Edinburgh. Is there anyone who doesn’t instantly recognize the name? It’s a city with a rich history of kings, queens, castles, stunning landscapes and infamous festivals. What more could you want in a travel destination? It’s one of those cities that captures the imagination. So much so that for a city with a population of 500K+ it averages nearly four million visitors per year. We were fortunate to be two of those four million.

Welcome to Edinburgh

Stirling, Peebles & the Lake District

After two days of walking, exploring and eating our way around Edinburgh, we packed our bags and boarded the train bound for Stirling. We spent the next 10 days traveling with Scotland Folk Tours exploring the regions around Stirling, Peebles and England’s Lake District. It was a fantastic tour!

Once our tour ended we traveled to Glasgow and spent three days exploring the city before returning, by train, to Edinburgh. We had come full circle, even so far as to check in to the same hotel room we had when we first arrived.

Here’s a look at the highlights of our five days in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Castle

As we were walking away from the castle I couldn’t help but overhear a woman telling her friend that the castle wasn’t at all what she was expecting. I smiled, turned toward her, and said we couldn’t agree more. Truthfully, I think the castle is over touristed and doesn’t live up to the hype. Maybe we would have felt differently had we not visited Stirling Castle, which was an incredible experience, made all the better by our exceptional tour guide, Fiona.

Many of the buildings at Edinburgh Castle are used as the headquarters for the Royal Regiment of Scotland. And, as such, are not open to the public. We stood in a long back/forth line reminiscent of Disneyland to enter the Royal Apartments. Once inside the snake like line continued to herd the tourists through dark hallways with display cases and placards to read. There were so many people though, it wasn’t realistic to stop and read.

We may have missed some highlights, because we only stayed maybe one hour. We have no regrets though. It was a fun experience; we just weren’t feeling it. I would highly suggest if you plan to visit the castle you do so first thing, as soon as it opens, or later in the afternoon to avoid the mid-day crowds.

Holyrood Palace

In contrast to the castle, we thoroughly enjoyed visiting Holyrood Palace, especially because there were so few people there. It is the official residence of the king when he is in Edinburgh. Mary Queen of Scots lived in the northwest tower of the palace from 1561 to 1567 some 100 years before the completion of the palace. I became keenly interested in Mary while in Scotland. Her story followed us everywhere as we toured the country. Whenever I can walk in the steps of someone from history, I find it fascinating. Visiting her chambers was really quite something.

We learned quickly, actually while visiting the Church of Holyrood in Stirling, that Holyrood (pronounced holy rude) is the name of the cross on which Jesus died. The palace has 87K+ square feet and 289 rooms. The tours are self-guided and interesting. We saw enough rooms to get a feel for what the palace is, although of course we didn’t see the private residence. Adjacent to the palace are the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, and the expansive gardens.

St. Giles’ Cathedral

St. Giles’ Cathedral was founded in 1124 by King David. Think about that for a moment. It’s been in use for 900 years. It’s hard to take in such historical longevity in comparison to today’s world, especially in the very young United States.

Located on the Royal Mile, an extremely tourist-centered district, the cathedral is a highlight of any visit to Edinburgh. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we don’t visit churches, cathedrals, etc., for religious purpose we do so for the art, architecture, and history. St. Giles certainly did not disappoint.

Long lines to enter are likely, especially in high season. But, St. Giles is huge so there’s plenty of room for everyone. We very much enjoyed visiting the cathedral, it is stunning.

Royal Yacht Britannia

We had no expectations for visiting the Britannia, but curiosity got the better of us. You know what? We loved it! We’re not followers of the royal family, not at all. But, there was something about touring a yacht that belonged to Queen Elizabeth.

The yacht is permanently docked at the Port of Leith in Edinburgh. Decommissioned in 1997, the yacht once had a crew of 200+. By any standards it was a floating city with everything imaginable from the state dining room, to a parking space for the Land Rover, to the medical clinic.

The tour was great as we got to see everything with the exception of most of the bedrooms and the kitchen. High tea is served on board and the kitchen is used for the tea service. When we take tours of grand palaces, or somewhere similar, I usually feel as if I didn’t get to see the behind the scenes good stuff. Not so with the Britannia tour. If you can think of it, it was most likely on board. Oh, and there were stuffed Corgi dogs hiding throughout the ship. Can you find them in the pictures?

Botanic Garden

If you’re looking for a few hours of peace and serenity, make your way to the Botanic Garden. It is absolutely lovely. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll be escorted by the cutest cat who seemed to be a natural tour guide winding his way along the 1.7 miles (2.7km) of pathways and taking short cuts through the plants.

The garden has a cafe, coffee and ice cream kiosks, and a lovely visitors center with restrooms.

Good Eats in Edinburgh

How to Spend 5 Days in Edinburgh

Edinburgh. It’s a city with a rich history of kings, queens, castles, stunning landscapes and infamous festivals. There is a plethora of experiences in Edinburgh. It is truly a fantastic city that we loved visiting. Five days seemed just about perfect for ensuring one sees all of the highlights.

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And, if you need one last look at the city, hike to the top of Calton Hill and/or Arthur’s Seat and take in the panoramic views. Memories of Edinburgh will stay with us for years to come.