It’s hard to talk about a Scottish holiday without talking about Edinburgh. With over 4 million tourists visiting every year, Edinburgh is undoubtedly the hottest destination in the country – recently becoming even more popular after featuring heavily in the Netflix hit, One Day.
But any location that achieves that kind of attention has to be looked at with a wary eye – especially for those hiring a motorhome in Scotland and looking for a quintessential Scottish adventure, free of tourist traps and crowded hotspots. So has Edinburgh become a ‘tourist trap’ or are the crowds worth it for what the city has to offer?
Edinburgh: Must-Visit or Must-Avoid?
In a recent article published by Express, many Scottish residents have been telling tourists to avoid the city – specifically one of the city’s leading destinations, the Royal Mile. For those unaware, the Royal Mile is one of the most infamous streets in Edinburgh, winding all the way up from Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle, with many interesting stop-off points along the way – including the Scottish Parliament, the Hub, St Giles Cathedral, and Camera Obscura.
There are also two Starbucks to be found there – despite the walk from bottom to top only taking around twenty minutes – which might explain what these residents are trying to infer. Up the Royal Mile, you’ll find plenty of ‘touristy shops’, including Starbucks, whisky shops, tartan shops, jewelery shops, bars offering ‘quintessential Scottish meals’, more tartan shops, and more whisky shops.
The variety on offer has indeed narrowed in recent times, to the point where there are around five jewellery stores within half a mile radius of each other. According to one Reddit user, ‘these types of shops have ruined the high street’, with another complaining about why there were ‘so many Harry Potter stores’.
The Thing About Edinburgh
So what’s our take? Well, firstly, we never thought we’d see anyone complain about there being ‘too many Harry Potter stores’. Can there ever be too many Harry Potter stores? We don’t think so. Secondly – and perhaps more importantly – Edinburgh is a capital city. Every capital city will have its fair share of tourist traps. For London, it’s Piccadilly Circus. For Paris, it’s the Champs-Elysees. For Venice, it’s… well, all of Venice, which is why they’re talking about limiting ‘over-tourism’ there.
Edinburgh is no different, and in comparison to some of the cities mentioned, the tourist traps are relatively tame. The Royal Mile is certainly filled with shops selling tourist tatter at a 5000% markup, but that doesn’t mean you have to take the bait. And even if you do, it might just be nice to bring home a new mug, magnet, or a kitsch tartan umbrella. For anyone not looking to buy anything, the Royal Mile is a superb walk that gives you an idea of the history and beauty behind the city, and elsewhere in Edinburgh, the crowds are far less overbearing.
Dean Village is quiet and quaint, despite being just a few minutes away from the bustling Prince’s Street. Holyrood Park is a massive expanse of greenery, cliffs, and the stunning St Margaret’s Loch, despite being right in the heart of the city itself. The city itself has so much to offer for every sort of tourist. If you call that a ‘trap’, we’d like to take the cheese!
Adding Edinburgh to Your Motorhome Adventure
If you’re planning to rent one of our vehicles, we would urge you not to be put off by some of the opinions of this gorgeous city. Without a doubt, Edinburgh is a must-visit that can give you so much as a tourist visiting for the first time. What’s more, it won’t be your only destination.
The great thing about seeing Scotland in a motorhome is that you can go anywhere. If you’re a little weary after a bustling Edinburgh pitstop, you can take your motorhome to one of the more quiet, reserved Scottish locations, like the charming fishing village of Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife, or the awe-inspiring Loch Awe, which is nestled in the heart of Perthshire.
If you’d like to visit a city but don’t want to be in a big crowd, you can always visit Aberdeen, Stirling, or Inverness – three other cities that are just as beautiful as Edinburgh, without so many of the ‘tourist hotspots’. When you’re in our motorhomes, Scotland can become your playground, and if you don’t enjoy visiting Edinburgh, you can always choose another apparatus to play on! But we doubt you won’t enjoy it. This is Edinburgh we’re talking about.
