Things To Do In Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a medieval and historical city in Scotland, it is one of my favourite cities, as a photographer I really like the medieval architecture. Edinburgh has been the capital since 1437 in the 15th century. Princes Street Gardens are beautiful and the most visited by tourists. The gardens were made in two stages in the 1770s and 1820s, there are two different parks in the centre, on the east side you can view the Mound, Waverley station and Balmoral Hotel. If you are on the West side you can see the Ross Fountain. The oldest street is the Royal Mile and from Victoria Street which is nearby there are lovely views of Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens.

Getting to the city

If you are travelling by public transport it is easy to get to the city. Edinburgh has two train stations Edinburgh Waverely and Haymarket. The centre is within walking distance from Waverely station.Train tickets are normally cheaper if you book them 12 weeks in advance. If you are getting a flight from one of the European cities there are trams from Edinburgh airport that take you to the centre. The tram fares are £6.00 for a single ticket or £8.50 return, you can buy tickets when you arrive at the airport or pre book them online. For more details visit https://edinburghtrams.com

Things To Do

If you have a short or long stay in Edinburgh there are a variety of places to visit including Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Gardens, Royal Mile, Dean Village, St Giles Catherdral, History Museum and National Portrait Museum if are interested in art. Most of the places are walking distance from the city centre.

If you are a wildlife lover Edinburgh Zoo is the only zoo in Scotland where you can see koalas, gentoo and king penguins and giant panadas. The zoo is a 15 minute bus journey, the Lothian buses 12, 26 and 31 are every few minutes from Haymarket and Wavereley stations and the city centre, they stop outside the zoo entrance. Entry to the zoo is £17.95. For more details visit https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

For any Harry Potter Fans visiting the city you can visit some of the filming locations including Friars Kirkyard and Victoria Street. You can also take the Potter Trail.

St Giles Catherdral and National Musemum of Scotland

St Giles Catherdral is between the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle, it is one of the oldest catherdrals in Edinburgh and was founded by King Alexander in 1124. In 1322 the church was burned by an invading English army and when it was rebuilt by Edinburgh merchants they used sandstone that came from he local quarry. 150 years later an additional aisle in the church was built in memory of St Giles. It is one of the most beautiful catherdrals I have been to. Entry to the catherdral is free, it is open all year round and they also have a cafe and gift shop. If you would like to take part in one of the guided rooftop tours that includes learning about the history and a walkway to the North Roof that has panoramic views, it is £6.00 for tickets.

I also enjoyed visiting the National Musemum of Scotland, entry to the museum is free. I would highly recommend going there if you would like to learn more about the history of Scotland, cultures from around the world including an exhibition from the Ancient Egyptian culture, design and fashion. There are also displays of planes that were used in the war, classical cars and a Millenium Clock. The musemum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, it is easy to get to by public transport, the nearest train station is Edinburgh Waverley which is only a 15 minute walk away or Lothian Buses go from the city centre and stop outside the entrance on Chambers street. For more information visit https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland

     Below are some photos of Princes Street Gardens

               Dean Village

             Victoria Street and the Royal Mile

                     Some of my favourite photos from Edinburgh Zoo

                      St Giles Catherdral and National Museum of Scotland