EDINBURGH TRAVEL TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS | 30+ Must-Knows Before Visiting Edinburgh + What NOT to Do!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Everything newbies need to know for their first trip to Edinburgh! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
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00:00 INTRODUCTION
00:23 EDINBURGH BASICS * TRAVEL PLANNING TIPS
3:00 EDINBURGH TRANSPORT TIPS + GETTING AROUND
6:28 EDINBURGH TIPS FOR ATTRACTIONS
11:08 EDINBURGH FOOD AND DRINK TIPS
14:10 EDINBURGH TIPS FOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE
CHRISTINA'S TRAVEL GEAR
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Travelling to Edinburgh for the first time? In need of Edinburgh travel advice that caters to a newbie? This Edinburgh travel guide is packed with must-knows before you visit Edinburgh as a tourist, with a rundown of common tourist mistakes in Edinburgh as well as answers to common questions like Edinburgh culture shocks, Edinburgh culture and etiquette tips, where to go in Edinburgh, places to visit in Edinburgh, and more so you can have the Edinburgh trip of your dreams. Whether you're looking for general Edinburgh tips or tips for Edinburgh hidden gems, be sure to watch this video!

[@HappytoWander]

Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this week's video all about Edinburgh! As usual, the written version here covers more tips: happytowander.com/edinburgh-travel-tips/ And be sure to follow me on Instagram here for real time updates: instagram.com/happytowander/

[@NoxiousRob]

As an Edinburgh native, Leith to be more precise, you pretty much hit the nail on the head with this concise guide.

[@bagginssupercat]

As an Edinburgh resident, can confirm that's one of the best run downs I've seen. Good work! Also do recommend Dynamic Earth if you want to learn about the formation of Scotland and geology. Next to parliament and a really good fun day out..with a time machine!

[@aidanwilson6035]

This video is so informative , fair and balanced , the vast majority of visitors only wander around the compact city centre which is a World Heritage site, as you said there are many other fantastic areas to explore across 15 km of the UK's 2nd most popular tourist destination. For the record there is a HUGE connection to Harry Potter, the writer has lived in the city for 30 years & written the vast majority of her books in local cafes finishing the last chapter in Edinburgh's top hotel, numerous visitors say that the Old Town gives HP vibes, (the outdoor filming locations of Hollywood movies, like the scripts rarely matches the original story), she does recall that the birthplace of HP was on a train between London & Manchester in 1990 😂, there are a vast number of tours especially to the Greyfriars cemetery with at least 5 unusual names on the tombstones which match characters in the books, even though she denies it for some reason & the Elephant House cafes rear window & the table were she wrote the early novels overlooks the tombs !, the description of Hogwarts school closely matches George Heriots which just happens to be next to the tombs & she sent her own kids there, nearby Victoria street must of been a loosely based inspiration for her if you dismiss the films Diagon Alley which is more like a street in York, apologies for so much info, but there are just too many coincidences, i think Joe Rowling wants to keep it all a mystery which is appropriate ! 😊

[@thomas-xj1hs]

Excellent; thanks Small point re TRAMS: You buy the ticket on the platform BEFORE you get on and validate it on the platform. There are no validation options on board.

[@caroltaylor-long3944]

Thank you for such detailed must-knows of Scotland in April or May 2025 for a week. I appreciate all the advice given!!!!🙂

[@ritumahesh1]

Super helpful video Thank you!!!!

[@AP-kb3tn]

Great information! Thank you!

[@marionalexander8204]

Thank you for this useful info

[@justrandom222]

This was extremely helpful! Thank you so much.

[@welltravelledlife]

You’ve hit the high points and as always, your video is just so well done. We were there for Fringe Fest this year and took the train in and out to keep from the accommodation dilemma.

[@HappytoWander]

Thanks so much for the kind words! I hope you had a blast at the Fringe :) I can't wait to go back again haha.

[@citytigger415]

Loved watching your videos before going to Germany. So happy to see you went to Edinburgh! Definitely need those travel tips

[@kenUK762]

Edinburgh guy here. Very good on-point video. Congratulations 👍

[@chrissaltmarsh6777]

If Arthur's Seat (what a strange place to put your seat) is a bit much, Calton Hill is an easier hike and you see Edinburgh and the Firth. There's various interesting stuff there. It takes about 20 minutes, is paved all the way, a bit steep in places. If you go up at 3am in a blizzard, wear your heavy weather gear and make sure you can make a brew.

[@happycamper8707]

Love you videos! I'm headed to the Royal Mile in just a few hours!

