Edinburgh — Beyond cobbled streets and Georgian architecture
A deeper look into the city that inspired Harry potter
When J.K. Rowling first moved to Edinburgh in 1993, she had a broken marriage, a baby daughter and three chapters of the first book of Harry Potter. She would have never thought that in the coming years, the fantasy story would make her one of the richest women in the world. She might not have gotten the idea to write Harry Potter in Edinburgh. She might not have started writing Harry Potter in Edinburgh. But from Tom Riddle’s name in Greyfriars Kirkyard to the Hogwarts like George Heriot’s school, she definitely pulled a lot of inspiration from this beautiful city.
Edinburgh is more than what meets the eye. Beyond its cobbled streets, Georgian architecture and the castle overlooking the city, it houses a diverse and friendly population. The friendliness starts from the immigration itself. Living as an expat in Edinburgh and not having a European passport, I always have to go through immigration when I travel. However, Edinburgh has the most friendly team of immigration officers I have ever seen. I wish I can say the same for London. But every time, I was thoroughly disappointed by how rude they are.
Edinburgh is a walkable city with good public transport links. If you are a tourist, you can visit almost all the top attractions in the city centre by walking or cycling. The bus and tram network make the city well connected. I have never felt the need to have a car when I was living there.
It is also a very small and safe city. Like any city, Edinburgh also has its share of shady areas. So you should always research before visiting. But in general, the city centre is quite safe for the residents and tourists alike. Not to forget it has one of the lowest reported crime rates in the UK.
Edinburgh was ranked second greenest city in the UK by Compare the Market, which is not surprising with its beautiful parks, trails and hills along with initiatives to encourage cycling and using public transport. It’s also a very family-friendly and pet-friendly city.
Even after hearing all of this, if Edinburgh is still not on your bucket list of cities to visit or live in, let’s see whether I can lure you by showing my top 5 favourite places of Edinburgh.
1. Princess Street Gardens
Princess Street is the main shopping street in Edinburgh. But its format is rather unique where one side is full of upmarket hotels and retailers whereas the other side directly looks into the Princess Street Gardens with stunning views of the Edinburgh castle. Once you enter Princess Street Gardens you will completely forget that you are in a middle of a very busy city. At Christmas, this gets converted to a beautiful Christmas market.
2. Carlton Hill
If you want that stunning Instagram worthy shot of Edinburgh city, this is the place to go. Located at the east end of Princess Street, Carlton hill is a really easy climb of 5 minutes. At the top, you will find the unfinished “National Monument”, Nelson’s Monument and City Observatory.
3. Arthur’s Seat
If you are not satisfied by the views of Carlton hill, you can climb up to Arthur’s Seat. It is an ancient volcano that sits in the middle of the city providing the best 360 views around the city.
4. Meadows
Meadows is probably the number one picnic spot in Edinburgh. It’s a large public park with plenty of space. Meadows is popular for its cherry blossom avenues which brings a magical, out of the world beauty during a short blossoming period in spring.
5. Edinburgh Castle
I still remember how amazed I was, to see Edinburgh castle overlooking the city when I visited Edinburgh for the first time. The castle sits on top of a volcanic plug in the middle of Edinburgh. It is not my favourite castle in Scotland, but it still is an iconic spot in Edinburgh you don’t want to miss.
Final Thoughts
Scotland as a whole is a magical place to visit and Edinburgh is a good starting point. If you ever want to live in a place that you will always feel like living in a dream, then give Edinburgh a try. You would not be disappointed.
