Edinburgh: Medieval city with a dark history

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Battles
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  On a recent week-long vacation to the United Kingdom, Edinburgh in Scotland was the main focus of my adventure. After a four-hour train ride from the city of London, I arrived in the Scottish capital and was instantly captivated by the beauty of the historic city.

Assuming I was thinking outside-the-box when choosing Edinburgh, I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of international attention the city brought. As I walked the streets, it became clear why people are attracted to the city -- everything from the people, city and customs are well preserved with rich Scottish traditions.

On day one of my 48-hour Scottish adventure, I chose to take a free three-hour walking tour of the city. The tour, which was guided by a student from the city of Edinburgh, took the group through several historic locations including Old and New town, Edinburgh castle, Cowgate and the Grassmarket.

Beginning in Old Town, the tour goes over the history of Edinburgh from the medieval times, witch trials and the black plague. The guides, who were very knowledgeable about the history of the local area, discussed two stories that peaked my interest, the first one about a local locksmith who inspired the story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The second tale was about a local pub named after a woman who was accused of murder, and was later hanged. During her transport to a local cemetery after being hanged, the women woke up from her coma-like state. Having already served her hanging punishment, a local judge then allowed her release. The owner of the pub next to the bar where she received her last drink before being hanged named his pub Maggie Dickson in honor of her.

After my walking tour concluded, I continued to hear historic references to many of the pubs and stores lining the street. I found this to be extremely interesting since I have never been in a town that took so much pride in even the darkest of their history.

As the sun began to set in Edinburgh, I walked the Royal Mile, which stretches from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Place. Famous due to its two distinct royal markers, the Royal Mile is also well know for wide a variety of retails, pubs, restaurants and tea houses that line the street. The street also hosts an array of ghost, pub, historic and other educational tours on a daily basis at little or no cost.

Just a short walk from the Holyrood Palace is the largest peak in Edinburgh that offers a full 360- degree view of the city and one of the best views of the Scottish shoreline. To end my day, I hiked the three mile perimeter of the mountain, which offers breathtaking views from all sides.

To start day two of my journey, I stopped for a traditional Scottish breakfast at a local pub made famous by a well-known female author who dreamt up a story about a boy who discovers he's a wizard. For roughly 8 pounds I enjoyed a large portion of black pudding, potato scones, smoked haddock and porridge, while reminiscing about Harry Potter, in the same place were the series began.

After breakfast, I boarded one of the multiple double-decker tour buses for a full tour of the city. The tour offered a very historic and modern view of Edinburgh, but what I found most interesting was the listening to a guide talk about the tales, myths and spooky history of Edinburgh instead of the normal history. Since the city is spread across a large area, the bus also serves as public transportation for tourists and allows unlimited 24-hour access.

To finish my stay in Edinburgh, I thought I would set out on foot and discover the hidden treasures that the city had to offer. To my surprise, I discovered a bar themed after Frankenstein, the National Art Galleries of Scotland and a city cemetery that is home to more than 200,000 casualties of the black plague. To wrap up my trip, I decided to partake in one of Edinburgh's largest tourist attractions: a look into the haunted side of old town with one of their ghost tours. The guide, who was decked out in traditional medieval wear took us on a two-hour spine-tingling look into Edinburgh's history of disease, torture, and murder.

With its striking medieval appeal and beauty, Edinburgh is one place that everyone needs to check off their bucket list. Whether you're into visiting the sites of the town or learning about the city's bone-chilling past - Edinburgh offers something for everyone.