Reasons to Visit Edinburgh this Christmas, Hogmanay in Capital of Scotland
Reasons to Visit Edinburgh this Christmas
Scottish Festive Season – Hogmanay Celebrations
13 Dec 2016
The Main Reasons to Visit Edinburgh this Christmas
Edinburgh doesn’t always get enough mentions as the perfect city to visit at Christmas time. But this beautiful Scottish gem does Christmas and Hogmanay better than any other city. If you are looking to explore the city in daylight or get festive in the night lights, here are our top reasons to visit Edinburgh this Christmas.
Visit Edinburgh at Christmas Guide
The Street of Light
Edinburgh’s Street of Light is back in 2016, adding much needed light into the darkness. The street is on West George Street and the magnificent display is built with 60,000 light bulbs. The festivity of lights is enough to entertain on your own, but there are plenty of other things happening around it.
You can enjoy from live music, with performances from local choirs and bands. The likes of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus will be performing on selected dates. You can even experience Scotland’s favourite Bhangra group Tigerstyle.
The architecture
Naturally, we must also mention the stunning architecture all around you. The buildings seem to come alive during the season of contrast: of light and darkness. The dramatic evening sun and the darkness of the night add to the elegance of Edinburgh’s best buildings, with the Christmas light adding warmth to the ambiance. You definitely want to explore around the Edinburgh Castle with its Christmas fair. Get yourself to St Giles Cathedral for Christmas carols and explore the Scottish Parliament Building for a modern taste of Scottish architecture.
The cosy pubs and restaurants
Edinburgh’s weather might not always be the most pleasant. Sometimes after a walk in the winter breeze, you just want to snuggle up and have a warm cup of mulled wine. Luckily, the city offers plenty of cosy pubs to curl up in and restaurants to fill your tummy with.
You should definitely consider visiting pubs like the Sheep Heid Inn and The Black Cat. When you need to lie down, you can get a good night’s sleep in one of Edinburgh’s great hotels. Radisson Blu and Premier Inn are located in great spots around the city and the hotels offer discount stays through VoucherBin to ensure location won’t cost you a lot of extra.
The shopping opportunities
You can find plenty of amazing shopping opportunities in Edinburgh. If you are looking for that final Christmas gift, a local souvenir to take home, or the perfect New Year treat, the streets of Edinburgh are full of small boutiques and larger, established retailers. You can find cheesemongers for tasty treats or opt to light up the night from products from local candle makers. Whatever you want, you can find it from Edinburgh’s shops and there are plenty of options for all sorts of budgets. Shopping in Edinburgh won’t break the budget.
So, there you have it! Hopefully, you’ve found the above reasons convincing enough to make you consider a trip to Edinburgh this Christmas. The city is truly a great place to enjoy the festivities and prepare yourself for the year ahead.
Photos © Adrian Welch
Edinburgh Architecture
St James Quarter
image of the development
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