I’m no authority in what places are the must-dos. But I can tell you which are the ones I went to. I’ll sprinkle in some basic information along the way and tell you about my experience. Your trip will be different but I thought I’d share mine.

Let me begin by saying I didn’t know how to pronounce the city’s name without overhearing a friend of mine. 10 years ago, I’d prefer visiting London and wouldn’t even prioritise Edinburgh. But the more I see, the more I seek.

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It is the second most populated city in the country after Glasgow. In 2022, the year I visited the place, it was named the best city in the world by Time Out. There is a lot of art, history, and education going around. I can see why a publication gave it that honour. But I’m only here to talk about what I saw and not make a judgment on whether I agree with the ranking.

Here are 5 places I visited in Edinburgh:

St Giles’ Cathedral

This church is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland. The place derives its name from St. Giles, the patron saint of lepers. The building has served as a place of worship for Catholics, witnessed reformation and turned to Protestantism, partitioned to serve multiple congregations, and once functioned as a prison and the house of parliament. If reinvention is the name of the game, this would be in contention.

While I could’ve uploaded a picture of the Church, I thought I’d capture it with this iconic stool. Tradition has it that a woman named Jenny threw it at the dean as a prelude to a riot. And I live for fierce behaviour from women, especially at a time when it was even more difficult to be outspoken than today.

Arthur’s Seat

When I looked up Edinburgh in TripAdvisor, the #1 thing to do was to visit Arthur’s Peak. While I enjoyed my time climbing it, the caveat I would make is that it requires effort.

Despite the relatively short distance from the city centre (1-2km depending on where you’re situated) and the low height (0.3km), the journey still served as an effective but challenging cardio. That is still a lot of steps, semi-paved, inclined, and the wind might not be in your favour. So I also derived some fulfilment because I put in some exercise while on a short vacation.

I found a panoramic view of the city. And I find having nature so close to where the action is a breath of fresh air.

Calton Hill

I’ve never been to Athens or any part of Greece for that matter. But since Edinburgh is known as the Athens of Scotland, Calton Hill gives some perspective on why that is the case. The National Monument is apparently inspired by Parthenon. And visually, that is understandable.

Calton Hill is a UNESCO Heritage Site (another one of the things I count when I travel). And according to articles, it’s a great place to witness sunrise and sunset. I was trying to be there for the latter. But as you can guess from the photograph, the weather did not cooperate. Or should I say my expectations should have been adjusted.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is the actual most visited paid attraction in Scotland. I almost didn’t get in because the tickets were sold out at the front entrance when I visited. But I was fortunate enough to find alternative sites that pre-books and had some slots available. If I were you, I would plan in advance.

What I did find inside was worth the ticket price and I could grasp why the place is a definite go-to. It is home to St. Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh. There is a palace, a war memorial, a museum, an elaborate hall, and numerous exhibits. I budgeted half a day but others could take a full one to explore it in depth. For my attention span, I had to get out after a few hours.

The Forth Bridge

Going to this spot to admire the view wasn’t the easiest. Not many people find this interesting enough to drive or commute to. But it probably is a marvel for people with high architectural standards. For the record, that set of people excludes me.

Until Canada built Pont de Quebec in 1917, the Forth Bridge was the longest cantilever bridge in the world. I could google and paste what cantilever means. But I would leave it to you to do your own homework. Any summary I make will just fail. Just trust me when I say I was in awe when I saw the structure in front of my eyes.

All photos were taken on July 2022.