Scotland has always been a must for me to visit because I come from a well known Scottish clan. My grandfather wore kilts and played the bagpipes, as well as carried on the clan motto, sigil, and anything related to being a descendent of a prominent family line. More often than not, if you are an American, your ancestry doesn’t really change anything about your life. Knowing where you came from is just something you either know because of your family keeping it alive, or doing the swab test for DNA tests to tell you your ancestry. You might do those just for fun. Sometimes your family was lucky enough to carry the name on down the line to keep it alive. If you happen to come from a line of prominent people, it is worth checking into the country they came from about what that may do for you while you are traveling. The clan I descended from had a castle in Scotland, which, is still standing today. Not only is the castle standing today, it accepts reservations to stay in, and most importantly, I get a free night on my birthday if I can present my birth certificate showing I am a descendent with that last name (which I can). I have not taken advantage of this yet but I am going to as soon as I am available to do so. Things like this are not very well known to people and tips like these can save you money while traveling.

Aside from my family history in Scotland, I have always loved Scotland from afar. I love rain, fog, and lots of green scenery. There are so many beautiful places in Scotland that it almost seems like another world in some places, and definitely seems like the stuff fairytales are created from. I have not done nearly enough there and have every intention of going back in the very near future.

I was able to tack Edinburgh on to our big trip a few years back. We took a mini-trip up to Edinburgh from London. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect at the end of April. I knew it would likely be on the chilly side, probably rainy, and probably a little foggy. I underestimated just how cold it could be. I only packed the shell of my winter coat. It was a good rain jacket at best. It blocked wind but wind was not the problem when the cold just sits in the air. From the moment we got off of the train, I was freezing. We found a coffee shop where we could use the internet to pull up our maps and plan everywhere we needed to go. It was very cozy sitting in the warm coffee shop, enjoying some delicious food and beverage, and watching the light rain drizzle, and the fog outside.

Once we got our bearings, we ventured back out into the cold. We made our way to Edinburgh Castle. Not only is this castle beautifully creepy in a gothic way, it sits on the plug of an extinct volcano. Much of the land it sits on is very rocky, which, adds a beautiful, almost, imperfect aesthetic to the castle grounds. The castle itself dates back to the 12th century and was a royal residence until the 1600s. It was also used as a military barracks. It even has its own dog cemetery on the premises, which I can obviously appreciate being an animal lover. It is worth spending a few hours, or a full day exploring around the grounds and learning the history of the buildings. I do love castles, and this one is one of my favorites.

I am a Harry Potter fan but I must admit, I did not take part in the Harry Potter tours that you can take, nor did I go to any of the places on my own. This is another reason why I know I need to go back.

One of the coolest things I have ever done while traveling, I did in Edinburgh. Mary King’s Close is a place where you can go down below the city, to the old 17th century city streets that have been built on top of. You tour the old buildings that were mostly houses, and you walk the narrow streets of old to get a real, first person feel of what life was like back in the 1600s. Mary King was a merchant burgess who lived in the town, and had the close named after her. The tour guides offer a bit of silliness and dress up to make you feel like you are really walking around back in the time. If you are in to ghost hunts, there are plenty of ghost stories to keep you on your toes as you walk around. If you are very claustrophobic, I might not recommend this tour, as the streets are very narrow, the buildings are small, and you are underground. The history buff in me for that time period could do this tour over and over again. After spending a day in the cold, the underground was actually a warm relief. Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed down in Mary King’s Close. They do take your photo at the end. I cannot find our picture but if I do, I will be attaching it to this blog ASAP. There are images online of it to whet your appetite if you think this is something that sounds interesting to you. I very highly recommend it.

There are plenty of walking tours, hiking, museums, sightseeing tour buses, other castles, shopping, dining, as well as places to check out some local Scotch whiskey if you like it. Edinburgh also has a booming gin scene right now. The bottom line is that there are lots of things to keep you entertained if you find yourself in Edinburgh. I hope you do find yourself in Edinburgh because it is charming, beautiful, historic, and understated when it comes to travel. The people are very friendly and welcoming, and the food is delicious to add more pros to the list. Do yourself a favor and add it to your travel wish list. I don’t have a bad thing to say about Edinburgh.

Packing List: Type G power adapter, Jackets (size depending on time of year), Walking shoes, Camera and accessories including an ND Filter, Rain gear, Maps

Do: Study maps ahead of time, Buy train tickets early if you are taking a train, Venture out of the city, Bring cash for the buses but if it isn’t exact change- you won’t get change back, Look both ways when crossing the streets

Don’t: Assume you will understand the locals. Some accents get pretty thick and you may have to ask a person to repeat what they said, Underestimate your walking requirements around the city, Block walkways while people are trying to get to work or school, Litter

Transportation: Buses, Trams, Taxis