Enjoy our Edinburgh guide to this city filled with culture and charm.
A castle looms atop an extinct volcanic rock, the sound of bagpipes fills the air, and a blue and white flag flutters in the wind. Welcome to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh and our guide. Renowned around the world for its rich culture, the capital comes alive during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Running from 7 to 31 August, it is the world’s largest performing arts festival, with thousands of shows taking place in venues across the city. You never know – you might just stumble across The Next Big Thing.
The Fringe has long been a launchpad for some of Britain’s best-loved performers, and kick started the careers of Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson and many more. Today, Scotland is home to around 5.5 million people, and Edinburgh has a population of approximately 530,000 people. During the Fringe, however, the city’s population swells with visitors from across the globe. If you are after culture, then this city is bursting at its tartan seams. Here’s FACT’s guide to Edinburgh.
Day One: 24 Hours in Edinburgh
Copper Blossom
This Edinburgh guide starts in style with a joyful restaurant, Copper Blossom. With touches of pink, florals and legends – a portrait of Audrey Hepburn, anyone? – it feels like the sort of place that fits right on an influencer’s feed. The venue could be mistaken for being all style and no substance, but this was packed with fun as well as flavours. There’s even a button where you can press for bubbles. We ordered the Chorizo Croquettes, which were sensationally smoky, and the Katsu Chicken Bao Bun. Japanese food in Edinburgh? Unexpected, sure. Tasty? Hell yes.
Contact: https://copperblossom.com
The Edinburgh Book Lover’s Tour
Follow in the footsteps of literary legends with Allan Foster. The Scottish writer is behind the publication, Book Lovers’ Edinburgh: A Guide and Companion. He is a great Edinburgh guide, and offers group tours and private tours, and tells tales about the country’s much-loved writers: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. J.M. Barrie, Alexander McCall-Smith, Ian Rankin, J.K. Rowling and others. Harry Potter fans will love this: we walked past the café where Harry Potter books were written, and the road that inspired Diagon Alley. Also, on the day we visited, it felt like we were in the book turned film turned series (and now turned musical), One Day, as graduates from the University of Edinburgh were celebrating with their families.
Contact: www.edinburghbooktour.com
Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar
For a touch of calm and class, head to Lighthouse Restaurant and Bar in Fingal Hotel. Located in Leith, you will find boats, ships and the sea, glorious sea. Fingal Hotel is located on a boat, which has been lovingly restored into a luxury hotel. The restaurant has been awarded two Rosettes for culinary excellence, and stamp approval from one guest we overheard, who said they had visited three times on their trip. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. The Peterhead Monkfish and Tweed Valley Lamb kept us company. While the Rice Pudding added a twist to the humble dessert with popcorn and sorbet. And, as many of the beers and whiskeys are from the local distilleries, there are plenty of reasons to drink.
Contact: https://www.fingal.co.uk
The Rutland Hotel
What The Rutland Hotel lacks in size, it makes up for with its charm. Located in the West End, it is within walking distance of the sights and shops. The boutique hotel is home to rooms and apartments, but if you are travelling with a group, we would strongly recommend booking into one of the apartments, which are in the townhouses. The spaces make you feel like you are in a home away from home – everything has been considered including a fully fitted kitchen, LED mirrors, and plenty of pillows. We couldn’t stop taking design notes, and fell in love with the patterned pillows, wallpaper and framed artwork. We felt like a real Dunediner – that’s the old-school term for someone living in Edinburgh.
Contact: https://therutlandhotel.com
Day Two: 48 Hours in Edinburgh
The Huxley Bar
Breakfast at The Rutland comes courtesy of The Huxley Bar. Breakfast is served from 8am to 11am, and includes healthy and hearty options. The Full Scottish kept us full until lunch time. It comes with black pudding and haggis. While minced sheep’s offal to start the day might not sound like everyone’s cup of tea in the morning, there are also croissant rolls, eggs and French toasts. We enjoyed sipping our morning tea, while looking out of the floor to ceilings onto the West End. If you’re after something stronger – you are on holiday, after all – there is a Huxley Bloody Mary and Huxley Espresso Martini.
Contact: https://thehuxley.co.uk
Edinburgh Guided Tour
If you are after an Edinburgh guide, then put this at the top of your list. Three hours with one guide might sound like a lot, but our time with the Scottish historian Dr Alison Duncan flew by. She previously taught at the University of St Andrews – that’s where Prince William and Princess Kate met. She brought the history of the city to life, from the tales of the castle to grave robbers. If you have an area of interest, just ask. She made a stop at The Writers’ Museum, and we received an extra dose of culture in the capital. We met the Potter family in the graveyard and visited George Heriot’s School, which is said to have inspired Hogwarts. We finished the tour at 1pm on the dot and were in the perfect spot to see and hear the ceremonial daily cannon blast from Edinburgh Castle. While the tour may have ended, our curiosity for the city had just begun.
