We only spent one day in Edinburgh, but it was a great big-city Scotland experience! Edinburgh is the country’s capital and a tourism hotspot with countless shops, restaurants, and parks filled with people having picnics. Since we only had one day, I wasn’t sure what things to do in Edinburgh, but our British friends had some fun plans for us. Here are some highlights and suggestions for planning your own visit to Edinburgh, Scotland!

Let’s start with the best spot first: The Alchemist!

With multiple UK locations and two Edinburgh locations, this next-level mixology bar should be on your bucket list. We went to their new location on George Street on their opening weekend for brunch and had fantastic service. We got one breakfast dish and three magical cocktails for £30 each (about $40). The food portions were generous, and we tried the entire brunch drink menu between the four of us!

My favorites: the “Color-Changing One” with Ketel One vodka and the “Pop Notch” made with cherry gin and topped with a bubble for you to pop! Check out my Instagram post to see videos of our drinks. Reservations are highly recommended. Again, this was one of our favorite things to do in Edinburgh, and we hope to go to another one of their locations eventually!

Next up on things to do: Victoria Street in Old Town!

Go to Victoria Street for fun shops galore! We walked uphill for about 10 minutes to get here, which is right outside Edinburgh Castle. J.K. Rowling wrote part of the Harry Potter series in Edinburgh, and Diagon Alley is said to have been inspired by this street! There are a multitude of Harry Potter souvenir stores here, along with other witchy and artistic stores, such as Museum Context (pictured).

Victoria Street was completed in 1834, so be aware that the road is cobblestone and might be a deciding factor if you have a stroller, wheelchair, etc. It’s a bit of a trek, but it’s worth it if you’re going to Edinburgh Castle already. There are a LOT of things to do here!

Dinner suggestion in Edinburgh:

For dinner, my lovely friend Tim made our reservations at The Dome, a gorgeous restaurant on George Street. Complete with MULTIPLE chandeliers and professional sommeliers, the atmosphere was elegant, and the waitstaff gracefully whisked around the ballroom serving patrons. Reservations are highly recommended. I enjoyed pesto pappardelle, buttered bread, and a Chardonnay glass! Their dessert menu looked tasty, but we were too full after our entrees to try any. The Dome is a bit pricey, but it’s definitely worth going for dinner if you have it in the budget.

Other locations that we enjoyed: LUSH (chain store and spa, amazing bath bombs) and Princes Street Gardens (in front of Edinburgh Castle, has a pretty fountain and was filled with picnics, children playing, birds, and flowers). For more details on planning a trip to Edinburgh, hop over to another great blog Everything Edinburgh! If you’re deciding on ideas for Edinburgh, this blog is the place to go.

Thanks for catching up! Next stop: Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit 🙂

If you missed the last stop in Crieff, click here!