How to Spend One Month in Edinburgh, Scotland as a Solo Traveler

SECOND: WHY GO THERE SOLO?

Of all the cities I’ve traveled to worldwide, Edinburgh has by far been the place I’ve felt safest, especially as a solo female traveler. Scotland generally has very low crime rates, and the UK as a whole is currently ranked 34th out of 163 on the Global Peace Index. From a personal perspective, I’m from Massachusetts–I would never wear headphones, walk alone at night, get distracted by my phone in public, etc. in the Boston area (or anywhere in the US), but in Edinburgh, I felt totally comfortable walking back to my apartment at 10:30pm listening to music by myself. I was still very aware of my surroundings, of course, but I didn’t feel nearly as afraid or paranoid doing things women have been taught to avoid at all costs in the States. I also saw a huge amount of young, solo women walking around every single day, so I wasn’t out of the ordinary in the slightest. Plus, the lack of guns in Europe and the UK has made me feel immensely safer, especially traveling alone. Scottish people are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met, and I always felt very welcome and safe wherever I went in Edinburgh, so I highly recommend this city as a spot for solo female travelers to visit!

All in all, Edinburgh–and Scotland as a whole–is an incredible place to visit whether you’re looking for city life, country quietness, or a mixture of both. This whole list is solo-traveler friendly (tried and tested by yours truly!) so whether you’re venturing out on your own or you’re visiting with friends or family, these activities were my favorite ways to spend a whole month in this gorgeous city.

1. WALK THE ROYAL MILE

The Royal Mile is the main street that runs through Edinburgh’s Old Town, starting at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The route has been used for royal processions for the last 500 years, and is home to some of the city’s oldest buildings. It’s filled with shops and restaurants lining the street, selling gorgeous, handmade wool scarves and kilts, pewter flasks and goods, and traditional Scottish scran (food), all leading up to the beautiful Edinburgh Castle. You can spend many an afternoon here just walking up and down, listening to the bagpipers on street corners, taking a peek into St. Giles’ Cathedral, grabbing drinks at different pubs, tasting whisky or trying haggis or buying beautiful souvenirs. Whatever you choose to do along the Royal Mile, it’s sure to be a memorable time!

2. PEOPLE WATCH AT PRINCES STREET GARDENS

One of my favorite things to do in general, but especially in new cities, is grabbing a seat on a park bench and people watching, most enjoyed with a hot cocoa or a small bite to eat. Princes Street Gardens is the perfect place to do it, with large green spaces filled with trees and benches and pathways, overlooking Edinburgh Castle and having quick access to Scott Monument and a number of museums. On a nice day, take a walk down to the gardens and just sit–enjoy the peacefulness, the pretty sights, the changing leaves and blossoms, and keep count of how many adorable pups you see. If you’re there in the winter, bring your mittens and a hot drink and savor a little slice of your own company–and if it’s close enough to Christmas, the markets will be playing holiday tunes for you to enjoy!

3. VISIT A MUSEUM

Edinburgh has a wide variety of museums to enjoy on rainy days (or any day), so take your pick! You have the Scottish National Gallery, the National Museum of Scotland, the National Portrait Gallery, the Writers’ Museum, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and so many others. Visiting museums is a wonderful way to get a sense of a city’s history, and if you’re like me, you can spend hours just wandering the halls and galleries, taking in all the art and information and historical charm.

One of my personal favorites in Edinburgh is the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, if not only for the architecture there: its Neo-gothic accents make the palace feel ancient and moody with embellished archways and tall pillars lining the Great Hall. You can walk up to the ambulatory and look out over the Great Hall for a really interesting perspective (and more beautiful artwork and architecture!). I also loved touring the Royal Yacht Britannia; as part of our Hop On Hop Off ticket, we visited the ship that was home to the Royal Family for over 40 years. You can explore the five decks of the ship, seeing dining rooms, state apartments, the engine room, and much more, learning about the history of the Royal Family and their overseas state visits throughout the tour.

Regardless of which museum you visit, whether you’re looking for art or history or a mixture of both, there are plenty to choose from right in Edinburgh!

