Erudition in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the UK. The Scottish capital is a wonderfully evocative metropolis, the old town and new town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the city has much in store for the intrepid visitor. As you wander along Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle towers over the city grandly, and off in the distance it is possible to spot the Firth of Forth.

A lifetime ago I (mis)spent much of my youth in Edinburgh; while I lived there I mainly learned how to drink (a very popular Scottish pastime). Last month, on a tour with our erudite friends at Context Travel, I learned more about the city in three passing hours than in the whole five years I called the city home.

My be-kilted guide, Coinneach, had such a wealth of knowledge I wish I’d recorded it all so I could listen to it again and take it all in. There was so much fantastic information, from the city’s bloody history to the pioneering literary ancestry, and all the way up to the way the city’s architecture today is informed by its past political shape.

This walk explores the medieval wynds, closes, and cobbled streets leading off the Royal Mile and running between the castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, official residence of the Queen. Your scholarly usher Coinneach will also point out pubs and cafes of interest, for a perfect spot to retire as you contemplate the philosophies of David Hume and Adam Smith, and get back to the old habit of drinking again.

Anton has even more knowledge about travel than Coinneach does about Edinburgh. Our Latin America planner extraordinaire, he resides in the UK and can also talk India. Or Turkey. Or pretty much anywhere you’ve heard of.