Edinburgh Part II

On our last full day we woke up bright and early excited to explore Edinburgh! After a little ham toast for breakfast we headed to Edinburgh Castle!  The Castle is located right at the end of the Royal Mile (you really can’t miss it).  It’s located on top of Castle Rock which helps form it’s fortress. Because of this many Scottish monarchs throughout history fled to Edinburgh Castle during conflict and it’s said to be the most besieged castle in the UK. Towards the end of the 18^thcentury it was mostly used for military operations.  Today, it’s the most visited tourist attraction in Scotland with over a million visitors annually.

We spent a few hours walking around the castle. There are many different buildings to explore and I highly recommend renting the audio guide. I especially loved visiting the chapel which is the oldest part of the castle built in the 12^th century! I also loved the room with the crown jewels & seeing the tiny room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James who would unintentionally unite the Kingdoms of Scotland and England as they are present day.

Next, we headed around the corner from the Castle to Victoria Street aka the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley! It’s easy to see why-the colorful buildings along this narrow street make for a pretty place to wander and grab a drink.  Which is exactly what we did! We stopped at La Barantine Victoria for a cappuccino and croissant while we sat outside and people watched.

Our next stop was the National Museum of Scotland.  One thing I love about the UK is that majority if not all of their museums are completely free (apparently countries can do that when they have a million beautiful castles and churches they can charge entry too!) I also love that with a free museum you don’t feel pressured to stay and see it all just to get your moneys worth!

This is a fabulous museum with a little something for everyone! Davis loved the animal exhibit and interactive children’s rooms, I loved the fashion throughout the years exhibit and Gabe loved seeing “Dolly” the first cloned sheep! The Royal Hall of the museum is stunning and was constructed in 1861.  It’s made of intricate Victorian style cast iron.  If you’re traveling with kids definitely take them here!

We decided to wrap our day with a cup of hot chocolate from The Elephant House.  Harry Potter fans must take a quick stop inside this café. It’s said that JK Rowling spent many a days in this cafe writing up a little novel called Harry Potter! The bathrooms are filled with Harry Potter graffiti and fan messages.  The hot chocolate isn’t bad either!

With that we wrapped up our two days spent in Edinburgh. I absolutely loved this Scottish capital city. The architecture and history are unmatched. As you walk down the main streets and alleys you feel transported back in time. The Old Town and New Town together are considered an Unesco World Heritage site and it’s easy to see why.  If Edinburgh isn’t on your bucket list do yourself a favor and add it, now!