The weather here in Stockholm over the last few days reminds me of my recent weekend break in Edinburgh. It hasn't been cold, but it's grey and rainy, and I love it! I actually really enjoy a few days like this every now and then. It feels so cosy and the perfect time to put together a little post on our trip to Scotland.

Edinburgh Weekend Break

Edinburgh has been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. So I was excited when we had the opportunity to head over for a few days. In my mind, Scotland is always a little bit cold, grey, and rainy. And that is exactly what it was like. Luckily I had my rain jacket, so the weather didn't interrupt our exploring.

As always, when we are seeing a new city for the first time, we like to get to as many places as we can on foot. I feel like you get to see so much more when you visit a city this way. I love to get a feeling for what it's like to get amongst the locals and explore all the different streets and not just the main roads. The buildings in Edinburgh all had so much charm, and everything was surrounded by lush green parks. It was really beautiful to wander around, especially when it was a little misty.

Where to Eat

If you're into specialty coffee and a delicious brunch you should definitely try Cairngorm Coffee. I went for the avocado on toast and Daniel had the banana bread. Both were delicious. I really wanted to pop back in later to try their Tumeric Latte but unfortunately, I didn't get the chance. Maybe next time!

My favourite place in Edinburgh though was Hula Juice Cafe. Before we left I was searching for good places to eat and drink and I found this one on Instagram. It was so good that we went back a second time. The juices are delicious and they have a great range of cakes and snacks. If I had even more time I would have liked to go back a third time to try their porridge and acai bowls.

We also managed to sneak in the yummiest Sunday Roast at an amazing pub called The Queens Arms. The walls are covered in bookshelves and it's just so cosy in there! The roast was delicious and afterward, I tried my first Whiskey. When in Scotland!

Things to Do

According to TripAdvisor some of the top things to do on an Edinburgh weekend break are to take a walk up Arthurs Seat. Wander through Edinburgh Old Town, Visit Edinburgh Castle, and try the shortbread at Pinnies and Poppy Seeds. We tried all of these :) Oh, the shortbread was delicious! And the perfect reward after the short but very steep walk to the top of Arthurs Seat.

Edinburgh Castle

No visit to Edinburgh is complete without taking a look at the Castle. Even though it wasn't peak summer holidays yet, there was still a lot of people around town. So we decided to visit on a Tuesday instead of the weekend. Luckily we did because the lines were still huge. We did have to wait in line for a while, but it could have been a lot worse. Once we got in we joined a short tour which was a great way to get an overview of the castle and get some history. Then after the tour, we could go back to the parts that were most interesting to us and have a closer look. My favourite part of the castle was the old jails.

Time for Some Harry Potter

Of course, I couldn't visit Edinburgh without geeking out on Harry Potter just a little. First stop of to Grey Friars Kirkyard. Which is said to be where J.K Rowling got a lot of inspiration for her books and even some of the characters names. I wonder what Thomas Riddle thinks of all these people visiting his grave these days?

Victoria Street is apparently where J.K Rowling’s inspiration for 'Diagon Alley' came from. There are even a few Harry Potter memorabilia shops along the street if you are looking for a souvenir to take home.

Edinburgh is a great place to spend a long weekend. I actually wish that I had a bit longer to spend there. I'd love to go back when I had more time to try a few more of the cafes and enjoy the fun, creative atmosphere around the town.

Cheers, Jess (and family! )