Contact: https://edinburghguidedtour.com
Badger & Co
Drawing inspiration from the children’s book Wind in the Willows, Badger and Co combines culture and cuisine. When you arrive, it feels like you are entering someone’s house – there are plush sofas and a warm welcome. It’s not surprising, since the venue is located in the former home of the Scottish writer, Kenneth Grahame, who is behind the popular book. The menu pays homage to the country’s food and drink, and local suppliers. We sat by the window and watched the people passing by, and we ate our way through the Pan Roasted Chicken Supreme and Wagyu Burger.
Contact: https://badgerandco.com
Edinburgh Playhouse
The Scottish sense of humour is something special, and no Edinburgh guide would be complete without a show. Glasgow has its own comedy festival, and Edinburgh has the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Edinburgh Playhouse is the largest theatre in Scotland, and it’s a superb spot to see comedians. We caught Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf – there were jokes about England losing the FIFA World Cup. Warning: Scotland and England might be in the United Kingdom, but they have very different allegiances when it comes to football.
Contact: @edinplayhouse
Kylo
Kylo knows its steaks. At this restaurant, everything is created with passion and precision. It’s clearly a destination for dining; the table near us was celebrating a birthday. The kitchen works with Scotland’s butchers and farmers, and takes pride in its meats which are from near and far. It’s all interactive – customers are shown the raw cuts, and can select their knife of choice. The Ribeye steak was oh-so juicy, and the sides tasted like they were plucked straight from the farm. We couldn’t get over how good the Maple Roasted Carrots tasted – sweet, soft and marvellously moreish.
Contact: https://kyloerestaurant.com
Day three: 72 hours in Edinburgh
Trossachs National Park
Day three of your time in Scotland should be spent exploring across the country. Our Edinburgh guide now expands, and the capital is a superb starting spot for a tour – while this could be done by hiring a car, we would highly recommend Rabbie’s. The Lochness, Glencoe and Highlands tour departed from Edinburgh Bus Station. The friendly-faced drivers double up as guides, and the groups are kept small to 16 people. We had Richard, who regaled us with history, local tales and even songs. The first stop was the Trossachs National Park, which included a 30-metre-tall horse head sculpture, Kelpies, and feeding the shaggy haired Highland cows (locally known as coos).
Contact: www.lochlomond-trossachs.org
Glencoe
Stop for a picture at the marvellous mountain ridges, which are locally known as the Three Sisters. At Glencoe, learn about the Glencoe Massacre of 1692. At the time, it was normal to welcome strangers as guests into your home, especially if they had been navigating the vast open lands. The MacDonald clan welcomes the Campbell clan. Unbeknownst to them, the Campbells were working for the government forces. After two weeks of accepting their hospitality, the Campbell clan slaughtered 38 MacDonalds in the night. Today, the local pub, Clachaig Inn, has the sign: “No Hawkers or Campbells”.
Contact: www.visitscotland.com
Loch Ness
Pass the shadow of Britain’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis, and stop off at the village of Fort Augustus. We popped into Cobb’s Café for lunch and then took a boat tour of Loch Ness. The 50-minute cruise attracts visitors from all around the world, and brings the story of the loch (and the Loch Ness Monster) to life. Stories of the water beast date back to the 6th century AD. While you may not spot Nessie, you will be able to soak up the spectacular water views.
Contact: www.cruiselochness.com
Highlands
The Highlands have been captured by poets, filmmakers and influencers – but nothing beats seeing these soaring sights in person. Come face to face with some of the most dramatic mountains in the country. The sights range from the broad peaks of Cairngorms National Park, to the towering trees of Perthshire. Few people probably realise that the character of James Bond hails from Scotland. Ian Fleming was impressed by Sean Connery’s portrayal, he gave Bond some Scottish heritage. James’ family are from Glen Coe, and he studied at the private school, Fettes College. The highlight of the drive for us was the very spot in the James Bond film, Skyfall. James and M drive from London to the Highlands in an Aston Martin, and have a heart to heart, all while looking at the scenery. Driving an Aston Martin is optional, photos are essential.
Contact: www.visitscotland.com
Caledonian Sleeper
Whenever we told anyone that we were travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper, they were excited on our behalf. Travelling from London to Edinburgh can take approximately six hours, which, conveniently, is just enough time to sleep. If you’re tight on time or simply want to set off in style, book this train journey. The experience starts before you even board: you have access to the lounges at the station. The cabin types include rooms with double beds, twin bunk beds and accessible beds. We loved the tartan touches, melt-into-mattress, and rolling views outside the window. Our room came with an ensuite shower – while it was a shower over a toilet, and a push-button for the water to come, we valued being able to freshen up before we arrived at London Euston. Dinner (and a dram of whiskey) helped us fall asleep, and the breakfast was served in style in the lounge. Slàinte, Edinburgh.
Contact: www.sleeper.scot