September 2, 2026
48 Hours in Edinburgh: Why It Wasn’t Nearly Enough
Edinburgh had been on my list for a long time. I had seen it in movies, television shows and countless pictures, but I had never been to Scotland.
There was also one very specific reason I wanted to go.
Sometime in the late 1990s, I first learned about the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. This was back when the internet was still fairly new, and somehow I came across this incredible event held in front of Edinburgh Castle. I love bagpipes, drums and military music, and from that point on, seeing the Tattoo became one of those things I always wanted to do.
Nearly 30 years later, I finally did it.
I went to Edinburgh expecting the Tattoo to be the highlight. It absolutely was, but what I didn’t expect was how much Edinburgh itself would affect me.
We had about 48 hours in the city.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
That First View of Edinburgh
We arrived by train at Edinburgh Waverley and took the elevator up toward Princes Street. When I stepped outside and looked up, I just stopped.
There was Edinburgh Castle sitting high above the city.
I knew the castle was there. I had seen it in pictures plenty of times. Seeing it in person was completely different. The scale of everything surprised me. The castle, the old buildings climbing the hills around it, and the layers of architecture were almost overwhelming at first.
I remember standing there staring upward and trying to take it all in.
That was also when I realized Edinburgh was much bigger than I had pictured in my head. Almost immediately, I wanted to get up into that part of the city and start exploring.
We had arrived during one of Edinburgh’s busiest times of the year. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was underway, along with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and other August festivals. The city was packed.
What surprised me was how orderly it felt.
I’ve been in places like Times Square when it is packed, and this felt completely different. There were people everywhere, from seemingly everywhere in the world, yet I never felt overwhelmed by the crowd itself. It was busy, multicultural and incredibly energetic.
And I had barely seen Edinburgh yet.
Arthur’s Seat: “It’s Only a Mile and a Half”
Because of the August festivals, hotels in the center of Edinburgh were expensive. We stayed outside the city center, which ended up putting us fairly close to Holyrood Park.
My wife had read about Arthur’s Seat, and when I checked Google Maps, it showed roughly a mile and a half from our hotel to the top.
A mile and a half? I can do that.
What Google Maps doesn’t adequately convey is the word up.
The walk into Holyrood Park was beautiful. We passed one of the lochs and followed the route Google gave us. Eventually the path started climbing, and the easy walk I had pictured became a fairly steep hike over rough dirt, steps and uneven ground.
At one point we reached a flatter area where my wife decided to wait because her knees were bothering her. According to my phone, I only had about three-tenths of a mile left.
That final three-tenths was something else.
The trail became considerably steeper. Near the summit there were rocks to scramble over, rock steps and sections with chain handrails. I eventually made it to the top.
It was worth every step.
From the summit, I had a 360-degree view across Edinburgh, toward the water and far beyond the city. It was one of those places where you simply stand there for a while and look.
Our whole Arthur’s Seat outing probably took two to three hours because we weren’t rushing. If you plan to do it, give yourself time, wear supportive shoes with good grip and prepare for changing weather.
Arthur’s Seat humbled me a little.
It also made me realize how much there was just within Holyrood Park. You could easily spend much more time exploring the park itself.
Edinburgh Is a Walking City, but Be Ready for the Walking
I love exploring old cities on foot, and Edinburgh is made for it.
The Royal Mile alone could have occupied me for hours. Historic buildings, shops, museums, narrow closes disappearing between buildings and little details everywhere made me constantly want to turn down another street and see what was there.
The problem was time.
We simply didn’t have enough of it.
Edinburgh also adds something to walking that visitors should understand before they arrive: elevation.
There are hills. There are stairs. There are steep stone steps. There are cobblestones. Then there are more hills.
If you are planning a trip, comfortable, supportive shoes would be near the top of my packing list. I’m accustomed to walking around European cities and dealing with cobblestones, but Edinburgh was different because of how much climbing was involved.
Pictures also have a difficult time showing the scale of it. You see Edinburgh Castle in a photograph and understand that it sits above the city. Standing below it and looking up at Castle Rock gives you a completely different perspective.
And after only a short time walking around Edinburgh, I was already thinking the same thing:
I needed more than 48 hours.
Getting Around Edinburgh
One thing that made our short stay easier was Edinburgh’s public transportation.
We used both buses and the tram, and I found them easy and affordable. We also used Uber a few times when it made more sense, especially when time mattered. Considering the distances and traffic, I thought the prices were reasonable.
Our hotel was about a 30-minute bus ride from the city center. There were two bus options nearby, including an express route, so staying outside the center really wasn’t a problem.
Even after the Tattoo, when we were making our way back around 12:30 in the morning, I felt comfortable using public transportation.
