A Day Out in Edinburgh

Do you have a weekend coming up with no plans? Skip the boring weekend and hop on a train to Edinburgh with a return ticket costing as little as £16 on Trainline! It’s one of my favourite cities to visit and makes for the perfect little getaway after a week of stress. You can spend as little as one day there, and get a fantastic taste of what this amazing city has to offer!

I went with my best friend recently for a much needed break from uni, and we both had the best time there – promising each other we’d visit again. We set off from Newcastle at 10am and arrived at Edinburgh Waverley just under 2 hours later, heading to the viral café ‘The Milkman’ for a coffee and a catch up. We then walked across the road to ‘Laila’s’ for some avocado on toast, before setting off to explore the city.

With the sound of bagpipes playing all around us, we headed to our first destination; Scott Monument, the world’s second largest monument dedicated to a writer. Scott Monument stands at the heart of the city, alongside the iconic Princes Street lined with shops, cafés, restaurants, and the scenic Princes Street Gardens. After a wander along the shops, we decided to go for a walk in the Gardens, strolling past the colourful Ross Fountain and admiring the incredible views of the castle. Keep an eye out for the small stall at the top of the gardens which sells the tastiest hot chocolate, perfect for sipping during your walk!

Later that day, we walked down to Victoria Street, the famous road that inspired J.K Rowling’s ‘Diagon Alley’ in the Harry Potter series. With its colourful shops, pubs selling Butterbeer and live music playing, you could easily spend hours wandering around!

However, the highlight of the trip began when we entered Dean Village, a beautiful residential area with French-Italian undertones. We crossed the bridge and sat below it by the stream running through the village, admiring the picturesque scenery that looked like it was fresh out of a fairytale. 

I cannot recommend Edinburgh enough; if you’re looking to escape from the stresses of uni work, need a change of scenery, or even have a day free and fancy some exploring – it’s the perfect city to visit. And with Christmas coming up soon, there is even more reason to go and see the world-renowned Christmas markets, spread across multiple streets in Edinburgh, which will open on the 15^th November and run until the 4^th January 2026. With a plethora of food, drinks, festival rides and games, it is the best place to go with your flatmates, friends, or with a cute date!