City Break: Edinburgh — TripIt Blog

Town break (noun): a quick holiday getaway used in a metropolis, these as when on business enterprise vacation.

In advance of there was bleisure vacation, there was the town break—the shorter place of leisure time that grants you entry to the cultural and culinary facilities that significant cities offer. In this collection from TripIt, we investigate some of the world’s most effective towns for setting up a swift getaway or extending a perform vacation.

In this article are our tips for building the most of your city break in Edinburgh. 

Exactly where to fly in

Edinburgh is served by Edinburgh Airport (EDI), located just 8 miles from the city heart. 

Once on the floor, travelers can capture an Edinburgh Tram to head into the city. A one particular-way ticket from the airport to the city charges £6.00 spherical-journey tickets price tag £8.50 and are open-ended.

Not heading to central Edinburgh? You can capture a variety of buses to achieve your remaining destination. The Airlink, Skylink, and Night time Bus supply travellers to much of Edinburgh and its bordering spots. Check with the transit map to establish which bus route satisfies you very best. 

Alternatively, black cabs and ride shares are also out there from EDI. 

In which to continue to be in the course of your town crack

If this is your first time going to Edinburgh, remain in the town heart. Undertaking so will empower you to examine the metropolis on foot from its best angle: up close and private. There are a number of luxurious lodges, which include The Balmoral Lodge, The Scotsman Hotel, Resort Indigo, and Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian, found proper in central Edinburgh. 

Nearby, the cozy Grassmarket Resort is just a number of minutes stroll to Edinburgh Castle, Princes Road Gardens, the Royal Mile, and much more.

If you are attending an event at the Edinburgh Global Conference Centre, you simply cannot defeat the comfort of the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa. The lodge is positioned just .1 miles from the meeting center, and presents enterprise travel-friendly facilities these types of as complimentary Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business heart, and express examine-out. 

Alternatively, the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Metropolis Centre is a rapid wander to city points of interest this sort of as Usher Corridor, the Grassmarket, and the retailers of Princes Street.

How to get about

Portion of Edinburgh’s charm is its quick walkability. Prepare appropriately by packing cozy footwear for going for walks from spot to location. 

When strolling is not possible or attractive, Edinburgh’s Lothian Buses can be your go-to for having about. A solitary-trip fare prices £1.70 or a day-go fees £4. Tourists can purchase tickets on the bus with actual improve or ahead of time on the m-tickets application. You can also down load the Transport for Edinburgh application to approach your journey, check true-time departure occasions, and a lot more. 

As stated over, Edinburgh Trams span 16 stops—from Edinburgh Airport to York Place—and offer you eco-pleasant transport to metropolis sights these as Edinburgh Castle, Murrayfield Stadium, and Princes Street. Equivalent to bus tickets, tram tickets can be bought through the m-tickets app and exhibited in the Transport for Edinburgh application on boarding. Ticket vending devices are also out there at each tram prevent. Grownup fares get started at £1.70 for the town zone and £6.00 for finding to/from the airport. 

Alternatively, if you’d instead get to your desired destination in a jiffy, hail a black cab—they’re all over the place in the town center. Additionally, taxi motorists are practical guides to study about the town. 

Uber is also accessible in Edinburgh.

Professional idea: Use TripIt’s Navigator feature to research transportation solutions accessible to you. It will exhibit you the approximated charges and vacation occasions for each and every choice, so you can decide which performs most effective. For illustration, if you insert a cafe reservation to your itinerary (a lot more on where by to try to eat, below), Navigator also assists you uncover the finest transportation choices for getting to your table. You can locate Navigator within just your system information screens. 

Exactly where to consume

If you only have time for 1 food through your journey to Edinburgh, consider haggis—Scotland’s national dish—as it’s usually served: with neeps and tatties (which is mashed turnips and potatoes, and topped with brown gravy). You will also see it served in a range of ways. For instance, I’ve had it in spring rolls at The Whiski Rooms or as a burger topping at Holyrood 9A. 

Haggis apart, there are heaps of solutions for meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike in Edinburgh. Check out Dishoom for the flavors of Bombay, or Holyrood 9A (as described previously mentioned) for great burgers and neighborhood beers. 

For upscale dining, venture to Leith to stop by the Michelin stars: Martin Wishart and The Kitchin. Seeking for a superior-conclusion location that’s more centrally located? Head to The Witchery or Angels with Bagpipes located proper on the Royal Mile, or 20 Princes Street situated on, you guessed it, Princes Avenue.

In pursuit of wine and cheese? Whighams Wine Cellars is the ideal location to delight in a glass of wine and a cheese board. Or, pop into I.J. Mellis for pro suggestions on wine and cheese pairings to go. 

What to do on your city crack

If you are going to Edinburgh during soccer—nay, football—season, be absolutely sure to catch just one of the local clubs in motion. A fierce rivalry exists amongst the Hibernian FC and Hearts FC, so be absolutely sure to decide on your allegiance thoroughly. Much more of a rugby admirer? Head to Murrayfield Stadium, the premier stadium in Scotland and house of Scottish Rugby. 

There are also a great deal of child-welcoming factors to do in Edinburgh. Commence your working day atop Castle Rock at Edinburgh Castle. You will not only get pleasure from the views, the castle alone is a series of properties loaded with the heritage of Scotland. 

From the castle runs the Royal Mile, a extend of stores, restaurants, and pubs some are a bit touristy, but it’s in any other case a fantastic place to test out road performers.  

Talking of performances, if you are privileged to go to Edinburgh all through the month of August, you’ll be spoiled for choice with amusement. Why? You’re viewing in the course of the month of festivals. Every August, Edinburgh transforms into a city-broad pageant venue for the annual Edinburgh Competition Fringe (recognised domestically as the Fringe), Edinburgh Intercontinental Festival, Edinburgh Intercontinental E-book Festival, Edinburgh Art Competition, and the Royal Edinburgh Armed forces Tattoo. 

No subject when you pay a visit to, make time to wander the city’s arced streets and little closes. If you’re wanting for a structured way to check out, book a walking tour with Legendary Excursions. 

Or, if you favor to examine on your individual, Edinburgh Environment Heritage has made a self-guided list of 101 Objects so you can discover the city’s literary, army, culinary—and from time to time colorful—past. A lot more than a few-quarters of the 101 Objects are cost-free to go to check out out these proposed itineraries to get started out.

If you are looking for a little something outdoorsy—and you catch a sunny day—hike up Arthur’s Seat. It’s found just previous Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament developing (both equally value a go to) in Holyrood Park. The hike normally takes about an hour and, once again, presents outstanding sights of the city.

Older people only? By day, visit the Scotch Whisky Knowledge or Johnnie Walker Princes Avenue to sample and study about Scotch whisky. Even though Scotland is greatest recognised for its whisky, there is an additional community liquor that is really worth sipping: gin. In point, Edinburgh Gin is distilled appropriate in the heart of the town, which means you can go to the distillery, understand about the manufacturing course of action and sample some of the good stuff. 

By night time, head to Juniper Bar or Copper Blossom for good cocktails in a exciting environment. 

Notice: As destinations reopen all over the environment, be certain to check with and adhere to all area guidelines and journey restrictions, as they fluctuate extensively and will continue to adjust. A person way to remain on prime of transforming pointers is to consult the COVID-19 vacation assistance feature in the TripIt app for desired destination-certain info, like screening and vaccination demands, present infection premiums, quarantine principles upon arrival, and other information and facts you will need to know before browsing the region.