I imagine if Edinburgh were a person and strolled into a party, they would be among the most cultured, affable and popular in the room.
Without exception, everyone I talked to about our city trip responded positively about their love for ‘Auld Reekie’.
After three nights in the festival city I can see why. Stunningly beautiful, packed with character and things to do, Edinburgh is also an extremely walkable – albeit steep – capital.
Getting there
Edinburgh has never been more accessible by air from the island of Ireland. All the main airports operate regular services, including the three northern airports.
On this occasion, Belfast City Airport and Aer Lingus Regional proved the perfect combination for our small family unit.
Belfast City Airport’s departure terminal (left) and one of the Aer Lingus Regional aircraft, operated by Emerald Airlines (right).
Bar the boarding process, there was virtually no queuing to be done as we lifted out of Belfast on a beautiful and brisk clear autumn afternoon.
Edinburgh Airport is far better connected than any terminal on our side of the North Channel.
Trams depart every seven minutes during the day, but pre-booking your tickets isn’t a bad idea.
We’re soon stepping off and onto Princes Street for our destination in the Old Town: The Virgin Hotel on Victoria Street.
With Google Maps’ identifying a walking distance of 700 yards, we set off up The Mound on foot.
The Virgin Hotel Edinburgh, which opens onto Victoria Street (right).
Folks, Edinburgh is steep. Dragging a couple of cases up a steep incline and through crowds on the Royal Mile was hard work. The views of the castle were just about worth it.
STAYING THERE
Stepping into our accommodation from Victoria Street, Virgin’s five-star modernity is hidden inside the old India Buildings, home to Edinburgh’s Registry Office in a previous life.
The character of the city’s landscape is immediately apparent, when after drifting along a few hallways, we find the hotel’s reception desk looks out of a window that rises six floors above the street below.
The vibrancy, colour and contemporary character of the hotel’s main areas is contrasted by the calming zen-like aura of the more understated guest rooms (or chambers as Virgin prefers), which fuse technology with class and comfort.
The hotel has two restaurants: The Italian themed Eve on the Cowgate street level, and the Commons Club, which faces onto Victoria Street, with the feel of an upmarket cocktail bar.
One of the chambers in Virgin’s five-star Edinburgh hotel.
Where the hotel comes into its own, is the rooftop terrace, where you can lounge on patio furniture and soak in dramatic views of the castle and Edinburgh’s Old Town.
A quick reminder for families visiting Scotland is the licensing laws generally do not permit under-18s in bars which do not serve food. Something to consider if adults are keen on some whisky tasting for example.
Even in pubs where food is served, staff will likely ask you to order something for the table in order to sit down with under 18s for a drink.
FAMILY ATTRACTIONS
For a short city break, a hop-on, hop-off bus tour is always a great way to take in the main sites and get a sense of a place.
We opted for the Big Bus tour, taking both its red ‘city’ circuit and its blue ‘Port of Leith’ route, which is ideal for visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia and soaking in a bit of Leith and Newhaven.
Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard (left) and the National Museum of Scotland (centre and right), all located in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Big Bus has its own app, featuring a live map, ideal for locating its stop points and how long you might wait for the next bus.
While the bus tour is excellent for soaking in a city and its history inside a short space of time, the beauty of Edinburgh, the Old Town in particular, is how accessible it all is on foot.
The Virgin Hotel opens out onto Victoria Street and its cobbles, character and colour.
Full of boutiques, bookshops, alleys and steps, it’s easy to see why it’s reputed to have been JK Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley in her Harry Potter books.
Potter fans may also wish to visit the nearby Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery, which is believed to been the source of many names in the book series.
L-R: Visiting Edinburgh Castle; the Scott Monument and on board the Big Bus tour of the city.
A visit also offers a chance to see the Greyfriars Bobby statue.
A short dander from Victoria Street (albeit up some steep steps) takes us to Scotland’s oldest purpose-built visitor attraction.
Camera Obscura’s six floors are packed with more than 100 interactive exhibits from mind-bending optical illusions to its rooftop terrace and Victorian camera show, best experienced during daylight.
The Camera Obscura is nestled just under Edinburgh Castle at the top of the famous Royal Mile, which offers some of the best views of the city from the top of the old volcano mound.
The castle’s popularity means booking is highly recommended. Downloading the app and audio guide before you arrive is also a good idea. You can bring your own earbuds, but audio sets are available, so don’t stress.
St Giles’ Cathedral (left) on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and (right) walking the Old Town with Mercat Tours.
The castle is a mecca for military historians, who may wish to set aside the best part of a day to fully absorb its multiple museums.
If cannons, uniforms and siege warfare aren’t up your alley, there’s still much to see, from the Royal Palace to the 900-year-old St Margaret’s Chapel – the oldest surviving structure in the entire city of Edinburgh.
The Royal Mile is one of the most popular areas of the city for good reason. From St Giles’ Cathedral to The Chocolatarium, the busy thoroughfare and its side streets are packed with things to do and see.
But underneath those cobbles lies one of the most fascinating attractions of the Old Town.
Mercat Tours is the high watermark for experiencing the underground vaults and the dark history of the chambers beneath Blair Street.
Mercat Tours’ take visitors through the vaults hidden under Blair Street. (Paul Bock)
Said to be one of the most haunted sites in Scotland, the chambers were designed for storage, but became a squalid refuge for the city’s poorest residents and a haven for criminal activity.
Mercat’s tour guides bring the stories to life in the incredibly immersive surroundings, with child-friendly and more adult-orientated options available.
After the confines of the underground vaults, the Port of Leith offers fresh air and most famously Queen Elizabeth II’s former pride and joy, the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Accessed via the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, fans of The Crown Netflix series will find this sometimes voyeuristic tour of the Royal family’s ‘home on water’ a particular highlight.
Handheld audio guides offer a step-by-step guide through its multiple decks. Even the most ardent republican will find it fascinating.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, now permanently docked at the Port of Leith and one of Edinburgh’s most popular tourist attractions.
Personally, the amount of booze involved across the entire operation raised an eyebrow!
As we packed our bags after three fun-packed nights in Edinburgh, we headed back down The Mound and concluded there were enough places and attractions we missed on this particular visit to justify a return.
For example we spent a view hours in the National Museum and merely scratched its surface, while there simply wasn’t enough time to visit Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill or Dean Village.
Next time it is!
- Chambers at the Virgin Hotel Edinburgh start from around £264 per night (for two guests) and can be booked via virginhotels.com/Edinburgh or 01315 264810.
- Aer Lingus Regional flights from Belfast City Airport to Edinburgh are currently priced from around £40 each way per person. Book via aerlingus.com.