Enjoy your free time: 5 ways to make the most of the festive season.
- Andrew Palmer
- Nov 30, 2017
- 4 min read
It's that time of year again!
And during the festive season sometimes we can't help but feel a little overwhelmed and stressed. Working double the hours, making countless Christmas lists and cramming all the shopping until the last minute. Me personally I do not like stress. I like to enjoy the festive season and make the most of my free time and absorb the infectious Christmas atmosphere. As a local in Edinburgh I find there is so much to do but I will narrow down 5 general ways you can get involved in to get into the festive spirit this year.
5) Take a walk around a Christmas Market:
Edinburgh is world famous for it's annual German Market which settles into the hustle and bustle of Princes street. There are plenty of activities to suit everyone. You can get a birds eye view of the city from the unmissable ferris wheel. Embrace the feeling of winter by meandering around the ice adventure on George Street and marvelling at some fantastic sculptures. Try your hand at ice skating around the rink at St. Andrews Square or get the adrenaline pumping by alighting the tower of terror!
There are also plenty of opportunities to try some new food or treat you or a loved one with a unique present with the plenty of stalls in the market.
4) Be a tourist for a day:
Edinburgh is Scotland's top tourist destination and it is no surprise that there are plenty of activities to do, especially around the Royal Mile. Sometimes we get so caught up in the stresses of Christmas that we forget to have fun. My top recommendations would be.
* Explore the fantastic history of Edinburgh Castle
* Enjoy a dram surrounded by the biggest collection of unopened Scotch whisky in the world at the Scotch Whisky Experience
*Try something unusual at camera obscura
*Surround yourself with works of art in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
*Discover the wonders of the world at the National Museum of Scotland
*Take a tour around the Scottish Parliament
3) Simply enjoy a hot beverage and enjoy the views:
If peace and quiet and simply enjoying some time with your thoughts is more your style then Edinburgh has more than it's fair share of cafes around the city. My personal favourite is Starbucks on Princes Street simply for the chance to enjoy a hot chocolate and take in the views of Princes Street and the stunning castle watching over the city. The shop is open until 9:30pm and the evenings are quieter with a better chance of getting a window seat and simply relaxing with less pressure from the crowds.
4) Get out into nature:
Sometimes the best way to enjoy the season is to avoid the crowds entirely and get lost in nature. Edinburgh has plenty of secluded places both in and out of the city where a person can rid themselves of the stresses of city life. My personal favourites are the Swanston Farm near Hunters Tryst. A gateway into the Pentland Hills and a great place to go hiking for a day, you may spot the semi-wild herd of highland cattle that roam around the hills if you're lucky!
The hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill offer lovely walks a stones throw away from the city and offers stunning views of Edinburgh and Arthur's Seat
5) Escape to the Highlands:
My final recommendation is to get away from it all. I highly recommend booking a weekend in the Highlands of Scotland and enjoy the peace and quiet in a true winter wonderland. One of my favourite places is the town of Aviemore, two and a half hours drive from Edinburgh. Aviemore is located in the Cairngorms National Park and there is so much beauty to take in here such as the Rothiemerchus estate where you can wander through Scotland's ancient Caledonia pine forest of which there is only 2% left, some real Christmas trees.
The Funicular Railway takes you on top of the CairnGorm mountain where you can truly embrace Scotland's stunning landscapes.
There also happens to be a herd of semi-wild reindeer reintroduced to Scotland from Scandinavia where you can pay for a tour and have the opportunity to feed them and learn more about this Christmas icon.
There are plenty of other places in the Highlands to visit also where you can enjoy piece and solidarity such as Granton on Spey, the Isle of Skye, Oban, Inverness the list is endless. I would recommend driving to these locations for a more independent journey however tours can be booked from many places in the Royal Mile if you want to fit more in a short period of time.
I cannot help but feel a little patriotic about Scotland when I visit such a beautiful places
Those are my top 5 recommendations for enjoying the Christmas season, if you liked my recommendations or would like to contribute please leave a comment and if you would like to find out more about visiting Scotland and see my other photography adventures please follow my Instagram (link below)
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