Travel with Jennissa

Three layers of clothing and three cups of hot chocolate is all you need as you stroll around Edinburgh. It was 9°C, the weather was gloomy and the Old Town, where I stayed, was giving out quite the creepy vibe because of the old stone buildings. But this one day in the capital of Scotland was beautiful and memorable!

You know the day is going to be good when you sip your coffee while enjoying a beautiful view (even though its just old buildings!) and your breakfast looks fresh and colourful! After finally having tasted the famous ‘Avocado on Toast’, I know now why it’s such a huge craze. It makes for a perfect breakfast option and it looks pretty too!

After grabbing breakfast, we walked around the Old Town. This is where the medieval buildings are situated, along with quaint, authentic pubs and restaurants serving Scottish grub and the perfect whiskey.

A must try traditional Scottish dish is Haggis. It is a savoury pudding that consists of a combination of sheep’s pluck (liver, heart and lungs), oatmeal, onions, salt and spices. Sounds gross, right? But it’s just the opposite. I quite liked the dish!

Harry Potter fans are sure to love this place as it is filled with many stores selling souvenirs, right from magic wands, scarfs of every house, famous quotes on mugs and a lot more. Something for each person of this amazing fandom.

As we walked about the Royal Mile, the busiest tourist street in Old Town that runs approximately one Scots mile long between the Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, we were stopped by a street performer who insisted we watch his show. The next half an hour was filled with madness and laughter as the artist performed tricks which included juggling three knives while walking on top of a man who laid down on the street and while riding a unicycle. Watching such performances is a completely different experience. Various artists perform in different parts of the town at different times, so you can surely catch one of them. Stay for the entire show, cheer on, give them a tip. It’ll surely make their day!

Window shopping was the best part of the day. Seeing outfits with the Tartan design, floor mats made of sheep’s skin, many many whiskey bottles, winter wear sold even during summer, an all-year Christmas store. It was all so different!

As we crossed the Waverly Bridge that connects the Old Town to the New Town, we saw ourselves in the main shopping street of Edinburgh – Princes Street. Walking along this street, one side is filled with several high street brands, while the other side gives you a breathtaking view of the Old Town, including the famous Edinburgh Castle and the beautiful green valley in between. Shopping or sightseeing? Tough choice, right?

As we continued walking along Princes Street, we came across the most beautiful stretch ever! I was completely speechless as I saw an entire row of cherry blossoms! An entire stretch of pink! Due to the strong cold winds, the flowers had fallen from the trees onto the street and the valley, making that sight worth a million bucks! It couldn’t have been more beautiful, and this called for a million pictures and boomerangs! What a beautiful way to end the day.

Due to some glitch, my Boomerangs turned out to be weird, but just look at those flowers! 😍

Edinburgh is filled with many attractions including Edinburgh Castle, St. Giles Cathedral, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Dungeon and more. Two to three days would be perfect to go around the capital of Scotland, and don’t forget to spend each evening at a local pub. Just sit back with a beer and soak in the Scottish vibes.