Planning a Winter Shopping Break in Edinburgh

Planning a Winter Shopping Break in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has long been celebrated as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, from its iconic castle to the resplendent New Town. What's more, the variety of festivals it hosts each summer - including the annual Edinburgh Fringe, the world's largest arts festival - make it one of the UK's most exciting cities of culture. However, while Edinburgh's peak tourist season coincides with the Fringe festival in August, there's also loads to do in the city in the winter months too. With great shopping, world-class bars and restaurants and some fantastic hotels, travellers in the city will soon realise that it's not only the weather in Edinburgh that's cool in winter.

Glasgow, Edinburgh's neighbour to the west, is often regarded as one of the UK's best shopping cities. However, while the city may have a larger array of shops, the experience of shopping in Edinburgh is far more beautiful. Princes Street, its primary retail artery, is uniquely designed so that all shops are situated on the same side of the street in order to preserve excellent views of the iconic Edinburgh Castle. As a result, a shopping trip on Princes Street promises to be truly picturesque.

Moreover, Edinburgh is an ideal location to indulge in some festive pre-Christmas shopping. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the atmosphere around its main shopping hub is supremely festive, with a traditional German Christmas market, theme park rides and an ice rink set up in the adjacent Princes Street Gardens. And if you can't visit Scotland's capital before Christmas, it's not too late to do so after. On New Year's Eve, Princes Street is the focal point of Edinburgh's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations. The whole road is closed for a massive street party, from where revellers have an unparalleled view of the magnificent firework display that lights up the city's skyline at midnight.

Nevertheless, there's more to shopping in Edinburgh than Princes Street. Parallel George Street is home to some of the city's most exclusive boutiques and designer stores, as well as an array of unique bars and restaurants for avid shoppers requiring sustenance. However, if you're looking for vintage stores or one-off local gems, venture further south to the Grassmarket and Newington. Here, you'll find a enviable range of charity outlets, second-hand book shops and chic clothing shops, like the quirky Armstrong's vintage store and Armchair books, a treasure trove for book lovers. Alternatively, head north from Princes Street towards Leith to discover the city's exciting and recently gentrified port area, home to some unique retail outlets and the city's best seafood restaurants.

Due to the popularity of its Hogmanay celebrations, Edinburgh hotels can get booked up very quickly around the New Year period. So if you're planning a trip to Scotland's capital during this time, make sure you book your accommodation several months in advance. The relatively lower number of tourists that visit the city between November and March means that it's often possible for people on winter weekend breaks in Edinburgh to find special deals at its best hotels. There are plenty of cool Edinburgh hotels in the city-centre, from self-catering apartments to small boutique hotels. So however you plan to spend your winter break in Edinburgh, you're sure to find accommodation to suit.

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