Edinburgh, Scotland: Castles, Lochs & Highland Cows

Arriving in Edinburgh, Scotland is like taking a step back in time. Everything from the architecture, the homes and castles, to the red telephone booths and old-timey taxis. The miles and miles of lowlands are just as beautiful as the miles of city streets of downtown Edinburgh. It’s a castle lover’s dream and a shopper’s paradise. You’ll find something for everyone to do here. I fell head over heels in love with Scotland – a place like I had never seen before. Even the downpouring rain couldn’t stop the liveliness that I felt during my weekend visiting this country.

Back in the summer of 2017, I took my students abroad to Switzerland and Italy through EF Tours. After moving to Italy and no longer being their teacher, I had to turn over my group leader responsibilities and luckily another math teacher picked up the tradition. She and some of my previous students planned a trip through EF this summer to Ireland and Scotland. I had originally planned to join them in Dublin , Ireland but due to illness, I was unable to travel and had to rearrange my plans to meet them later in Scotland. We had a wonderful weekend and I’d love to share the fascinating places that we got to visit together.

Below you will find the best tips and information – including how to get there, where to stay, the best places to eat, what to do downtown and the surrounding areas, and how to get around to help you create an ideal Edinburgh Scotland itinerary.

Related Posts: EF Tours Student Trip to Lucerne, Switzerland & EF Tours Student Trip to Venice, Italy

Getting to Edinburgh

I took a short flight from Venice, Italy to Edinburgh, Scotland. Once arriving, to get to downtown Edinburgh, you should head to bus stop D to purchase tickets (unless you have exact change). Take the Airlink bus straight to the city center. For a round trip, it will cost 7,50 £. These are double-decker buses and I recommend getting a top seat for the great views you’ll pass on your way from the airport to the city. You’ll be surprised at how interesting it is seeing cars driving on the left-hand side of the road if you’re not used to that! I exited the bus on Princes Street, closest to the shopping area and the Ferris wheel, but there are plenty of other stops to get off.

You can also pre-book an Airlink bus ticket here at GetYourGuide. I use GetYourGuide a lot to discover different things to do in my destinations. Very easy to use and book.

Where to Stay Outside of Downtown Edinburgh

I’m sure that there are excellent places to stay in downtown Edinburgh. However, I wanted to be able to stay at the same location as the group I was meeting up with, and since they traveled by bus, it was easier for them to book a hotel outside of the city. This means that rates are lower, but you also have to consider you have to have a mode of transportation to get there.

Booking.com

I stayed in Kirkcaldy at Beveridge Park Hotel and without a car, the best method of transportation is the train. You’ll find the train underneath the Waverly Station right near Princes Street. It’s on the very bottom floor of the mall and is almost a maze to find it. It cost me 8,50 £ to take a 30+ minute train ride from Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy. The views were incredible, and we took the old bridge over the North Sea. My hotel was within walking distance of the train station and I felt very safe traveling solo at night.

The adorable town of Kirkcaldy lies on the coast. After checking into my hotel, I walked down to the beach to snap a few photos and luckily found it deserted that time of the night. I found a great place to eat dinner near the hotel, The Duchess, and had my first Scottish meal: a roast with gluten-free gravy and veggies plus a side of cold gluten-free beer! It was delicious!

Beveridge Park Hotel had a nice little bar that stayed open late. I met up with my teacher friend and other students near the bar area. It was so wonderful reuniting with my colleague and friends, catching up on life back in the states, and hearing all about their current goings-on.

Downtown Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, a country that is part of the United Kingdom, and the Edinburgh Castle is the most famous historical site in the city. Originally built as a fortress, it cannot be easily overtaken due to the steep cliff that it sits on. Also famous in Edinburgh is Holyrood Palace, home of the monarch, the Queen, in Scotland. Edinburgh Festival, a massive international event, draws in a huge crowd each year in August.

Downtown Edinburgh was lively in July. I traveled solo on my first day there and killed time by meandering around the Old Town, down Waverly Street and Royal Mile. The city is composed of Old Town and New Town, which is over 250 years old. The architecture is absolutely jaw-dropping in Scotland. There’s an oldness to it like I’ve never seen before. There are tons of great shopping stores and you won’t have to go too far to find cashmere or souvenir shops – or to hear bagpipes playing.

