I’ll be honest with you: I went in not expecting to love it as much as I did.
Edinburgh is one of those places that gets talked about so much, and in such identical terms (dramatic, gothic, unmissable, don’t miss the castle) that you arrive with a kind of pre-formed picture in your head and brace yourself to be mildly underwhelmed. And then you step off the tram at St Andrew Square and the Old Town is just sitting right there above you, all black stone and vertical drama, and the picture dissolves and you think: oh, right. I see.
It’s a city that earns every good thing written about it, which is faintly annoying when you were hoping to form your own opinion.
When to Go
August is the famous answer, and it’s not wrong. The Fringe descends and the city becomes something else entirely: 3,000 shows, hundreds of venues, street performers on every corner, and a particular kind of electric chaos that you either love immediately or find totally exhausting. Hotels triple in price and book up months in advance. Worth doing once.
We went at the end of February, which I’d now actively recommend to anyone who asks. The weather was a genuine mix of sun and rain across two days, very much four-seasons-in-one-day Edinburgh, but that’s part of it. The city was noticeably quieter, which makes a real difference when you’re trying to walk around and actually take things in. The popular spots are still busy, the castle, the Royal Mile, Victoria Street, they draw crowds regardless, but there’s no August scrum, no flyering, and you can get a table without planning a week in advance.
May and June are probably the sweet spot for weather, long days and the gardens in bloom, but late winter and early spring are seriously underrated windows. You get the city without the performance of itself.
One thing holds across every season: layers and a waterproof. Not optional. Edinburgh treats meteorological optimism as a personal challenge.
Getting There
We flew into Edinburgh, which from most UK cities is a little over an hour. From the airport the tram runs directly to St Andrew Square in the city centre, around 30 minutes, and we’d strongly suggest buying an open ticket rather than a single. The flexibility is worth it and you’ll likely want to use it to get back to the airport on departure too. Straightforward, no faff, and a decent first view of the city as you come in.
The train from King’s Cross is the other strong option, around 4.5 hours on the East Coast Mainline, through good Northumberland scenery and across the Forth Bridge. Waverley station deposits you directly in the valley between the Old Town and New Town. It’s a better arrival, architecturally speaking.
Where to Stay
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
We stayed here and we’d go back.
The building is Victorian, a former commercial block called the India Buildings, sitting just off the western end of the Royal Mile. Virgin have kept the original character (exposed brick, vaulted ceilings in the cellar bar, good bones throughout) and brought in their own design sensibility without overwriting what was already there. The rooms use a two-chamber layout, dressing area and bathroom separated from the bedroom by sliding doors, which makes them feel more considered and spacious than the footprint suggests.
We had a castle view room and that’s worth requesting specifically. Waking up to the castle framed in the window is one of those slightly stupid travel moments that you find yourself thinking about afterwards. The rooftop seating area has the same view and is worth a visit if the weather cooperates.
The design throughout is genuinely lovely, the kind of hotel that has a clear point of view and commits to it. And then there’s the detail that delighted us more than it probably should have: a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer in the room, replenished daily. It’s a small thing. It’s also exactly the kind of thing that tells you someone has thought about the experience properly.
We had a drink in the Commons Club bar one evening, good atmosphere, well made drinks, and on a travel day we ate at the hotel’s Italian restaurant which is recommended and made the whole question of where to eat when you’re tired and just arrived very easy to answer. Good food, no need to go hunting for somewhere.
One thing worth knowing: the hotel sits near enough to Old Town nightlife that you’ll hear it on weekends. Worth asking for a quieter room if that’s likely to matter.
Other options
The Witchery by the Castle does gothic atmosphere properly, all antiques and candlelight, and is best for a special occasion. The Dunstane Houses in the West End is smaller and quieter with a serious whisky selection. Motel One on the Royal Mile is solid value in a strong location.
What to Do
The Castle
We did the outside and it’s worth doing even if you don’t go in. The views from the Esplanade, and the sheer scale of the thing once you’re standing at its base, earn the walk up regardless. If you want to go inside, book tickets before you travel; they sell out properly in summer and can get tight even in the quieter months.
The castle sits at the top of the Royal Mile and anchors the whole geography of the Old Town. Getting up to it early, before the day fills up, is the move.
