Edinburgh in Scotland is a nice city with so much going on but with so many tourists, it gets very crowded. It is a good place to visit but if one wants to avoid the crowds, then the best time is in winter. It is a mix between traditional and modern architecture.
However there is lots to do for all age groups from kids to adults. This trip was mainly a family visit and was long train journey from Birmingham to Edinburgh. We stayed at self catering accommodation at Corstorphine which is a suburb of Edinburgh. Self-catering is a good option if one does not like to eat out all the time. Here it feels like you are at home even when on vacation. On some days we used to get a taxi but also there is good and reliable public transport which saves alot of money.
The recommended places to visit are Edinburgh Castle and walk along the Royal Mile, Author’s Seat which gives a panoramic view of the city, Natural History Museum and Princes Street Gardens.
There is however alot more but we were there only for a few days so we saw the main attractions. The Royal Mile is home to many traditional restaurants and shops. If visiting Edinburgh, one should not forget to try Haggis, the main ingredients being Sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, and stomach mixed with onion, oatmeal, suet and spices. There is the Fudge House which has a wide variety of fudges for sale so this is a recommended place to visit and buy some fudge.
The National History Museum is free to enter and will cater to all age groups and this will take an entire day. There is also Camera Obscura and Edinburgh Zoo which will be fun for kids.
Regarding Aurthur’s Seat, this is a short but steep walk and is located just near Holyrood Park.
I took the long way up not realizing there was much shorter route to the top of this small hill.
Once to the top, I stopped for some photographs and descended down a less steep trail and reached the base within 20 minutes. There was plenty of walkers, tourists visiting this site. On one side of this hill, there is a small lake with plenty of bird life.
This is a great place to visit and there is also lots of wildlife around and other spots to explore and picnic. One can spend an entire day here.
On our last day, we decided to visit Edinburgh Zoo which is home to many animals from Pandas to Bears. Zoos are important as they are grounds for protecting and conserving various animals from extinction and or breeding endangered species in captivity.
I may visit this place again in the future but this time in winter season to avoid the huge crowds.