Edinburgh Travel Forum

Hi all,

I'm thinking of taking my other half to Edinburgh for a romantic day on Sunday 22nd February as a late Valentine's Day present.

Can anyone recommend a cheapish day itinery please?

We will be arriving at 11:59 if we go and leaving at 19:00.

So basically seven hours to justify the £22.00 each on train fares from York.

Thanks!

1 National Galleries and Royal Scottish Academy - both free (I think - check websites per my Edinburgh tips)
2. Big lunch somewhere - say Mussel Inn per my tips
3. Holyrood Palace - not free - again check websites for prices + opening times
4. Arthur's Seat - free, requires physical fitness & decent weather, but worth it for the fresh air & views
5. Portrait Gallery - also free and central (also see my tips)

You might be too late for most things by the time you get to 4-5pm on a Sunday. Perhaps time for a couple of drinks before the train?

Have you been at the whisky?? Edinburgh romantic - no way - York possibly I'd accept - but if you want romance I'd suggest you head to Loch Lomond and get a boat trip. It will also be bitterly cold and you might well have adverse weather conditions. Lock Katherine is even better

We went to Edinburgh last year for the first time and were bitterly disappointed. Thankfully we had the sense not to go into the Castle as we'd over head some adverse comments. There wasn't even a guard on it - and the piper in the street was wearing Doc Martins and looked dirty. I'll grant you some of the surrounding country is beautiful, but if you want a grey dark dirty city then visit Edinburgh. York is far better.

I suggest a quick treck up Calton Hill, not as strenuous as Arthur's Seat but with some good views of the city. For a romantic dinner there are several restaurants that offer rooftop views of the castle and cityscape such as Oloroso, the Tower Restaurant at the Museum of Scotland or perhaps even the top floor restaurant at the Apex International in the Grassmarket. If your other half is into shopping then there's Harvey Nichols in St Andrews Sq and plenty other top end shops along George St. If you want more specific advice then let us know and I'm sure someone on here will can help you out.

Whatever some people say, I still think Edinburgh is the right place for a romantic day out. If you haven't been there before, a walk along the Royal Mile from the Castle to Holyrood House looking into at least some of the closes is an absolute must. Whether you enter the Castle or not, you can still enjoy the view from the Esplanade and hear the One O'Clock Gun being fired at 1 pm. On the way you can visit the People's Story for instance or the Museum of Childhood(women might like this). From the Palace of Holyrood House it's only a short walk to St Margaret's Loch and, if it's not too cold you can climb Arthur's Seat. In fact, there are so many romantic places in Edinburgh that a week would not be enough to see them all.

I'd suggest, like most of the other posters, spending most of the day in the Royal Mile/Holyrood area. Edinburgh tends to be dry, bright but cold, which means that walking up Arthur's Seat (which isn't strenuous at all, and you can always stop for views en route up if you're extremely unfit) and walking up to the Castle Esplanade to enjoy the view are good options. I'd probably advise heading up to the Castle from the train station first to enjoy the views from there, and there's also the whisky centre (Scotch Whisky Experience) and just opposite a great viewing tower (Camera Obscura). There are also plenty of restaurants/cafes in this area where you could have lunch. I'd then suggest leisurely walking down the Royal Mile (NB I think it's often got different names on it such as High St but this is still part of the Royal Mile) towards Holyrood House and the Scottish Parliament, visiting them if you wish. Take a right turn from here and you're into Holyrood Park from where you can climb the Salisbury Crags and/or Arthur's Seat. A really lovely restaurant, which would be very handy for dinner and then getting straight to the railway station afterwards, is David Bann's on St Mary's Street - it's completely vegetarian but really lovely and well respected by both vegetarians and omnivores; the train station is literally less than 10 minutes from there.

Probably not for this trip due to lack of time, but the Botanic Gardens are also extremely nice but are approx a 15/20-minute walk to the north of Princes St (go down Hanover St and Dundas St down to the clock at CanonMills, and it's signposted from there up the road to the left). They tend to shut just before it gets dark - so at about 4ish at this time of year. If you/your girlfriend were keen on going there, and/or she (or you) are keen shoppers and like the upper end of the high street shops (but then, you get these in any British city), then you could spend the day on that side of town and George St.

It might well be possible to manage both the Botanic Gardens plus the Royal Mile in your day trip but you wouldn't have time for Arthur's Seat/Salisbury Crags as well.

Hope this helps. (Ten years' experience of living in Edinburgh and having friends to visit from other parts of the UK.)

I'd suggest, like most of the other posters, spending most of the day in the Royal Mile/Holyrood area. Edinburgh tends to be dry, bright but cold, which means that walking up Arthur's Seat (which isn't strenuous at all, and you can always stop for views en route up if you're extremely unfit) and walking up to the Castle Esplanade to enjoy the view are good options. I'd probably advise heading up to the Castle from the train station first to enjoy the views from there, and there's also the whisky centre (Scotch Whisky Experience) and just opposite a great viewing tower (Camera Obscura). There are also plenty of restaurants/cafes in this area where you could have lunch. I'd then suggest leisurely walking down the Royal Mile (NB I think it's often got different names on it such as High St but this is still part of the Royal Mile) towards Holyrood House and the Scottish Parliament, visiting them if you wish. Take a right turn from here and you're into Holyrood Park from where you can climb the Salisbury Crags and/or Arthur's Seat. A really lovely restaurant, which would be very handy for dinner and then getting straight to the railway station afterwards, is David Bann's on St Mary's Street - it's completely vegetarian but really lovely and well respected by both vegetarians and omnivores; the train station is literally less than 10 minutes from there.

Probably not for this trip due to lack of time, but the Botanic Gardens are also extremely nice but are approx a 15/20-minute walk to the north of Princes St (go down Hanover St and Dundas St down to the clock at CanonMills, and it's signposted from there up the road to the left). They tend to shut just before it gets dark - so at about 4ish at this time of year. If you/your girlfriend were keen on going there, and/or she (or you) are keen shoppers and like the upper end of the high street shops (but then, you get these in any British city), then you could spend the day on that side of town and George St.

It might well be possible to manage both the Botanic Gardens plus the Royal Mile in your day trip but you wouldn't have time for Arthur's Seat/Salisbury Crags as well.

Hope this helps. (Ten years' experience of living in Edinburgh and having friends to visit from other parts of the UK.)

In February the Botanics may not be that interesting although I must say I enjoyed the place in November even. The Glasshouse (or Greenhouse, can't remember the name) Experience is simply great! Instead, like some other posters, I'd suggest a walk up Calton Hill. I never had the time to go there and still regret it. Enjoy your day!