Edinburgh: What to know before you go.
Edinburgh only ended up on my “must travel” list within the past year or so. Fortunately, it was perfect timing since we were planning our honeymoon and Cambridge was already on the itinerary! It ended up being my favorite city from the entire trip. I easily could have spent a whole week there, but we made do with 3 days instead. Between the mix of historical and modern architecture, the food, pubs, friendly people, and of course the fact that it’s haunted… I had a suspicion that it would end up being my favorite.
The city itself has quite the history, which includes some good, some bad, some ugly, and some uglier. But all in all, it gives it more character, and honestly, that’s probably what drew me to it the most; besides the fact that it holds TONS of inspiration for the Harry Potter books (more on that later). Despite its history being dark and immensely intriguing, I will not be giving you a whole history lesson on Edinburgh. BUT, I will add some interesting facts as I provide go through my Edinburgh travel tips.
I only pre-purchased tickets for two activities, both of which absolutely needed to be purchased in advance to guarantee us a spot. We found other things to do along the way and made reservations the day of or the day before with no problem. I’ll also let you know now that we did not tour Edinburgh Castle (I know…we’re the worst). I’m not sure if I regret skipping it this time around or not because we did have a perfect time regardless. But I would love to make it back over to see it, I’ve heard nothing but great things about it!
What I wore
I am very pleased to report that Edinburgh is quite casual, I dressed comfortably the whole time and never felt like I stuck out as a tourist, which can be the case in other parts of Europe. Although I still wouldn’t recommend running around in baggy sweatpants, I did see a little bit of everything while we were out and about. We were there in early May and the weather would switch from partly sunny, to dark and raining in a blink of an eye. I brought my raincoat with me on both of the days we were exploring the city. The temperatures ranged from low 40s°F to what felt like upper 60s°F maybe even low 70s, (that’s 6°C-20°C) I even took my coat off at a few points during the day when the sun was out. That being said, it was pretty wet most of the time, even while the sun was out, so I wouldn’t recommend wearing your best shoes. From what I brought in my backpack this is why I ended up wearing it in Edinburgh:
- High Waisted Blue Jeans
- Black Skinny Jeans
- Plain White T-Shirt
- Black Turtle Neck
- White Tennis Shoes
- Jean Jacket
- Rain Coat
- A black cross-body purse
I kept it super simple. I’m a big overthinker when it comes to clothes because I’ve been trying to figure out if I have a sense of style since I was 13 (pretty sure I don’t). So I kind of loved just living out of a backpack and what I had was what I had, it took some of the pressure off. In this situation, less was more for me!
Where we stayed
We rented an Airbnb in Musselburgh, a larger settlement in East Lothian, a 7-minute train ride from Edinburg. Full disclosure, I chose this Airbnb because it was cheaper than most others, not factoring in the cost of transportation and the time it would take to get to and from the city. Although it was a cute spot and our host was wonderful, I recommend finding Edinburgh accommodations in the city for greater convenience.
Transportation
We downloaded the Trainline App to manage times and tickets. The earliest train is usually around 6:30 a.m. and the last is usually just before midnight. Always verify the final train time in advance, especially if you plan on being in the city late. The train times can vary, so it may not be the same as the day before.
The tickets were $3.73 each one way in U.S. dollars, and you can purchase them from a kiosk right on the platform, or right on the app.
Calton Hill
On our first full day in Edinburgh, we explored the city from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Our feet were exhausted but our memory banks overflowed with new experiences Calton Hill was our very first adventure in Edinburgh.
Located at the end of Prince Street, just a few minutes from the Edinburgh Waverley Train Station, it’s about a 5-minute walk up to the top of the hill. It’s free to visit and open all day every day, although we walked through in the late morning, I’ve heard the view is even more fantastic come sunset.
Calton Hill has a pretty interesting history, just like the city it resides in. Back in the 1500’s the hill held a hospital for lepards to provide a place of isolation. It was illegal for patients to leave or even open the gate while the sun was up; those who attempted were executed. Later it was home to the notorious Calton Jail. It also inspired artist Robert Barker to create the first panorama which introduced the world to a more immersive art style.
The hill holds many historical monuments and one of the best views of the city! Here, you get to see the artistic collision of modern Edinburgh and timeless Edinburgh. I recommend walking around the edge of the hill to see the city from all different angles. The most notable structure is the unfinished National Monument of Scotland, it was meant to be a replica of the Parthenon in Athens to honor those who died in the Napoleonic war. From what I’ve read, they ran out of funds in the 1800s and no plans to finish it have ever been picked up. Regardless of not being complete, it attracts admirers from all around the globe. You can also view the Nelson Monument along with the City Observatory!