4. CATCH A MOVIE AT EVERYMAN

One thing I absolutely love to do solo is go to the movies! No matter where I am, if it’s a rainy, dreary day outside (or just a slow day without much else to do), I love cozying up in a theater with a drink and some snacks and seeing a new movie. Luckily, my new favorite movie theater (like, ever) happened to be 15 minutes from my apartment, and I ended up going to see a few different movies there during my time in Edinburgh! Everyman is a super cool theater concept, with a full bar and restaurant downstairs, multiple levels of screens, and cozy, secluded sitting areas outside each theater. You can stop in just for a drink and some food, or you can grab a quick bite before or during your film–the staff will bring your order to you right at your seat. On a rainy UK day, there’s not much better than some mulled wine, popcorn, a huge velvet couch and a new movie screening.

5. HAVE A SOLO DINNER DATE (and try haggis!)

Solo dinners can be intimidating, but when you’re traveling alone, you gotta get familiar with sitting by yourself at a restaurant! I usually opt for solo lunches and then make dinner at home (or get take-out), but I do love the occasional dinner date with just me, myself and I. You can use this opportunity to try haggis, too–I think it’s a right of passage when visiting Scotland, honestly. Another intimidating thing to try, being minced sheep’s organs, but believe me when I tell you it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had (and inspired me to order it multiple more times throughout my stay). It wouldn’t be the national dish of Scotland without good reason, so eat up!

My recommendation for your first haggis experience is Arcade Bar Haggis & Whisky House. It’s the photo below with the stack of haggis, neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes) swimming in whisky sauce. Phenomenal. It definitely spoiled me being my first time trying haggis, and the restaurant proudly claims that it serves the “best haggis in town” on a sign outside. If you only have haggis once during your trip, let it be here.

Some more restaurants I love in Edinburgh are Amarone (also a lovely spot for a solo dinner), The Queens Arms, and Royal Mile Tavern–you can view the whole list of my favorites here!

6. VISIT THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS

If you’re visiting in the winter around the holidays, the Christmas markets are a must in Edinburgh. Booths of all different foods, drinks, and craft vendors line the streets of East Princes Street Gardens under string lights, with carnival rides spinning and Christmas music blasting. Avoid opening night if you don’t want to stand shoulder to shoulder the entire time, but weekdays aren’t super crowded and you can get a nice, warm, boozy hot chocolate and stroll around the market window shopping and snacking on donuts, mac and cheese, German sausages, and more.

There’s also a skating rink on George Street and Santa’s Village farther down into the gardens, though I spent most of my visits at the main market sipping mulled wine and people watching to the soundtrack of Jingle Bells and Mariah Carey. They aren’t far from each other, though, so you can take yourself on a nice little walk through town with a hot drink (not from the market–those stay inside the gates) on a chilly December evening.

Another note: if you’re looking for more Christmas decorations, you can’t miss a visit to The Dome to see the pillars lit up with thousands of tiny lights! Pop inside for a view of their huge Christmas tree, too. Another favorite building with pretty holiday decor is the Edinburgh Grand, so keep that on the list.

7. TAKE A BUS TOUR TO THE HIGHLANDS

Edinburgh is a super popular city to explore the Highlands from–guided bus tours run in and out of the country’s capital every day, usually rain or shine, all year round. If you don’t have a car and want to venture up into the Highlands to see the insane beauty that is the Scottish countryside, then a guided tour is a perfect option, especially if you’re solo! You can choose from tours lasting multiple hours to multiple days, depending on how much money and time you can spend on the excursion. I would have loved to spend more than a day in the Highlands, but I took a 12 hour tour through Glencoe and Inverness and it was still absolutely amazing.

The scenery throughout the drive was incredible, and stopping in Glencoe was breathtaking. Literally just off the side of the road, you get those incredible mountain views seen below (some of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken, and on film, no less!). The tour started at 8am, and we saw Glencoe, Loch Ness, Urqhart Castle, and Inverness before we made our way back to Edinburgh by 8:30pm. A long day, but filled with beautiful sights that you might not get to see otherwise if your trip to Edinburgh is a short one! You can read my full blog post about the Highlands bus tour here.

