Hello, Curious Crowd! This post is a companion piece to our latest It’s On The List podcast episode on my trip to Scotland. I was fortunate enough to tag-a-long on my sestra and brother-in-law’s trip to the UK at the end of February. We had gone to London first and then headed to Scotland the first week of March before all the madness in the world began. We’re planning to talk about London in the future. I’ve listed below points of interest that I highly recommend for your future travels to Scotland!
I adored this small museum as a literary nerd and a lover of Robert Burns. Please do check it out and give what you can for entry.
On the Royal Mile
There are a lot of shops for souvenirs and tartan clothing along the mile. I would highly recommend everyone to head away from the mile for all food. I have to say the food was amazing! There will be a list of all restaurants in the section below.
One of the tartan places we visited was at the top of the mile, Tartan Weaving Mill & Experience which is five stories of all kinds of wares!
City Chambers
The special Edinburgh Award square is where influential Scots are honored for their various endeavors. Of course, I had to take a photo of Jo Rowling’s handprints!
This tour was totally worth it! Just make sure you’ve got comfy shoes! Key spots that were part of the tour included Victoria Street, Greyfriars Bobby, Greyfriars Kirkyard, The Black Medicine Coffee Co., and more. I talked about a few more detailed items on the pod.
The center was closed, but we stopped and headed to the water’s edge to admire the beauty up close.
The Food
As I mentioned in the pod, we stayed in a great apartment and were able to cook our breakfasts (thanks Dan!). We visited Tesco a couple of times for snacks and such. Below are the places we went for dinner that we highly recommend.
• Whiski Rooms Bar / Restaurant N. Bank St – The charcuterie board and the cocktails were impressive.
• La Barantine Victoria St. – We enjoyed delicious pastries, hot chocolates, and macarons here!
• BYRON North Bridge and High St. – Some ridiculously delicious burgers!
• Ciao Roma Italian 64 South Bridge – Out of all the places we ate, this was the absolute best! I was convinced someone’s nonna is cooking in that kitchen.
Final Thoughts
After discussing this trip on the pod, I could not believe I had only spent four short days in Scotland! It made such an impression on me, I felt I had been there longer. I’m here to tell you that all of the things you’ve heard about the fair Caledonia are true. She is a gorgeous land full of natural beauty. Her people are some of the most welcoming and friendly I have ever come across on my travels. As a skeptical American, I didn’t place my hopes too high. Like any new relationship, I felt a slow and careful approach was in order. I didn’t want my heart dashed right away. Scotland wooed me, and I fell in love.
Upon arriving home, I was hit with a sudden, lovesick sadness. I hope to make a triumphant return in the future, and that thought is what is currently keeping me sane. You can find more photos on Instagram @nerdycurious and @vartsy758.
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Corrections Corner: In the podcast, I incorrectly named the Italian restaurant. It’s called Ciao Roma, (not Martone) though it seems the desserts came from there.
Nerd On!
