Seeing Edinburgh in a Day: What to See and Do

Edinburgh is a monumental city with a wide variety of things to see and do. Edinburgh is host to everything from castles, to volcanoes, to arts festivals. With so much selection, it’s a wonder how anybody can decide on what to see or visit first in this impressive city, I know I sure struggled. If you find yourself facing the same problems that I did when choosing my destinations, here’s a guide on some of the best attractions that I visited within Edinburgh.

I began my travels through Edinburgh with a trip to the Edinburgh Castle. The castle serves as monument to Scotland’s history as it has witnessed the birth of Kings and Queens, murders and lengthy battles; Edinburgh Castle is so steeped in history and yet time has barely touched the majority of the castle and its appearance.


The oldest of the buildings that make up Edinburgh Castle dates back to the 12th century when David I still reigned, however the last member of royalty to sleep within the walls of the castle was Charles I back in 1633. If you’re thinking of visiting the castle in the early afternoon it’s recommended that you bring ear protection, as at approximately 1pm (Except on Sundays) a gun is fired to honour Tam the Gun.


After departing the castle’s grounds I decided to take a relaxing walk amongst some of Scotland’s finest art, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Although the majority of the collection is kept within the gallery’s walls, some of the best sculptures are scattered alongside the river as it flows into the Firth of Forth at Leith. Although the riverside walk was refreshing, my favourite piece was housed within the gallery itself. Picasso’s Mère et Enfant took my breath away, the passion and detail that had been put into this piece was beautiful to see. Even if you feel that you haven’t the time to visit the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, do it anyway, even if it’s just for an hour, I can promise you that you won’t regret it.


As the sun started to sink lower in the sky, setting over the striking city of Edinburgh, I made my way to the heart of Leith to dine at a restaurant owned by Martin Wishart himself. The food was sublime; I couldn’t have faulted a single course. Although the restaurant is rather pricey, and it isn’t suggested that you dine here every day, the quality and care taken over preparing the food is worth the expense. If you fancy checking out this lavish little restaurant you can check out their menu online. Personally, I’d recommend treating yourself to the wild sea-bass baked in a salt meringue, but the choice is yours.

After such a long day exhaustion is inevitable, and when you need to rest it’s preferable that you rest well. At the Channings hotel a pleasant night’s sleep is guaranteed, with its extensive plush suites and remarkable views of the city scape, I couldn’t have chosen a more impeccable place to stay. Some of the suites are dedicated to the hotel’s previous owner, Sir Ernest Shackleton, with themes taken from his ship: the Endurance.

There are dozens of other attractions that are worthy of credit in the vast city of Edinburgh, but alas, not all of us have the time to see them all. However, if you’re looking for a weekend away or a short break, Edinburgh is the place to be, you’ll never find another city quite like it.
                                                                                                                                 
Author Bio: Lynn Reid is a member of the event marketing team here at Lovestruck, Lynn loves nothing more than travelling around the UK organising dating events at amazing venues.

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