Quick Takeaways
- No car needed — Edinburgh Old Town is completely walkable
- Stay at Market Street Hotel — steps from Waverley station, rooftop bar with castle views
- Train Edinburgh → York (09:08, CrossCountry) → London King's Cross (10:08, Grand Central)
- One night at Judge's Lodging in York — steps from the Minster, great restaurant
- Book restaurants well in advance — June is busy in Edinburgh
- Day trip to Pitlochry from Edinburgh — 1h45 by ScotRail, beautiful Highland town
- Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, National Museum of Scotland — all must-dos
- Noto on Thistle Street — the special night out in Edinburgh
- The Standard at King's Cross for London — already know it, great location for Sophia
Full Itinerary
| Date | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tue Jun 17 | Fly JFK → Edinburgh | United overnight flight · arrive EDI morning Jun 18 |
| Jun 18 – 21 | Edinburgh | 4 nights · Market Street Hotel · Old Town |
| Sat Jun 21 | Train to York | 09:08 Edinburgh Waverley → 11:37 York · CrossCountry XC1651 |
| Jun 21 – 22 | York | 1 night · Judge's Lodging · 9 Lendal · steps from the Minster |
| Sun Jun 22 | Train to London | 10:08 York → 12:07 London King's Cross · Grand Central GC8520 |
| Jun 22 – 24 | London | 2 nights · The Standard · King's Cross · see Hunter & Sophia |
| Tue Jun 24 | Fly LHR → JFK | AA105 · American Airlines · with Hunter's bags |
Edinburgh
Where to Stay
Our Pick
Market Street Hotel
Market Street · Old Town · steps from Waverley
Design hotel right at the foot of the Royal Mile. Rooftop Nor' Loft champagne bar with panoramic castle views. 9.3 rating, 9.8 couples location score.
~£1,062 · 3 nights · flexible/free cancellation
Also considered
Aparthotel Adagio Royal Mile
231 Canongate · on the Royal Mile
Studio apartments with kitchenette, halfway between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. 8.8 rating, 6,478 reviews. Great value and free cancellation.
~$1,041 · 3 nights · AA Hotels portal
Things to Do
In the city — all walkable from Old Town:
Edinburgh CastleTop of the Royal Mile — Crown Jewels, One O'Clock Gun, stunning views. Budget half a day.
Arthur's SeatVolcanic hill hike right in the city. 90 min to the top, incredible views. Do it any evening — light until 10pm in June.
Royal MileWalk end to end — Castle to Holyrood Palace. Take the closes (alleyways) off to the sides.
Palace of HolyroodhouseThe King's official Scottish residence. Beautiful state rooms and grounds.
National Museum of ScotlandFree, genuinely world-class. Easily half a day. Right next to Grassmarket.
Victoria Street & GrassmarketThe curved medieval street that inspired Diagon Alley. Cobblestones, great shops and restaurants below.
Calton HillEasy 10-min walk from hotel, great panoramic city views. Best at sunset.
Greyfriars KirkyardFamous atmospheric cemetery, historically fascinating, free.
Day trips — no car needed:
Pitlochry1h45 by ScotRail direct from Waverley. Highland town, Blair Athol Distillery, fish ladder, Ben Vrackie hike. The best easy day trip.
Stirling Castle45 min by train. Rivals Edinburgh Castle and far less crowded. Wallace Monument nearby.
Rosslyn Chapel30 min by bus. The Da Vinci Code chapel — genuinely beautiful and mysterious.
St AndrewsTrain to Leuchars then bus. Cathedral ruins, golf, beautiful coastal town. ~1.5hrs each way.
Where to Eat
Noto
Asian small plates — sashimi, pork belly skewers, standout cocktails. One of Edinburgh's most exciting kitchens. Behind an unassuming Thistle Street door. Book well ahead.
New Town · Special night
The Mussel & Steak Bar
Fresh lobster, mussels, Scottish beef — bottom of Victoria Street. Classy but relaxed, genuinely local. Castle views from the window.
Victoria St
Timberyard
Farm-to-table creative Scottish cooking in a converted warehouse near Grassmarket. Most ambitious kitchen in the Old Town area. Book first — fills up fast.
Grassmarket
Howies Victoria Street
Traditional Scottish cuisine using the best seasonal local produce. Relaxed, local feel, great value. Where Edinburgh residents actually eat.
Victoria St
Nor' Loft (Market Street Hotel)
Our own hotel's rooftop bar — small plates, champagne, panoramic city views. Perfect pre-dinner drink watching the castle lit up.
On-site · Rooftop
Petit Paris
Charming French bistro in the Grassmarket. Great set menu deals and daily specials. Perfect for a relaxed evening after a big sightseeing day.
Grassmarket
Note: Ondine and Aizle — both previously excellent — have permanently closed. Avoid tourist traps on the Royal Mile itself; the best food is always just off the main drag on Victoria Street, Grassmarket, and the New Town.
York
One Night Stop
York is the perfect overnight stop between Edinburgh and London. Arrive by 11:37am with a full afternoon to explore — the city is compact and walkable. Leave the next morning at 10:08 and you're in London by noon.
Our Pick
Judge's Lodging
9 Lendal · City Centre · steps from the Minster
21-room boutique hotel in a historic building, excellent à la carte restaurant, great bar. 9.8 couples location score. Note: lots of stairs — no lift.
~£150–200 · 1 night · book direct at judgeslodgingyork.co.uk
Also considered
Grays Court Hotel
Chapter House Street · behind the Minster
Only 12 rooms, tucked right behind the Minster. The Bow Room restaurant is outstanding. The most special option in York — but at a price.
~£300–350 · 1 night
What to Do in York
York MinsterOne of the great Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Climb the tower for views. Budget 1.5–2 hours.
City Walls WalkWalk the full circuit on top of the medieval walls — about 3km. Great way to arrive and orient yourself.
The ShamblesGenuinely medieval overhanging street — touristy but worth 20 minutes.
The Blue BellTiny unchanged Victorian pub — worth a pint. Fossgate.
Yorkshire MuseumRoman and Viking artifacts in beautiful gardens. If there's time.
Getting Around
Trains
| Route | Departure | Arrival | Operator | Cost (2 people) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh → York | 09:08 Jun 21 | 11:37 | CrossCountry XC1651 | $75.50 incl. fees |
| York → London | 10:08 Jun 22 | 12:07 | Grand Central GC8520 | $79.50 incl. fees |
Book at raileurope.com · Both are Standard Non-Flexible Advance fares — book after flights are confirmed. Day trips within Scotland book at scotrail.co.uk. Pitlochry: Edinburgh Waverley direct, aim for 08:50 or 09:20 departure.
London
Two Nights — See Hunter & Sophia
Quick London stop to see Hunter (finishing at Oxford, heading to Norway) and Sophia. Collect Hunter's bags to bring home. Sophia's flat: Flat 23, Handel Mansions, 13 Handel Street, WC1N 1PA — a 10-minute walk or one Tube stop from the hotel.
Our Pick
The Standard London
King's Cross · St Pancras · stayed here before
Right across from St Pancras International. 10-minute walk to Sophia. Excellent design hotel, great rooftop bar. We know it works.
~£180–280/night · 2 nights · standardhotels.com
Flights
| Route | Flight | Date | Miles | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK → EDI | United overnight | Jun 17 | 36,000 United | + $5.60 |
| LHR → JFK | AA105 | Jun 24 | 68,000 AA | + ~$448 |
Transfer Chase/Citi/Amex points to United MileagePlus for outbound. Use existing AA AAdvantage miles for return. AA card covers bags and seat selection on AA105.