Date: 02.-03. May 2026
I stayed at the Wilde Aparthotels Grassmarket, which is perfectly located right in the heart of the old town.
The Grassmarket area is full of pubs and restaurants and has a very lively atmosphere.
The historic buildings in the city center are really beautiful.
I liked the architecture a lot. Since it was a weekend, many people were out drinking and the area felt a bit chaotic and rough. People in Scotland don’t really dress up — it’s quite casual.
I walked around a lot and really enjoyed the old churches and impressive buildings.
One of the highlights was climbing up Arthur’s Seat. It’s a steep and quite tough climb (took me around 40 minutes), so good shoes are recommended.
Unfortunately it was very cloudy at the top, but it was still worth it for the view and the physical challenge.
I also visited the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which I really liked. For food I tried Wedgewood for local Scottish cuisine (it was good but nothing special) and the next day I had an excellent Scottish breakfast at The Coffee Mill.
The best meal was at Bertie’s — really good fish & chips and a nice fish soup. I can recommend that place.
Overall Edinburgh has a beautiful old town with impressive architecture, but it felt quite touristy and a bit rough around the edges during the weekend.