Golden oldie
Adam Jones finds so much to do in Edinburgh he’s already going back
Waking up in the centre of Edinburgh’s Old Town is an experience that all travellers should enjoy. Juxtaposed with the swanky shops of Princes Street, it couldn’t feel more different.
Here, narrow alleys, traditional pubs situated in grand buildings, and winding streets all lead to the castle atop a 443ft-high hill.
Of course, the Old Town has been updated to accommodate tourists from around the globe, but that appeal of being lived in for centuries still rings true.
Staying at the five-star Cheval Old Town Chambers means you can get around Scotland’s capital easily. Situated on the Royal Mile, you’ve got just a short walk down to the Queen’s residence at Holyroodhouse and on to the lofty crags of Arthur’s Seat, or around to the streets of the Georgian New Town.
The superb apartments are extremely well-staffed with people more than happy to help with any request. The rooms have smart TVs, wi-fi, Nespresso machines to add a touch of luxury.
And the food in its Luckenbooths restaurant will become another must (luckenbooths edinburgh.co.uk). Steaks cooked to perfection, delightfully fluffy chips, flavourful sauces, tasty vegetarian options including a substantial burger, and again, very attentive staff.
If you’re looking for drinks in traditional pubs, then you’ve got a huge selection of great options within walking distance of your accommodation.
In the Old Town area, we tried the Malt Shovel Inn on Cockburn Street, and the Whiski Bar and The World’s End on the Royal Mile.
If you fancy something other than beer, then you have the Johnnie Walker Princes Street experience to visit which offers a fantastic two hours even for a whisky novice like me.
Find it at the western end opposite the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian.
And it’s not just a tour of a distillery, it’s an interactive experience learning about the meticulous process that goes into every bottle of whisky you drink.
The people running the experience even go as far as to personalise your journey by asking you to take a short taste test before you arrive, assessing the flavours you enjoy to put you into one of six profiles.
Those determine which drink will be your first, shortly after your arrival at the attraction.
Don’t worry if that’s not enough, though, you get to sample two more whisky-based cocktails of your own choice right at the end of your time there ( free entry, experiences from £28 per person, johnniewalker.com).
If you’re more of an outdoorsy tourist, then you’d be remiss not to take the trip up Arthur’s Seat. It’s certainly not the easiest climb, and our journey to the lofty summit was battered by high winds throughout, but the views you are afforded on your ascent are nothing short of stunning.
One tip, though, watch your footing on your way down because you can easily find yourself on your bum if you’re not careful.
And if you’re more focused on history during your travels, well, take your pick.
The castle, the National Museum of Scotland, a hugely informative open-top bus tour (you can take your pick with a lot of those) and St Giles’ Cathedral – which is handily situated across from Cheval Chambers – are just a small selection of attractions for you to consider during your time here. Further afield there’s the buzzing port at Leith with its shops, bars and restaurants and the highly rated tourist attraction The Royal Yacht Britannia. And throughout it all, you’ll be thinking, as we did, “why have I never been here before? Aren’t the people here so lovely? I could spend two weeks here and not see it all!”
You might end up taking multiple trips to see everything that Edinburgh has to offer, but that’s the beauty of Scotland’s magnificent capital – you’ll never get tired of it.
So much so that we’ve already booked to go again in September.
BOOK IT
Open-plan studio apartments at Cheval Old Town Chambers start from £215 a night. chevalcollection.com
MORE INFO
visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/ edinburgh
‘‘ Choose from the castle, the National Museum and St Giles’ Cathedral