Living in southern Spain we do get a feel for Christmas and the holidays, but this year we decided to head to Scotland for the holidays. We wanted an authentic Edinburgh Christmas with all of the markets, music, activities, food, & lights. Of course along with that, we were also expecting chilly and rainy weather, but we also had a bit of a surprise!
Our first few days were just as we expected, cold days with a bit of rain. We were armed with hats, scarves, gloves and umbrellas. What we didn’t expect was a downpour coming from the side and finding the umbrellas absolutely useless because of the strong winds. That didn’t stop us from being out and about and trying to fit in every Christmas activity Edinburgh had to offer. First on the agenda was ice skating!
The kids had been ice skating in Paris 4 years ago and then really fell in love with it over the summer in the French Alps. We were out shopping on Princes Street and popped over to St. Andrews Square for some ice skating. Unfortunately it was closed due to inclement weather, let’s just say the wind would have been strong enough to push them around the rink, without even trying to skate. Ice skating would just need to wait for another day, but we were determined to enjoy as many of the Edinburgh Christmas activities as we could.
Edinburgh Christmas in Photos
Every day we were able to soak up the Edinburgh Christmas vibe and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Let’s take a photo walk through some of our favorite activities and then you can see for yourself! Many of these run through the first week of January, so there is still time to hop on over and experience Edinburgh for the holidays.
Christmas Markets
The perfect place to go shopping, enjoy great food, participate in activities, and my favorite to people watch!
Edinburgh Christmas Street of Lights
This is a beautiful light show set to your favorite Christmas songs. It’s almost impossible not to sing along and get into the Christmas spirit. This is a free event, which takes place twice a night leading up to Christmas. It lasts about 20 minutes and you can also enjoy the Christmas markets and some hot chocolate or wine. It was perfect for us to catch the 6pm show and then stay on George Street for dinner as well. This way we could enjoy the lights longer.
Edinburgh Christmas Rides
Don’t think for one second that the rides are just for the kiddies. We had 3 generations out there having a blast! There is a kiddie section at the lower end of Princes Street Christmas market, but the big kid rides were up top and full of action. It is great having teens still enjoy Christmas, but it is even better when they are getting on the rides with Grandma Linda too! Of course we don’t have photos of everything, but you will get the feel from these.
Star Flyer
Yep, even Grandma went on the Star Flyer! At nearly 60 metres high, the Star Flyer is a thrill and offers amazing views Edinburgh. Make sure you bundle up.
Christmas Tree Maze
The kids weaved their way through the maze of lit Christmas trees and solved the puzzle! Yep, they came out with big smiles and treats too!
The Big Wheel
It was time to fly high in the sky on the big Wheel, which is just a huge ferris wheel with enclosed cabins. Just perfect to let you see the sights and stay warm.
Double Carousel
Of course the teens opted to ride the moving horses while Alan and Grandma went for the spinning cup. I of course opted for the horse that didn’t move.
Christmas Treats
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without all of the treats! Of course my favorite was the Bailey’s and coffee, but we also enjoyed hot chocolate, Nutella crepes, chimney cakes, and more!
It was great fun hearing all of the great music as we experienced Edinburgh! if you want to see a list of all activities available in Edinburgh for Christmas. You will be able to read all about the shows, free events, rides, attractions and offers. This video is what had me hooked on going to Edinburgh for Christmas in the first place.
Be on the lookout for our Things to do in Edinburgh post, coming soon! We used this is Edinburgh site as our main go to for travel planning.
What do you like to do for Christmas? Do you have a favorite place to experience Christmas markets and activities?
Disclosure: We were able to experience many activities hosted by This is Edinburgh and Edinburgh Christmas by Underbelly.