48 Hours In Edinburgh, Scotland

This past week I turned 20, and to celebrate I checked off another country on my list; I spent just over 48 hours in Edinbrugh, Scotland.

Day 1

Breakfast

One thing I like about Edinburgh is all the coffee shops. On the way to our destination of the day, I stopped by Black Medicine Company. They had seating room both on their main level and basement; all decorated with woodsy carvings, the perfect place to enjoy some coffee (with a biscuit!) and food, I highly recommend their breakfast ciabatta.

Royal Mile

The majority of the day was spent around and on the Royal Mile. The road runs from Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle and is riddled with shops, gorgeous architecture, and some bagpipers, even a braveheart, here and there.

Edinburgh Castle

At the top of the Royal Mile, a top Castlehill is the Edinburgh Castle. Not only is the castle stunning itself, but its view of the city is spectacular. Entrance to the castle isnt free, but if you have the time and money you can explore the grounds, learn its history, and even see the crown jewels as well as the One O'clock Shot (if you don't go on a Sunday). Whether you go in or not, it is worth it to at least go to the gates to get an up-close look.

Victoria Street

Just off Lawnmarket is a street riddled with colorful shops with a magical backstory. Most people will recognize Victoria Street as the street that may have inspired Diagon Alley. If you or any of your friends are Harry Potter fans, the walk is fun.

If you were to keep going and not turn onto Victoria Street you would eventually come upon The Elephant House, also known as where JK Rowling wrote the story of The Boy Who Lived.

The Scotch Whiskey Experience

One thing you will notice when walking the Royal Mile is all the whiskey shops. Some offer whiskey tastings, but if you don't know much about whiskey like myself, I recommend the Scotch Whisky Experience. Not only do you get a whiskey glass to take home, but you also get to taste a whiskey from one of the regions, or all of them if you choose the Gold tour. You also get to learn about the history of whiskey, the different regions in Scotland, and how the spirit is made and what differs it from others.

Day 2

In order to make the most of my short time in Scotland, my second day was given to a 12.5-hour tour of the Scottish Highlands. The main destination of this tour was Loch Ness, but we made stops along the way to take in the beauty of the Highlands. According to our guide, October is a great time to see the highlands as the colors are vibrant with color, and you may even get some snow.

Loch Ness is one of the many stunning Lochs in the Highlands, located in the Great Glen, and draws in its crowds with its elusive guest. What I loved about the Loch Ness tour I took was 1) the views of the Loch, and 2) the presentation they gave about not just the Legend of the Loch Ness Monster, but about the Loch itself.

I've wanted to visit Scotland for as long as I can remember and while my visit was short, I'd like to think I spent my 48 hours well.