Help me plan a fantasy holiday to Edinburgh

[FindMeAHolidayPlz]

The advantage of a fantasy holiday is that I can ignore the fact that it’s a long way away from the South of England, the weather will probably be freezing and the Fringe will be cancelled (or if it isn’t cancelled then the accommodation will be ruinously expensive).

So anyway, I’m definitely going on a not at all fictional holiday to Edinburgh by train with DH who has never been. We’re going to climb Arthur’s Seat, see the castle, wander around, drink whisky in enticing little bars, wander through the Old Town, probably go on a ghost walk because I can’t resist a ghost walk, see the body of Burke/Hare in a museum (if I recall correctly?) and do the Fringe which is definitely not going to be cancelled. What else?

And where are we going to stay? I’ve only ever stayed in depressingly corporate hotels. Where’s nice?

And then because it’s such a long way we need to tick off lots of things we’ve always wanted to see, so we’re going to do a tourist bus day trip to see the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.

But the other thing we need to do is cross the Forth Rail Bridge, which is on DH’s bucket list. Where can you go North from Edinburgh on a day trip by train across the bridge which has a pleasant place for a pub lunch, and ideally somewhere for a bracing walk or a castle/abbey to visit etc? Or is my geography hopelessly wrong and this is Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves level of navigation?

And if we also wanted to add on a stay in some properly Scottish countryside with lochs/stags/glens/mountains etc (car hire probably required at this point), where would we go?

[Cantchooseaname]

Don’t chose a hotel on quality of breakfast- if you are doing the fringe properly you won’t see that time of day.
See at least three things that someone random recommends. Red Bastard was my all time favourite random show. Although you really had to be there.
Stay somewhere near centre (balmoral is perfect) so you can wander back mid afternoon for a siesta.

[midnightstar66]

I might have to actually go. The problem is that if I actually go I’m going to need to take the teens as well, which means The Witchery is definitely out and I sense a Premier Inn entering into the equation.

The Leith premier inn is in a lovely location (on a sunny day) and has great transport links to the city centre and trendy leith shore. Can never go wrong with a PI breakfast 😆

[heidbuttsupper]

Oh OP! You must stay at the Waldorf and dine at the Witchery. A visit to Mary Kings close and an evening ghost tour.

[Ginpuddles]

A trip to Jupiter Artland (about 45? mins drive)

A trip to Holyrood House and a guided tour of the Scottish Parliament, if you like that kind of thing.

YY to Valvona and Carolla and lunch in the cafe

The beach at Portbello

A trip on the tram

The Botanic Gardens

A film at the Filmhouse

Dinner at Six by Nico in the New Town

Mooching about in Stockbridge

I bloody love Edinburgh!

[katy1213]

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art - great exhibitions, possibly the only museum in the world with its own allotments in the grounds, and the best cakes in the cafe.
And don't forget the royal yacht Britannia - I'm no fan of royalty so it was fascinating to see the setting for what must have been Princess Di's honeymoon from hell.
If you're doing a ghost tour, make sure it's the one that takes in the underground parts of the city.

[Boopear]

I've stayed in an AirBnB at the Quartermile development. Amazing spot and lots of room for teens! And my top top for Edinburgh is a cheapie - the Brazilian crepe street food cart at the entrance to the Meadows is just amazing. I'd go back for that alone!

[Justanothernametoday]

Or try Orocco Pier in South Queensferry - reasonably cheap and decent food when I last stayed (2016) but this was the view from my bedroom window

[DitherFlicker]

In between all those lovely activities, make room for gelato from Mary's Milk Bar in Grassmarket ......www.marysmilkbar.com/

[DitherFlicker]

Sorry, link did work in preview

[ImperfectTents]

Get up early and walk around new town before everyone is up. One of my favs

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

If you don't mind a bit of cycling, do this: get the train over the bridge to Aberdour (I do like N Queensferry and it is very pretty but it's tiny). There are more restaurants/cafes in Aberdour and a pretty beach.

Then get the train back over the bridge to Dalmeny (which is South Queensferry) and pick up our equivalent of a Boris Bike and cycle c 4 miles to Blackness castle, which is one of my favourite places in the whole world. Apart from the hill climb to get back up to the station, it's all at sea level so flat and mostly traffic-free.

In Edinburgh, ah, everything is back open and nowhere has closed permanently (it's a fantasy, right?). Lunch at Noto, drinks at Bon Vivant, dinner at Baba... I will even allow dinner at the Witchery (the food is so overrated there) if you go to the Secret Garden part - it's soooo pretty. A sunny Sunday lunch at LeftField, brunch at Urban Angel or the Pantry, a wine flight at Smith and Gertrude... and I suppose you could find time to fit some Fringe stuff in too

[emmathedilemma]

Some great suggestions so far. My favourites would be:
Portobello beach for coffee / ice cream and people watching
Water of Leith footpath - particularly the upstream end from Balerno to Slateford - check out the Colinton Tunnel, you can get the bus up to Balerno and then pick up on Lanark Road back into the city centre if you don't want to walk all the way.
Botanic gardens and lunch at one of the nice cafes in Stockbridge.
Dean Village and the WoL path to Stockbridge past St Bernard's well.
Walk to Cramond island if tide times permit.
Maid of the Forth boat trip to see the seals at Incholm island.
You could get the train to North Queensferry to cross the Forth Rail bridge then walk back across the "old" Forth Road bridge to South Queensferry and pick up the train at Dalmeny or bus back to Edinburgh. If you're feeling energetic there's a nice walk from South Queensferry through the Dalmeny estate to Cramond (where you could pick up a bus).
Edinburgh zoo - don't miss the daily penguin parade!

[emmathedilemma]

You are coming for 3 weeks aren't you?!?

[DavidsSchitt]

Oh thanks for the Mary Queen of Scots stuff. Love it. I'm adding it to my list.