The tram was especially convenient when we had luggage because the trams we used had luggage racks. The city buses we rode allowed us to bring our luggage aboard, although they didn’t have dedicated luggage racks.
For most visitors staying in or around Edinburgh, I really don’t see a reason to rent a car just to explore the city. Between walking, buses, trams and the occasional Uber, we got everywhere we needed to go.
Staying Outside the City Center
August is an incredible time to visit Edinburgh, but there is a tradeoff.
Hotel prices can get expensive during festival season.
We stayed at a Premier Inn outside the city center. It was clean, quiet and worked well as a more affordable option during one of the busiest times of the year.
The hotel served breakfast, although its kitchen was being remodeled during our visit, so dinner wasn’t available. There also weren’t many dining choices immediately around the hotel.
That inconvenience led to one of the unexpected highlights of the trip.
An Unexpected Find: The Sheep Heid Inn
When we asked at the hotel about somewhere nearby to eat, the person at the desk recommended a pub.
There was just one problem.
Between her Scottish accent and the name of the place, I had absolutely no idea what she was saying.
After a little back and forth, we finally figured it out: The Sheep Heid Inn.
It was a little over a mile away, so we walked over and checked the reviews along the way. We didn’t have a reservation, and it was a Friday night during festival season, so I wasn’t sure we would get in.
We did.
The staff told us that, strangely enough, the festivals had actually made that particular evening a little quieter than usual.
The inside immediately caught my attention. It was clean, welcoming and full of character. The menu had the traditional Scottish dishes you would expect, along with more modern pub food and nightly specials.
Both of us ordered the steak and Malbec pie, served with chive mash, greens and jus.
It was phenomenal.
Only afterward did I learn just how much history was attached to the place. An inn has been recorded on the site as far back as 1360, and it is often associated with the claim of being one of Scotland’s oldest surviving licensed premises. There is even a historic skittle alley.
We went there because a hotel employee recommended somewhere to get dinner.
We ended up with one of my favorite meals of the trip.
Those accidental finds are one of the reasons I enjoy traveling.
Edinburgh Castle and the Gun That I Knew Was Coming
Edinburgh Castle was one place I knew I wanted time to explore.
The castle sits on Castle Rock, the remains of an ancient volcanic formation that rises dramatically above the surrounding city. Once you are up there, it becomes pretty obvious why this location had such defensive value.
We spent roughly three hours inside, and I easily could have stayed longer.
There is a lot to see, along with plenty of cobblestones, stairs and climbing. The reward is history everywhere you look and some incredible views over Edinburgh.
I also wanted to see the famous One O’Clock Gun.
The gun has been part of Edinburgh’s timekeeping tradition since 1861 and is still fired at 1 p.m. on most days.
Our castle tickets were for 1 p.m., and we were allowed in about 15 minutes early. By the time we reached the upper area near the gun, people were already packed in waiting for it.
I knew exactly what was about to happen.
I knew it fired at one o’clock.
I was literally standing there waiting for a cannon to go off.
And it still scared the crap out of me.
I wasn’t watching the time closely enough, and when it fired, I jumped.
If seeing the One O’Clock Gun is important to you, I would book an earlier castle entry. That gives you time to explore and find a good viewing spot before the crowd builds.
For me, though, getting startled by something I specifically went there to watch somehow made the experience even better.
Royal Yacht Britannia: My Wife’s Idea, and I’m Glad We Went
Royal Yacht Britannia wasn’t originally high on my list.
Actually, before this trip, I really didn’t know much about it.
My wife wanted to go, so we went.
I’m glad she did.
Britannia served the Royal Family for 44 years before being decommissioned in 1997. Today, she is permanently berthed at Leith and open to visitors.
We arrived around opening time, which I would recommend. It became noticeably busier as the morning went on.
Admission included an audio tour, and this is one place where I strongly recommend using it.
You could walk through Britannia and simply look at the rooms, equipment and displays, but you would miss much of what makes the ship interesting. The audio tour explains how Britannia operated, how the Royal Family used her and what everyday life was like for the crew.
That changed the experience for me.
You aren’t simply looking at rooms on an old ship anymore. You begin to understand how people actually lived and worked aboard her.
One thing I found interesting was the contrast between the Royal Family’s accommodations and the crew spaces. Even the royal rooms were more understated than I expected, while the crew quarters gave you a completely different look at life aboard the ship.
By the end, I was really glad we had gone.
We finished our visit at the Royal Deck Tearoom, where we waited about 20 minutes for a table. We both ordered a combination that included soup, a sandwich and potato wedges. I had the salmon sandwich, my wife had the cheese sandwich, and the mushroom soup was outstanding.
Britannia ended up being another reminder that sometimes you should go see the thing that wasn’t originally on your list.
