Hey there, congrats and all! Edinburgh’s a great place, I was fortunate enough to have a week there while studying abroad last summer. There’s a bunch of great stuff to do, and places to eat and all.

Things to do:
Climb Arthur’s Seat if you get a nice day. It’s a trek, but if you’ve got a nice day, it’s totally worth it. You can see for miles on end, and it’s neat to take pictures at the top.

The Castle – a given, but can be crowded. If there’s a big set of people there, you might consider skipping this and looking around town more.

Camera Obscura – Near the Castle on the High Street. Pretty sweet experience, it’s all about optical illusions and stuff.

Whiskey Tour – Across from Camera Obscura, this is pretty popular. I think you can put your name down for a later time, if I remember right.

At the other end of the High Street (all the way at the bottom) is the Scottish Parliament. If you’ve got time, you should at least drop by this building, as it’s one of the more interesting pieces of architecture.

If you decide to go around town, the Scott Monument is cool, quick, and costs 3 pounds to go up. It’s tall, and it has like 4 different levels to stop at. Make sure it’s a nice day, though.

I didn’t do the underground tours, but I heard from my professor (from London) that they were pretty hit or miss depending on your tour guide.

As far as places to eat go, there’s a ton of spots to grab a bite (just walk down the high street). Near Hunter’s Square there’s a hole-in-the-wall fish & chips place that was great. There’s a place with a name along the lines of “The Chocolate Bar” in the square – desserts and coffee and such, and various other locations around there.

If you want a real, old-style pub experience then drop by “The End of the World” – named so because it’s where the gates used to end. It’s the oldest pub in Edinburgh (I think).

Enjoy your trip!