Forget The Beach — Consider Edinburgh For A Summer Getaway

Edinburgh, Scotland, was never atop my list of desired summer vacations. However, a recent visit to the capital city convinced me otherwise.

With a history dating back to 8500 BC, the hilly Scottish capital boasts an embarrassment of riches when it comes to must-visit landmarks and tourist hot spots. From the dizzy heights of Arthur’s Seat to the historic Edinburgh Castle, and with annual events like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, visitors are never short of things to do when exploring the city’s rich culture of art, history, and literature.

Edinburgh also has some of the finest eateries in all of the United Kingdom, like The Dome, where I enjoyed some haggis and black pudding bon bons within a converted 19th-century bank. If traditional Scottish cuisine isn’t to your taste, fear not. The city’s many restaurants, like the W Edinburgh’s SushiSamba, offer cuisine from all corners of the globe.

You’ll have no trouble finding a place to stay, either. Edinburgh hosts a bevy of luxury hotels like the historic Caledonian, favored by the likes of Taylor Swift, and the magnificent new W Edinburgh, which invited me to stay in the city’s heart.

If you’re in search of an alternative to beachy getaways this summer, look no further than Edinburgh.

What To Do

To make use of the slightly warmer temps, which average between 52°F and 66°F in the summer, I prioritized outdoor activities, starting with the National Monument Scotland. Sitting atop Calton Hill, and a 10-minute walk from the city center, the 12-column structure was designed in memory of fallen Scottish soldiers. It’s also a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, earning Edinburgh its nickname of “the Athens of the North.”

From there, I took a leisurely 2-mile stroll over to Arthur's Seat (bring comfy shoes), an ancient volcano and the highest peak of Holyrood Park, before taking a 15-minute cab ride over to the historic grounds of Edinburgh Castle, where I toured the Portcullis Gate and Argyle Battery while admiring views of the cityscape below.

While rain is less common in Edinburgh’s summer months, when it rains, it pours. But fear not, because there are plenty of activities to escape the rain, like visits to the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery, where I admired work by Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Paul Cezanne.

Where To Stay

In the heart of the city’s bustling St James Quarter, you’ll find the newly-opened W Edinburgh. Designed with Scotland’s cultural heritage in mind, the hotel spans three buildings, including the striking Ribbon Building, which is reminiscent of NYC’s Guggenheim with its striking spiral exterior. The latter has a rooftop deck with 360-degree views of the city, as well as two eateries: the swanky W Lounge restaurant and bar, and my favorite spot, the intimate Joao’s Place cocktail bar, where I ordered their signature honeycomb-infused espresso martini.

I had the pleasure of checking into a Cool Corner King Suite, which was decked out with a bar, luxurious living space, ultra-modern bathroom with ring light-style mirrors, and a king-sized bed. The pièce de résistance was the outdoor terrace, where I enjoyed morning espressos overlooking the city.

Between my daytime excursions, which included some retail therapy at the nearby St James Quarter shopping mall, I made use of W’s in-house amenities, like the fully-equipped fitness center and the Away Spa, where you can book a variety of facial and massage treatments.

Where To Eat

There are plenty of dining options in and around the W. On the hotel’s 10th floor, with sweeping views of the city skyline, you’ll find SUSHISAMBA. At the restaurant — which serves up Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian-inspired cuisine — I opted for crispy lobster taquitos and salt and pepper squid.

Just around the corner on Leith Street, you’ll also find Edinburgh Street Food. Hailed as an “eclectic foodies paradise,” the locale is home to 10 independent street food traders, who offer a variety of global cuisines. With a pint of Tennent’s lager in hand (a favorite of locals), I ordered some vegan chicken tacos from Antojitos to start, followed by a black truffle burger from Fat Patty’s.