8. HIKE ARTHUR’S SEAT

I’ve mentioned my first hike up Arthur’s Seat in another blog post, but I obviously hiked up once more during my month-long stay, and it just doesn’t get old. A dormant volcano overlooking the Salisbury Crags and the whole of Edinburgh, Arthur’s Seat is a spot to get a great workout in while soaking up the incredible nature Edinburgh has to offer (with a killer view of the city, too). From the base next to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the whole hike takes about 2-2.5 hours round trip. It starts off as a slow incline on a dirt road, and then picks up a bit when you turn the corner to face the summit. Luckily, it doesn’t get too hot in Edinburgh, so if you’re visiting in the summer, just wear light layers and you’ll be fine. It does get very cold, though, so if you’re in for a winter hike, be sure to dress warmly. Regardless of season, bring water and snacks! It’s not a crazy climb, but you’ll still need to hydrate, and a hike snack never hurt anyone. Grab a sandwich on the go (the one pictured is from Plant Bae) and you’ll be all set. There’s nothing quite like a day spent in solitude on a mountain, and I highly recommend this one.

9. DO A WHISKY OR GIN TASTING

A whisky tasting in Scotland is pretty much obligatory, even if you aren’t a huge whisky drinker. I prefer my Scotch in a mixed drink, but I really enjoyed getting to learn about the history of whisky distilling in Scotland while trying some notable pairings with chocolate. Whiski Rooms offers whisky tastings paired with both chocolate and cheese, and there are a number of other companies who do tastings as well (Johnnie Walker being the most popular). If you’re not huge on whisky but you still enjoy tastings, the gin tasting I did was one of my favorite experiences in Scotland! Edinburgh Gin Distillery offers tastings that include some of the best gin liqueurs I’ve ever tasted. Seriously, I still crave their apple and spice liqueur nearly daily.

Whichever tasting interests you, the guides are always super knowledgable and friendly, and know how to make it a good time for everyone there. Tastings are perfect for solo travelers too, since you can meet new people and take part in a fun, guided experience together!

*Note: in Scotland, it’s “whisky” and in Ireland, it’s “whiskey” with an “e”. Something you may not have noticed before!

10. WANDER THROUGH DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS

I say it a lot, but my favorite thing to do when I get to a new city is to just wander around and take it all in. You don’t need a plan or a schedule–you can just explore the city, walk down every street you find, pop into cafes and bookstores, stroll through parks, and discover different areas that are off the beaten path a bit. Touristy things in the center of a major city are super fun to do, but there’s something special about walking a bit further out of town into quieter neighborhoods, or taking a quick bus to the coast to see the ocean, or trying out that coffee shop you noticed on a random side street. Finding the good spots on the outskirts is a great way to add some slowness back into your trip amidst the hustle of a major city like Edinburgh, and it’s super peaceful to do it solo. No plans, no timeline, no one’s opinion but your own.

11. EXPLORE EDINBURGH'S KIRKYARDS

While Edinburgh’s kirkyards (churchyards) are very famous in their own right, you can still find quiet spots here as well if you’re looking for a peaceful day out avoiding crowds. There are two notable kirkyards in Edinburgh: Greyfriar’s and St. Cuthbert’s.

Greyfriar’s Kirkyard is legendary for two things: the story of Greyfriar’s Bobby, and for being the inspiration for multiple Harry Potter characters–namely Tom Riddle and Minerva McGonagall. You’ll find it on Candlemaker’s Row, right across from the National Museum of Scotland. It’s a lovely little area, and quite serene if there aren’t many walking tours there at the same time as you. It’s a big hit with Harry Potter tours in the city, naturally, so if that’s something you’re looking to do, go for it! Otherwise, you can explore at your leisure, taking in the foliage (if you’re there in the fall), quieting your mind, and exploring the historical site. Don’t forget to look for the Bobby statue outside as well!

St. Cuthbert’s Kirkyard is right off of Princes Street Gardens, and if you venture down the steps, you’re in for a beautiful view of Edinburgh Castle. It’s a smaller kirkyard, but it’s still quieter than the gardens right outside, and makes for a lovely stroll on a nice day and a great spot to get some pictures.