[@user-sb3pr2dm3c]

Lived in Scotland my entire life but haven’t been to Edinburgh very much myself so this video was very helpful,cheers

[@cathybonner7888]

Thank you for this very informative video on Edinburgh. I want to visit one day and you've given me a lot of useful tips. I think I need to plan ahead as to where I want to stay and what I want to see before even thinking of flying up from Gatwick!

[@ruthviadriana5678]

Thank you ^^

[@OneRedFeatherStudios.]

Really enjoyed this breakdown Christina. You hit every major point of interest for first time travelers, so much so that I wish that I had had this information with me, when I visited Edinburgh some years ago. Fantastic stuff, and great job once again.

[@HappytoWander]

Thanks so much for the kind comment once again!! 🫶 hope you can make it back to Edinburgh soon and put these tips to use!

[@OneRedFeatherStudios.]

@@HappytoWander - As do I. Thank you for that.

[@gabbymcclymont3563]

Rughbarb is my favorite resturabt, its extreamly expencive and the food is wonderful. It's in a amazing Jackabian house its truly stuning and decorated in a top stunning cosy was. Afrer your mael definatly go to the drawing room.

[@orlybriceno]

Great video, thank you! Could you recommend some independent souvenir shops please?

[@SophieNadeau]

Some really great tips in this video! I'm so jealous that you got to try a fried mars bar because we totally forgot to try one during our travels to Edinburgh. Ah well, I suppose that just gives me a good excuse to return in the not too distant future ;)

[@HappytoWander]

Jealous of the Mars Bar but not the deep fried pizza?? That's fair, tbh. The pizza wasn't great hahah

[@tonimiller5497]

Brilliant video - so helpful thank you 😊 We are currently planning our Edinburgh trip for late December 2024/early January 2025. Was trying to figure out where to go for Hogmanay and I think we’ll avoid Edinburgh and come back in the new year instead! We would really prefer to be in a smaller town or village anyway (no clue where yet) and try to catch how locals might celebrate the New Year - would love to see a Ceilidh band and some Scottish dancing 😊. Thanks so much, we got some great tips and ideas from your video!

[@HappytoWander]

Thanks for watching, Toni! I'm so jealous you'll be in Scotland for Hogmanay. That's definitely a huge item on my bucket list. Glad you found the video helpful. Safe travels!

[@TheJpf79]

Your best defence against sky high prices in Edinburgh is not to live in the tourist city, there are many little towns outside of it that you can rent an entire house for the same price as your hotel, often cheaper, its only a 51 mile drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh and trains run along the line every 30 minutes or so, place I live is in the middle of the two and takes 30 mins on the train to get to both cities.

[@emmmalilyy]

Another great video! can you still use contactless payment on the buses when you head outside of the city & into rural parts of the country?

[@KempSimon]

.Yes, you almost always can use contactles payment on 'bus services in Great Britain. It's something that came in with the Covid-19 pandemic to help keep the drivers distanced from the passengers!

[@HappytoWander]

Hi! I didn't have much experience outside of Edinburgh, but in/around Inverness for instance, I had no trouble paying for tickets with a contactless card. I think you'll be able to do that in most places, just note that not all areas will have the automatic tap & go/fare caps, so you'll often need to tell the driver where you're going so they can sell you the correct ticket. Hope that helps!

[@rebeccal.cbddtd4727]

We are traveling to Edinburgh in August; our second trip. I TRIED to read the transcript but it’s plastered with so many pop-ups and ads and no way to print - I’ll just watch your videos from now on and try to take accurate notes. Such a shame.

[@eileencaraballo8079]

Great video and informative. My son and I will be traveling to Edinburgh at the time Taylor Swift will be there and practically every hotel and bed and breakfast are sold out in Edinburgh. Can you recommend I nice town next to Edinburgh that is an easy commute to Edinburgh? I greatly appreciate your suggestions. Eileen

[@MacAJ1874]

Walk… but if you need a cab,use the City’s black cabs. Knowledgable drivers who know where they are going. Safe and no surging prices like mini cabs. Its on the meter prices which are regulated by the local authority.

[@maryamcoco3683]

are there any halal food options please?

[@kganguly6480]

Arthur’s seat 👍🏼 tip. Thanks

[@edinburghandbeyond]

You do know if u look for food by foodies, they are going say its good regardless cause they are paid or asked to come. It's not an honest review my channel is honest, not paid

[@WorldExplorer_777]

Cockburn 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kenUK762]

Useful tip 😂 You don't pronounce the "ock" in Cockburn unless you really want one. 😁

[@rossmurphy5]

Thank you so much for going over pronunciation love from the whole country for that!