edinburgh, Dean Village is considered a major destination due to its proximity to the city center, as it is a 20-minute walk away, or a 5-minute bus ride that you can take from Princes Street to Dean Bridge Street, and from there you start walking towards the charming small village located next to the River Leith.
“Deen” is an ideal destination for those looking for the beauty of nature and the authenticity of history. It is a wonderful place for walking, where visitors to the village enjoy the sound of the roaring water flowing through waterfalls, mixed with the sound of birds chirping and the rustle of majestic trees.
Tourists flock to the famous village bridge to take pictures, then continue walking on the river bank, which leads us to the village’s ancient, narrow streets and alleys, which were built with stones on the banks of the river.
Along the road, seating areas have been allocated for those who want to enjoy the atmosphere, and you will find many Scots sitting reading their favorite book and drinking coffee, while others are running on the banks of the river, which seems to be their daily habit, as there is no sound there except the sound of nature, birds, trees, water, squirrels and a quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of the modern city.
Princes Park
From the village of Dean, we head to the Princes’ Park in central Edinburgh. Entrance to it is free, but in some months of the year for celebrations and holidays, it may require booking tickets for the events that take place inside the park, the prices of which are nominal and suitable for everyone.
The park was created by draining Lake Nor Loch, which was an ancient swamp used as part of the defenses of Edinburgh Castle overlooking it, and there all the city’s events are held on all occasions, especially New Year’s celebrations and holidays.
Inside the park is the Ross Fountain, which was displayed for the first time at the Great London Exhibition in 1862. It is one of the oldest fountains in the city and one that tourists are keen to take pictures of. In the background we see Edinburgh Castle towering over the hill.
If you continue your walk towards the city centre, you will pass the National Gallery of Scotland, where you can see the Flower Clock, which is the oldest clock in Scotland.
Walter Scott Tower
When you continue walking along the park, you will see one of the most famous landmarks in Scotland. It is the monument that commemorates the writer and poet Sir Walter Scott, one of the figures of Scottish literature. The monument was built in the Gothic style in 1840, and includes statues of characters from Scott’s novels. The height of this landmark is 61 meters, and it has a staircase of 287 steps leading to the top, where visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. At the base of the tower is placed a marble statue of Scott and his dog.
This memorial is one of the largest monuments dedicated to a writer in the world.
From the monument, you can head to Calton Hill, which gives you the best panoramic view of all of Edinburgh, from which you can see the sea. It is preferable to visit the hill at sunset, which is the golden hour when all visitors are keen to come to take souvenir photos, as the sun shows its last light before it sets.
Weather in Edinburgh
The city is characterized by its somewhat moderate weather compared to the rest of the northern cities, which is mostly cold most of the time.
In winter, average temperatures range from 1 to 7 degrees Celsius, and you should expect rain all the time, even if the sun is shining in the middle of the sky, so it is best to bring a rainproof coat in the summer, and a warm, rainproof coat in the winter.
In summer, the weather tends to be warm, with average summer temperatures ranging from 15 to 19 degrees. For Arab visitors, this is warm weather tending to cold, so do not travel without a coat. On rare occasions, temperatures may reach 25 degrees, and this happens at the height of summer between the months of July and August.
As for the best times to visit this charming city, the period between April and September is considered the golden period for the city’s weather, and the spring season is the least crowded, so it is an ideal opportunity to explore the city in peace.
Scottish cuisine
Scotland in general, and Edinburgh in particular, is a city full of details and stories that have not yet been told, and Scottish cuisine is one of those neglected stories, so do not go to Edinburgh without trying the taste of Scottish salmon, which is one of the most famous dishes spread in the city’s restaurants, and also Scottish lentil soup, which they serve with brown bread, and is very similar to the taste of Arabic soup. You can also try grilled meat in the country style, and its smoked flavor is very similar to Bedouin kitchens.
You may get a little confused while trying to choose the right restaurant due to the large number and variety of restaurants there that provide choices for all tastes. There are also many Arabic restaurants in the city center and most of the prices are affordable for everyone.
Edinburgh is not just a city, but rather an experience worth living its atmosphere and testing your sense of it. It is a city of legends and stories, where the past harmonizes with living with the present, and every step you take inside the city seems as if you are browsing an old historical book, as every alley resembles a long line of heritage told in stones.
It is definitely a city that will amaze you. If you visit it once, you will no longer be a passing tourist, but rather you will become part of the story.