Your Complete Guide to Exploring Edinburgh Like a Local

When I left home, about eleven years ago, I moved to London. Going from living in the countryside to living in such a big city, I went through the years believing that I was a big city kind of girl. Turns out I was wrong. Sort of. I am not really a countryside girl, at least I wouldn't call myself that, I like to believe it's influenced by my mood, and Edinburgh is the best city for that. Half a capital, half the countryside, the best of both worlds. The city center lives, all year round, and especially in summer (thanks to the Fringe festival). But I live on the outskirts of the city, near the Pentland Hills — that I can see from my window, meaning it's quieter. And when I really want to, I can go to the beach, it adds up to why Edinburgh is the best city in the world. Sure, Portobello Beach it's not the Bahamas, but beaches around here are really nice!

Today, I want to properly introduce you to Edinburgh, tell you all the things you should see, and do. As well as showing you the pictures I took around here, because let me tell you, this city looks amazing in every single shot I took. Let's dive in!

New Town Edinburgh is the north part of the city, if you choose Princes Street Gardens as the reference point. It's where you have all the stores, as well as St James Quarter, if you're in a shopping mood. But it's more than that, in addition to Princes St, you also have George St — that is more luxurious. It is connecting St Andrew Square to Charlotte Square. You will also find restaurants and bars (or cafés) on your way! Fun fact: do you know that New Town is an UNESCO World Heritage Site? It is known for its neoclassical architecture, wide streets, and grand squares. It was build to relieve the overcrowding of the Old Town, back in the 1760s. I actually found that myself quite recently, while doing some researches!

One place to check out, when going to Edinburgh, is definitely Calton Hill. If, like me, you have no stamina, you will probably devastated to find out that it is, in fact, a proper hill, and a steep one. However, the view you have from up there is just amazing, and it's so worth being out of breath, so this should motivate you a little bit. You should go either for the sunrise or the sunset, even if it will be full of people. For the story, the Airbnb I was staying in the first time I visited Edi was in Calton Hill. I feel extremely nostalgic every time I am nearby. 

There are 3 main sites on Calton Hill: Nelson Monument — from which you'll have the 360 view from the city, National Monument of Scotland — that is half built due to the lack of funds, and North Viewpoint. In my opinion, Calton Hill is one of the first thing you should do when landing in Edinburgh.

If you keep going north, from New Town, you will eventually end up wandering around Stockbridge, that is one of the most popular neighbourhood of the city. That's also where you can find Edinburgh's most photography street: Circus Lane. It is as charming as you would think. And if, like me, you like botanic gardens, you will find Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens. They also have a Glasshouse, but sadly it is currently close. I haven't had the chance to visit yet, but I am checking frequently and I cannot wait to be able to experience it! Here's a couple of pictures of Stockbridge:

From that point, if you decide to go towards the west side, you will discover my favorite place in the entire city: Dean Village. I know that it's not really original, but I have no words to describe how much I love that place. It's like a picturesque little village, that has been transformed into a residential area. It's peaceful, minus the tourists. But even I love being a tourist in my own city. Dean Village is also one of the oldest village around the city, and an hidden gem that I highly recommend you to visit. I still have to take my mom and my sister there, next time they'll be around, as I haven't had the opportunity to do so, so far!

Now, let's go back central for a second. From Princes St, you can walk to the National Gallery of Scotland, that is an art gallery/museum. There are a couple of spots to view from there: John Wilson Statue, the Royal Scottish Academy, or if you're like me, you can sit on the steps, and enjoy the view you have on Old Town. It is a lovely thing to do when the sun decides to show up. In the Old Town side of Princes Garden, you can also find Ross Fountain, that is, in my opinion, a piece of art.

Let's move onto Old Town Edinburgh now. If you arrive in Edinburgh by train, there's a chance you might exit on Waverley Bridge. If you walk to Cockburn St (pronounced Coburn, don't be like me), you will pass all the cafés and end up on High Street, also called Royal Mile as it connect Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Let's go one way, and then we'll go the other. If you decide to walk your way up, towards the castle, on the way, you can do a few stops like the Writer's Museum, Edinburgh University (the School of Divinity campus), or even Victoria St — that probably was your screensaver on windows, a few years ago. I know it was mine, and I could stare a it for hours. By the way, if you go down Victoria St, you will arrive on Grassmarket, and from there, you can walk up to the Vennel Viewpoint (or Vennel Steps), and if you have seen One day (the Netflix show), you know what I am talking about. Also, there are so many coffees around, I'll gladly make a list of the best places in the city, so you can stop by and enjoy a good coffee (ot a hot chocolate, that's fine too) and a croissant. Or a chocolate cake! Anything you'd like, really ♡

If, from Royal Mile, you decide to go down towards Holyrood Palace, you will find the Scottish Parliament. While the Palace of Holyroodhouse isn't free of access, you can still go to Holyrood Park, house of Arthur's Seat, that is an ancient and extinct volcano. If you feel up to a challenge, you can even go up Arthur's Seat but it's not for the faint of heart! while you're wandering around, you can also walk to Greyfriars Kirkyard, that inspired the names in Harry Potter. 

It was a longer one but I really hope you enjoyed the guided tour, 

In another article, I'll talk about more places you can visit in Edinburgh, if you do have the time, including Cramond Island or even Portobello Beach. 

I do believe that, even though Edinburgh is a smaller town, there are so many things that can be seen and appreciated. I tried not to overwhelm you with this article, which is the reason why I'll end up writing a second article with the underrated things to do in Edinburgh, hoping it will inspire you to travel here, even more! I also aspire to write more articles about Scotland, as I have made it my whole personality the past 2 years! Be ready to be swept off your feet, you might fall in love with the city and want to move in, just like I did. That was the best plot twist of my entire life!

I really hope you like this article, I'll see you again very soon! ♡

Your bestie,

Lou ♡

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