Flying in/out of Edinburgh, but main focus of trip is to do the entire Hadrian's Wall Walk (10-11 days).
Have never been to Scotland so what are the must see things in Edinburgh? How many days does one need to see the major sites?
Thanks -
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
8422 posts
Posted by
Irving
3589 posts
You want to walk the Royal Mile with Palace Holyroodhouse on one end and Edinburgh Castle on the other. You may want to sample some whiskey while at it. Take a bus to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Visit a pub and watch a soccer game with the locals.
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
12381 posts
You could see a decent amount of sites in Edinburgh in 2 to 3 days, but there are some nice things to see outside of the area that you could do as day trips.
So if you have 10 to 11 days to walk Hadrian’s Wall, how much time are you allowing for Edinburgh? I guess I should ask how much time you have altogether there?
And must-see is a relative term. Your must see places may be very different than mine. Having said that, most people visit Edinburgh Castle. It was not one of my favorite places but other people loved it. I really liked the National Museum of Scotland, St. Giles Cathedral, and I liked just walking around Edinburgh, because the vibe there is really amazing. It’s a very walkable city and there’s a lot to see and do.
If you have time, I would suggest taking a day trip to see Stirling Castle and the town of Stirling, which are both pretty remarkable. It’s only about a 45 to 50 minute train ride from Edinburgh and it’s well worth the time.
Otherwise look at the list that was posted above by Jules and you’ll find a lot of places in there to visit.
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
2353 posts
On the link jules sent, click on "At a Glance" to see all the sights Rick Steves recommends, ordered by priority.
That said, nothing is a "must-see" - not in Edinburgh nor anywhere else - unless it is for you No one can give you an objective, definitive list of must-see sights anywhere. You need to evaluate your interest and decide what you want to see.
Of course you can objectively name the most popular sights, and for visitors, they are often the sights they feel they must see. (Maybe that's what you mean by "major sites.") Rick's list identifies those, and if you read his guidebook, you can get descriptions that might help you decide if it's somthing you want to see.
All that said, Mardee is right to suggest 2-3 days for a decent amount of sights within the city, and more if you want to see nearby sights.
Posted by
London
1473 posts
I'm not sure of your pace/fitness level, but for someone of average fitness it's absolutely possible and not very difficult to walk Hadrian's Wall in eight days- in case that would be of interest to give you more time in Edinburgh/Scotland. Tho I also understand why you might want more time if you are planning on spending time visiting the forts along the wall.
My favourite thing in Edinburgh is just walking the Royal Mile end to end- there are lots of places you can stop, including small museums, shops, tiny lanes (which are called closes), pubs/restaurants, etc.
Posted by
New Jersey
158 posts
2 full days in Edinburgh is probably enough to hit the highlights.
Edinburgh Castle was a highlight. Even if you've seen a lot of castles, there's something about this particular one with its position and views that is especially interesting. Be sure to allow time to take the tour, and to walk around the palace exterior path.
We had time for a football match (Go Hibs!) if that's of interest. On that day, we enjoyed a stroll through Dean's Village, a walk along the Leith Walkway to Stockbridge Market (if you happen to be there Sunday!) and then took a taxi to the stadium.
If you like whisky, we very much enjoyed the "Whisky & Folktales" experience by Little Fish Tours. We also enjoyed a chocolate tasting at the Chocolotarium as a fun evening experience.
Posted by
26 posts
Just got back from the RS Heart of Scotland tour, so Edinburgh is fresh on my mind. The Palace of Holyroodhouse was my favorite site. The audioguide tour is great. Our whole visit took about an hour and a half. Lovely gardens. It's an active palace that the royal family actually comes to from time to time, and it is quite fancy.
From there, you are close to the trails to Arthur's Seat, which overlooks Edinburgh. We didn't hike it, but I understand you can do it in a couple of hours and get a great view of the city.
I also enjoyed Edinburgh Castle, but it was much more crowded. You get a nice view from there too.
The National Museum of Scotland is wonderful and has some of everything -- history, natural history, science, technology, etc. Sort of like the Smithsonian but all in one building.
Two days would be enough for all those.