Where We Be
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| Edinburgh, Scotland |
What a difference forty years can make! Last
time we were here, in 1985, Edinburgh felt like a
ghost town. Our Airbnb host confirmed what we
remember: that it was largely empty of tourists.
Now it's a bit of a tourist madhouse. The Royal
Mile is absolutely packed with people midday,
and pubs and cafes are everywhere. Back then,
we couldn't find anywhere to eat late afternoon
because everything was closed. But the castle
was still the castle: that part hasn't changed. It
was dramatic then, and it's dramatic now. But
these days, you'd better book ahead.
You can still experience Edinburgh without the
crushing crowds: you just have to get up a little
earlier. We walked the Royal Mile several times
this trip, and early morning is a hundred times
better than late afternoon. If you book the first
castle entry at 9:30 am, it's not that crowded.
Besides Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile,
we'd also recommend the National Museum of
Scotland. It's like five museums rolled into one,
and it features Dolly the Sheep, the first cloned
mammal (now taxidermied). And don't forget to
visit the rooftop terrace for fantastic city views.
time we were here, in 1985, Edinburgh felt like a
ghost town. Our Airbnb host confirmed what we
remember: that it was largely empty of tourists.
Now it's a bit of a tourist madhouse. The Royal
Mile is absolutely packed with people midday,
and pubs and cafes are everywhere. Back then,
we couldn't find anywhere to eat late afternoon
because everything was closed. But the castle
was still the castle: that part hasn't changed. It
was dramatic then, and it's dramatic now. But
these days, you'd better book ahead.
You can still experience Edinburgh without the
crushing crowds: you just have to get up a little
earlier. We walked the Royal Mile several times
this trip, and early morning is a hundred times
better than late afternoon. If you book the first
castle entry at 9:30 am, it's not that crowded.
Besides Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile,
we'd also recommend the National Museum of
Scotland. It's like five museums rolled into one,
and it features Dolly the Sheep, the first cloned
mammal (now taxidermied). And don't forget to
visit the rooftop terrace for fantastic city views.
| The rooftop terrace on the 7th floor of the National Museum of Scotland offers a great vantage point of Edinburgh Castle |
| The Royal Mile (from east to west) |
| This enormous place is like five museums rolled into one -- containing everything from fossils to Chinese art to technology to minerals |
| The Grand Gallery features a soaring Victorian atrium |
| Arthur's Seat, sitting atop a long-extinct volcano, is a popular hiking destination offering excellent city views |
| The rooftop terrace offers views of Old Town in all directions |
| St. Margaret's Chapel is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, dating back to the early 12th century |
| A statue of Robert the Bruce stands at the castle entrance |
| The Scottish National War Memorial also sits in Crown Square, near the highest part of the castle |
| The Great Hall, completed in 1511 for King James IV, is known for its magnificent 16th-century timber roof |
| Robin stands before Mons Meg, an absolutely enormous 15th-century siege cannon |
| Stone sentry box at the castle |
| The mineral display was one of the coolest we've seen |
| The chapel's stained glass depicts St. Margaret of Scotland (left), Sir William Wallace (middle), and St. Columba (left). St. Columba was an Irish monk who brought Christianity to Scotland. |
| The castle opens at 9:30 am -- if you get there before then, you can get people-free photos |
| We stayed at an Airbnb on Jeffrey Street, extremely close to the Royal Mile and a short walk from Edinburgh's Waverley Train Station. Shown left is the view from our 4th floor room. Shown right is the Political Martyrs' Monument and Governor's House for Calton Jail (once Scotland's largest prison) on the far side of the tracks. |
| Balmoral Hotel, recognizable by its distinctive clock tower, overlooks Waverley Station. The "coiled snake" at right is a controversial addition to the skyline that some Scots refer to as the Poop Emoji or Golden Jobby. |
| We stayed close to this major intersection on the Royal Mile. That's the World's End Pub across the street -- it once marked the literal boundary of the walled city. |
| Cadenhead's Whisky Shop is recognized as Scotland's oldest independent bottler (1842) |
| The Scottish Parliament Building near the palace is surprisingly new, dating to 2004 |
| The Palace of Holyroodhouse anchors the eastern end of the Royal Mile and serves as the residence of King Charles III when he is in Scotland. James V Tower (left) is the oldest part of the palace and was famously the residence of Mary Queen of Scots. |
| But then we learned that the Scottish Parliament itself has only existed since 1 July 1999! |
| A bagpipe player plays his heart out as a Scottish wedding gets underway |
| St Giles' Cathedral -- a major landmark on the Royal Mile -- is known for its distinctive crown spire |
| The Lawnmarket area of the Royal Mile features the historic Deacon Brodie's Tavern (the white building at the corner) |
| The Hub -- with its tall Gothic Revival spire -- now functions as a public arts and events building |
| The Tempting Tattie was just across the street from us. We chose the "Uncle Sam's," filled with diced turkey bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives -- but there are many topping combos. |
| We raised a pint at the Tolbooth Tavern, which dates back to 1591. Tolls from travelers entering the city were once collected here. |
| Near Waverley Train Station |
| Edinburgh Castle anchors the western end of the Royal Mile |
| Yikes! The Royal Mile can get incredibly crowded in the late afternoon, especially near the castle |
| A statue of Adam Smith -- author of "The Wealth of Nations" -- stands outside the cathedral |
| Tron Kirk with its tall spire (also visible at left) is another prominent landmark on the Royal Mile |
| Lambswool scarf in the Princess Diana Memorial Rose tartan |
| Numerous shops celebrated Team Scotland's upcoming appearance in the World Cup |
| This heraldic panel near the palace features the Unicorn of Scotland -- the country's national animal! |
| Edinburgh Castle |
| National Museum of Scotland |
| The Royal Palace sits in Crown Square, the castle's main courtyard |
| The hall displays a large collection of weapons and armor on its walls |
| "Cannon's eye view" looking east from the castle's defenses over the city of Edinburgh |
| We happened to visit Edinburgh Castle during a marathon and could see all the runners far below |
| Aircraft on display in the Science & Technology wing |
| And of course you won't want to miss Dolly the Sheep inside her own rotating glass display |
| The Hub with its Gothic Spire is the highest architectural point in central Edinburgh |