Last October 17, my parents and I had our first ever trip to Europe! To officially start our Europe trip, the first country we went to was in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Scotland’s located at the northern most country in the UK and Edinburgh is the capital city. Aside from Edinburgh, there are other cities namely Aberdeen, Dundee,Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling. Since we went to Edinburgh during autumn, expect the weather to be cold. Around this time, make sure to bring a thick jacket with you.
In Edinburgh, this is where you can find the Scottish Parliament and the seat of monarchy. The Old Town and New Town are considered to be a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s the famous Nessie, a unique culture when it comes to the arts and music, and great history that will show how brave and strong Scottish people are. English is the main language but when you get to go to the outskirts, you can hear Scots spoken too.
How to reach Edinburgh, Scotland:
plane
train
car
Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh Castle is a famous icon in Scotland. It’s located at the Castle Rock. The castle’s known to house the Kings and Queens. Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to King James VI in the palace in 1566. Queen Margaret (now known as St. Margaret) passed away in this palace in 1093. The castle was also used as a military base with large garrison in the year 1600 onwards.
The castle houses the Great Hall, The Stone of Destiny, The Crown Jewels, St. Margaret’s Chapel, Mons Meg, Scottish National War Museum.
The Scottish War Memorial Museum
Information:
The castle opens 9:30am daily. Closing time varies. From April 1 til Sept. 30, the castle closes at 6pm. From October 1 – March 31, the castle closes at 5pm.
Adults: 16.50 pounds. Children: 9.90 pounds. Concession (60+ yrs and unemployed): 13.20 pounds. Children below 5 years old have free entry.
Scott Monument
The Scott Monument is the largest monument in the whole world. This monument is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. There are 287 steps to reach the top of the monument.
Information:
April through September: Monday to Sunday 10am – 7pm October through March: Monday to Sunday 10am – 4pm; last admission 3.30pm.
Admission is 5 pounds, for both adults and children
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is located at the center of the city. This area runs through the Old Town, the Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The St. Giles Cathedral can also be seen within the area.
St. Giles Cathedral
This is the Mother Church of Presbyterianism and has the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle. Entrance is free but you have the option to donate for the church.
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Camera Obscura is a museum where they explain the history of the museum and an amazing way to see the city. We were not supposed to go to this museum. We suddenly became interested when we were in the venue already. The illusions they showed were more than what I expected. This place should be in your to-do list when visiting Edinburgh.
The famous vortex
Other Attractions That We Were Not Able To Go To
This attraction should be given a chance if you enjoy horror theme attractions. They get to show you the dark history of Edinburgh through theater actors, props and special effects in this walkthrough attraction.
Scottish National Gallery
This is a good way to see modern and contemporary art if you enjoy viewing artworks. There are 2 buildings, Modern One and Modern Two.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monarch. This serves as a residence of the King and Queen of Scots in the 16th century and serves as a setting for entertainment and occasions.
Arthur Seat
This is the main peak of a group of mountains and is found at the center of the city of Edinburgh. It is free in order to reach the top of the mountain.
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