Butter beer, colourful street & a £29.45 Lavish Budget!!

 Butter beer, colourful street & a £29.⁴⁵ Lavish Budget!!

The first time I visited Edinburgh, I fell in love - hard! When my birthday started creeping up, I felt like my 21 y/o deserve a solo adventure! So, there it was - solo trip to Edinburgh with a budget of £45, overconfident itinerary, ( which I was in a delusion that I will check off), good walking shoes and a smile! Lets go…

This story is about a recent Potter-head, who walked along the cobblestones, cherished butterbeer, dodged the overpriced souvenirs and fell in love with the city all over again! I kicked off my trip by taking a bus to Edinburgh - travel fee: £0. Thanks to Young Scot Card. Being under 22 had its own perks. Honestly, one of the reasons to squeeze in one free travel trip before 22 became a thing for me!!

The bus ride - a delight! It was a double-decker bus ride, mind you! SO IMAGINE ALL THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE! I got down at the Edinburgh bus station and started my wandering!

The walk from the bus station was plain and simple - hopping around the city as if it was just another weekday. And then suddenly, there it was. Sitting proudly on the top of the hill, majestic and strong, as if it has seen centuries pass by, but wasn’t tethered at all. My first stop: THE EDINBURGH CASTLE!

And yes, I went inside. The ticket costed me £1. Again, thank you Young Scot Card. And yes, it was divine. I walked through all the nooks and cracks, climbed stairs and hill that felt like time machines, and stared out at the city skyline. The city looked like a miniature version of the lego towns we used to build as kids - only instead of bold, plastic colours, it was all moody beige and gothic! The cannons, the stone walls, war memorial, the stillness of history was trapped in every brick. It felt like I was teleported to some other era. Like I was standing on the edge of the war - or at least at the top of it!

By the time I left castle, I was hungry! Turns out a yogurt bowl is not quite cutting for all the climbing and the vintage walks. The next stop: THE ELEPHANT HOUSE! Tucked in between colourful shops, there it was - the cosy café, where Harry Potter was born (on paper, of course). I ordered a breakfast roll - which got over faster than I would like to talk about. A caramel brownie, because why not? Then of course - The Butter Beer - what’s the point of me being a recent Potter-head and not gulping it? Sipping the frothy, sweet drink sitting at the place where it was born - what more could I ask for? Total Cost: £18.75! 

PS - JK Rowling sat here and wrote a billion - pound franchise, and I wrote my to-do list, which is the same only!

Next walking along the beautiful, colourful wings of VICTORIA STREET, made me feel like I was at Diagon Alley! Walking through that street I stumbled upon the John Kay’s Bookstore - plucking a postcard - with a dream that one day I open my own book store! Also, staggered along the The Museum of Context - climbing the stairs and seeing myself in the Chamber of Secrets Mirror and of course taking picture of 9^3/4. I ended up buying postcards as souvenirs - because postcards are fun memories. Cost: £3.95

Wandering along the cobblestones, I whisked around the ROYAL MILE. I stumbled upon so many kilt shops, I felt like I was underdressed, literally and geographically. Coming down from there, I made my way to THE ROSS FOUNTAIN - standing in its full glory, because it knew it was the main character. Along the way, I passed bagpipers, bustling tourists, locals going about their everyday routine - and there it was surrounded by the Princes Garden Street! 

I sat down because duhh. a girl needs a breather! Called my family, just to show off the view, and even bumped into a stranger (a good-looking one, mind you)! But we will just file it under missed moments and maybe’s. 

Then walked along the city-centre, picked up a coffee and croissant (a girl needs some source of energy) - £5.75, well spent! 

Next stop? DEAN VILLAGE. It was a long 25min walk, but honestly, I enjoyed every second of it! I passed by all the tiny-vintage-looking homes - kind that holds people’s dreams, hopes and daily plans. I smiled at strangers, got some compliments about my outfit (talk about some ego boost), and kept walking till I reached the hidden gem tucked in between the residences. 

The place was me stepping into my small-town-romance-novel-backdrop! A quiet pocket of calm. The stream dribbled by, the houses leaned into each other as old friends, and the serenity? Unmatched. It was the perfect way to wrap the day-trip: ending with some peace, some hope, some love and some calm! If anything, I learned from this city it was - you don’t have to be extravagant to stand out. Your uniqueness lies within your simplicity. And also budget-friendly one day adventures are possible!

Total money well spent - £29.45! Saved good chunk of money! Ended up treating myself to another coffee the next day - but no one needs to know that!