Lena's Traveler's Talk

When planning our summer trip, we decided on Edinburgh would be a really special place to see given the history and uniqueness of the architecture. With a city packed rest of the trip (London, Paris, Copenhagen), we also really wanted some nature so the Highlands were a perfect addition to the trip. My overall impression of Scotland is that it is gorgeous, I would love to come back to explore more of the Highlands but I felt like we got a good taste of Edinburgh so not in a rush to return.

We stayed at an Airbnb on the Royal Mile and loved it. It was a very busy part of town, pedestrian walkway filled with bars and shops. It was NOT quiet at night so that was the only complaint for sleep but the space was great. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/52462020?source_impression_id=p3_1785708855_P3-zwTn_sJE5Ll5l

In the Highlands, we stayed in Inverness at the Lochardil House, a quaint bed and breakfast that was 30 minutes walking to the center of town. We only did one night and really enjoyed the walk along the river to dinner but if you want to be more central, don’t stay here.

Edinburgh Sites

• Grassmarket – This is a famous strip of restaurants with an outdoor vibe. Its cute.
• Edinburgh Castle – We did a tour through Airbnb experiences and it was the way to see it. The kids also found the tour fascinating. https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/6731335?location=edinburgh%20castle%20with%20tickets&currentTab=experience_tab&federatedSearchId=d75b2504-e856-4b06-8ba9-b47ff4fa0571&searchId=c8c59d75-751a-4ad1-a8a3-1e42062119ff&sectionId=ff1ee117-709c-4056-9554-2ca9e53c5fed
• Royal Mile – There will be 45 cashmere storefronts and the street performers were surprisingly very good. We stopped and watched a few shows, including a magician that blew our minds!
• Hop on, hop off bus tour – This is a classic experience in many European cities although we didn’t do it anywhere else. We enjoyed it here, however, word to the wise is to check the website for any route interruptions. We waited at a stop for 30 minutes for a bus that never arrived!
• Calton Hill – This is where you will find a mini acropolis looking structure and it has fantastic views of the city. I think it is a must.
• Royal Botanic Gardens – We strolled to the gardens from Calton Hill (via the street food market) and it was fantastic. The neighborhood around it is beautiful and the gardens are done really well.
• Stockbridge – Very cute neighborhood with a relaxed vibe, and as always, a great strip of bars/restaurant/shops.
• Victoria Street Terrace and Victoria Street – This is right near the Royal Mile and another must – very crowded but beautiful colored buildings and a quick walk through.

Edinburgh Eats

• Edinburgh Street Food Market – We stumbled upon it. As you are getting to know about us, we love a good international vibe for lots of options. What made this unique is that you order inside with the vendors but then waiters will bring your food to the picnic tables outside. It was a fantastic stop.
• Dishoom – We know that there are many other restaurants to enjoy, but we couldn’t help ourselves but return to Dishoom (after loving it in London) and it did not disappoint. Also, the view of the Castle from across the bridge where Dishoom is should not be missed, especially at night.
• Brewdog – A casual brewery with a nice vibe. Not a destination spot but in the area, a solid choice.

Highlands

• Rent car at Alamo/Enterprise in center of city – Don’t forget they drive on the other side of the road. We drove up to Inverness which is a straight 3+ hour drive but with all our stops, outlined below, it was an 8 hour or so day for us.
• Stirling Castle – Gorgeous gardens and an enjoyable and interactive Castle experience. However, once you see one (or two), we didn’t feel the need to go to more.
• Three Sisters – Wow, breathtaking 3 mountains that look like sisters. Parking at the lot can get packed but if you can get a spot, try to plan for a nice hike to stay a while. We only hung around for 20-30 minutes but could have spent more time.
• Glencoe Visitors Center – On the way into Glencoe, a stop at the visitors center to get your bearings and a quick snack is nice.
• Glance Lochan – We absolutely loved a walk around this lake. One of our favorite stops so I would not skip.
• Loch Lochy – Another lake where you can pull off on the side of a road. Check out the Spean Bridge and look for the waterfall behind.
• Inverness – The walk from our hotel through the Ness Islands and onto the small Cavell Gardens was great.
• Dinner at Uile Bheisc – This was a cute distillery and restaurant. Can’t say the food was anything spectacular but it was a nice vibe and I think it is considered one of the nicest places in town.
• River Dulnain Bridge – The drive back to Edinburgh on the east side was less scenic but we enjoyed stopping in this little town and checking out this bridge.
• Pitlochry Town – If you want a bite with a cute town feel, this is one of the only options.
• Queen’s View – Not to be missed – An absolutely stunner of a view.
• Hermitage and Black Linn Falls – Amazing little hike and rocks to jump on near the waterfalls. This was another highlight so would not skip.