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Baileys_Babe

Echoing Beanie, National Museum for 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 in Chambers Street.

Queen_of_the_Hive

ooh @redofromstart, love Edinburgh.

For me it has to be a slow meander up the main street towards the castle. Love the little side streets with their funny names and cute cafe's. The pub at the bottom of the hill was nice for a meal. My kids love going on the tram and would happily go on the tram for no purpose but the pleasure of the journey.

northAthenian

@redofromstart .. im going to assume you are arriving by train as there has been past chat of train travels…i'm alos going to focus on artsy options- and soem sustenence…..if you exit the train station at the rear onto Market street, there is the Fruitmarket gallery (excellent cafe) & City gallery both on that street plus a few independent cafes. If you have strong thighs then do option 1- hike up the millions of steps up Fleshmarket close to Cockburn street . you will come out beside the Southern cross cafe, then can walk up remainder of Cockburn st to the Royal Mile. 30 yr ago Cockburn street was the coolest patch of town, with lots of alternative shops selling tasselled skirts and docs and vinyl…it's kinda grown up now and been gentrified but an unusual street in a historic city nonetheless.

Or option 2 for the same route.. exit onto Market st from the station turn right, walk 50m to end of road and then left to wander up the steep street that is Cockburn street.

At the top is a section of the Royal mile, wander up right towards the castle ( fighting the tourist hordes) past St Giles Cathdral, then take a left onto George IV bridge (French Institute right on that corner has excellent cafe), walk George IV bridge and wave at Greyfriars Bobby and turn left again onto Chambers street and the National museum. Every time i go there i enjoy it. I will also highlight, the Biba exhibition is on at the Dovecot gallery at present (they also have a cafe) and that gallery is on Infirmary st - about 200mm across the street from the National museum.

Alternatively if you are right down in centre of town having come out of Waverly station at the front steps you will exit onto Princes street. behind Princes street is the Portrait Gallery on Queen st - the building itself is quite stunning , before you even go look at the portraits. They have their own cafe too. Near there is a wee independant cafe ( i think Ukrainian) that does great soups and featherlight cakes - it is called The Square. Most of the rest of the eateries in that part of the town centre ( St Andrews square/george street ) are bigger chain options - pretty good food, but priced to match. Unsure when you are planning your trip - This weekend there are free films being shown outdoors in St Andrews Square which is a small garden. Here's hoping for dry weather…

Merlin's_Beard

It depends what you like doing!

National Museum is lovely. If you are ghoulish like me then the surgeons hall museum is brilliant.

st cecilia's hall has a museum of old instruments as well, and sometimes you can sit and listen to someone practicing.

MadamMim2013

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82031925#Comment_82031925

Wow, what a beautifully eloquent and descriptive reply. Absolutely love this!
We’ve been considering a trip to Edinburgh for quite a while.. This has totally convinced me to book up and visit for a few days.. So, Thank you. ☺️

P.s Are you an undercover tour guide? 🤣

Cherryfudge

My mind was still on 'Surgeons' Hall', @Merlin's_Beard , so I pictured surgical instruments, then did a double-take at listening to someone practising! I need to read more slowly. 😁

By the way, I think we all want to go to Edinburgh after @northAthenian 's description. I've been a couple of times but don't know it all that well. We got snacks from M&S and sat in the sun on the grass in front of the art gallery… lovely. There's often a piper playing for us tourists. I don't think there can be an unemployed bagpipe player in the whole of Edinburgh on a sunny day.

northAthenian

ahh, what lovely responses. nope I am no tour guide, not even Scottish but grew up here from a teen & studied nearby. It took me travelling far afield to return & appreciate what I now consider my home city..and i'm still dscovering parts to it! @Cherryfudge - years ago i was added last minute to a private evening tour of Surgeons Hall- it was fascinating, and not somewhere I had considered going previously. It's far removed form my area of work or usual interests. Will add- today has been a sunny Sunday and i would usually bet on their being plenty of pipers in the city…buuut..my suspicions might be they are also 'tired' today, like our household after the late night footy & subsequent celebrations!

beanielou

Lots of very tired people today I think! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

redofromstart

'I Aten't Dead'

Just leaving that there, safely home but very tired. Will update later but I did appreciate and follow the recommendations.

Cherryfudge

Rest well and we will enjoy the tale when you are ready to tell it.