Recently, I found a great deal for flights to Edingburgh and spontaneously booked a trip there for the end of April. As I had a late flight from Copenhagen to Edinburgh, it was already after midnight when I got to the city center. Since this trip was all about low-budget traveling and my first one alone, I decided to stay at a hostel this time and booked two nights at a female dorm at Kick Ass Greyfriars.
The following morning, I woke up early and thus also got ready to discover Edinburgh a little earlier than planned. First, I walked across the city, stopped at Cairngorm Coffee for breakfast, and met Alice afterwards. And although we’d never met before, she took the day off and showed me the best places and her favorite spots in the city. Later, she dropped me off for the “Potter Trail” free walking tour, where you visit the places which inspired J.K. Rowling to write the Harry Potter books. As I had already walked nearly 18 kilometers that day, I only grabbed some food on the way and decided to spend the evening at the hostel.
Although it was raining in the morning on my last day, after breakfast, I walked to Arthur’s Seat and passed by the Scottish Parliament and the Place of Holyroodhouse on the way. And when I made it to Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon, the sun was shining again. Later, I met Alice again for coffee at MILK, before she accompanied me to the close-by bus stop, where I took the Airlink back to the airport and arrived in Copenhagen a few hours later again. Concluding, while I think Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited, this trip was also a great experience in many ways. I not only met up with a stranger, but I also traveled solo and stayed at a hostel for the first time. And lastly, I had a great holiday at a low price.
How to save money during a trip to Edinburgh:
- Join free activities: Many companies offer tours around Edinburgh free of charge, which is a great way to learn more about the city at no cost. However, tips are highly appreciated.
- Ask for student discounts: Edinburgh is a student city and thus has many shops, cafés, and other places which offer a student discount. Simply show them your student ID at checkout and save money on your purchase.
- Visit the museum for free: If it’s raining or cold outside, typical for Scotland, or you want to do some cultural activities, you can visit most public museums around the city for free.
- Walk instead of using public transport: Edinburgh is a walkable city with most of the main attractions located in the city center. Thus, you don’t necessarily need public transportation to get around and can easily walk everywhere. The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city center is by Airlink for £ 7,50. Make sure to buy a return ticket, which saves you £ 1,50 compared to buying two single tickets.
- Stay at a hostel: As mentioned, it was my first time staying at a hostel. Doing so is a great way to save money and to meet and hang out with other travelers when traveling solo.
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