2-Days In Edinburgh: A complete Guide
Read a 2-day travel guide for traveling in Edinburgh, UK.
Fascinating history, baggage of culture, attractive views, delicious food and drink – capital is one in every of those cities with a small amount of everything and my first-timer’s guide to capital has everything you must see and do throughout your initial visit.The Scottish capital is simply detonating with charm and it’s manageable size makes it the right weekend town break destination.
Edinburgh is one in every of my favorite cities within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and was an apparent addition to my excellent 2 week itinerary of the united kingdom. I’ve put together a detailed overview of my favorite pastimes in Edinburgh. We think 2 days may be a large amount of your time to pay in capital – maybe as a weekend break, or as part of a longer trip exploring the UK and Scotland.
Of course, you may pay far more time attending to understand the town, however 2 days will definitely allow you to see several of the highlights of capital
A 2-Day Edinburgh Itinerary
This itinerary is ordered on fairly logical, with 2 full days of exploration within the town, covering a number of the most attractions.There’s lots more to see and do in the city of course, so check out the resources at the end of the post to help you plan your perfect trip to Edinburgh! 🙂
Day One
1. Explore Edinburgh Castle
2. Go Whisky Tasting
Scotland and Whisky are intractably linked.
You can do this of course just by popping into pretty much any pub in the city, but if you want to learn about the process of making whisky, as well as the various regions of Scotland and the flavours available, then the Scotch Whisky Experience is where you need to head.
Here you’ll journey through the Whisky creation process, as well as learn about why Whisky from different parts of Scotland tastes different. Finally, you’ll be given the opportunity to taste one of four whisky flavours, before taking a look at the largest Scotch Whisky collection in the world. You can book your tickets in advance here.
3. Drop in at St. Giles’ Cathedral
Also on the Royal Mile, about a third of the way down from the castle, is St Giles’ Cathedral. Both the interior and exterior of the cathedral are stunning, but the highlight in my mind is the little Thistle Chapel, home to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.
The Order still exists today, and is overseen by the current British Queen, Elizabeth II.
All that aside, the Thistle Chapel is just gorgeous, stuffed full of lovely wooden panelling, and very much worth taking a little bit of time to see, as is the rest of the Cathedral.
4. Walk Edinburgh’s Royal Mile
Also on the Royal Mile, about a third of the way down from the castle, is St Giles’ Cathedral. Both the interior and exterior of the cathedral are stunning, but the highlight in my mind is the little Thistle Chapel, home to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.
The Order still exists today, and is overseen by the current British Queen, Elizabeth II.
All that aside, the Thistle Chapel is just gorgeous, stuffed full of lovely wooden panelling, and very much worth taking a little bit of time to see, as is the rest of the Cathedral.
5. Visit the Free Museums in Edinburgh on the Royal Mile
Since you’re on the Royal Miles, you should definitely take advantage of the many free museums that you can find along it’s length. Some of our favourites include the Edinburgh Museum, the Writers Museum and the Museum of Childhood.
6. Climb Calton Hill
Towards the end of the day, I’d suggest you head up Calton Hill.
From here you can watch the sun set across the city, with the mountains in the background, which is ample reward for the effort required to climb up.
Day Two
7. Visit Holyrood Palace
8. Visit Dynamic Earth
If you like fun, interactive science museums, then Dynamic Earth is a must-visit. Right next to the Scottish Parliament building and underneath the stunning backdrop of the Crags and Arthur’s Seat, Dynamic Earth tells the story of the history of the Earth.
We really feel it has something for everyone. From a time machine ride into the past, to a spaceship simulation that takes you right to the Big Bang itself, this is an educational and fun experience that we think is fun for the whole family.
9. Hike Arthur’s Seat
One of my favourite things about Edinburgh, other than how magnificently walk-able the city centre is, is that just a stones throw from Holyrood Palace, the Parliament Building and Dynamic Earth is the ancient volcano of Arthur’s Seat, part of the 640-acre Holyrood Park.
This 251 metre high peak offers spectacular views of the city and surrounds, as well as nice hiking, sunset and sunrise views, and the walk is easily manageable right from the city centre.
10. Follow in JK Rowling’s footsteps
You can also stop off for a drink in The Elephant House Café and Spoon Café where she wrote parts of the books.
When to Visit Edinburgh
Like much of the UK, Edinburgh has variable weather, so you need to be prepared for everything from rain to sunshine. Layered clothing is the key to a successful trip.
Getting to and from Edinburgh
Edinburgh is very easy to get to. Flights operate to Edinburgh airport, both nationally and internationally, and the airport itself is around six miles outside the city centre, and easily reached by airport bus or with a taxi service like Uber.
Where to Stay in Edinburgh
If you’re travelling in the busier time of year, such as during the August Festivals or around New Years Eve, you’ll definitely want to book as far in advance of your trip as possible to be sure you find somewhere that suits. Our favourite way to find the best deals on accommodation when we travel is booking.com. We find they sometimes have the simplest deals across a large vary of properties, together with hotels and residences, and area unit very easy to use. We can also recommend apartment rentals as an option.
We also have a page full of travel packages, which includes Europe best deals. 🙂
