A Four Day Trip to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Scotland

I turned 26 (ew) during the last week in July, and all I wanted for my birthday was to see Scotland–so that’s what we did! Scotland and Ireland have both been at the top of my travel bucket list for many years, and I would’ve been insane not to visit at least one of them while staying in the UK. We only spent four days in Scotland total, but it was enough to make me fall in love with Edinburgh and, naturally, fantasize about moving there and living in perpetual autumn weather. Seriously, I’ve looked up apartments for rent near the city more than a handful of times since we’ve gotten back to Leicester. But aside from that little dream of mine, Edinburgh was everything I expected it to be, and I can’t wait to go back and explore more of the country someday!

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GETTING THERE

We headed to Edinburgh on the 24th in true backpacker fashion, getting there by train, plane, tram and foot. There are tons of public transportation options, which made it a matter of how much we wanted to spend to get there. We ended up walking to the Leicester train station, catching a train to the Birmingham airport, flying to Edinburgh, and then taking a tram right to the center of the city. We could have taken a train to London and then Edinburgh, which would have been less hectic, but much more expensive–and we’re trying to backpack as cheaply as possible, so you can imagine why we’d choose the former.

By the time we got to the city center it had just started to rain lightly, and we had to make a choice: walk to the Airbnb to drop off our bags and risk getting caught in the inevitable downpour, or find a restaurant to wait out the rain in (probably the easiest decision we made out of the whole trip). We grabbed a table in a pub and got some great drinks, a filling dinner, and delicious desserts, which were all a nice treat after a long travel day only eating Burger King from the airport.

EDINBURGH

The city itself was gorgeous, to say the least. I wanted to feel like I was in a totally different country, and Edinburgh stepped it up and felt like a totally different world. Maybe I was a bit biased from being so excited, but when you live in Fitchburg, MA, visiting Scotland is like a dream or a movie. It was similar to Bath in the sense that I just felt different walking around the city, looking at the buildings and the landscape and seeing a view so different than what I’m used to.

On our first full day in the city, we got tickets for another Hop On Hop Off bus tour that brought us to all the major landmarks in Edinburgh, from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle and everything in between. It was a bit rainy so we spent most of the tour on the lower, covered level of the buses, and we braved the showers at each stop. We rode down crowded streets learning about the buildings and the history in the city, seeing beautiful architecture and gorgeous nature in the distance. Edinburgh Castle was incredible to walk through, made up of multiple buildings rather than just one castle. The view of the entire city alone was enough to make me want to drop everything and move there–it really felt like a dream.

We toured the castle grounds and Holyroodhouse Palace, which were both filled with rich history and were super interesting if royal bedchambers and fake bloodstains on floors are your thing. We walked down the Royal Mile, stopping in shops to buy souvenirs and grabbing bites to eat and drink. We ventured to Portobello and got fish and chips by the ocean, and later I got the best espresso martini I’ve ever had during a round of drinks and dessert at a nearby pub. Ultimately, Edinburgh was my eternal-autumn fantasy land and I loved every bit of it. The cool, rainy weather, the potential for cozy sweaters year-round, the gorgeous landscape–and that was just Edinburgh, not even counting the rest of the country (or the rest of our trip there).

ARTHUR'S SEAT

Day 3 was spent hiking up Arthur’s Seat, a dormant volcano that overlooks the entire city of Edinburgh, as well as the Salisbury Crags below. It was a great workout (except for the fact that I forgot to bring leggings and had to wear jeans), and it was a lovely dose of nature right within the city itself. When I think of Scotland, I think of the Highlands as much as I think of the cities, and while we didn’t get to see the countryside this time around, this hike was the perfect breath of fresh air amidst long days walking down city streets.

There are different trails to take to get to the volcano’s peak, but there’s a pretty clear favorite–just follow the main path (or the hundreds of people walking up and down the mountain at any given time) and you’ll get to the top easily enough. Definitely bring a snack and water, wear sunscreen and a hat, and don’t be like me and forget comfy clothing! Overcast weather with no rain forecast is probably the best possible time to hike Arthur’s Seat; we went on a sunny day that was hotter than usual, and though it’s not a super strenuous hike until the top, it’ll still feel draining if you aren’t prepared.

EDINBURGH FOOD & DRINK

I’m known to get overly excited about trying food in new places (hence the food blog you’re reading this post on), and sometimes I wonder if my excitement clouds my restaurant judgement when everything is a home run for me. But with Edinburgh, I think the food really is just that good. There was only one restaurant I was disappointed with, and I think it’s because I went for a salad over their more traditional pub foods (stupid choice on my part). Other than that one meal, the drinks and food in Edinburgh were amazing, and you can read all about them in this post here!

ABERDEEN

On day 4 of our Scotland trip, we headed up to Aberdeen for the day/night. It was a bit of a hike at a nearly 3 hour bus ride, but the trip was scenic and with headphones, it passed by quickly. Once we got to the city, we were able to check into our Airbnb early, drop our bags off, and grab some breakfast. We spent the day walking around the city, learning about the different buildings and monuments there, and eventually grabbing lunch at an awesome spot near our flat. We went back for drinks later in the night, and despite the cheesy pop music and screaming groups of drunk girls (some 18 and 40+, if you can believe it), it was actually a really cool atmosphere. I talk some more about the food and drinks at Revolution here!

GETTING HOME

We trekked to a bus-turned-beachside-cafe on our last morning, grabbed some breakfast, and then made our way back to the bus station in Aberdeen. We traveled back home in reverse, getting on a bus back to Edinburgh, taking the tram to the airport, flying back to Birmingham, and then getting a train back to Leicester. It was about 10:30pm by the time we got back, so we Ubered to the Airbnb and called it a night. There were a few nearly-missed trains somewhere in the shuffle, but we made it back in one piece, albeit very tired and hungry.

MY TWO PENCE

Aberdeen was pretty average, and though the food was mostly good, there wasn’t much to do there. Edinburgh, on the other hand, is a must-see if you have the means to get there. I’m researching visas to get so I can live there permanently as I’m writing this blog. I’ll have to plan a separate trip specifically to explore the Highlands and as much of the countryside as I can possibly see, and of course to visit more of the major cities, too. Until then (or until I make the move official), I’ll dream about you, Edinburgh!