To ask you what you love about Edinburgh

[Moanaohnana]

DP is being relocated to Edinburgh for work and I am currently a somewhat reluctant follower. I don't know Edinburgh at all and the only time I went I was very cold and there was a strong smell I think from a brewery.

I really want to be positive and on board with this move so please tell me all the great things about Edinburgh so that I can get excited about it and start looking forward to it. I'm desperate to fall in love with it. Literally anything please - what's great about living there?

'middle class children get free university'
There is no class requirement for the free university education - merely a residency one 🤨 GF

Mary's Milk Bar on Grassmarket!

The Mussel Inn on Rose Street - half a kilo of fresh mussels in bacon and blue cheese sauce with endless baskets of warm crusty french bread and butter to dip in, all for about $6.50

DH (from Edinburgh) and I go there without fail every single time we fly back to the UK. It's pretty much the first restaurant we go to!

Aside from that, it's a beautiful city (and I'm not fond of very cold places), and the surrounds are stunning.

i live here and i absolutely love it. i moved here when i was 19 for uni and have never wanted to live anywhere else, except Amsterdam maybe.

been here for 8 years and i still adore everything about it. i regularly think to myself “i love edinburgh” when walking/on the bus around the city

Edinburgh is one of the things I miss about living in Scotland. The stunning architecture, the history, the ability to find peace and quiet in the middle of a big city, the castle, the fringe. Just everything really.

My husband took me for my 30th and it was the best birthday I've had in a very long time.

If we moved back to the UK, I'd either look at close to Edinburgh or the highlands.

The size, it’s a small manageable city, look up the architecture is awesome. Green spaces, friendly faces, lots of great shops, places to eat. Love the people watching, the botanic gardens, the museums, galleries, great transport link and so easy to visit the hills and the countryside. Also it always feels very safe to me.

It's so beautiful. Having lived in a beautiful small city (Oxford) and visited Edinburgh lots of times, I am very jealous, and want to point out the life affirming joy of living somewhere beautiful.

Plus there is a tram.

Plus there are knitting shops.

And you can see the sea from Harvey Nicks. That is fucking civilised.

My favourite things about living and working here:

• it's not too big, you can walk almost anywhere you need to go and the public transport is good, I like that I can walk to work
• there are so many great restaurants (The Chop House, Contini, The Honours, The Tower, Ondine, La P'tite Folie... I could go on for days), cafes, pubs and bars, we're spoilt for choice
• lunch in Princes Street gardens in the summer
• easy access / good transport links to Glasgow for shopping (it does have the edge on Edinburgh) and Fife, Perthshire etc. for getting outdoors
• Cramond for the beach
• good job opportunities, in my job I have the same prospects and opportunities as my counterparts in London, the old "move to London to succeed" mentality in my profession is shifting
• I feel very safe living here
• its very international and diverse
• it rains less than Glasgow
• I love the hops smell from the brewery

I do struggle with how busy it gets during the festival (but have friends who make a lot of money on airbnb in August!) and "Edinburgh's Christmas" is another annoyance of mine as town gets very busy and congested not long after the festival is over. I don't find Edinburgh particularly car friendly - they're always digging up several main roads a time so certain areas get very congested and parking in the city centre can be a nightmare (however as mentioned public transport is good).

I do agree that a Scottish accent can be rare depending on the circles you move in, but there are still plenty of us about! I think Edinburgh is slightly more reserved than other places in Scotland but is still a very friendly, down to earth place to be.

We moved earlier this year due to DPs job - and it's awesome! Such a great compact city, spending our London zone 4 budget means we can afford to live walking distance to the city centre - no commute makes a massive difference to our whole quality of life - we have so much more family time. Everyone is welcoming to newbies if you are willing to get out and meet them. Schools are great. Sense of pride in the place from most people. Loads going on in the city, festivals, exhibitions, restaurants, and at the weekends - within an hours drive there are some great beaches in East Lothian and Fife, and mountains to climb and lochs....

