Think Edinburgh is all about its balmy summer festivals or partying hard at Hogmanay? Then it’s time to think again as winter is the perfect time to savour the city without the crowds. It’s a glorious coorie (Scottish cosy) season, draped in atmosphere and drama; the perfect time to stay a little bit different, heading off the beaten track, getting out of the centre and savouring more time on a life-affirming break. We’ve just spent three days wrapped in Edinburgh’s charms. Here we share Scotland’s glorious capital with you. There are just so many sides to the city, as you’ll see with a few surprises in store…
Day One
We kicked off in the remarkable waterfront suburb of South Queensferry. There is nowhere in the world with three such architecturally significant bridges from three successive centuries in such close proximity. And the best place to appreciate the trio of Forth Bridges is at Orocco Pier. This cosy old inn had been given a hipster makeover. Breakfast here – we recommend the Scottish salmon laced Eggs Royale – is a delight, peering out the floor-to-celling windows towards those iconic bridges.
Getting into the centre could not be easier as the Lothian day pass (just £5.50) now covers South Queensferry and all buses and trams bar the airport services. We’ve travelled all over and Edinburgh’s bus network is hard to beat and the trams are now coming into their own with the extension to Leith. From our gorgeous base at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa we used the pass to easily zoom all over the city and didn’t need to resort to a taxi once.
That base at the Sheraton was superb. Our room sported an epic view of Edinburgh Castle. The staff were great and we loved the big breakfast peering out at the castle too. We also had access to the lounge – we recommend it as you can enjoy a more relaxed breakfast here and can pop back for drinks throughout the day. In the evening it transforms into a welcoming bar where staff are on hand to mix drinks. It was so handy having this base to nip back to between sightseeing trips.
Our first meal out was at Wedgwood on the Royal Mile, where its eponymous owner Paul Wedgwood has been working culinary wonders since 2007. Long before it was trendy Paul was out foraging for ingredients. On the lunch menu were the likes of cold smoked hake with greens and herb aioli, followed by Scottish cod fillet with pancetta and peas, or a delicious veggie option of aubergine, chickpeas, courgette and mint yoghurt.
We’ve done a lot of ghosts tours before, so were delighted to find the rightly celebrated Mercat Tours offering something different with their Vaults tour. They really set the scene about how South Bridge and its mysterious vaults came into being, before taking us into the candle-lit darkness for an even deeper dive into the city’s history with our knowledgeable guide Niaomi. We learned about all the tradespeople and craft producers who once thrived down here; darker tales too of bodysnatchers and, yes, the odd ghost too in this most haunted of cities.
Next up was something seriously seasonal at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. This grand old dame has stood proudly on this spot since 1883. Despite a swanky glass extension the theatre remains defiantly, gloriously old world. You really feel like you are being eased back to the grand old days of theatre going. Edinburgh may be famous for its summer festivals, but its arts scene is also impressively dexterous. We brought one of our daughters along and enjoyed the Christmas delight of one of their own festive productions – Cinderella.
Dinner was at the brilliant Edinburgh Street Food. We all love a good food van with fresh street food; here the street food guys get their own indoor stalls. It’s a great set up and we chose to order online and just be served at one of the big communal tables. We kicked off with delicious proper Neapolitan pizza from, then some melt in the mouth fried chicken, finished off with a warm, melting in the middle cookie.
Our first wonderfully packed day culminated in serious style in the hallowed surrounds of St Giles’ Cathedral. We snared a ticket for one of the famous candlelit classical concerts they stage surrounded by almost a millennia of history. It was a sublime experience sitting shrouded in the hushed light enjoying world-class recitals. What made it even more special – given it was November – is that they played a few festive arrangements for us.
Day Two
The tram zoomed us down Leith Walk to visit one of the world’s famous ships – the Royal Yacht Britannia. They’ve just invested heavily in revamping the visitor experience and it really shows. The exhibition before you board really set the scene and then they’ve got a great audio tour of the five decks of the Royals’ former floating palace. It’s a real window into the British Royal Family, far more intimate than any of the TV series about them. We’ve heard the revamp has also made it much more accessible to all, which is great to see too. Also great is their tearoom. Here we savoured a platter of creamy Cullen Skink and dainty smoked salmon sandwiches, as well as their own brand tea. Lovely.