Harry Potter Sites
Having been a Potterhead since I was 9 and a loyal Gryffindor since Pottermore informed me that was my house back in 2011, we made a point to stop at various spots throughout Edinburgh that are said to have inspired J.K. Rowling’s storytelling.
We first visited Victoria Street which curves through the Grassmarket area. Its narrow cobblestone road is lined with brightly colored shop and cafe doors that give it a quirky and whimsical character. It is said to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley.
Before our haunted tour, more on that later, we wandered around Greyfriars Kirkyard. Here, we went headstone hunting, searching for names related to some beloved characters.
We located Anne and Rober Potter, William McGonagall, Thomas Riddell, and Elizabeth Moodie. Although we found a grave marker for Charles Black, there was said to be a marker for Sirius Black and one point. We found the tomb with the empty plate holder (someone had written ‘Sirius Black’ at the top), but we were told the actual plate had been stolen. If true, it’s very unfortunate. The marker inspired the name of the infamous Black family member we all adore, but it wasn’t actually him. It was laid there in loving memory of someone, and he didn’t deserve to have his grave vandalized.
The last Harry Potter-themed stop we made was to The Department of Magic. Two experiences are offered here, an escape room and a magic potions tavern (which has alcoholic and nonalcoholic options). We specifically went for the magic potions tavern, since I am not a fan of escape rooms personally. You will need to make a reservation in advance for either activity.
If you’ve seen any videos on social media of drinks changing colors, smoking, or sparkling, it was probably from a tavern like this one. Upon being seated, a menu will be brought to you with your drink selections. Once you’ve ordered, all the ingredients will be brought out for you to make your “potion”. There will be instructions included. Some simply tell you to mix one beaker with another, some to inject syringes into your glass, while others require you to jump up and down or pinch your neighbor.
It was quite enjoyable and I highly recommend adding it to your Edinburgh itinerary. The decor is what you would imagine in a Diagon Ally bar. The staff stay in character the entire time and are very theatrical. The Department of Magic delivers an experience that will make any muggle’s Harry Potter dreams come true!
City of the Dead Tour
After learning that Edinburgh has a reputation of being haunted and our time there would include Friday the 13th, I knew we’d have to book a ghost tour stat! I spent a good chunk of time researching the various ghost tour companies ( since there are quite a few to choose from). Some are a bit more theatrical, some bring a comic twist and some are family-friendly. I knew I wanted our tour to be legitimately spooky, rooted in history so we’d also learn as we go, and ideally not allow small children. These factors are what brought me to City of the Dead Tours. For €19 each we chose to do the Double Dead Walking Tour, which took us through the South Bridge Vaults and the Greyfriars Kirkyard. When purchasing the tickets there is a warning on the site that the tour can cause actual mental and physical distress. According to a few stories I read online, people have walked away from this tour with unexplainable bruises, scratches, and other superficial injuries. Some have also experienced nightmares or upsetting thoughts. This is when I knew I had found the real deal of tours, and it did not disappoint.
We met in front of the St. Giles Cathedral, there was a group of about 15 of us from all across the world with only one known thing in common, we came to invoke fear within ourselves and feed our dark curiosities. Our fearless leader wore an all-black ensemble, sporting a trench coat, fishnets, and the standard goth motorcycle boots. To finish the look she rocked a dark smoky eye, that’s how I knew we were really in for it.
We were led through the pitch-black narrow alleyways that reside under the city. Stories of hardship, murder, and the supernatural were shared here, causing the hairs on the back of my neck freeze in the upright position the entire time. Once we made our way through the network of tunnels, back out into the moonlit streets, we were given a proper tour of Greyfriars Kirkyard. I looked at it in a whole new light (or darkness) than I had earlier after I learned what had occurred there.
What made this tour so chilling wasn’t any extra theatrics, no one popped out at us, and our tour guide didn’t use a purposely ominous voice. She gave the facts, and the truth in itself is scary enough. Paired with the looming feeling of being watched in the completely dark tunnels, and the negative energy felt in certain areas of the kirkyard, I am fully convinced the city is truly haunted.
Final Thoughts
This city offers more than just the experiences I shared in this post. Some honorable mentions that I did not go over in detail are Arthur’s Seat, a 2.7-mile hill walk that leads you to a gorgeous, towering view of Edinburgh. Also, ‘The Alchemist’, a unique and immersive restaurant and cocktail bar. Not only do you get to be your own mixologist, (similar to the Department of Magic) but the food was amazing.
This city contains so much to see and do, I recommend giving yourself more than just two days like we did. We had to find a balance between seeing as much as possible, and still allowing ourselves to savor the wonders of this city. By the end our feet were exhausted but our memory banks overflowed with new experiences. If you have been in search of a place that combines a strong sense of history, notes of mystery, and a touch of magic, Edinburgh is for you!
