First Time Using Uber in Edinburgh

In the end, we decided that Edinburgh would be the first city where we would finally give Uber a try

The evening before, while standing below Edinburgh Castle, it had already become obvious that we would need a taxi the next morning. The uphill walk would have been a bit too much for the first day.

A few minutes after booking the ride, Shamim arrived in a white Toyota. I was just about to grab the door handle when I noticed him watching me with a smile.

Right. Of course. The driver sits on the right side here.

Our first Uber ride turned into a pleasant conversation with the driver. Shamim told us he had already visited Slovenia twice and had been completely impressed by our small country. A familiar feeling, because we were already beginning to fall for Edinburgh ourselves that morning.

If I had known then what I know now, I would never have waited so long to try Uber. You download the app, create an account, enter your destination, and that is pretty much it. What I liked most was that everything is handled directly on your phone. No searching for cash, no cards, and no wondering how much the ride will cost at the end. Everything is clearly displayed and confirmed in advance. That means there is no need to discuss payment with the driver, and you can simply enjoy the ride and the conversation.

There is another practical feature as well. You can see exactly where the driver is, how long it will take them to reach you, and even the vehicle registration number. That is especially useful in a city center full of similar-looking cars. The pickup point is clearly marked too, so there is very little chance of waiting in the wrong place.

A few minutes later, we were already standing on the Royal Mile, the most famous street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, connecting Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Our first proper encounter with the city turned out to be much easier than it would have been after a steep uphill walk.

Uber had done its job perfectly. I have a feeling we will not be ignoring it for quite as long on future trips.

Camera Obscura: A Family Favorite in Edinburgh

After all the trips we have taken over the years, we have learned two things.

First, it is always best to buy tickets in advance and book an early morning time slot. The crowds are usually smaller, and more importantly, the rest of the day remains completely open. You can adjust it to the weather, your energy levels, or even the influence of the moon on the mood of certain family members.

Second, alongside the classic landmarks, we always try to find something that will appeal to the girls as well. After all, not every day can be built entirely around castles, museums, and history.

Camera Obscura seemed like a good idea.

And it really was. Right from the start.

As we looked around, the Royal Mile stretched away into the distance before us.

Behind us stood Edinburgh Castle, while above us rose a six-story building topped with what looked like a dome. That was exactly where we were headed.

As soon as we entered, we were advised to go straight to the top. Looking at the dome above the building, I assumed we would end up somewhere inside it. Fortunately, the dome occupies only a small part of the rooftop, while the rest is an open terrace.

From there, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the rooftops of the Old Town, and views stretching all the way to the North Sea unfold before you.

Even better, we were the first ones there. For a few precious minutes, we had the entire view completely to ourselves.

As we had already guessed, the dome housed the Camera Obscura itself, a fascinating 19th-century invention that uses lenses and mirrors to project a live image onto a viewing table in a darkened room. We had actually encountered one before in Seville. In a way, it is a form of live entertainment that existed long before television, allowing you to watch the city from above while sitting in a dark room.

The Edinburgh attraction was created by Maria Theresa Short, an entrepreneur, trailblazer, and science enthusiast. The fact that a woman was running such an attraction at that time was remarkable in itself.

Inside the dark room, we found ourselves among a group of German students accompanied by a teacher who, as it turned out, was visiting for the sixteenth time.

When the guide started the device, a live image of Edinburgh suddenly appeared on the white viewing table in front of us.

People walked through the streets below, cars moved along the roads, and the guide used mirrors and a few clever tricks to add plenty of laughs to the presentation.

During the demonstration, he also shared a story from the previous day. One of the schoolchildren had apparently looked at the projection and asked whether the castle on the image was Buckingham Palace. The guide had to explain that even a 170-year-old invention could not see quite that far, and that what he was actually looking at was Edinburgh Castle, standing only a few hundred yards away. I imagine the student was rather disappointed by the answer.

The remaining floors are dedicated to a museum of illusions. Optical illusions, mirror rooms, holograms, and a variety of interactive exhibits make it just as entertaining for adults as it is for children. At one point, they even installed a ladder all the way to Australia.

All in all, it had everything in one place. A spectacular view over Edinburgh, the fascinating story of an invention that must have felt like pure technological magic in its day, and enough entertainment to keep us engaged all the way down through the building.

Two hours later, we were back on the street. It felt like the right time for a coffee.

Ever since Anja received a Snow Monkey travel mug as a gift, we have stopped making quite so many coffee stops while traveling. When I complained about it a little at first, I soon ended up getting one of my own.

These days, our coffee follows a simple rule: anytime, anywhere.

Just as we were enjoying it, a man dressed in traditional Scottish clothing began setting up nearby. He slung a set of bagpipes over his shoulder and started tuning the instrument.

