A Few Moments from Scotland That Stayed With Me

Jeffry and I recently got back from our trip to Scotland and London to celebrate his 50th birthday—and to take a much-needed vacation. In this post, I’m focusing on Scotland and a few moments that stayed with me—we’ll get into London in a separate post.

I spent most of my time in Edinburgh, but we also made our way to a few places outside the city, including Stirling, St. Andrews, and a couple of others along the way.

View of Edinburgh from Calton Hill, with the city stretching toward Edinburgh Castle in the distance— photo by Joshua Jones

First Impressions of Edinburgh

When we first arrived in Edinburgh, we took the tram from the airport into the city center, and right away, we were struck by how beautiful it is. The city is filled with historic architecture, greenery, and views of Edinburgh Castle sitting up on the hill.

It reminded me why we love Europe so much—it feels like a completely different world from what we’re used to, and it gave us a chance to step away from reality for a bit. We found ourselves constantly looking up at the buildings, noticing all the details and just taking it all in.

We also spent time walking through a few neighborhoods beyond the city center, including Old Town, Dean Village, Stockbridge, and Leith. Each area had its own charm and character, which made it fun to explore at a slower pace.

Old Town and Stockbridge ended up being my favorites. Old Town has a more historic, dramatic feel with its narrow streets and layered architecture, while Stockbridge felt quieter and more local, with a relaxed atmosphere that made it easy to slow down and just walk around. It even reminded me a bit of Notting Hill in London, but with a Scottish twist. Both areas have so much to see, just in very different ways.

Looking up at the open-air crown of the National Wallace Monument in Stirling — photo by Joshua Jones

Exploring Beyond Edinburgh

We rented a car and spent a couple of days exploring outside of Edinburgh to see more of Scotland. Along the way, we made several stops to visit castles, ruins, and a few towns, including Linlithgow, Stirling, and St. Andrews. Here are three places that stood out to me.

Falkirk
This had been on my bucket list for a while, ever since I first learned about the stunning horse head sculptures known as the Kelpies. Seeing them in person did not disappoint. I was honestly in awe—the scale alone is impressive, and the level of detail becomes even more striking the closer you get.

Each sculpture stands about 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) tall, and they were inspired by kelpies from Scottish folklore—shape-shifting water spirits often associated with horses. The way they’re designed to reflect light and change appearance depending on the angle made them even more fascinating to see in person.

National Wallace Monument
This was another place I had wanted to see for a long time. Built to honor William Wallace, a Scottish knight and one of the country’s most well-known historical figures who fought for Scotland’s independence, the monument has a medieval, tower-like presence that feels very different from anything we see back home.

At the top, there’s an open-air crown with intersecting stone arches, and the views from up there are incredible—you can see across Stirling, including the castle, the surrounding countryside, and the river winding through the landscape.

St. Andrews
We had both heard about St. Andrews for years and always wanted to visit, so it was exciting to finally see it in person. It’s a beautiful coastal town with a relaxed, charming atmosphere. The ruins of St. Andrews Castle and Cathedral sit right along the cliffs, which makes the setting even more dramatic. It’s also known as a university town—this is where Prince William attended and met Catherine. We really enjoyed our time there and would love to come back and explore more.

First course at Dùthchas in Edinburgh — artichoke, garlic, and chives — photo by Joshua Jones

A Few Restaurants We Really Enjoyed

Since Jeffry and I are foodies, trying different restaurants is always a big part of our trips. We had some great meals in Scotland, but these three stood out the most.

Dùthchas (Edinburgh)
This is a small, intimate restaurant with only a handful of tables, which made the experience feel more personal. We had a six-course dinner, and every dish felt both creative and thoughtfully executed. It’s a modern take on Scottish cuisine, and everything we tried was memorable. The service was also excellent. After dining here, I can see why it’s included in the Michelin Guide—it truly deserves the recognition.

An Darna (Stirling)
Located in the center of Stirling, this restaurant also focuses on modern Scottish dishes. We had a five-course dinner while staying overnight in the city, and it completely exceeded our expectations. Each dish was well-balanced and beautifully presented. It was one of those meals where nothing missed the mark, and it’s definitely a place we would return to.

Baba (Edinburgh)
We went to Baba on our first night since it was right across from our hotel, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. It’s a Mediterranean restaurant, but the dishes felt more creative and elevated than what we’re typically used to. Everything we ordered was full of flavor, and we found ourselves wanting more after each dish. If you enjoy Mediterranean food with a slightly different approach, this is a great spot to try.

Donaldson’s School for the Deaf in Edinburgh, now converted into residential apartments Image credit: AlasdairW, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

A Moment That Stayed With Me

At the end of our trip, we returned to Edinburgh after a few days in London to catch our flight home. With tight timing, we decided to take a taxi straight to the airport.

During the ride, we passed by a beautiful stone building that immediately caught my attention. Our driver mentioned that it used to be a school for the Deaf and has since been converted into apartments. The building, known as Donaldson’s School, dates back to the mid-1800s and served as a school for Deaf children for well over a century before being redeveloped into residential homes.

I was honestly blown away—I had never seen a Deaf school building that looked anything like that before. At first glance, it even reminded me a bit of Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) with its grand, historic presence. I didn’t have a chance to take a photo since we were in a rush, but I found an image so you can see just how striking the building is.

Street view in Edinburgh’s Old Town with Edinburgh Castle in the background — photo by Joshua Jones

Looking Back on Our Time in Scotland

This trip was a special one for us, especially getting to celebrate Jeffry’s 50th birthday along the way. Scotland ended up being everything we hoped for and more, with a mix of beautiful places, memorable experiences, and moments that caught us off guard in the best way.

It’s one of those trips that stays with you even after you’re back home, and I can already see us returning someday to explore even more.