Edinburgh Part I

After an afternoon of site seeing in Glasgow we headed to Edinburgh. Upon arrival at our Air BnB we were a tad sketched out since it was located in a very old run down looking building that you accessed through a small side street. Thankfully once we arrived inside all our fears were eliminated! It was the absolute nicest apartment! Decorated so cute, unbelievably clean, room to spread out and a very handy washing machine! Best part of all was the location. We could walk to EVERYTHING! Not once did we take public transportation or a taxi in Edinburgh (which is very very nice when traveling with a toddler!) There were times we were walking back to our Air BnB and felt totally lost and then boom we were home-because it was so centrally located! Here is a link to it if you’re heading to Edinburgh: Edinburgh Air BnB

After we unpacked, Gabe parked the car in a nearby lot and we freshened up to head out and explore! Our first stop was a stroll down the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is the heart of Old Town Edinburgh. As you stroll down the tiny alleys with cobble stone streets surrounded by centuries old buildings it’s easy to imagine what Edinburgh would have looked like hundreds of years ago!

This part of town is lined with pubs, restaurants and stunning architecture. We grabbed a bite to eat at Byron known for their “proper” hamburgers! Gabe got the “B-Rex” Burger and I got the “Clucky” a fried buttermilk chicken sandwich with sri racha mayo, because honestly there is only so much actual Scottish-Scottish food one can experience! Both entrees were excellent and the sweet potato fries are not to be missed! Service was incredible and it’s a great place for the kiddos as well!

After dinner we knew we wanted to head up to Calton Hill to watch the sunset. Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish Government. At the top of the hill you’ll find several famous monuments including the National Monument and heavily photographed Dugald Stewart Monument. Definitely check out this area when you’re in Edinburgh.

What we didn’t take into consideration is the amount of steps we had to take to get up the hill…..with a stroller! There is a wheel chair accessible route that sloped all the way around and up the hill but we knew the stairs would be much faster (plus the slope is gravel so not sure exactly how wheel chair accessible it actually is?!)

Although we were winded, the hike up was well worth it for the views! As you walk around the top of the hill you can see all of Edinburgh! It’s absolutely stunning. It does get quite crowded around sunset with tourists and locals alike. Fair warning seems like a bit of a hot spot among Scottish youth because there were tons of teens hanging out enjoying a cold beverage if you know what I mean! Didn’t bother us but I’ve heard it can get a bit rowdy up there.

After about an hour exploring and taking in the views we decided to make the trek back down the hill towards our Air BnB! Walking the streets of Edinburgh at night with all the buildings lit up was totally beautiful. Couldn’t wait to wake up the next morning and explore more of this old town!