Edinburgh
Edinburgh is one of my favorites cities in the world. It has many free activities, beautiful walks, stunning buildings, and a rich history. There’s even resident ghosts (and subsequent scary ghost tours). A city of rich literary history, you can see where Harry Potter was written. Edinburgh is a popular destination for many weekend getaways, pub crawls, and bachelor/ette parties. There is definitely an active nightlife, especially along the Royal Mile. I really loved this visiting this city and think you will too.
Typical Costs
- Hostel Prices:Dorm rooms cost between $22-32 per night. Private rooms in hostels are around $64.
- Budget Hotel Prices: Budget hotels begin around $60 USD. They are more expensive down in the city center and along the Royal Mile.
- Average Cost of Food: Many restaurants in Edinburgh offer a fixed price menu in which you can eat dinner including a drink for $30. Pub food costs around $16. McDonald’s and other fast food is around $10 USD and you can buy a week’s worth of groceries for between $40-60.
- Transportation: Despite the hills, Edinburgh is a great walking city but you can take the bus for $2 per trip or buy a ‘day saver’ ticket for $4.75 USD that gives you unlimited usage for that particular day. You can rent a bike for $16-24 per day.
Top Things to Do
- Arthur’s Seat – Although it can be a bit of a hike, the top of Arthur’s Seat provides a spectacular view of all of Edinburgh. Some parts of the hike are rather steep, so bring a picnic and spend an afternoon looking out over the view of the city.
- Visit Edinburgh Castle - The Edinburgh Castle is an important landmark. Although it costs $21 USD to enter, you can spend a good part of the day here, and it’s worth it alone just to see the Crown Jewels exhibit. You also get sweeping views of the city. Try to get on the guided tours as it gives you more information and context.
- Walk down the Royal Mile – The most famous street in Edinburgh. The street is filled with pubs, restaurants and shops. It takes you from the royal castle to the royal palace. While touristy, there are a number of historical monuments along the way.
- Hang out in Calton Hill - Calton Hill is another great place to escape the noise of the city and see its view from up above. Take a hike to the top and you can sit and relax in a quiet park-like setting.
- Explore Princes Street Gardens – For another free outing, spend the day at Princes Street Gardens. There’s vendors selling ice-cream in an immaculate park, and you get an excellent view of the Edinburgh Castle. If you’re here at Christmas, the Garden turns into a winter wonderland”.
- Tour the Museum of Edinburgh - When you’re walking the Royal Mile, don’t forget to stop at this museum to give yourself a glimpse of Edinburgh’s history. There’s a lot of good history here and the museum is free.
- National Gallery of Scotland – This impressive gallery is for anyone who can appreciate the great artists of our time: Monet, Rembrandt, and Degas. There are a lot of very good paintings here. It is also free.
- Scott Monument - Built in 1846 to commemorate the life of Sir Walter Scott, the man who helped put Scotland back on the map, after his death in 1832, the Gothic spire monument allows you to climb 200 ft above the city center to enjoy fantastic views. Admission is $4.75 USD.
- Attend a Festival – During the summer, Edinburgh is awash in festivals. Every week there is a new one. The most famous, The Edinburgh International Film Festival, attracts people from around the world and showcases really good films in August.
- Take a Ghost Tour – Edinburgh has a spooky history and stories of ghosts and ghouls abound in the the city. There are a number of tours that take you around to graveyards and underground tunnels. I got spooked. Then again, I’m easily creeped out.
- Tour Rossyln Chapel – If you read the Da Vinci code, you know this chapel supposedly helped guard the holy grail. It’s a very intricately designed chapel and there are many mysteries surrounding it. (Why does it show corn when the new world wasn’t discovered yet?) The chapel is an hour from the city.
Budget Tips
- Walk - Save your money and walk around this friendly city. It’s compact and easy to get around.
- Spend time at the parks, gardens and museums – Almost all of these are free so take advantage of them and save money.