Of course, we stayed and listened.

And the moment he began to play, the atmosphere on the Royal Mile suddenly felt almost perfect.

A Church That Is No Longer a Church

The bagpiper was standing directly across from another interesting building. Its massive Gothic tower and distinctive red doors were almost impossible to miss. In front of the entrance, people were sitting outside, enjoying their morning coffee.

Wait a minute. Isn’t that a church?

Well, it is. Or at least, it used to be.

The building was constructed in the mid-19th century as St John the Evangelist Church. Today, however, it no longer serves as a place of worship. Instead, it hosts concerts, exhibitions, and various cultural events. Apparently, it is also a place where you can stop for a famous whisky coffee.

Edinburgh is full of surprises like that. Buildings that were created for one purpose now live completely different lives.

As for us, we had already finished our coffee. It was time to begin our Harry Potter hunt.

Victoria Street = Diagon Alley?

As you make your way down the steps, you soon arrive at a viewpoint overlooking Victoria Street. One glance is enough to understand why so many people associate it with Harry Potter. The colorful facades, small independent shops, and unusually curved street create the feeling that you have stepped straight into a magical world.

This very street is said to have been one of the inspirations behind the famous Diagon Alley. Whether that is actually true or not hardly matters anymore. Victoria Street embraced its connection to the wizarding world long ago and turned it into part of its identity, something clearly reflected in the many Harry Potter-themed shops lining the street.

Halfway down stands The Elephant House, the café where J. K. Rowling is said to have written parts of the first books. How much of the story was truly inspired by Edinburgh is something only she can answer.

Victoria Street is something special even without all those stories. It slopes steeply down toward Grassmarket, curves almost into a semicircle between rows of old stone buildings, and with its colorful facades, it has become one of the most photographed streets in Edinburgh.

Grassmarket and Edinburgh’s Darker Side

If Victoria Street is full of color and tourists, Grassmarket tells a very different story. Today, it is lined with pubs, cafés, and shops, but centuries ago it was a marketplace for horses and livestock, as well as the site of public executions.

It is also connected to one of Edinburgh’s strangest stories. In 1724, Maggie Dickson was hanged here, only to regain consciousness while being transported to the cemetery. Since her sentence had technically already been carried out, she could not legally be executed a second time. Today, one of the pubs in the square bears her name. Edinburgh seems to have a remarkable talent for turning even its darkest stories into local legends.

The girls headed off for ice cream, while I wandered off on my own for a while. When I reached the far end of the square, yet another incredible view of the castle opened up in front of me.

You would think that after a day and a half of exploring the city, nothing could really surprise you anymore. And yet it did.

The massive fortress stands high above the city on top of a sheer volcanic rock, and it is only from below that you truly appreciate what a natural stronghold this place once was.

The view is made even more striking by a neighboring building draped in blue and purple floral decorations that spill across its tower and facade. The combination of old stone, flowers, and the castle rising in the background creates a scene that is hard to forget.

Somewhere, I had read about another spot that supposedly offered an even better view of the castle. At the edge of the square, I found the steps known as The Vennel. From there, the castle rises dramatically above a narrow staircase squeezed between old stone buildings.

Personally, I preferred the view from below, but it is easy to understand why so many people stop here for a photo.

Searching for Tom Riddle

Just a few minutes after hearing stories about public executions in Grassmarket, we found ourselves in another place that could easily be described as a little dark. This time, it was a cemetery.

Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh’s most famous burial grounds. You enter directly from the street and suddenly find yourself surrounded by old gravestones, stone monuments, and centuries of history.

But we were not there to admire the architecture or search for famous Scots.

We were still chasing Harry Potter.

Somewhere in the cemetery lies the grave of Thomas Riddell, whom many believe inspired J. K. Rowling when she came up with the name Tom Riddle, the future Lord Voldemort and the main villain of the series.

Before long, our visit had turned into a search for a single gravestone.

Google Maps is not particularly helpful here. The cemetery is much larger than it first appears. Beyond the main section lies another area hidden behind a tall wall. Since we assumed the wall marked the end of the cemetery, we spent quite a while searching in the wrong place.

And we were not the only ones.

Quite a few other people were wandering between the gravestones as well, clearly searching for the same thing we were. Everyone seemed to be staring at their phones while scanning the cemetery with the exact same goal in mind.

Eventually, we found it.

To be honest, the gravestone itself did not mean all that much to me. To Nara, it meant quite a bit more. And in the end, that is what really matters. Spending a sunny afternoon wandering through an Edinburgh cemetery together, searching for a small piece of a story that the entire world knows.