Edinburgh is a clean, green city of myriad parks and walkways. We then enjoyed walking a section of one of them, along the oft-forgotten Water of Leith, to Lind & Lime. This is how all gin distillery visits should be. Your cheery welcome comes accompanied by a double gin and tonic using their famous London Dry Gin. Our guide really took us beyond the bottom of the glass to tell us how the owners, Paddy and Ian, came up with the gin and made it what it is today. We when had a tour and shot at bottling our own gin, before mixing our very own gimlet cocktails. Great fun. Afterwards we sneaked in a quick one at Paddy and Ian’s other venture – the Port of Leith Distillery. The UK’s only vertical distillery is quite something, with ace tours and a bar with city and Forth views.
After another wee tram ride dinner was at the Michelin-starred Timberyard. Just wow! We’ve been lucky with work to get to dine at many Michelin restaurants around the world, and this is really one of the best we’ve experienced. Their tasting menus are works of art, served in tastefully post-industrial surrounds. It’s great to see how much of their ingredients they grow, forage and pickle, with real passion in everything they do. Their wine pairings are as eye-opening and creative as the cuisine.
Our last stop was just across the road at the Usher Hall. Local band Wrest were the star attraction in this grand old venue. Some people make the mistake of thinking you only get great gigs during the summer festivals, but Edinburgh actually has a really vibrant live music scene, In the last year we’ve been to see local favourites Redolent, Waverley and Swim School at various venues and there is always something on.
Day Three
It’s up early in search of a swim in the sea. In Scotland. In November. Stick with us here, but a wee ‘wild’ swim is a life-affirming joy in Edinburgh, especially if there is a cosy sauna to duck into afterwards. Handily down on Portobello’s sandy beach there was in the form of the Soul Water Sauna. It was such fun jumping around in the chill waters then warming up with complete strangers in the sauna. With adrenaline and endorphins popping we were soon chatting like lifelong friends. Afterwards pastries and coffee from Portobello’s renowned Twelve Triangles seriously hit the spot.
Easing back into the centre on the ever-efficient buses things took a regal turn with a visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, still the Edinburgh bolthole of the British Royal Family. The palace is a must-do on an Edinburgh itinerary and we appreciated that their seasonal decorations chimed with the festive spirit in a capital sparkling towards Christmas. You learn so much about the Royals and Scottish history here with lashings of tall tales that thrill rather than bore.
As sunset approached Robert Louis Stevenson’s favourite hill beckoned. He loved Calton Hill, as from Arthur’s Seat you cannot see Arthur’s Seat and from Castle Hill you cannot see Castle Hill. Flawless logic from our brilliant local writer. Café Calton is brilliant too – a modern bolthole atop the crag designed to make the most of the views with its floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terrace. They have some decent wines, have a welcoming comfort food menu and mix a mean cocktail. We highly recommend their White Negroni.
Our last stop was sublime. Vivien is a startlingly fine new addition to Edinburgh’s burgeoning cocktail bar scene. Their mixologists seriously know their stuff and we loved the cool speakeasy vibe. Upstairs the excellence continued at their gorgeous sibling Vinette. The hand-dived Orkney scallops were an ideal starter, before a special of perfectly cooked Wagyu beef. The glass of white Burgundy recommended by the switched-on sommelier was spot on too; the perfect end to a perfect winter break in Edinburgh.
On our break we learned to ‘stay different’ – trying new things, new places and parts of Edinburgh off the beaten track. There are plenty of ideas here for you to plan your own long weekend in Edinburgh. But we thoroughly recommend you stay longer – check out www.edinburgh.org/staydifferent for loads more ideas.
*This post comes in conjunction with Forever Edinburgh. All views and opinions are independent and are very much our own.
