Among other things, Edinburgh is a city of festivals. Fringe, the International, the Book Festival, the Film Fest. Unfortunately, we weren't in town for any of them. But even if you don't make it for Fringe, Edinburgh is a city worth exploring. Chad likes to say that it's "punch you in the face beautiful." It is certainly breathtaking, with gorgeous old architecture, impressive churches, steep and narrow alleys, and a castle perched above it all. Since we had so much time in the UK, we decided it was worth taking the train up to Edinburgh for a long weekend. Chad has a friend in Edinburgh who he was keen to see again and he graciously offered to host us. Here's how we spent our three and a half day Scottish excursion.

Food & Drink

We had one of the best meals of our trip (or ever, really) at Dishoom. This restaurant serves amazing Indian food and honestly wasn't very expensive considering the quality and the ambience. We went for an early dinner on a Monday evening and got a table right away, but this spot gets packed, with a line out the door on a Saturday night. Order the house chai and the house black daal. I regret not getting the Memsahib's mess for dessert. They also have several locations in London!

We went to Mary's Milk Bar for ice cream twice, despite the rather cold temperatures. The tea + biscuits and salted caramel flavors were amazing and Chad thinks the almond + sea buckthorn might be his new favorite ice cream flavor. 

Every time Chad leaves The Bow Bar he says, "I really hope I get to come back here one more time before we leave." He really likes the selection of real and craft ales, as well as the knowledgeable staff that knows how to pair good malts (Scotch, that is) with good beer. Thankfully, we stopped in twice while we were in town. Chad was also partial to The Guildford Arms, a very fancy (but not expensive) pub not far from Edinburgh Waverley Train Station.

Shopping

Armstrong's Vintage is one of the best vintage stores I've been to anywhere. They have several locations around Edinburgh and a great selection. I picked up a cashmere sweater for much less than I would have paid for something new.

Hannah Zakari on Candlemaker Row had a great selection of jewelry and was one of my favorite shops to browse. The Red Door Gallery also had a nice selection of prints and objects from emerging British and Scottish artists and illustrators.

If you're looking to pick up some whisky while in Edinburgh (a very reasonable thing to do), head to Cadenhead's on the Royal Mile. The people who work here are knowledgable and very helpful. They cask and bottle the whisky themselves and have a wide variety to choose from.

Art

They were between exhibitions while we were there, but both The Fruitmarket Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art are worth a visit for modern and contemporary art. Summerhall also has a free gallery, where we saw work by Dawson and Liz Murray. The space used to be a veterinary hospital, but has been converted to a mixed use arts space, including resident artists, a performance space, a bar and cafe, a gift shop, and a gin distillery.

We also paid a visit to The National Museum of Scotland, a comprehensive museum that explores history and showcases "the wonders of nature, art, design and fashion and science and technology" – basically everything. The building itself is beautiful. Make sure to find your way up to their rooftop terrace for good views of the city.

Touristy Things

A trip to Edinburgh wouldn't be complete without a hike up Arthur's Seat. It sits over 800 feet above the city and provides a spectacular vista. The hike is fairly easy, but it'll take about two hours round trip. 

If you're looking for a secret garden, find your way to Dunbar's Close. It's tucked away not far from the Royal Mile, but will provide a quiet oasis in the middle of the city. It features a 17th-century garden design and would make a great spot to enjoy a quick, secluded picnic.

St. Giles Cathedral is right in the thick of things on the Royal Mile, and definitely worth a look inside. It's a gorgeous old church, founded in the 12th century. The stained glass and vaulted ceilings are beautiful.

Another must-see: Greyfriar's Bobby. You might miss him behind the gaggle of tourists, but a visit to this very good boy is a must. Rub his nose for luck!

One of the last things we did in Edinburgh was by far the most touristy: The Real Mary King's Close. Edinburgh has dozens of ghost tours and other such walking tours around the old city. This one promised a tour of a preserved, underground close – streets buried since the 17th century. Seeing the actual close was cool, but the tour was otherwise unremarkable and pretty hokey. Next time, we'll do a proper ghost tour. 

Also Noted

We were staying with a friend south of the city, but it was super easy to get to city center via public transit. The buses are great. If you do end up using them, note that you need exact change to pay your fare on the bus. They do have an app where you can buy fares, but you need to spend a minimum of £10 and if you are buying for multiple people, you must transfer their tickets to them (meaning everyone involved needs to have the app downloaded to their smartphone). It's not the best system, but the convenience of the buses really makes up for it!