Greyfriars Bobby

So that things would not become too gloomy, a much warmer story was waiting for us near the exit.

A small dog named Bobby continued to visit his owner's grave every day for fourteen years after his death. His story became a symbol of loyalty and one of Edinburgh’s most beloved legends.

Today, a statue of Bobby stands near the entrance. According to local tradition, touching his nose brings good luck. Judging by its color, millions of visitors have done exactly that before us, because the bronze shines there almost like gold.

The University and Lunch with the Rolling Stones

After leaving Greyfriars, we followed the lower streets of the city, running parallel to the Royal Mile, until we reached the University of Edinburgh. For a few minutes, we wandered into the central courtyard. The large dome, imposing stone buildings, and expansive lawn create a sense of tradition, academic freedom, and the power of knowledge. Anja and I could not help thinking back to our own university days.

By then, we had already covered a good portion of the day, so it was time for lunch. Across the street, an Italian restaurant called Ciao Roma caught our attention.

And the moment we stepped inside... a surprise.

Hanging in a display case was a guitar that had belonged to the Rolling Stones.

Not some replica made for tourists, but a genuine guitar signed by the members of the band.

Lunch was excellent. One of those pleasant stops that you never plan in advance, yet somehow end up remembering long after the trip is over. Maybe it was the food. Maybe it was the guitar. Most likely, it was both.

Jacob’s Ladder and a View of Arthur’s Seat

We still had a good part of the afternoon ahead of us, so we continued on foot toward the eastern side of the city. If the day had already been shaped by Harry Potter, graveyards, and dark stories, then it seemed only fitting that it would continue in the same spirit.

They say a walk after lunch is a good idea.We certainly took one.

The only difference was that ours first led us to Jacob’s Ladder, one of the many stairways connecting Edinburgh’s different levels. From the bottom, it does not look particularly impressive. But once you start climbing, you quickly realize that the word “ladder” was not chosen by accident.

We made it to the top without stopping, although we definitely left a bit of our breath behind on those steps.

Fortunately, a reward was waiting for us at the top.

A view of Arthur’s Seat.

Today, this peaceful green hill is actually the remains of an extinct volcano rising 251 meters above the city. Why it is called Arthur’s Seat is not entirely clear. One theory links the name to the legendary King Arthur, although historians have never reached a consensus on the subject. For us, admiring it from a distance was more than enough. After all, we had already climbed plenty of stairs and hills for one day.

The Seat of the Scottish Government That Looks Like a Fortress

As we continued toward Calton Hill, we passed a massive stone building that immediately caught my attention. There was something about it. The sharp lines, the dark stone, and its imposing presence.

At the time, I had no idea what I was looking at. Only later did I discover that it was St Andrew’s House, the headquarters of the Scottish Government.

Even though it is essentially an office building, it feels more like a fortress. The massive columns and near-perfect symmetry give the impression that it was designed to command respect. And apparently, it still does.

Calton Hill, the Best View in Edinburgh

A few more steps, and suddenly you find yourself on top of Calton Hill. It is an open space, somewhere between a park, a viewpoint, and a historical walk, with monuments and buildings scattered across the hilltop.

Standing there, it quickly becomes clear why Edinburgh looks so different from most European cities. Arthur’s Seat, Castle Rock, and Calton Hill are all remnants of the city’s distant volcanic past, which shaped its unmistakable skyline. Most European capitals grew along major rivers and across flat land. Edinburgh, on the other hand, developed among hills, rocky outcrops, and the remains of extinct volcanoes.

At the highest point stands the observatory. Looking toward the castle, you cannot miss the circular monument surrounded by columns. It immediately reminded me of the Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum.

A little farther to the right stands the most unusual structure on the hill. The National Monument of Scotland, sometimes called Edinburgh’s Acropolis by locals and, somewhat less kindly, Edinburgh’s Folly.

Why? Because it was never finished.

In the early nineteenth century, plans were drawn up for a grand memorial inspired by the Acropolis in Athens, dedicated to those who had fallen in the Napoleonic Wars.

A familiar story.

They ran out of money

Only the columns remain, still standing on the hilltop today as a reminder that even the grandest ideas sometimes run out of momentum before reaching the finish line.

To the right, Arthur’s Seat dominates the skyline. Looking in that direction, you can also spot the tall tower built in memory of Admiral Horatio Nelson, while to the left the view opens out toward the North Sea.

Calton Hill is one of those places where it is worth stopping for a few minutes and simply looking around. On one side, there is the city. On the other, the sea. And all around you, history, both completed and unfinished, scattered across the grassy hilltop.

As for us, we stayed much longer than a few minutes. For well over an hour, we sat on a bench, enjoying the warm afternoon sunshine and watching the city spread out below us.

