7 Things to Do in Edinburgh This Winter

The best things to do in Edinburgh this winter are sparkling affairs. Accompanied by dazzling lights, frosty trees and fireworks lighting up the sky, you’re sure to have an incredible winter holiday.

Spend your days swirling on the ice in your skates, hunting for the ideal gift and enjoying hilarious pantomimes. Long evenings are warmed though with malt whisky in cosy bars, where locals relax in front of a roaring fire. Book a winter hotel in <a href=“/go/scotland/edinburgh”>Edinburgh</a> to celebrate the season in style.

1. Winterscape views

Wintry vistas as far as the eye can see

Ideal para: Famílias, História, Foto

In winter, Edinburgh glistens with snow-dusted hills and frost-covered branches. Wrap up and take a bracing walk to feast your eyes on the city’s panorama from the top of <strong>Calton Hill</strong> or the inactive volcano, <strong>Arthur’s Seat</strong>. Beneath you, a cityscape of steeples, craggy-topped Edinburgh castle and the waters of the <strong>Firth of Forth</strong> unfold.

The snow makes everything gleam like a winter wonderland and you’ll have a blast building snowpeople against a beautiful backdrop. Don’t forget to bring a flask of hot chocolate and your gloves.

2. Festive celebrations

From lanterns to fireworks to poetry

Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Foto

Edinburgh winters are filled with festivities. <strong>Santa</strong> marks his arrival for Christmas with a family-friendly Lantern Festival and storytelling. The new year starts with a bang with <strong>Hogmanay</strong>, where the customary ‘first footing’ of visiting strangers with a lump of coal after midnight brings plenty of goodwill. </p><p>On your Edinburgh winter break, join locals for 4 days of revelry with torchlit processions and concerts in <strong>Princes Street Gardens</strong>, and a knees-up ceilidh of traditional Scottish music. The poet Robert Burns’ birthday is celebrated with haggis, whisky and poetry on <strong>Burns Night</strong> in January. The poem <em>Address to a Haggis </em>is recited in honour of the world-famous meat dish.

3. Holiday shopping

Gifts galore to be found

Ideal para: Famílias, Compras

Holiday decorations in major department store windows along busy <strong>Princes Street</strong> beckon shoppers inside with their array of seasonal Scottish goods. Edinburgh’s dazzling lights thread through shopping streets to create a festive atmosphere. Scottish food and home-designed jewellery fill Edinburgh’s renowned <strong> Christmas Market</strong>, where customers are warmed through with glasses of mulled wine and traditional carol singing while they browse the extensive selection of stalls. </p><p>Buy quirky hats in <strong>Grassmarket</strong> and woollen scarves along the Royal Mile to make your Edinburgh winter holiday even cosier.

4. Sporty season

Winter sports on the ground or up in the mountains

Ideal para: Famílias, Foto, Aventura

Book an Edinburgh hotel in winter to enjoy seasonal sports without breaking into a sweat. Cheer on local <strong>ice-hockey</strong> team the Edinburgh Capitals in the Scottish National League during a high-octane game. Why not take the family for some <strong>skiing lessons</strong> on the dry slopes at Midlothian Snowsports Centre? Their Alpine Coaster is a wild ride through the mountains and a must-do when in the area.

<p>If you’d prefer to stay warm then cosy up in a pub with Scotland supporters and a warming glass of whisky to watch the hard-fought <strong>Six Nations</strong> rugby tournament. </p>

5. Princes Street Gardens

A winter wonderland of fun

Ideal para: Casais, Famílias

A winter break in Edinburgh must include a visit to the <strong>Princes Street Gardens</strong>, where skaters glide around Britain’s largest open-air ice-rink. By the landmark Scott Monument, the sparkling <strong>Ferris Wheel</strong> turns and the traditional carousel makes music as the horses revolve.

This free-to-enter, family-friendly zone is part of Edinburgh’s incredible Christmas market, so you can expect plenty of festive food and drink stalls to keep you going. The Ross Bandstand provides live choirs, and the Edinburgh Castle will be illuminated with fantastic displays to make your evening extra magical.

6. Winter food

A pantry of warming dishes

Ideal para: Alimentação

Warm up on chilly mornings with a traditional Scottish breakfast of bacon, eggs, black pudding and potato scones. It’s sure to keep you fuelled until lunchtime while you’re exploring this historic city. It’s impossible to visit Scotland without trying haggis, and we recommend keeping things traditional and enjoying it with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes).

In Edinburgh, winter is the best time to feast on gamey meat and rustic vegetables, with hearty pheasant adorning any festive dinner table. Finish off an amazing meal with a mouthwatering slab of Scottish tablet, a blend of sugar, condensed milk and butter, or a rich clootie dumpling stuffed with dried fruits, treacle and spices.

7. Pantomimes and holiday shows

Entertainment that brings the festive spirit

Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Vida noturna

If it’s winter in Edinburgh, then it must be the <strong>pantomime</strong> season. Popular fairytale classics like <em>Puss in Boots</em>, <em>Jack and the Beanstalk </em>and <em>Cinderella </em>come alive on a festive stage with swarthy princes, blushing heroines and a whole slew of wicked stepmothers and villains. Audience participation is part of the fun so be prepared to cheer and boo at various theatres around the city.

For something a little more refined, keep a look-out for opera and ballet performances at the renowned, and architecturally beautiful, <strong>Edinburgh Festival Theatre</strong>. </p>

Este artigo inclui opiniões da equipe editorial dos Go Guides. A Hoteis.com remunera os autores dos textos publicados neste site, o que pode incluir custos de viagens e outras despesas.