Christmastime in Edinburgh

We usually take a short trip to Germany to visit the Christmas Markets and get ourselves into the Christmas spirit although, for obvious reasons, it hasn’t been possible for the last couple of years. So, we decided to visit Edinburgh. There’s a Christmas Market as well as lots of other things to see and do. We dispensed with any form of public transport (together with face covering, form filling and having to provide evidence of vaccination status), opting to drive 410 miles in each direction which was very straightforward. Our small hotel was very well placed to walk into the city centre – apart from a trip to the zoo in the car, we walked everywhere. No visit to Edinburgh is complete without a visit to the zoo, luckily the weather was kind and although cold, the sun shone, and it remained dry. Edinburgh Zoo’s claim to fame are the two giant pandas currently on loan (until December 2023). With or without giant pandas though, it’s well worth a visit, particularly if you have small children as it’s not too big. Despite a downturn in the weather we pounded the Royal Mile, from visiting the legendary castle at the top of the hill, down to the far end where we stood outside the Scottish Parliament Building and pondered what inspired the architect to come up with quite this design! Perhaps they were looking for a building that wouldn’t outshine The Palace of Holyroodhouse which stands on the opposite side of the road. Originally Edinburgh was one main street (The Royal Mile) with a myriad of small alleyways leading off left and right. On either side of the alleyways (or closes) tall buildings emerged – some as high as 8 storeys, where all inhabitants lived and worked. In 1753 the construction of the Royal Exchange started, and 4 closes were partly demolished, and the lower levels used to provide its foundations. Those 4 alleyways now comprise Mary King’s Close where a guided tour took us below the 20th century streets, back to 17th century Edinburgh. We did visit the Christmas Market which is in a lovely location in Princes Street Gardens, however it didn’t quite have the ‘feel’ of the ones we visit in Germany, so I wouldn’t make that the primary reason for returning. In summary, Edinburgh is a fantastic city with an interesting history and absolutely perfect for a weekend break - but be sure to take your walking shoes!