The Walk Back Through Edinburgh

The walk back down was almost as interesting as the hill itself.

Along the way, we kept passing Edinburgh’s distinctive double-decker buses. Unlike the famous red ones in London, these were painted in white and green.

A little farther down, we came across a bronze statue of a man on horseback. The monument is dedicated to the Duke of Wellington, one of Britain's most celebrated military commanders and the victor of the Battle of Waterloo.

From there, we continued past the Balmoral Hotel. It is almost impossible to miss. Its clock tower rises above the city and has been one of Edinburgh’s most recognizable landmarks for well over a century.

The clock has an interesting story of its own. Traditionally, it is said to run three minutes fast so that travelers would not miss their trains at the neighboring Waverley Station.

As you walk along Princes Street, your eyes keep drifting back toward the Royal Mile.

All that stone feels like a reminder of another age. It is as if you are looking at a medieval city preserved from a distant past.

Narrow streets, towers, and towering stone facades unfold before you like scenes from a fantasy film about some long-forgotten wizard.

And then you cross another street.

A tram nearly runs you over.

Suddenly, you are back in the twenty-first century. Right in the middle of Scotland’s capital.

In the space of a few seconds, you travel mentally between the Middle Ages, a fantasy world, and a modern city. All because you happened to glance toward the Royal Mile for a moment.

Scott Monument, a Cathedral Without a Church

The moment you come back to reality, the Scott Monument rises directly in front of you.

My first impression was not exactly admiration.

Dark, towering, and covered with countless intricate spires, it looks almost a little sinister. After a day filled with graveyards and dark stories, it felt like a natural continuation of everything we had seen so far.

Only when you step closer do you realize just how enormous it really is. Standing more than 60 meters tall, it is considered the largest monument dedicated to a writer anywhere in the world. It honors Sir Walter Scott, Scotland’s most celebrated novelist and the author of Ivanhoe and Rob Roy.

Viewed from below, it looks almost like the facade of a grand Gothic cathedral, as if the rest of the building had somehow disappeared.

Princes Street Gardens

After descending from Calton Hill, we crossed Princes Street, a kind of boundary between Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town. Between it and the Royal Mile lies Princes Street Gardens.

As far as I am concerned, it is one of the best-positioned parks I have ever seen. One moment, you are surrounded by the bustle of the city, shops, pubs, trams, and double-decker buses. Then, just a few steps away, you find yourself among lawns, flower beds, trees, and fountains.

The park sits some twenty meters below street level, making the contrast even more striking.

Looking at the blossoming cherry trees, neatly kept paths, dogs running across the grass, and people relaxing in the sunshine, it is hard to imagine that this was once Nor Loch, a lake that protected Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town from attackers for centuries.

As the city gradually expanded northward, the loch lost its original purpose. Eventually, it became little more than a dumping ground for waste and sewage, and was finally drained. In its place, the city created the park that exists today.

As you leave the street and make your way down into the gardens, one of the first things you encounter is a gardener’s cottage that is nearly two hundred years old. It is one of the most charming buildings in the entire park. Surrounded by blooming cherry trees, the small stone cottage looks as though it belongs on an old postcard.

Throughout the walk, Edinburgh Castle remains by your side on the left. The view is interrupted slightly by the railway line running below the castle rock, but it was probably the only way to bring the tracks into the very heart of the city.

As we continued through the park, we also passed an open-air stage that hosts concerts and festival events during the summer months. It stood empty that day, but with the castle rising in the background, it was easy to imagine how special an evening performance here must feel.

At the far end of the gardens, you arrive at the Ross Fountain. Impressive enough on its own to make you stop, it is quickly overshadowed by what stands above it. Edinburgh Castle rises directly behind the fountain, together creating one of the city's most iconic views. It almost feels as if the park was designed for the sole purpose of admiring the castle from exactly this angle.

The City That Won Us Over

Nearby was a playground. The girls quickly made friends with two American girls, and within minutes they were running around together as if they had known each other for a week.

Meanwhile, Anja and I sat down on one of the many benches, watching them play and talking about how Edinburgh would probably be the only city abroad where we could genuinely imagine living one day.

It was difficult to point to a single reason why. Behind us was a wonderful day filled with new experiences. Despite being tired, we felt great. The city offered history, parks, viewpoints, and lively streets, yet at the same time it felt welcoming and surprisingly familiar. Maybe it was the people who won us over the most. Helpful, friendly, and above all, smiling.

Tomorrow, we will finally visit the castle that we have spent the last two days admiring from every possible angle. The time has finally come to step through its gates.

Well, almost. Before we headed back to our Scottish home for the evening, I still had to take a few more photographs. The city was making that very difficult to resist.