Update 08/10/21: The info for the #WorldChallenge event featuring Scotland can be found here! Don’t forget to join in the crazy fun!! Details on how to take part can be found in the link above! See you there!
Update 26/09/21: The third post is now available! Check out what Christmas and Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) is like in Edinburgh!
Hullo! Lang time nae see… Hoo’s it gaun?
It’s quite hard to write in Scotsbut that’s basically “Hello! Long time no see… How’s it going?”. And hello…welcome to my second post exploring Edinburgh! 
If you missed my first post where Imentioned some fun facts, do give it a read and don’t worry, there’s no specific order in which you need to read them!
I also have a third post planned where I’ll talk about my visit during Christmas and Hogmanay so keep an eye out for that (and I should also add the link here when the post is out).
In a very general sense, if you’re planning a trip to Edinburgh, there’s just a lot of things to see and do so I would definitely recommend planning your trip properly! Edinburgh is a very popular tourist destination (for very good reasons) and especially during summer months with the better weather, you will probably need to book in advance.
Popular festivals like the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Hogmanay’s Street Party will need bookings way in advance because tickets are limited and they sell out really quickly. For the Edinburgh Fringe, another popular festival, some events/shows are ticketed but you’ll also have a lot of free shows and performances right out on the streets themselves.
And as you can imagine, you’ll need to sort out your accommodation in advance too! Through the years and from many visits to Edinburgh, I’ve stayed in budget accommodations like Castle Rock Hostel (fun, vibrant atmosphere predominantly filled with backpackers and travellers on a shoe-string budget…and it’s super cool), semi-budget hotels like Travelodge (functional and basic, but at least you don’t have to share your bathroom!), nice hotels like Mercure and expensive fancy-schmancy places like The Glasshouse 
.
Cost is kind of subjective and relative so it’s hard to advice on this. Scotland has their own notes and they share the same monetary value as the sterling pound. The Scottish notes do look different and they are generally accepted throughout the United Kingdom. They are technically not a legal tender though so some shops in England can be a little bit hesitant to accept them (acceptance has thankfully/rightfully gotten better through the years). As the capital city of Scotland, cost of living in Edinburgh is higher than other parts but as a tourist, you can find things to do on the cheap, if not free.
Speaking of which, here are my top places to visit! If you can spare the time, rather than rushing from one touristy spot to another, do slow down a bit to really enjoy your stay.
- Edinburgh Castle - A no brainer. Worth every penny to enter and there’s just so much to see and do here. And don’t forget to head to St Margaret’s Chapelfor the oldest building in the city! You could easily spend half a day here.
- Holyrood Distillery and North British Distillery - If you’re into your whisky distilleries, these are the two to choose from in Edinburgh. I’ve been to several distilleries in Scotland but unfortunately not these two. And even though I’m not a fan of whisky, I do find the tours to be fascinating.
- Scott Monument - Such an iconic landmark on Princess Street and despite walking past it so many times, I didn’t realise until recently that you could actually go inside and up the monument for some lovely views of the city. 287 steps in a relatively tight space is all you need to take but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- National Museum of Scotland- This museum is part natural history, part industrial history and is a joy to visit! Lots of educational materials housed within a beautiful building!
- Scottish Parliament Building - Designed by Spanish architect Enric Miralles, it’s a stunning building! And if you’re into history and politics, then it’s an added bonus! There is a public gallery from which you can watch a parliamentary session live as well.
- Palace of Holyroodhouse - This is another place that I’ve not been to and is definitely one for the history buffs or if you’re into your monarchies!
- Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat - If you fancy a bit of an outdoorsy pursuit, look no further than hiking up to these two beautiful spots! Check out some of the views you’ll get: here, here, here and here!
- Dean Village- Ever wondered what a 19th century living would be like? Well, take a stroll through Dean Village, Edinburgh’s hidden gem, to see what life looked like way back then!
- The Royal Mile - Very touristy but you can’t go to Edinburgh without walking down the Royal Mile! Don’t forget to take a peek into the alleyways and off the Mile every so often for a bit of a wander! It’s like stepping back into time for sure! Plus, search online for free walking tours: they are usually very good and a great way to get a quick guided tour of the city!
- St Giles’ Cathedral - Grand. Gothic. Medieval. And it’s on the Mile so you might as well pop in for a look-see. You can check out their website for things to do! Me… I’m usually snapping away taking photos!
- The Dome- Pricey but a lovely place for a meal! Go a la carte or go for the famed afternoon teas! Definitely needs to be booked ahead of time! I took my brother for a New Year’s Eve dinner here. Sold a toe for that meal!
- The Ivy - Another pricey place but The Ivy is a pretty solid experience! They serve modern British food in a stunning setting. I’ve not tried this place but I’ve been to The Ivy in Glasgow and Manchester and they both had a very similar vibe and menu.
- The Witchery - Sadly, another pricey place! I came here for a birthday (not mine) meal and it was lovely! Great food, great atmosphere and stellar service! And an equally stunning bill too! I think I ended up washing their dishes for a month.
- Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food- All good Scots love a good curry and you definitely won’t go wrong with the amazing dishes at Tuk Tuk! Be careful though, it is very easy to order everything on the menu!
Obviously there’s more to see in Edinburgh than just these places but these are the places that I’ve been to and/or are familiar with. I also did a quick search online and viewed a few travel videos and I think this one from 2018 is pretty good as it gives you a sense of how much you can cover within 48 hours!
And for something rather different, this is a cool video by Visit Scotland (the official Scottish tourism YouTube channel). Filmed at night, it shows various iconic Scottish landmarks lit by a single light source that weaves in and out of the area, casting long shadows and creating a very dramatic mood that Batman would be proud of!
This post is for the #WorldChallenge organised by @Denise_Barlock and @jayasimha78 , for the Scotland weekend with @PeteMHW as your guest host. He has also written posts about Scotland and I definitely recommend folks to give them a read:A Wee Look Around Scotland: History 
,A Wee Look Around Scotland: Geography 
andA Wee Look Around Scotland: Scots Inventions & Innovations 
!
From my first post, it looks like we’ve had a few folks who have visited Scotland before! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the two posts that I’ve written so far and if you’ve been to Edinburgh, do share any tips or recommended places to visit in the comments below! Don’t forget to use the @ to mention me so that I will get notified! See you at my third post! Cheers ma dears! 
- I like charity shops and second hand shopping in general 
