6 Must-Do Activities in Edinburgh This Spring
If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, this is the guide for you. We’re going to talk about the top six must do activities you can do in the Scottish capital. If you have just arrived and need a temporary place to store your stuff, you can find luggage storage in Edinburgh that you can depend on.
This is one of the more enchanting cities you’ll find in the United Kingdom. Especially if you are looking for a place with castles dating back hundreds or even thousands of years. The city may have some places that have that aged look, but it does have a bit of that modern charm as well. Keep reading to find out what you can do in Edinburgh.
Visit Blackness Castle
This castle was built way back in the 15th century. It’s located on the Firth of Forth (try saying that a few times fast). The castle is actually a half hour away from downtown Edinburgh. If you plan on visiting the castle, you want to get there early and get back into the city by around rush hour (which starts at around 4pm).
While you’re here at Blackness Castle, you’ll want to check out the towers that are located here. You can get a ticket for a pretty good price. Plus, it’s open every day of the week from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM local time. It may be a bit out of the way, but it’s definitely worth getting out of the city for a little bit of peace and quiet. After all, what better way to start the day at an ancient castle?
Hiking On Arthur’s Seat
If you are looking for a place to catch some awesome views of Edinburgh, you’ll want to check out Arthur’s Seat. Here’s something cool that you might not know about this place. Arthur’s Seat was once part of a volcano that has since been extinct.
In fact, it’s one of three hills that were known as volcanoes a long time ago. It will take a half hour to get from the base to the top of this hill. Once you reach the top, you’ll be treated with a beautiful view. You might be a bit out of the city. However, we challenge you to find a better view of Edinburgh from anywhere else. Even if you have to leave the city a bit.
Walk Through The Old Town
The Old Town has that ageless charm. It will have brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and plenty of historic places of interest. Along Victoria Street, you’ll come across some restaurants. Some of them will serve you plenty of Scottish dishes. It’s a cuisine like no other.
Haggis, Scotch Pie, Cranachan, and so much more. While there, you can check out the statue of Greyfriars Bobby. It’s the statue of a dog that had been faithful and loyal to his owner (and had even guarded his grave for the rest of his life).
Visit Calton Hill
If you don’t want to make the trek to Arthur’s Seat, we don’t blame you. The good news is, there’s an alternative place to check out the views of Edinburgh. Calton Hill is blocks away from the Balmoral Hotel and is the perfect spot for checking out the city view (especially when it’s sunset). Want a place to relax but a bit close to the city? You won’t find a better place like this anywhere else.
Check Out Holyrood Palace
This is the official home of the Monarch while they are in Edinburgh. It is one of two residences in Scotland with the other being Balmoral Castle. Mary Queen of Scots’ resided in the palace from 1561 to 1567. You can visit her chambers while you’re on a tour of the palace. You may be far away from London or even Windsor Castle to check out the royal life. But thankfully, Holyrood Palace is the closest place you can get to British royalty when you’re in Edinburgh.
Don’t Miss Edinburgh Castle
So many castles and palaces, so little time right? Of all the castles in Scotland, this is one of the most famous of them all. Even crazier, it sits on yet another extinct volcano. One of the coolest things to check out when you visit the castle is the one o’clock cannon.
Every day at 1pm (except on Sundays) the cannon will fire. It has been the normal tradition since the 19th Century. This is one of the many exciting places to check out while you’re in Edinburgh.
When you’re in this Scottish city, there is no shortage of cool places to check out. If you love the sound of bagpipes (and you’ll probably hear some), all kinds of greenery, and a mix of old and modern, Edinburgh is the place to be.