Edinburgh is my favourite place for a UK staycation and I would recommend it to anyone. The picturesque city has so much to offer, from amazing food to lots of fun activities, and it is ideal for history lovers. Edinburgh Castle is so accessible to the public, it provides panoramic views of the city and there is a lot to do there, including seeing the crown jewels. The old town which leads from the castle is beautiful with lots of independent shops to browse. A favourite of mine was the Perre jewellery shop where they had so many stunning pieces with unique crystals and stones. There are also Harry Potter shops which include real props from the movies.
World of Illusions and the Camera Obscura Museum were a personal favourite as it was packed with interactive illusive rooms. From light tricks to camera placements, your brain can get tricked by all the illusions in there. This museum was definitely worth the money as it is very different to other museums and great for photo opportunities. For another activity idea, I really enjoyed Lane 7 bowling alley. It was really funky with neon ‘graffiti’ designs all over the walls, and here was an arcade, a bar and the bowling alley which made it a fun few hours.
My favourite spot to eat at was Sora Lella Italian, a vegan restaurant. The menu was filled with so many choices and even non-vegans who came, said it was brilliant. It was really intimate inside with only a few tables so it gave it a very authentic Italian feel. Our favourite dish overall was the carbonara. Another restaurant I would recommend was Seeds for the Soul, which provides vegan fish alternatives which my boyfriend said was the best he has tried. I got a really delicious frappe and a vegan ‘chicken’ wrap which was very tasty.
Some more food recommendations include Bross Bagels, Harmonium, and Holy Cow. Each of these eateries is unique from the other. We grabbed Bross Bagels for lunch one day and haven’t stopped thinking about the ‘no palm done,’ which my boyfriend and I loved, since. We stopped off at the bagel van in the middle of a busy day and it was ideal for a quick lunch. Harmonium is a vegan pub which had amazing patatas bravas, and a really friendly atmosphere with great cocktails too! On the last day we were in Edinburgh, we went to Holy Cow for some lunch. We had an incredible vegan reuben sandwich, and Holy Cow had cute outdoor seating and a relaxed atmosphere.
Next time I visit I would love to hike ‘Arthur’s seat’ as so many people have said that it is great for views. I would recommend staying where I stayed, just outside of the city centre in a town called Leith as it was peaceful in the evenings and only a short bus journey into the centre.