Over our three days in Edinburgh, we had a wonderful mix of included tours, optional tours, and free time. So, we took full advantage of the beautiful weather and explored lots of the city.
Random Weird Stuff:
Our cover photo is taken from the upper levels of Edinburgh Castle. Off in the distance is the Firth of Forth. A firth is an estuary and in this case is where the River Forth meets the North Sea.
Edinburgh City Tour
On our first day, we took a short driving tour of Edinburgh, which, although we didn’t stop at many places, gave us a good lay of the land and helped us decide on places we wanted to explore further.
We toured the old city, saw some impressive old architecture, passed the Scottish Parliament, which is strikingly modern, and passed the incredible buildings on Princess Street, as well as the Wellington Monument. We also learned about a few historic pubs.
Because Everybody Loves A Good Pub Story
Here are two pub stories we learned about on our city tour. If you want a third pub story, check out our Eating in Edinburgh blog to learn about No.1 High Street.
Deacon Brodie’s Tavern
This historic pub on the Royal Mile is named after William Brodie, who was a woodworker and cabinet maker by day and a burglar by night. He is said to have inspired the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Robert Louis Stevenson’s book. The pub itself dates back to 1806.
World’s End Tavern
This pub’s 16th-century building is part of Edinburgh’s Flodden Wall, which formed the city’s original boundary. The gate was right outside the taverns. The name comes from the idea that everything outside of that gate and wall was “another world’ thus the idea that the pub was at the world’s end.
New Calton Burial Ground
This burial ground was created between 1817 and 1820 because of a construction project near the Old Calton Burial Ground. Bodies were carefully identified and moved, which creates an odd situation where stones there predate the cemetery.
The burial grounds sit high up on a south-facing cliff overlooking the old town, Holyrood Palace, and Arthur’s Seat —an extinct volcano situated in the hills beyond Holyrood Palace.
One of the most notable features is the watchtower built in the upper corner near the entrance. It was built to protect against graverobbing as a large number of Edinburgh’s prominent citizens are buried there.
Edinburgh Castle
After our city tour, we headed to Edinburgh Castle. It’s nearly impossible to describe, and you could easily spend an entire day there.
You can see the castle from some rooms in our hotel (not ours), but the views looking up as we made our way from the hotel to the Royal Mile were awesome.
The castle stands on what is known as Castle Rock. It is believed the land has been inhabited since the Iron Age (1200-550B.C.) and there has been a royal castle there since the 11th century. Later, it was used as a military garrison. The restoration of this prominent landmark in Scottish history is spectacular.
The Great Hall
The Great Hall is impressive. Completed in 1511 for King James IV, it’s known for its original hammerbeam ceiling, grand fireplace, and collections of armor. It hosted grand banquets and State events, and at one point was converted into soldiers’ barracks.
St Margaret’s Chapel
St. Margaret’s Chapel is the oldest building in Edinburgh Castle. Built around 1130, it was likely part of a large stone tower. It was named for the saintly Queen Margaret, who lived in the castle in the late 1000s, and we loved the incredible stained glass.
Argyle Battery
Off to one side of the complex is the Argyle Battery. It is a six-gun artillery battery installed in the 1730s. Facing downtown Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth, the views are magnificent.
The Dog Cemetery
Just below the battery, you’ll find a beautifully manicured cemetery. Beginning in the 1849s, this cemetery has been dedicated to the dogs of soldiers whose regiments were stationed at the castle.
This immense castle complex is filled with magnificent stone structures spanning its long history, ranging from prisons to palaces and museums to honor some of Scotland’s most famous Royal Regiments.
Be sure to give yourself plenty of time.
The Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is the nickname for a historic thoroughfare in Edinburgh, running from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace.
It’s a crazy mix of incredible architecture, historic Closes (little side alleys), shops selling everything Scottish from woolens to Whisky and everything in between. There are pubs, galleries, and street performers of every kind.
We expected to see bagpipers. And, yes, Amazing Grace was a special request.
But who knew we’d see a guy sitting with his poodle while playing “Hava Nagila” on an electric violin?
Random Weird Stuff:
That’s not the strangest thing we saw. But you’ll have to wait for our next blog post. It’s so random, it gets its own blog post!
St. Giles’ Cathedral
High St,
Edinburgh, EH1 1RE
St. Giles’ Cathedral or The High Kirk of Edinburgh plays a massive part in Scotland’s history. Founded in 1124 by either King Alexander I (who died that year) or his brother King David II, who succeeded him, it has been a working church for over 900 years.
It’s best known as John Knox’s parish during the Scottish Reformation. It also hosts services for the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.
A suggested donation of £6.00 is requested for admission. Guided Walking Tours are offered at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM daily, lasting approximately 45 minutes. They fill up quickly, so consider booking in advance on their website.
They also offer an Audio Tour for £5.50, which you can download to your smartphone (they recommend using headphones). You can book this online or at the front desk, and it is available in English and German.
The church is well known for its stained glass windows, which depict scenes from the Old Testament as well as famous Scots from its long and complex history.
Tron Kirk Market
22 High Street
Edinburgh EH1 1SG
Tron Kirk Market, also known as Makers Market, is situated on the Royal Mile in a former parish church built in the 17th century, which was closed as a church in 1952.
We wandered in to find artists and designers from all over Scotland, about twenty in total, all members of the Scottish Design Exchange.
Holyrood Palace
Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DX, United Kingdom
Hollyrood Palace, formally known as The Palace of Holyroodhouse, is located at the opposite end of The Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle. It’s just under a mile directly down a mostly pedestrian walkway.
Travel Tip:
Our Gate 1 Travel trip offered an optional half-day tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia and Holyrood Palace. While we usually book their optional excursions, we opted not to go, instead visiting Holyrood on our own, where we had more time to explore the palace and the city.
Holyrood Palace has been the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland for over 500 years.
Hollyrood Abbey was founded by King David I in 1128,
Out hunting, he saw a stag and a cross appeared between its antlers (holy rood = holy cross, taking it as a sign from God, he built a church and an abbey on the location.
The abbey grew and expanded to include a monastery, cloisters, a guest house, and chambers for the use of the sovereigns.
James IV converted the chambers into a palace at the time of his marriage to Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII of England, in 1503. However, none of the original palace remains.
Additions and renovations to the palace and the gardens continued with each monarch through George V in 1910, with the addition of bathrooms and a private elevator.
The fountain in front of the palace is a replica of the one at Linlithgow Palace, and its carvings depict Scottish royalty and 16th-century aristocratic pursuits.
Unfortunately, photos are not permitted inside many of the spaces.
A multimedia guided tour is available in several languages, including British Sign Language and Braille.
Victoria Street and Grassmarket
A steep cobblestone street that winds uphill from the Grassmarket to George IV Bridge near the Royal Mile.
It winds through and features unusual shops, and is said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series.
The Grassmarket itself is open on Saturdays, but the area is known for its historic, medieval charm and history, which includes markets, riots, and public executions.
More To Come
For us, three days just weren’t enough to eat our way across Edinburgh and explore its rich history.
However, before heading off across Scotland, we have one more Edinburgh experience to share that is so cool it’s getting its own blog post…
Wonderful pictures of Edinburg, but you guys are traveling so much, you’re going to forget where you live 😆 🤣
Thanks, we loved Edinburgh! Retiring here in Mexico with the more affordable cost of living lets us travel a lot more… and we’re not complaining!