Enchanting Edinburgh

After having fantasized about visiting Edinburgh, Scotland for a while, I made it there some time back. It was a perfect summer day. It was a huge relief for me because I had anticipated the temperature to be on the colder side. Thankfully, it was not, and it was an absolute delight to roam around the lovely city with my partner. So, what did we do?

To start off, we travelled by train from Newcastle to Edinburgh and it was a pleasant journey. As we got off, we couldn’t stop marvelling at the high roofs and the overall expanse of the Edinburgh train station. We walked all the way towards the city centre, taking in all the sights. sounds and smells. You could easily shoot a period drama here since the city is adorned with vintage architecture all over. All you need is replace the cars and swanky buses with horse driven carriages or hand carts! But jokes apart, after visiting, we understood why Edinburgh tourism is one of the most coveted things for travellers.

Our quest to find more about the city was kicked off with the National Museum of Scotland. It is one of the best Edinburgh tourist attractions. We didn’t know that our rendezvous with Scottish history and culture would be so fascinating and interesting. At the National Museum you can gasp and be awed at collections of the former National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. You will also see national collections of Scottish archaeological finds and medieval objects. Likewise, the museum contains artefacts from around the world, comprising geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology, art, and world cultures. From huge dinosaur skeletons to the earliest type of machinery and eccentric and exotic sculptures, this museum is a haven for art and history connoisseurs. What we had anticipated to be a quick walkthrough, ended up being a two-hour affair at the museum. And yet, there was still so much we had left.

Our next stop was the Writers’ Museum. It is a bit tricky to find. It is set up in Lady Stair’s House at the Lawnmarket on the Royal Mile. The museum presents the lives of three of the foremost Scottish writers: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Anyone who loves to read and write will find the museum’s collection of portraits, works and personal objects to be fascinating.

A short walk from the Writers’ Museum is the The National Art Gallery of Scotland located on The Mound, close to Princes Street. Designed in a neoclassical style by William Henry Playfair, the building was first opened to the public in 1859. if you love paintings and portraits, this is a must visit.  Although, make sure you have ample time to admire and be amazed at the sheer brilliance of colours, textures and forms on display.

if you are not the artsy types and love hiking, then consider heading to Arthur’s Seat. Just a few minutes from the Parliament building, Arthur’s Seat sits 251m above sea level offering mesmerising views of the city and the sea. It is an ancient volcano and the site of a large and well-preserved fort. It is one of four hill forts dating from around 2000 years ago. It has a diverse range of flora and geology rendering it a site of Special Scientific Interest.

Arthur’s Seat was our last hurrah before we headed back to Newcastle.  even though our trip was short, the memories will linger on forever. Our bodies were tired and heavy, but our hearts were not full. We wanted to explore Edinburgh more. There was much left still to see in Scotland which we hope to cover soon.

But if you have been to Edinburgh, I would love to hear about your Edinburgh sightseeing experience! Till then happy travels!