If I could live anywhere I would chose Edinburgh. I live in the London suburbs, but edinburgh is faultless as a place to live.

My only caveat though is that if you need a lot of international flights, it really isn’t great. That, seriously, is my only problem. It is an (almost) perfect place to live.

There's always interesting things going on and lots of nice pubs and restaurants.
The one thing that miffs me is that there's not really much in the way of nightclubs- Glasgow is better for that. (Although it is rare that I am out anyway!)

It is very cold and the wind can be biting, so invest in some thermals and naice hats/gloves. Get a good raincoat.

Edinburgh in summer is fabulous. Picnics in Princes st Gardens, meanders up Calton Hill or Arthurs Seat. Endless things for kids to do at the fringe.

And you've got good transport links for the rest of Scotland as well, so no need to feel cooped up or hemmed in. If you want countryside- you can have it in an hour. If you want beach- there it is 20 minutes away. If you want culture we have absolute bags of it in all manner of places

Edinburgh is often used as a film location as well thanks to the Old town. I was lucky enough to spot Sam Heughan (of outlander fame) the last time I was through. (If only all the men in Scotland were as handsome!)

I loved living in Edinburgh! If only I could convince my entire family to move I'd live there in a heartbeat.

There used to be a Starbucks at the east end of princes street with huge glass windows. Best view of the castle in the whole world. I hope it is still there. And the Waterstones with the huge staircases. There was a really good bar called whistlebinkies - I don't know if it is still around but it was just off north bridge if you fancy a look.

I miss Edinburgh.

Beware the waverley clock though - it is always a couple of minutes fast so you don't miss your train!

I love Edinburgh.

How lucky OP - what a beautiful atmospheric city. When I visited I remember hiking around Holyrood Park thinking jealous thoughts about how unfair it was I wasn't born in such a lovely place

Oh God, everything! I lived there for seven years, and would have loved to stay but for missing the support of my extended family.

I loved the compactness of it, and the way it was so easy to get to know. It feels like a small town, but with all the culture and opportunities of a capital city.

I loved the vibrant political scene, and the proud socialist traditions. There is always something to get involved with.

The beauty of the architecture and surrounding countryside is just outstanding. It truly is the 'Athens of the North'. The views from almost anywhere are stunning.

The friendliness. I know this is contrary to the stereotype, but I always found that if you approached people with a friendly attitude, it was returned in spades. Get used to elderly people pushing coins into the palms of your toddlers on buses!

The wonderful sense of history everywhere you go.

It really is a very special place, and you are extremely lucky to have the chance to live there. I think you'll absolutely love it.

Thank you all so so much for taking the time to reply and for making me feel much better already. You're so kind to share all this info with me.

What about with kids? Is it good for kids? And if you had to live a little outside the city (due to prices) where would you live?

Look at Portobello, Moana. It's a beautiful little community in its own right. Even Musselburgh. There are some lovely outlying areas.

isabella whistle binkies is still alive and kicking as is the waterstones and starbucks with the castle view!

whats your budget OP?

I'm moving house on Friday and will have a view of Arthur's Seat and the castle!

Edinburgh is a great place to bring up kids - I have two DS's and we all love it.

Great for kids - let us know your budget, where job will be based and if you want state or private schools and we can suggest some areas

I loved living in Edinburgh. It was a long time ago and I was a student, but I go back as often as I can. It's my favorite place in the world.

Edinburgh is a great City. There’s always a good buzz about it and loads to do. It is expensive though so you might want to either move into a flat or move to one of the commuter towns if you want more space.
I used to live close to the playhouse and would walk pretty much everywhere. It’s a clean city and people tend to take pride in it. There can be a dark side to it though (like any city) but I don’t think it’s as bad as it used to be.

Oh yeah it’s great with kids.

Anywhere is pretty good to live in Edinburgh with kids. We live close to the airport. 3 large green spaces with parks in walking distance. Lots of little independents to visit.

@rackhampearl I am so sorry you were attacked. Some people are vermin. I hope it doesn't put you off returning.