Don’t be a numpty: our guide to Scotland’s capital from disco-playing chip shops to semi-secret shortcuts.
Edinburgh is the perfect city—almost. It looks like no other place: smoky, gothic buildings grafted onto the shoulder of an extinct volcano, an imposing castle on rocky ramparts in the center, and the rest spilling out over seven hills. As Scotland’s capital, it’s open-minded and dynamic, but small enough to walk almost anywhere you need to go. Its winding, often cobbled streets are loaded with excellent, non-pretentious restaurants, and cozy pubs you’ll want to live in. But, the weather. Wet, grey, and windy (and that’s just June). A taxi driver put it nicely once when he remarked on the downpour on a recent midsummer afternoon: “Just another miserable day in paradise!” But, when the sun does shine, and a late-summer sunset bathes the charcoal-colored buildings in orange and pink, it is perhaps the most glorious place on earth—and one I found difficult to leave after seven years of studying and working there. Just prepare for all weather every time you leave the house. And wear good shoes; cobblestones and hills are not kind to the unsupported ankle.
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