How to Spend a Rainy Day in Edinburgh
Edinburgh looks great at any time of year, from beautiful sunny days spent lying down in Princes St Gardens to running wild through a snow covered Calton Hill - it truely is a unique city given its ability to look fabulous all year round.
That being said…
Autumn has got to be our most favorite season of the year! The days are shorter and rainier, mist starts to arrive in those cooler mornings and evenings and the leaves start turning that glorious shade of red. The season beckons you to stay indoors, but if you’re brave enough to face the slight chill to the air, you’ll be rewarded by a city that inspires un unparalleled creative buzz.
If you’re visiting Scotland and deterred by the rain, please don’t be! Note that the comes and goes throughout a day and what can start as a gloomy looking morning can turn into a gorgeous, sunny autumn afternoon - just always remember to have your rain jacket handy!
So today we thought we’d share some inspiration on things you can do on a moody day around Edinburgh.
Walk through Stockbridge, in particular, Circus Lane
It’s famous for a reason, but there’s something so magical about this lane (despite it being photographed a million times!) The beauty of visiting during the cooler months is that you’re more likely to get it to yourself. Embrace the cold, throw on a relaxing playlist like this one and talk a slow wander down the cobblestoned street of Circus Lane & Stockbridge.
Go plant shopping at Grow Urban
When I tell you that Grow Urban has a chokehold on us 😂 these purveyors of beautiful plants make you never want to leave their store. The Stockbridge store is sectioned into rooms depending on light, so you know what plant is best for your home depending on how much light you’ve got - brilliant. You can also get a coffee and delicious cake here before you spend your life savings on this epic store. Highly reccomend spending a rainy afternoon, or morning, or entire day, here.Grab a coffee at the Milkman
Also famous for a reason, we feel the Milkman on Cockburn St was made with rainy, autumn days in mind. The shop on the bottom half of the street has cosy window seats and nooks galore, there are often doggos and they make a cracking cup of coffee. Do yourself a favor, buy a book from suggestion number 5, come back and spend the afternoon people watching, reading and vibing at the Milkman.Tick off the ultimate shotlist
A rainy day in Edinburgh is not complete unless you got a photo of these 4 locations:
- Scotts Monument
- Edinburgh Castle
- Ross Fountain
- Greyfriars Kirkyard
Take your phone or camera out for a spin and challenge yourself to get multiple angle shots of these amazing monuments. Then tag us in your stories! We love seeing what you get up to around Edinburgh. If you’re wanting to level up your photo game, check out our Phoneography guide herePeruse Armchair Books (and get an icecream at Marys Milkbar)
Just like The Milkman, we feel Armchair books was made for a rainy day. If you’re someone who loves the smell of old books to (it’s totally a thing), this is going to be pure heaven to you. You could spend hours perusing the aisles in this quaint store (and we highly reccomend it!) grab yourself a second hand book, then pop next door to Marys Milkbar and get yourself an icecream or milkshake. Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean it’s not icecream time! Our new favorite quote (coined by Gabby) is “Don’t wait til the weathers good to eat your icecream. Eat your icecream today” - a great metaphor for life 😂
There you have it, your rainy day in Edinburgh sorted! We’d love to know where you love to spend rainy days in town below?
If you’re new to Scotland or are planning your trip, why not grab a copy of our 7 day Spellbinding Scotland guide? It’ll take away all the overwhelming of planning your epic Scottish adventure!