Edinburgh is very easy to explore on foot. The center is divided into two parts, The Old Town & The New Town. The two are separated by Princes Street Gardens and Waverley railway station. If you arrive in Edinburgh via bus from the airport, you will be able to admire one of the most beautiful views of the castle and the old town only 20 minutes after leaving the airport. It is also possible to reach the city center from the airport by tram.

This first day starts on High Street, also called the Royal Mile. This succession of streets forms a central artery in the old town, connecting Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyrood. Recharge your batteries before a busy day exploring the city with a lovely breakfast at Deacon’s House Café on the Royal Mile. This cozy café is accessible by an old stone passage from the Royal Miles. This café is my go to breakfast place every time I visit Edinburgh. And their scones are too delicious to be missed!

We recommend visiting Edinburgh Castle in the morning, as it gets very busy during the day as you can imagine. It takes at least two hours to visit the castle which is like a little town within the town. The entrance costs 18 pounds per adult. If you visit Edinburgh in summer, the esplanade in front of the castle might be occupied by bleachers for military parades and other shows. In winter, you can admire a great view of the city and its surroundings. 

If you need a break after visiting the castle, check out the Ensign Ewart Pub which has served Whisky since 1680! Fun fact, this pub is known to be the highest in Edinburgh and the closest to Edinburgh's castle.

From the castle, walk down to The Grassmarket via the Granny's green steps. This central square which was once used for public executions is now animated by several pubs, shops and restaurants. From here, walk up Victoria Street, a curved and very colourful street which we loved. 

Let’s stay in the Harry Potter universe for a while, shall we? Walk up to the Greyfriars kirkyard. Yes, it is indeed a cemetery! You will come across several tourists looking for tombstones bearing the names of Harry Potter characters such as Riddle or McGonagall. JK Rowling is said to have found inspiration for her characters’ names while strolling through this graveyard, right after having written a few pages of her saga from the nearby Elephant House Café.

Fun fact, you may notice some cages attached to the ground in some cemeteries in Edinburgh. There was a time when stealing corpses to resell them to the Edinburgh Faculty of Medicine was a popular side hustle in the city. Hence the implementation of this extra security.

After Greyfriars kirkyard, return to the Royal Mile through Victoria Street. A staircase in Victoria street will take you back to the Royal Miles going through a viewing terrace. A great spot for photos!

Discover the different Closes which are small passages between the old buildings of the Royal Miles that connect the main street to interior courtyards and the New Town. Make sure you check out the Writers museum’s building via the Lady Stair's Close.

If you get a bit thirsty, why not have a pint nearby at The Jolly Judge pub? We went there when The Royal Mile was getting really busy and it was a welcome sanctuary. 

Don't miss Cockburn street, a curved street that connects the Royal Miles to Princes Street Gardens, one of the most beautiful streets in Edinburgh!

At the end of the day, go for a nice walk in Princes Street Gardens. You will notice former police stations now transformed into small cafés or ice cream shops. The view of The Old Town from the gardens is simply breathtaking. I could stay for hours simply sitting on a bench admiring the castle.

Finish the day on Calton Hill. It’s only about a fifteen minute walk from the gardens. This UNESCO World Heritage site is home to several monuments and provides one of the best viewpoints of the city.  Accessing Calton Hill is fairly easy. You can reach it from Regent Road through the Steps of Calton Hill which are located on the opposite side to the Old Calton Cemetery. From the hill, you can enjoy a nice walk amongst the monuments in addition to an incredible view of the old town, the port of Leith, Arthur's seat and the Forth Bridge.

I recommend going there at sunset to watch the city light up as the sun goes down.

The city of Edinburgh is full of history and legends, and who could tell the city’s stories better than the Scots themselves?

Do not hesitate to book a Free Walking tour to learn as much as possible about the history of Scotland and Edinburgh through the ages. We did a walking tour of the Old Town with City Explorer Edinburgh and highly recommend it.

They also offer Ghost walking tours at night, which I experienced the first time I came to Edinburgh.There is also a Harry Potter Walking tour that I have yet to take!

For this second day in Edinburgh, explore the district of Dean's Village. This is a quiet little town within the city. It is built along the water and  once housed eleven factories and a mill which made Dean’s Village prosperous for 800 years.

From Dean's village, take a stroll along Leith river for a lovely nature walk that will make you forget that you are in a city of almost half a million habitants!

You will then arrive in the charming district of Stockbridge. Check out Circus Lane, another charming curving street that ends at St Vincent's Chapel. It is a true hidden gem! Stockbridge is such a vibrant district which is home to many lovely cafés such as The Pantry and several charming little book shops like Typewronger books.

From Stockbridge, head up to Prince Street for some shopping, or simply to admire the Scott monument, a monument erected in honor of the writer Sir Walter Scott.

To close off this trip to Edinburgh, why not sample one of Scotland’s staple foods, the (in)famous Haggis? Watch out, regardless of what it may appear to be, traditional Haggis consists of sheep’s stomach filled with guts!

Cockbrun street and the Royal mile are home to many restaurants that serve Haggis. We went to a very humble place that was recommended to us and that serves a traditional haggis with vegetarian and vegan options, the Haggis Box on High Street. Their Haggis was delicious and kept us full for a few hours.

To end the day and this trip to Edinburg, we suggest some live music and a wee dram of Scottish Whiskey at Sandy Bell’s pub. This pub is one of the most famous traditional bars in Scotland and hosts Scottish folk music sessions since 1942. There were violinists entertaining the crowds on the day we went, and it was just great. A very inviting and welcoming pub showing great glimpse of the Scottish legendary hospitality.