{"id":92758,"date":"2025-05-11T12:54:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T12:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/92758\/"},"modified":"2025-05-11T12:54:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T12:54:34","slug":"i-live-in-edinburgh-tourists-always-make-one-big-mistake-when-visiting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/92758\/","title":{"rendered":"I live in Edinburgh \u2014 tourists always make one big mistake when visiting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Edinburgh, often hailed as one of the UK’s most beautiful cities due to its striking medieval architecture, is a must-visit. However, many tourists make a common error when photographing the city’s most iconic landmark, Edinburgh Castle.<\/p>\n

As a lifelong resident of Edinburgh, I frequently observe visitors snapping pictures of the castle. Yet, there’s a simple way to capture a superior photo and enjoy an impressive city view without contending with crowds.<\/p>\n

Many tourists flock to the Waterstones bookshop on Princes Street, drawn by the cafe’s renowned window view of the castle. A quick social media search for Edinburgh Castle will reveal numerous photos taken from Waterstones, making it so popular that some locals steer clear of the cafe.<\/p>\n

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While I’m a fan of Waterstones, I wouldn’t choose it as a spot to photograph the castle or unwind, given its popularity. The limited space at the window – just three tables – can make it challenging to secure a good shot, especially when it’s bustling and noisy.<\/p>\n

For a fantastic photograph of Edinburgh Castle, I’d instead suggest heading to the Willow Tea Rooms, conveniently located just a few shops down from Waterstones.<\/p>\n

\"View<\/p>\n

Waterstones is a popular spot for people keen to snap the perfect photo -Credit:Katherine McPhillips<\/p>\n

Many visitors to Edinburgh often overlook the Willow Tea Room, primarily because its doors are frequently closed and you have to ascend a flight of stairs to reach the dining area.<\/p>\n

However, it’s one of my top spots. The Willow Tea Room boasts enormous windows that, in my view, offer a superior vista of Edinburgh Castle compared to Waterstones.<\/p>\n

These expansive windows ensure a stunning castle view from any seat, so you won’t be disturbing anyone while snapping photos.<\/p>\n

I’m a big fan of the Willow Tea Rooms as it’s typically peaceful despite its location on Edinburgh’s main street, and the staff have consistently been delightful during my visits.<\/p>\n

The highlight of the Willow Tea Rooms is their afternoon tea service and an impressive array of cakes for those feeling a bit peckish.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Willow Tea Rooms is a better place to get a photo -Credit:Katherine McPhillips<\/p>\n

It’s perfect for a simple cuppa, but with an extensive menu, it’s also a fantastic choice if you’re seeking a dinner spot or wanting to sample a Scottish breakfast.<\/p>\n

One of my favourite self-indulgences is to pop into Waterstones for a book, then spend an hour at the Willow Tea Room, one of the city centre’s cosiest and most comfortable spots.<\/p>\n

If you’re after a quieter place to enjoy the view of Edinburgh Castle and capture some breathtaking photos, I’d highly recommend the Willow Tea Room over the more frequented Waterstones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Edinburgh, often hailed as one of the UK’s most beautiful cities due to its striking medieval architecture, is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":92759,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8816],"tags":[748,1102,27651,4884,712,16,15,43824,43823],"class_list":{"0":"post-92758","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-edinburgh","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-edinburgh","10":"tag-edinburgh-castle","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-scotland","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-waterstones","16":"tag-willow-tea-rooms"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114489305673093087","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}