The Reason I Came to Edinburgh
As much as I enjoyed everything else, one thing brought me to Edinburgh in 2026.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
I first learned about the Tattoo sometime in the late 1990s.
That was almost 30 years ago.
Think about how many things come and go over that amount of time. Yet every once in a while, there are experiences that stay somewhere in the back of your mind.
For me, the Tattoo was one of them.
Someday I was going to see it.
Year after year passed.
Then 2026 became the year.
Since I didn’t know when I would ever have another opportunity to do this, I decided I wanted more than a regular ticket.
I wanted the experience.
I booked the Piper Experience.
The Piper Experience
It isn’t inexpensive.
For me, it was absolutely worth it.
The evening began at the Scottish Café & Restaurant at the Scottish National Gallery with a three-course dinner.
We started with Kames of Oban smoked trout with cream cheese, baby capers and lemon. The main course was Scottish free-range roast chicken with roasted vegetables, smoked East Lothian potato purée and thyme jus. Dessert was a cranachan crowdie cheesecake with Perthshire raspberry, whisky and toasted oats.
The food was phenomenal.
During dinner, a piper was introduced who was actually performing in that evening’s Tattoo.
He was 19 years old.
He marched through the restaurant playing for us, moving between the tables as everyone watched. Later, he returned and even played “Happy Birthday” for guests who were celebrating birthdays.
After dinner, our group gathered outside.
Then our piper led us to the Tattoo.
And when I say he led us, I mean he played the bagpipes while walking uphill through Edinburgh.
We headed up the stairs, up Mound Place and then toward Ramsay Lane and the Royal Mile.
Remember all that walking and climbing I mentioned earlier?
By this point in the trip, my feet hurt. I had aches and pains from walking all over Edinburgh.
Then I looked ahead at this 19-year-old playing the bagpipes while climbing those same stairs.
It became pretty difficult for me to complain.
It was also one of those experiences where I remember thinking, this is just cool.
I’m walking through Edinburgh behind a piper who is playing while leading us toward the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.
How often do you get to say that?
Our group was escorted past the main queue, our tickets were checked, and we entered the Esplanade.
I had already stood there during the daytime while visiting Edinburgh Castle.
At night, it was something completely different.
A Call to Gather
The theme of the 2026 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was A Call to Gather.
More than 800 performers from around the world participated in the show, and from the beginning, you could feel the international nature of it.
When the massed pipes and drums entered, I got goosebumps.
I’ve always loved bagpipes. I enjoy drum corps and military music. Hearing all of that in front of Edinburgh Castle was completely different from watching it on a screen.
You don’t just hear the pipes and drums.
You feel them.
Each country was introduced, and the individual performances began.
The New Zealand Army Band particularly stood out to me when they performed a haka. I had watched haka performances plenty of times in videos and on social media.
I had never experienced one live.
The Qatar Police Academy Band and Drill Team was another standout. Throughout the night there were performers from around the world, precision drill, pipes, drums and plenty of music I recognized, including Sousa marches.
The whole show kept moving.
Then there were moments when the audience became part of it.
At one point, “My Way” was played.
People throughout the Esplanade turned on the lights on their phones and began waving them back and forth.
I looked around and saw thousands of little lights surrounding us.
For those few minutes, the crowd wasn’t simply watching the show anymore. It felt like everyone had become part of it.
The place was electric.
What struck me throughout the evening was how international the entire experience felt.
Performers from around the world.
Spectators from around the world.
Different countries, different cultures and different traditions were all represented inside the same place.
For those few hours, everyone seemed to be there for the same reason.
Then came the part of the night that really got to me.
I Was Finally There
Toward the end of the performance, everyone began to gather.
At first, performers seemed to trickle onto the Esplanade.
Then more came.
And more.
Groups representing all these different countries began filling the space together.
The castle was behind them. It was dark. There was smoke, dramatic lighting, music, pipes and hundreds of performers coming together in one place.
And suddenly the meaning of A Call to Gather felt very real.
I was trying to record it.
I wasn’t doing a very good job anymore.
And honestly, I didn’t care.
I had my phone in my hand, but I kept finding myself watching instead of filming.
I had waited almost 30 years to be there.
I didn’t want to experience this moment through a screen.
I wanted to watch it.
As everyone gathered for that final part of the performance, it hit me hard.
I had goosebumps. I could feel myself getting emotional.
This was something I had first discovered back in the late 1990s.
For years, it had been one of those things I was going to do someday.
Someday became 2026.
And now I was sitting on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle watching it happen right in front of me.
I was finally there.
It’s difficult for me to explain exactly what that felt like.
Maybe that’s part of why it affected me so much.
Sometimes you look forward to something for so long that when the moment finally arrives, your brain has trouble catching up with where you actually are.