What to See in Edinburgh

Princes Street – a great place for shopping in Edinburgh is along Princes Street. The National Museum, the National Galleries, and the Ferris wheel all lie along this street. On Princes Street, you’ll find plenty of graveyards where grave robbers did their digging. Edinburgh is famous for its medical schools, and their students would need cadavers to practice on, so they would go to the graveyards and dig up bodies to use for medical experiments…creepy, right?!

Princes Street Garden – take a stroll around Princes Street Garden which lies right below Edinburgh Castle. Here you’ll find cute food vendors, people lying around sunbathing and socializing, as well as the gorgeous Ferris wheel. On Waverly Street was an awesome beer & meat festival area that looked incredibly fun! The Gardens contain the Ross Bandstand (an open-air theatre), a war memorial to US soldiers of Scottish descent and a floral clock, together with other attractions. Two of the main Scottish art galleries, the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland are located nearby.

Rose Street – lies parallel to Princes Street. Here you’ll find plenty of bars, pubs, and cafes to grab a beer or a cappuccino – whichever is your drink of choice.

Sir Walter Scott Monument – this monument lies near the Princes Street Gardens, one that you cannot miss. Scott is the author of the Waverley Novels, at one time the most popular books in Europe. You can go all the way to the top and the views are fantastic.

Arthur’s Seat – behind the Old Town is Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano. Take a hike up for great views of the town of Edinburgh. It provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, and is relatively easy to hike.

Edinburgh Castle – you cannot visit Edinburgh, Scotland without stopping by Edinburgh Castle. It stands atop a 340 million-year-old extinct volcano and is a powerful national symbol. You can purchase tickets in advance online and pick them up outside of the castle entrance, otherwise, you’ll probably have to stand in a long line (like I did) to purchase them before entering. I purchased the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass for 3 days for 31 £. It’s valid for 3 days out of 5 from the date of the first visit and gives you access to over 70 historic places in Scotland.

The inside of the castle is incredible. There are many parts of the castle to explore and although we had to do it in the rain, I managed to see plenty from underneath my umbrella and get some great photos. The line to see the Scottish Crown Jewels was at the 30+ minute mark so I didn’t have time to wait in line, but I heard they were breathtaking. You cannot take photos of the jewels. The castle is also home to three military museums, the National War Memorial (which is just so moving), and the Prisons of War exhibition. You’ll even find a dog cemetery here.

The queue outside Edinburgh Castle is often very long. Book in advance for skip the line tickets & tour to save you from waiting hours in line on the day of. 

Holyrood Palace – Holyrood Palace is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II. It’s located at the bottom of Royal Mile, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle. Queen Elizabeth spends one week in residence at Holyrood Palace at the beginning of each summer, where she carries out a range of official engagements and ceremonies.

The Scotch Whisky Experience – Located right outside of the gates of Edinburgh Castle. You can do a tasting tour of many different types of whisky as well as purchase bottles.

Ghost Tour – The city has an eerie feel to it at night which makes Ghost Tours extremely popular. The Ghosts & Gore Tour by The Cadies & Witchery Tours was one of my favorite parts of the entire weekend. Our chief guide, Alexander Clapperton (deceased), kept us laughing and frightened throughout the tour. His helper was quite the comedian as well. You get a few historical stories mixed in with the ghost stories to make it an educational, yet extremely entertaining tour! You can book your tour online via their website.

What to See in the Trossachs Area (Right Outside Edinburgh)

The locations described in this section are located outside of downtown Edinburgh and thus will require a mode of transportation to get there, whether you book a tour guide, bus, or take the train to a few of the locations. Find out more on how to get around in the following sections.

Stirling Castle – If you plan on doing Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, you might as well purchase a package deal for 31 £ to save a little bit of money, plus you already have your ticket and don’t have to wait in line at both places. Inside Stirling Castle, they have free guided tours at certain times in English. Mary Queen of Scotts grew up here, if you’ve ever watched the Netflix show Reign, you will recognize parts of the castle also! The views of the hills and lowlands surrounding Stirling Castle are worth the visit itself. You can walk along parts of the wall for even more overlooking views. This place was nowhere near as crowded as Edinburgh Castle since it was further out from the city.

The Queen Anne Garden was one of my favorite parts of Stirling Castle. It was a rainy day, so the guided tour group was huddled underneath the big tree, but from here you’ll have a great view of the side of the castle and the beautiful flowers.

William Wallace Monument – Forewarning…it’s quite a hike to get up to this monument, but if you have a little bit of time, it’s certainly worth it. From this monument, you can see most of Stirling. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish hero. You may be familiar with the name William Wallace from the film Braveheart, played by actor Mel Gibson. Inside the monument at the top, you will find Wallace’s supposed sword which stands at over 5 feet tall.

