A fun adventure this summer was taking the the time to visit some place new, hello Edinburgh, Scotland!
The trip started off by taking the train from London to Edinburgh. It was about four hours long and it is worth taking the first class. The best advice that I received, if you have not pre-booked your seats, hop on the final first class car as there is always space.
Drinks are a plenty and the shortbread cookies that come with tea and coffee are delightful! The menu provided for our brunch also included options that catered to various dietary needs. The cheese and onion pie with edamame and snap pea salad hits the spot. It has a nice flaky crust and adding a little bit of dressing brings the salad to life.
Arriving in Edinburgh
Once arriving at Edinburgh station, grab your bags and it is quite easy to walk around the city. The Caledonian Edinburgh, Curio Collection by Hilton is about 10 – 15 minute walk from the station. It is a pleasant walk and you get to see the city center as you go. The property opened in 1903 on the site of the Caledonian Railway Company, as a hotel for disembarking passengers as the station was surrounding it. Ask the staff and they will help you imagine the hotel as a railway station. Known as “the Caley” it was and is the spot that local and celebrities still enjoy.
Enjoy Afternoon Tea in The Court, the social hub of the hotel. While visiting, they offered a special Afternoon Tea in which the desserts were all sports themed. One of the sweet treats looked like a hot dog covered in ketchup and mustard! They also have a selection of tea from PekoeTea, and you can purchase tins to take home.
Whisky and Gin
Now as much as I would have loved to have many more days to taste a lot of Scottish Whisky and Gin, I sadly had limited time and could only do a tasting of each. Thus, considering my party and the time crunch, we tasted at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. There are numerous experiences to choose from, we did the Johnnie Walker Journey of Flavour experience. The experience starts in your inbox as you receive a quiz to figure out your flavor profile to guide your experience on premise. Our party profiles included Smoky, Fruity, and Spicy! Make sure everyone gets a different profile answer so you can enjoy the the various whisky beverages on premise.
If you stay at the Caley, the Johnnie Walker Princes Street is across the street, so you can do this experience on the day of arrival or whenever you want that fits best in your schedule. You start off in the lobby of the venue before being escorted into the experience and begin with a little bit of history. Then you arrive to your first tasting of a classic whisky and soda. Though remember this is where your flavor profile comes in. Based on your profile you select the correct color glass to have your whisky soda dispensed and then you are guide to the appropriate garnish. After trying the cocktail with the correct garnish, you are free to let loose and pick from other garnishes to add to your beverage. The journey continues, and yes you may take your cocktail with you.
The last stop is your final tastings. Here you get to try two beverages, either a highball, old fashioned, or a dram of whisky. You can choose to stick to your flavor profile or take a ride on the wild side and try something else. The Creamy Highball was a favorite.
In regards to gin, Eden Mill is a St. Andrews based Gin and Whisky distillery, that also has a tasting room near the Caley. Enjoy a classic gin and tonic to get the experience started before trying three gins and learning about them. They have some really interesting ingredients in some of their infusions during the gin making process.
Historical Sightseeing
Not to forget, that if you are going to Edinburgh, you need to do a little bit of history. With limited time to sightsee, and wanting to figure out how to guarantee our entry into Edinburgh Castle, we bought the Royal Edinburgh bus ticket which included time on the bus and entry to the castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Royal Yacht. If this is not your style, you can always book them individually.
Just make sure it is not the first week of July when you visit. The royal family, the King specifically, comes to Edinburgh that week and let’s just say certain things are closed. Though to be at the Castle when they did the cannon salute to announce the arrival of the King was a special experience. So take your pick. I have explored too many castles over the years and love gaining more fun facts, such as learning about a cannon named Mons Meg.
I truly enjoyed my time at the Royal Yacht Brittania. It was Queen Elizabeth II home for some time and they have done a great job of keeping it preserved. The favorite part though definitely was seeing all the stuffed animal corgis scattered around the yacht. Some were dressed to a theme based on the cabin I was exploring. The Yacht also has some smaller boats for shore excursions and the royal Rolls Royce.
Once again, took the train back for a nice leisurely ride through the countries to get back to London.