I have visited Edinburgh a few times over the years and always have a wonderful time. In July (2024) I took my nieces for a couple of days. They have never flown before so we thought a trip from Bristol to Edinburgh would be a good short flight to try. They are 8 & 9 years old and big Harry Potter fans so this was a big focus for our trip.
Flying to Edinburgh
As this was a first time flying I took the time in advance to look at social stories about flying and talk through what to expect. Find out more in my post about flying here. I also prepared a visual guide and gave it to them a few days before we left. We talked about things like our ears popping and agreed to choose some sweets for the flight that would help.
Visual guides always work best when they are tailored to what you are doing / for the individual. It is really easy now to find photos of places you are visiting thanks to google images. I use the Snip It tool on my computer and just paste into a word document. You can do the same just using screenshots you then crop. You can download an example of a visual guide we used for our trip to Edinburgh:
It is important with visuals to think about the persons needs. So for some children they will really struggle with things on a guide that don’t happen so be clear when things are weather dependant or not certain. Some will also need to know in advance of any sensory triggers so highlighting when something will be loud busy / etc. Some children will rely on visual guides more than others but they can be really helpful to reduce anxiety about new experiences.
Flying from Bristol to Edinburgh was really easy with easyjet, it cost us around £70 each for return flights and I also purchased one hold bag we used for all of us. They are definitely much stricter about the size of cabin baggage now so make sure you check all the bag sizes you are taking on board in advance.
Where to stay?
I almost always use Premier Inn when travelling with the kids as they know what to expect and so far we have always had a good experience. As I was travelling alone with the kids this time I decided to opt for a central location at Premier Inn Princes Street which did mean it was a bit more expensive but ended up being well worth it.
From the airport we were able to get straight on a tram that took us to Princes street with just a two minute walk up the street to our hotel. I bought open returns from Edinburgh trams in advance at £9 for an adult and £4.80 for each child. The tram was really easy and just a 25 minute journey to the city centre.
The hotel is directly next door to Princes street gardens so fantastic views of the castle and a great place for the kids to use up some energy running about before bed after the flight. Princes street is a busy shopping area but this also meant lots of easy places to eat nearby – McDonalds, Bella Italia, TGI Fridays and of course the Ben and Jerrys store round the corner. All with good options for the kids meals. There is also a restaurant attached to the hotel, we used this for breakfast as it was just £11.99 for me and free for both children so a great way to start the day.
Harry Potter Sights in Edinburgh
The girls had done some research about Edinburgh and they were most excited about the fact that it was the ‘birthplace of Harry Potter’. They are big Harry Potter fans so we decided to make our first day all about visiting these sights.
After a leisurely breakfast we walked through Princes Street Gardens stopping to look at the Floral Clock and then up the hill to the Royal Mile. From here we headed down to Victoria Street the hub for all things Magical. This curved cobbled street in Edinburgh’s old town with colourful quirky shops is said to be the inspiration behind Diagon Alley. I was glad we went here early in the day (10am ish) as later on it got much busier with some shops having queues outside. The shop not to miss is the Museum Context a wonderful shop brimming with Potter merch over a couple of floors with a little photo opportunity set up at the top. There is also The Enchanted Galaxy which was full of items Harry Potter fans will want and where most of the girls pocket money was spent.
Also on Victoria Street is the Elephant House, the cafe chain where JK Rowling is said to have written some of the first Potter novel. They had a lovely set up for fans inside where visitor books can be signed on the table she is said to have used. They also had a chocolate frog drink which was very exciting for the kids. It was busy and service a little slow but we took the opportunity to write our postcards home and the drinks were reasonably priced.
Also on Victoria Street is a large Fish and Chip restaurant – Berties which is a good option for lunch or dinner if you want a sit down meal.
A short walk away you will find Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery where some of the graves have familiar names including Thomas Riddle & McGonagall, there is a back section to the cemetery where you can also see George Heriot’s School. Trigger warning – you may want to look up the story of Greyfriars Bobby in advance before visiting with the kids. Close to the Cemetery you will also find the National Museum of Scotland which has the Lewis Chess pieces said to be inspiration for the chess pieces in Harry Potter.
Close to our hotel is also the Potions Caldron on Rose Street a great place to pick up some Butterbeer. It was lovely spending the day focused on the Harry Potter sights, a child friendly way to explore the city and some new sights for me.
Taking a Potions Class at the Caldron, Edinburgh
As a special treat I booked us in for a potions class at the Caldron Edinburgh. It was pricey at £39 per adult and £29 per child but it was a unique experience we all enjoyed. The Caldron on Frederick street is a magical themed bar. Children can only go to certain slots and you need to book in advance. I booked us in for 4pm session and all the other people there were families with children.
When we arrived we were shown to our tables, we were on a table with one other family. Each of us were given a cloak (adults too) and each family group had a shared wand and potions book. The potions master was great and clearly used to managing groups of tourists. The session started with all of us using the wands to access our welcome drink. Each family group then chooses two drink options from four options.
Then the fun begins, you get all the bits needed to mix up your potions (drinks). You get separate kit to make up the children and adult drinks as the adult versions are alcoholic (although you can choose to have the non alcoholic versions). It is a little work following the instructions and ensuring you don’t mix up the adult /child versions! The potions master was on hand and very helpful. The kids had great fun and it was a great way to finish our Harry Potter themed day.
I would add it is a bar and may be a challenging environment for children that struggle with noise sensitivity.
Sightseeing in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a fantastic city to visit, the old town is beautiful and full of cobbled streets and winding alley ways. This does however mean the city poses a challenge for anyone with mobility difficulties. It is steep walking up the old town and we did lots of walking over a couple of days.
Edinburgh castle gets very busy and is booked up well in advance so if you want to visit you will need to book your tickets. I have been in the past and enjoyed it but this time we didn’t visit, although we did walk up to the castle to have a look outside. It was very busy up by the castle with tourists.
The Royal mile is the street from the Castle down to Holyrood palace, it is filled with street performers, the girls were impressed with the bagpipe players. There are plenty of options to keep you busy here one of which is the Museum of Childhood. The museum is free entry with suggested donation of £3. Lots of toys / games on display including many from my own childhood! They also have some play options around the museum to keep the kids entertained.
Camera Obscura & the world of Illusions
A highlight of our trip was a visit to the Camera Obscura. The world of Illusions is set over 5 floors and is filled with exhibits that the kids loved including a vortex tunnel, mirror maze and lots of optical illusions. The camera obscura is at the top and you can go into the dark room for a 15 minute demonstration of the camera. The girls really liked one exhibit where they get access to the CCTV cameras on the top of the building so they could spy on all the tourists on the Royal Mile.
It was a great short trip and one I am sure we will repeat again. What are your favourite things to do in Edinburgh? Add them in the comments for more inspiration for visitors.