Trossachs Woolen Mill – Here you will find a small highland farm, located near the town of Callander. It’s a must visit for seeing the highland cows in person. Heather, the highland cow, and Honey, the younger calf are the remaining cows left after the passing of Hamish in 2014. You’ll always find a crowd here to see these popular, yet cuddly animals. The highland cow breed was developed in the Scottish Highlands and they typically have long horns and furry hair that help them withstand the harsh winters. You’ll more than likely see many Scottish cow souvenirs around Edinburgh and especially Scotland.

Sheep Dog Demonstration at The Scottish Wool Centre – To learn more about how dogs herd sheep, visit a sheepdog demonstration to watch these super smart border collies herd not only sheep but also ducks. It’s a cute experience and learning about the different types of sheep and how they roam Scotland was fascinating! They also have miniature horses, various breeds of hens, and sheep. All the outdoor live shows are free and occur three times each day. Several breeds of sheep can be seen up close in their smaller pens during the live demonstration.

Loch Katrine – Loch Katrine is a beautiful Loch in the Trossachs, where you can take a cruise on the Steamship Sir Walter Scott or simply walk around the lake and admire the views. The covered dock was full of hanging flower pots and absolutely beautiful when we visited.

Where & What to Eat

You really can’t go wrong eating anywhere in Edinburgh. The food there reminds me of grandma’s cooking or my momma’s southern dinners. It’s hearty and delicious and it will certainly fill you up! It kept us warm on those cold rainy days and add a cold beer or fresh cider and you’re good to go.

Popular meals you’ll find in Edinburgh include fish & chips (aka fries) and as pictured below and one of my favorite meals – chicken, ham hock & cheese pie! Put anything in a pie and it’s obviously going to be one of my favorites. Steak & gravy served with vegetables will also usually be on a traditional menu.

Deacon Brodie’s Tavern – I’m not going to lie, I really wanted to eat here because of its ambience. I mean the view of the restaurant from outside covered in flowers is pretty much my ideal place to eat. It just so happened that the food turned out to be delicious as well, which I’m not surprised about considering we waited 10-15 minutes to get a table! The restaurant is located upstairs with the tavern downstairs and is conveniently located on the Royal Mile street just below the Edinburgh Castle.

Campbell’s Taste of the Trossachs – a great place to stop for lunch between Stirling Castle and the lowlands is in the small town of Callander. They have delicious burgers and chicken sandwiches at this small café.

The Duchess Kirkcaldy – If you stay in Kirkcaldy, outside of Edinburgh, this is a nice bar/pub restaurant located near the Beveridge Park Hotel. I had a delicious roast with gluten free gravy.

How to Get Around

The train system is great in Scotland. It can get you relatively close to most places. If you’re wanting to explore more of the lowlands or highlands, I would recommend booking a tour or renting a car. You can save money and book through the site that I myself trust, Rental Cars, using my affiliate link here.

I really like booking tours that have transportation included. Viator is one company that I use time and time again because of its free cancellation up to 24 hours before the event. You’ll find many itineraries and tours at this link here!

I did not rent a car but was a visitor to a group, so I rode the tour bus most days. However, I had to get to the Edinburgh airport on Monday morning for a 7:45 am flight. Instead of using international data to call, I booked a taxi online and I can say with certainty that they were wonderful, and I would trust them again. Scotland has uber, but I couldn’t find one where I was staying out in Kirkcaldy, so I had to fall back on a taxi. But it was a wonderful service and I would highly recommend. They were very punctual and professional. You can find the website here.

Other Tips for Scotland

Below are just a few more tips and information for Scotland that I felt were worth sharing.

• They have different outlets, not the same as the rest of the European countries (not the two or three pronged outlets). I realized this after landing in Edinburgh and purchased a charging adapter from a store inside the airport before I left.
• The currency for Scotland is the Pound Sterling, £.
• If you rent a car, beware that you will drive on the left-hand side of the road. I did not drive while there, but it’s a huge difference, even when crossing the street as a pedestrian. Make sure you’re familiar with the road signs before setting out on a trip.

I hope you’ve got a taste of Scotland and are now eager to visit Edinburgh. Hopefully, you can use all of this information – where to stay, how to get around, what to see, where to eat, & more – to curate your perfect Edinburgh Scotland itinerary. If you feel that I left anything out or any must see’s, let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading.