Edinburgh Castle

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Edinburgh wouldn’t be here without the ancient fortress perched on Castle Rock. It’s one of the oldest fortified locations in Europe and the scene of many bloody tales. As well as stories from the castle’s many sieges and inhabitants, you’ll have the chance to see the Honours of Scotland – the crown, sword and sceptre of state. It’s such a popular place to visit in Edinburgh, that you should aim to see it first thing in the morning before it gets too busy! Booking tickets in advance with specified entry times is essential.

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You could easily end up spending half the morning or more in Edinburgh Castle, but once you’ve dragged yourself away, head down the steps towards the Grassmarket. For centuries, this was an important trading site for the city, lined with pubs and hostelries just as it is today. Looking back up where you came from, this is one of the best views of the castle. It gets even better if you want to tackle the steps leading up the top of the Vennel!

Maggie Dicksons

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As you walk along the length of the Grassmarket, stop outside a pub called Maggie Dicksons and you’ll notice the shadow of a gibbet marked out on the ground. Once a common spot for public executions, residents rented out the view from upper floor windows for a few pennies! Maggie Dickson was a young woman from the early 1700s who was sadly hanged here before being carted away for burial in Musselburgh. Imagine the driver’s surprise when Maggie suddenly woke up! She wasn’t dead, but her sentence had technically been carried out, so the authorities had let her live out her days, now popularly known as Half- Hangit Maggie!

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Wander up the elegantly curved Victoria Street with its brightly coloured buildings, often claimed to be an inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. Full of independent shops, it’s also a great place to grab lunch. My personal favourite is the hog-roast takeaway Oink (with haggis stuffing), but there are other great options including Maxies or Maison Bleue. For anybody still hungry, you can get a takeaway Scottish Cheeseboard from I.J. Mellis and follow it up with an afternoon dram from Bow Bar’s excellent whisky selection!

St. Giles’ Cathedral

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Up on the Royal Mile, a visit inside St Giles Cathedral is essential on a trip to Edinburgh. It’s the next most historic spot after the castle and entry is entirely free. What lots of people don’t realise is that it’s dog friendly too! Almost every important figure from Scottish history will have stepped foot inside this building at some point. Don’t miss the Thistle Chapel, tucked away in the back-right corner and a marvel of architecture. Once a year, the 16 Knights of the Thistle meet there!

Greyfriars Bobby

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A short walk along George IV Bridge takes you to the statue of Greyfriars Bobby – the most faithful dog in the world. When Bobby’s master died in the middle of the 1800s, this wee terrier refused to leave his grave. Even though he would be chased from the graveyard, he always returned. The dog became a local celebrity and this statue was donated by Lady Burnett-Coutts who was touched by the story, but it’s important not to touch it! Misguided tourists rubbing the nose has destroyed it in the process. It’s not something we do for luck!

Greyfriars Kirk

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The first grave you’ll see inside Greyfriars Kirkyard is of Bobby himself, usually covered in a pile of gifted sticks. However, there are many more fascinating headstones to find around here. Some are protected by mortsafes – iron cages used to protect bodies from being dug up and sold to the medical school in the 1800s. It’s a fascinating, albeit slightly morbid, place to explore. Just be on your guard at night in case the Mackenzie Poltergeist makes an appearance...

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There’s no better place to end your day exploring Edinburgh’s Old Town than the National Museum of Scotland. While there are exhibits from around the world, it’s the Scottish section that you should focus on, where you can travel throughout Scotland and its history in a matter of hours. There are artefacts from long before Scotland was a nation, including the Ballachulish Goddess – a lump of wood carved into a woman’s figure dating from around 600BC. Mysterious carved Pictish Stones are followed by the Arthur’s Seat Coffins and an early guillotine known as the Maiden! There’s enough here that you might even end up coming back the next day!