The Traveling Professor just spend a week in Scotland with a few days in Edinburgh.  Here are his recommendations of 5 things to do:

Holyrood Palace and Abbey: The palace is the Queen's official residence in Edinburgh and the home of Scottish royal history.  It stands at the opposite end of the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle.   It is also once the home of Mary Queen of Scots and boasts 14 apartments, the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, and in good weather, the gardens are not to be missed.  I was surprised about how accessible the rooms and artifacts were to visitors.

Edinburgh Castle:  Up the hill and opposite Holyrood on the Royal Mile stands the fortress of Edinburgh Castle.  It dominates the Edinburgh skyline with its position on Castle Rock. It is everything a castle should be. We were enamored with the oldest building on the rock, St. Margaret's Chapel.  The small chapel dates back to the early 12th century.

Visit a Pub:  There is nothing more Scottish than taking some time in a pub to have a wee dram and meet the locals.  We found ourselves visiting the authentic Malt Shovel pub every day we were in Edinburgh.

HMY Britannia:  This was a big thrill for us, especially after watching the Netflix series, "The Crown".  Her Majesty's Yacht, the Britannia was permanently retired after 44 years of service after being launched in 1953.  It is now docked in port of Leith, just a short cab ride from the center of Edinburgh.  The history here is overwhelming. Princess Diana, the Queen and her family, heads of state have all spent time here.  We felt like royalty having afternoon tea on deck.  We were impressed with the size and luxury of this royal yacht. It was my favorite while in Scotland.

HoHo Bus:   Edinburgh is fairly spread out and is hilly. The HoHo bus is a perfect way to get familiar with the city.

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