I wasn’t watching someone else’s video of the Tattoo anymore.
I wasn’t looking at pictures.
I wasn’t telling myself I’d get there someday.
I was there.
And for those last few minutes, I didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Videos Don’t Do the Tattoo Justice
I’ve watched videos of the Tattoo for years.
Now I’ve been there.
They’re not the same.
Videos give you a tease of what you’re going to see.
They can’t reproduce the sound of the pipes around you. They can’t recreate the atmosphere inside the Esplanade or the feeling of Edinburgh Castle looming over everything. They can’t reproduce thousands of people reacting together or what it feels like when hundreds of performers fill that space.
And they certainly couldn’t reproduce what that night meant to me after waiting almost 30 years to experience it.
If seeing the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is something you’ve thought about doing, go.
If you want something more immersive, take a look at the experience packages. There are several different levels, and the Piper Experience isn’t the only way to do it.
For me, dinner, having the piper perform for us, following him through Edinburgh and the escorted entrance made an already special night even better.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely.
I want to see another Tattoo someday.
I don’t know when that will happen.
But I know I want to go back.
What I’d Tell a First-Time Visitor
If Edinburgh is on your list, there are a few things I learned very quickly.
Bring good shoes.
You are going to walk. A lot. Edinburgh has cobblestones, hills, stairs and some surprisingly steep climbs. Comfortable, supportive shoes matter.
Prepare for the weather rather than trying to predict it.
We had rain and chilly weather. We also had sunshine and temperatures warm enough that I wished I had packed shorts. Layers are your friend. Coming from Alaska, that part made perfect sense to me.
Use public transportation.
Edinburgh’s buses and trams made getting around easy, and Uber filled the gaps when we wanted to save some time. For a city visit like ours, I wouldn’t bother with a rental car.
If you’re visiting in August, book early.
August is busy and hotel prices reflect it. But I wouldn’t tell someone to avoid Edinburgh because of the crowds.
Quite the opposite.
The festivals were part of what made the city feel so alive. Everywhere we went, we encountered people from different countries and cultures. There was music, entertainment and activity seemingly everywhere.
It was crowded, but it was a good kind of crowded.
Most importantly, give Edinburgh time.
That is the one piece of advice I wish I had given myself.
48 Hours Wasn’t Enough
We accomplished quite a bit in roughly 48 hours.
I climbed Arthur’s Seat.
We explored Edinburgh Castle.
We walked portions of the Royal Mile.
We accidentally discovered a historic pub and had an incredible dinner.
We toured Royal Yacht Britannia.
And I finally experienced the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo after wanting to see it for nearly 30 years.
That sounds like a pretty successful 48 hours.
It was.
But I left thinking about everything we didn’t have time to do.
I wanted to wander farther down the Royal Mile without worrying about where we needed to be next. I wanted to explore more of the closes and old streets. I wanted more time in Holyrood Park. There were museums we never entered, buildings I wanted to know more about and parts of the city we simply never reached.
Edinburgh has something for almost anyone.
If you enjoy history, you could spend days here.
If you enjoy architecture, you could spend hours simply walking around looking up.
If you enjoy the outdoors, places like Holyrood Park are right there.
Then there are the restaurants, pubs, museums, music, festivals and everything else happening around the city.
Edinburgh can absolutely be a destination on its own.
For me, though, it also became the beginning of another trip.
My father’s side of the family came from Scotland, and I’ve been doing more research into that part of my family history. Now that I’ve finally been to Scotland, I want to see more of it.
I want to visit Glasgow.
I want to get out into the countryside.
I want to explore more of the places connected to my family’s Scottish heritage.
And I definitely want more time in Edinburgh.
If I were planning a first trip around Scotland, I would give it at least seven to ten days rather than trying to squeeze Scotland, England and Ireland into one rushed itinerary.
You can always add another country on another trip.
Sometimes seeing less allows you to experience more.
Six months from now, if someone asks me what I remember most about these 48 hours, I already know the answer.
The Tattoo.
I’ll remember the pipes and drums entering the Esplanade. I’ll remember the castle above us. I’ll remember thousands of phone lights moving during “My Way.” I’ll remember watching performers from around the world gather together for the finale.
And I’ll remember that moment when something I had wanted to do for nearly 30 years stopped being something on my list.
I had finally done it.
But Edinburgh gave me something I hadn’t expected.
It gave me reasons to come back.
Before this trip, Edinburgh was a place I knew through movies, television and pictures.
Now it’s a place I’ve stood in.
Walked through.
Climbed above.
And barely begun to explore.
So if you’re thinking about visiting Edinburgh for the first time, my advice is pretty simple.
Don’t set your expectations.
Let Edinburgh form them for you.
Pictures don’t do it justice.
Sometimes you simply have to go.