Weekend in Edinburgh
Seeing as we can’t go on holiday at the moment we can at least plan for next year! I know everyone is dreaming of hot beaches, tropical sands and cocktails (lots of cocktails) there is always a place in my heart for Scotland, especially near Christmas! This is also the perfect trip if you have already booked all your holidays and can only go away for a weekend.
Last year I took my husband for his birthday surprise and he absolutely loved it. I have no idea how it has taken me so long to visit Edinburgh but I am very glad that I did. Luckily I have some friends on the ground who gave me tips about places to visit, stay and do so now I am sharing with you because sometimes trip advisor just won’t cut it. There are a million different sites that will tell you the super tourist activities but this is more about having a chilled weekend with friends, good food and some new experiences.
We stayed at the Balmoral which is not only beautiful but can be located from most places in Edinburgh thanks to its clocktower (helpful if you’re like me and you get lost a lot). Apart from being well placed this has to be one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in, the room was lovely, the bars inviting and the breakfast delicious. As it was a birthday treat I went for one of the rooms that looked towards the castle which at this time of year also over looked the Christmas Market.
We arrived late on Friday as we flew up from London after work. Both feeling pretty shattered I wanted something easy, with no dress code but yet tasty. I booked a curry for the first night and I’m glad I did book ahead as there was a queue outside the door when we got there. bearing in mind it was 9pm on a Friday night. We went to Mother India’s Cafe and it gave us exactly what we were looking for, tasty food in a relaxing, busy setting. I wouldn’t say it is anything fancy but the food was nice and the environment was buzzing. Walking distance from the hotel meant we could also have a wonder back through the city. We finished the night in the hotel bar before a very peaceful nights sleep!
Saturday morning we woke up slowly thanks to the drinks the night before and heading for a lively breakfast. I would like to pretend that I’m healthy and had juice and fruit . Of course I didn't, anyone who has ever met me knows that I went for a full cooked breakfast. I always love to go for a long walk in a city because it helps me get some idea of positioning but mainly because its a nice way to explore and make more space for food later in the day. I found this amazing chocolate shop Edward & Irwyn which is down in Morningside. The walk took us about an hour but we were walking pretty slowly as being nosy takes time. I can’t recommend a visit to this funky chocolate shop, they have a mixture of some very unique chocolates which are scrumptious!
By the time we got back from our long walk (and taxi ride back) we needed to warm up big time. No better way to do this than by visiting SCOTCH the whiskey bar at Balmoral. To clarify neither us are massive whiskey drinkers, especially me but we did find a lovely one that kept us both happy as it wasn’t too strong. If you’re looking for an easy whiskey to start with try one from Auchentoshan as a warm up. If you visit SCOTCH they will happily recommend you something based on your tastes.
Saturday night we went for something a bit more fancy as our friends were driving across from Glasgow to see us, the Edinburgh Food Studio. (this sadly has closed at its currently location due to Covid, however I’m hopeful it will appear at another location so will keep you updated). I won’t go into too much details about this place as it will only make you jealous. After filling our bellies with this absolutely delicious food we moved on for some cocktails Panda’s and Sons is a basement bar which on street level looks just like a barbers. The cocktails are lovely plus they only let you know if you have a table plus the drinks are no overly expensive. We hadn’t booked a table before arriving and waited about ten minutes. There is nothing more irritating than going somewhere fancy and spending the entire evening clinging onto an over priced cocktail while you get hustled around the bar.
Sunday morning was a slow start, again I think you can guess why so breakfast in bed I think so. We drafted in grandparents to look after our toddler so of course we were going to take every opportunity to have a lie in! We met up with friends around mid day and headed towards Arthurs Seat. We of course took a nice long route as our friend was giving us the guided tour. We started up near the castle and then wondered down towards Holyrood, passing the Scottish Parliament Building which whether you love or hate the architecture it certainly is an interesting look building. Its not an overly difficult walk but I would wear sensible shoes that you won’t be worried about getting dirty as well as some warm layers. The views from the top are gorgeous and 100% worth the walk as you can see all of the city as well as the sea.
Sadly that was the end of our trip! Short taxi ride back to the airport followed by a super quick flight back and boom all over. If you’re flying from London especially if you’re going after work I can’t recommend City airport enough, Seeing as we moved to City’s super quick security is a thing of the past.
Where to start
Balmoral Hotel - https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/
SCOTCH - you can by a whiskey tasting or just go to the bar and ask them to recommend something.
Chocolate Shop - https://edwardandirwyn.co.uk
Mother Indias Cafe - https://www.motherindia.co.uk/index.php/mother-indias-cafe-edinburgh-home
Panda and Sons - https://pandaandsons.com
