Edinburgh at Christmas

[superstar84]

Dh & I have booked 4 nights in Edinburgh the week before Christmas and will be taking Dc age 7 & 10

We're staying in the city centre near the main train station

Any top tips of places to visit, places to eat etc

We've booked the vip package for the zoo so we can see the animals, have some food then see the Xmas light show and see Santa!

Thinking of booking the Panto as well

The Lyceum has a Christmas show on this year and Edinburgh's Christmas is still to announce their offerings.

I'm not convinced December is the best time to visit the Castle - you are outside lots of times as you go in and out the different sections. But I'm not a fan of the Castle (though have taken lots of visiting friends) so maybe that's colouring my opinion!

I'm not fussed by the castle but I think ds and dh will like it. I mentioned up thread that I read it wasn't great but someone else said it's worth going 🤷🏻‍♀️ just one of those things I guess.

The dominion looks great, thanks for tip!

Going to do the hop on hop off bus tour too.

The castle is ok, dc always enjoy it. Be warned it's very cold and exposed up there on the outdoor bits.

We've still got all of our gear from Lapland so will wear that

the Camera Obscura beside the castle is great. And do a bus tour save your feet!

The Dome is one of my favourite places to visit. Dd loved it too.

The Real Mary King's Close is a fabulous tour.

Markets were horrifically crowded when we went at Christmas - aim to get in there first thing, maybe, and clear out as the crowds come?

There's also the Castle of Light which is another similar to Zoo/Botanics. We've booked this as we were supposed to go in Dec 19 but it was cancelled due to bad weather.

Definitely panto at the Kings. We like Bar Italia in Lothian Road so close to theatre. Small family owned Italian; lovely staff.
Another nice thing to do is wander up and down Cockburn Street - curves from old Town down to new. Victorian old worldly street - lots of lovely little shops ( including one with H Potter merchandise) restaurants and artisan gelato shop.

And if weather is terrible, all child visitors tend to love Our Dynamic Earth at Holyrood. It’s a kind of Disney- esque theme park/ museum type attraction with an educational geography bent based on scenario where you go back in time (in a huge lift) to start of Earth history. Features moving floors earthquake, , (real) ice berg, 3D film, forest and brain in a tank etc.