48 Hours in Edinburgh

Wanted to share a little snapshot into the 48 hours i spent in the beautiful Scottish capital. A short pit stop in the city before heading North, so we wanted to see some of the sights and enjoy the culture of the city.

We arrived at around 10am, after only a 50 minute flight from Birmingham International (which is actually less time than it takes me to get the train to London), hopped on the city bus and headed to the centre to find our hotel. We stayed in the Haymarket Mecure hotel which was about a 10 minute walk from the centre. A lovely new, modern hotel perfect for relaxing after a long day exploring. We also found Loudons cafe & bakery, right round the corner, where we had breakfast both days of our trip - american style pancakes and bacon, the best way to start any day.

 One of the things I love about walking around somewhere new is seeing all the different elements and styles of architecture that make up a bustling city, and Edinburgh has some beautiful hidden gems. I have always love the horseshoe crescents nestled in and around the city - would love to live a beautiful old house like this, full of character.

Once we had checked in, we headed up to the Main Street - Princes street for some food. An impressive street that is around 1 mile long joining Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. Plus with virtually no buildings on the south side, it gives you some great panoramic views of the Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and the valley in-between which has beautiful parks and open spaces to sit and enjoy the sunshine.

Once there, hubby chose Ryan's bar, which was perfectly situated for getting our bearings, plus yummy food and a much needed coffee. Then it was off for a spot of shopping - it would be rude not to when in the capital (hello huge Primark and H&M Home!!!), plus i had to pick up a copy of the new Harry Potter book (Potter geek and proud of it!).

The Castle

I remember visiting the castle when i was a child, and it hasn't lost any of its wow factor. Nestled on the rock over looking the city, the impressive building is the focal point of the city and hard to miss. Sadly we didn't go inside the castle, just not enough time but on the list for our next visit, however the views and gardens around the castle are stunning, and you can really appreciate the grandeur and sense of history. Plus we weren't able to appreciate the castle courtyard fully as the Edinburgh Tattoo festival happens the week after leave, so there are lots of preparations and seating stands being set up.

 The Zoo

The one place that i had to visit while we were here - not the biggest Zoo in the world, but for me one of the weirdest locations, in a bustling capital city, but a great way to spend the afternoon. Home to some of my favourite animals - the majestic Giant Panda who was chillin, the mischievous meerkats and the more obscure tapir, which had the most adorable baby running around. A few of my favourites shots below - i get a little "snap happy" around animals and didn't think this would be the best post if it was just endless shots of animals. I can clearly remember the entrance to the zoo from a childhood visit, i think it was all the beautiful foliage that stuck in my mind and it looks just how i remember.

Getting Around

Found getting around Edinburgh so easy, so many options - bus, tram or by foot and unlike other big cities, relatively cheap (day ticket only £4). Although we did spend most of our time exploring on foot, as i find you can always see more of a city especially all the little side streets. Plus we actually had amazing weather, so wanted to make the most of it, but the bus and tram we did take were so easy and really well signposted, with lots of information boards.

 The Outfits

So travelling with hand luggage meant packing light so kept my outfits simple for the trip. Loved both of these but only managed to get a full length picture of the Sunday look - this dress was a bargain from H&M and is proving to be a summer staple, i just added a little khaki jacket on top in case i got chilly.

Really like these "From where I stand" shots - not always time to take full on outfit photos, especially on holiday but these capture the days outfit and it was nice to get hubby in there too (although less style variation for him). Loved the thistle carpet in the hotel, made a great background.

 The Details & Links

The Hotel - Mecure Edinburgh Haymarket
Flight from Birmingham - Flybe
The yummiest breakfasts - Loudons Cafe & Bakery
Great lunch menu - Ryan's Bar & Resturant
Amazing homemade burgers - Mckirdys Steakhouse
Be sure to book the Panda viewing - Edinburgh Zoo
The castle - Edinburgh Castle
Getting around - Lothian Bus / Edinburgh Tram

So much more to do and see in Edinburgh, think we may need a return visit at some point.
Now we are headed North to Pitlochry.....to continue our little Scottish adventure.

Have you been to Edinburgh, do you have any recommendations for my next visit?

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