It's amazing how much you can see exploring the compact World Heritage area of Edinburgh! We were charmed by Dean Village, ventured up and down eerie closes, hunted for the best shortbread from Edinburgh Castle down the Golden Mile, shopped cashmere and wool, followed the footsteps (and hand prints) of JK Rowling, climbed to the highest point and swooned over the concept of a chocolate cafe. 

Along the Water of Leith in New Town

Cockburn Street in Old Town

St. Giles Cathedral on High Street

Day 1. Dean Village, Sausage & Mash, Spooky Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle Apartments

After a long flight, we arrived at the Edinburgh Castle Apartments at 4:35 pm. This was conveniently located on Castle Street in New Town, just north of the Edinburgh Castle with easy access to shops, restaurants, trams and buslines. We booked the Studio Suite with a king bed and a "sofa bed" for 3 adults, and were pleased to find it was on the ground floor (no elevator, 4 floors). Overall, the room was spacious with a large closet. However, unless you are traveling with a child, I would suggest booking the next larger room. The sofa bed had thin cushions and felt small even for my 5'2" daughter. Check-in and check-out were quite easy, as the doors are locked by a keypad so there is no key to return, and the price was quite reasonable given the great location. 

View from front door of Edinburgh Castle Apartments

As the sun does not set until 9-10 pm in the summer, this allowed plenty of time to explore the scenic Dean Village, enjoy some delicious sausage and mash and seek out warmer clothing before meeting our guide for a free Orange Ghost Tour. 

An unexpected Pittsburgh connection in New Town. This statue honors the son of the William Pitt for which Pittsburgh was named. The sky was still bright at 10:20 pm!

Village of Dean: the "Water of Leith Village"

View from the single arch bridge of Dean Path

The Victorian tenements with their red sandstone walls and baronial turrets were designed to house artisans and workers, while improving the view for philantropist Sir John Findlay. We made a partial circuit of the village by turning left on Damside and then left again to the Water of Leith walkway.  We crossed a small footbridge before heading back along the riffling waters for more views of iconic Scottish Baronial Revival and Tudoresque architecture punctuated by a cheerful yellow wall.

Scot-Revival architecture in Dean Village

Makars Gourmet Mash Bar

After heading back to our apartment to grab the slightly warmer clothes that we had brought, buying a sweater or two along the way, we turned our attention to dinner. I had read good reviews about Makars from some Trip Advisor travel logs, and noted that the one on the Mound was right on the way to the meeting spot for our 8 pm Ghost Tour later that evening.

The climb up the Mound towards High Street has a strong gravity factor, so wear comfortable shoes and allow plenty of time!  And no, as we found out the following morning, there is no passable shortcut through the attractive Princes Street Gardens.

The menu at Makars is dominated by sausages and different variations on mashed potatoes, although there were two good vegetarian options as well. The star of the show that evening was my husband's selection: Makars wild boar sausage with onion gravy served over spring onion and crispy smoked bacon mash (rumbledethumps).

Clockwise from top right: wild boar sausage, gratinated portabello, traditional smoked sausage

I had the chargrilled traditional smoked sausage with a garlic-sour cream aioli and the black pudding mash. The sausage reminded me of a good kielbasa, but I wished I had tried the Scottish cheddar/chive mash instead. A small dish of pickled vegetables served with each sausage dish helped to cut through some of the richness.

My daughter enjoyed the gratinated portabello mushroom stuffed with garlic, herbs and cheese, stacked on a garlic-herb butter rosti (fried shredded potatoes), selecting a salad instead of the mash.

The Orange Free Ghost Tour

Anchor Close - site of one ghost story

Sir Walter Scott monument near the end of the former Nor Loch -- final resting place for accused witches & warlocks

Canongate Kirkyard - thwarting body snatchers

Click here for Day 2. Edinburgh Castle, Oink and Diagon Alley, Grassmarket, Golden Mile, Coro the Chocolate Cafe 

Click here for Holyrood (Queen's) Park and Hiking to Arthur's Seat

Read about our two days driving to castles, palaces, abbeys and a neolithic henge.
Day 3. Dunfermline, Castle Campbell, Stirling Castle, Antonine Wall, Cairnpapple Hill
Day 4. Linlithgow, Rosslyn Chapel, St. Martin's Kirk, Angels with Bagpipes