The Old Town
The Royal Mile is the obvious spine, but the closes are the point. Narrow alleyways fork off both sides and lead to courtyards, stairways, parallel streets, and in several cases quite grim history. The single most common thing first-timers say afterwards is that they wish they’d turned off more. Turn off more.
Greyfriars Kirkyard is a short walk from the Mile and worth it: 16th-century graveyard, genuinely atmospheric, home to the Greyfriars Bobby story (loyal dog, 14 years, his owner’s grave) and several headstones J.K. Rowling quietly borrowed character names from. Go in the morning before the Harry Potter tours take over the place.
Victoria Street
Tiered multicoloured shopfronts curving down to the Grassmarket, with a raised terrace running above it. Yes, it’s the Diagon Alley one. It’s as good in person as the photos suggest. The terrace level is quieter than the street and worth walking along.
Arthur’s Seat
Extinct volcano, inside the city, 45 minutes up at a comfortable pace. The views from the top are genuinely extraordinary on a clear day: the full spread of the city below, the Firth of Forth, and on a good morning, the Highlands. Take the Salisbury Crags route. Wear actual shoes. Weekday mornings are noticeably quieter.
Dean Village and the New Town
Dean Village and the New TownGets overlooked in favour of the Old Town and that’s a shame. The New Town was laid out in the 1760s as deliberate Georgian urban planning and it’s genuinely beautiful: George Street, Charlotte Square, the whole grid of it. Dean Village down in the Water of Leith valley is one of those Edinburgh things that turns out to be a highlight, somewhere improbably peaceful for somewhere so central. The river walk to Stockbridge from there is worth an hour of anyone’s time.
National Museum of Scotland
Free, and better than it has any right to be. Pictish stones, Dolly the Sheep, Mary Queen of Scots’ belongings, the Lewis Chessmen. Half a day does it properly. Don’t save it only for bad weather.
Where to Eat and Drink
The Spanish Butcher
North Castle Street, New Town. Book ahead. This isn’t a suggestion, we booked in advance and I’d say it’s genuinely necessary, particularly later in the week.
We shared the Galician prime rib, and went for garlic and paprika potatoes, garlic mushrooms and padron peppers alongside it. For dessert, the burnt Basque cheesecake. The steak was one of the best I’ve had. Not Edinburgh’s best, not Scotland’s best: one of the best, full stop. Galician beef comes from older dairy-breed cattle and the fat marbling and depth of flavour are noticeably different from what you’re used to. The garlic potatoes in particular were the kind of side dish you find yourself thinking about unprompted a week later.
The room has a certain Manhattan energy (leather seating, exposed brick, deep green walls) that could easily feel contrived and somehow doesn’t. The service knows the food without making a performance of it.
Don’t skip dessert. The Basque cheesecake closes the meal properly.
Other places worth eating
The Witchery by the Castle is candlelit gothic dining in two rooms adjacent to the castle, best for occasions when atmosphere is doing some of the work. Café St Honoré on NW Thistle Street is warm, French in spirit, Scottish in its sourcing, and has been quietly excellent for years. The Shore Bar in Leith has good Sunday lunch energy and a neighbourhood feel you don’t often find in the touristy parts of the centre.
Drinking
Sandy Bell’s on Forrest Road is a proper folk pub: no booking, musicians appear in the corner most evenings, no tourist layer over it. The Bon Vivant on Thistle Street takes whisky and cocktails seriously. The Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile is worth doing early in a trip if you want some grounding before you start ordering.
Getting Around
Walk, mostly. The Old Town and New Town are compact and most of what you’ll want to do is reachable on foot. Lothian Buses covers the rest of the city and takes contactless. The tram is useful for the airport and for reaching Leith without a taxi. Don’t bother with a car unless you’re leaving the city.
Practical Bits
Money: Pounds sterling. Scottish notes are legal tender across the UK but occasionally raise an eyebrow south of the border.
ETAs: Since 2025, visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, and most non-European countries need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before arriving. £10, applied for online. Do it before you book flights.
Orientation: Old Town is south of Princes Street (medieval, closes, dark stone). New Town is north of it (Georgian, grid layout). Princes Street Gardens between them was once a loch. Once you have that picture the whole city makes sense.
Book ahead for: Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Real Mary King’s Close (a buried 17th-century street under the Old Town, worth doing). The Spanish Butcher, especially Thursday to Saturday.
Two nights goes faster than it should. We came away wanting another day, which is probably the most honest recommendation a place can earn.
