One of my favourite times of year to visit Edinburgh is during the Christmas holidays as everything looks extra magical. I haven’t experienced a winter destination since last February as I have been travelling around SE Asia and then Europe during summer and I just got back from a surf trip in Portugal. So last week in Aberdeen, I wrapped up in warm clothes, grabbed my camera and headed to Union Square Bus Station. In this post, you can find out what I was up to in Edinburgh and hopefully get some ideas of things to do and eat while visiting.
This is blog post is part of a paid partnership with Citylink, however all opinions are my own
GETTING THERE
I’ve been travelling around Scotland without a car for years and Citylink is the main company I’ve been using as they have so many routes, including direct buses from Aberdeen to Edinburgh. I got an early morning bus from the Granite City and arrived in Edinburgh by 10am so I had the whole day to explore. I then took the bus back to Aberdeen at 19:30 but there are much later departure times available too.
THINGS TO DO AND SEE
Edinburgh Christmas Market
The Christmas Market is located in Princes Street Gardens and has something for everyone. From traditional market stalls to fun rides to delicious food, you can spend hours here and definitely not get bored.
I decided to go up the 80-metre high Starflyer for the first time, and wow…it was quite scary. BUT it was also so much fun and the views are amazing, especially during sunset.
If the Starflyer is not for you, the big wheel is a more relaxed ride and you still get to see the beautiful Edinburgh views.
Christmas decorations and lights
I absolutely love the Christmas decorations around the city so here are some of my favourites:
The Dome
The Edinburgh Grand
St Andrew Square
The Ivy
Brewhemia
The Mound
The Witchery by the Castle
Victoria Street
Cold Town House
Makers Market in Tron Kirk
Stockbridge Market (on Sundays)
Christmas gift shopping from the Cockburn Street boutique shops
If it starts raining, there are plenty of indoor things to do including shopping at St James Quarter and free museums such as National Museum of Scotland, Museum on the Mound, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Museum of Childhood, as well as loads of cosy cafes. Some of my favourite coffeeshops are Black Medicine, Holy Cow, Hideout, and Foodstory.
FOOD
I was so excited to see so many vegan friendly options at the Christmas Market and I couldn’t decide what to get so I tried a few different things:
Massaman curry with tofu from Ting Thai - I had this dish almost every day when I was backpacking around Thailand so I was delighted to eat it again and it was just as delicious. I also had a side of roti with chilli jam sauce - the perfect combo!
French galette with dark chocolate and banana - you can choose from many different toppings, including oreos, bananas, strawberries, milk or dark chocolate, lemon and sugar, and more.
Vegan hot dog - I couldn’t go to the Christmas market and not have a hot dog, especially when they have a vegan one with caramelised onions
Hot chocolate with oat milk - perfect to warm up in the evening
Have you visited Edinburgh during Christmas before?
Follow me on Instagram @marisa.vogiatzi for more Christmas content with Citylink
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