Edinburgh is the perfect place to visit with teens in tow

Like many other cities, Edinburgh has a fascinating history, beautiful architecture, plenty of museums, great restaurants and bars. Yet it also has a genuine charm that makes visitors of all ages – as we soon realised - fall in love with the city.

For our weekend, we chose to stay at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte hotel given its excellent location, right next door to Edinburgh’s main Waverley station in the heart of the city. The hotel first opened in 1902 and was originally called The North British Station Hotel. At the time, the hotel’s iconic clock was set three minutes fast so that people would not miss their trains and this is still the case today (apart from Hogmanay).

With 187 rooms (classic, executive rooms and 20 suites, five of which are Forte suites), families of all sizes are catered for. We opted for a suite which was elegantly designed in a modern-classic style, spacious, the beds were extremely comfortable. The bathroom was equally chic with grey and white marble throughout and the fluffiest of towels, dressing gowns and cushioned slippers.

On the lower ground level is a spa area that includes a gym, pool, steam room and sauna and private rooms for spa treatments.

Breakfast each day took place at Brasserie Prince (which also serves lunch and dinner). Hands down, we all agreed this was the best hotel breakfast we have enjoyed anywhere in the world. Its buffet was extensive with its mix of fruits, pastries and yoghurts and the à la carte menu had plenty of delicious options including a full Scottish breakfast, Belhaven Smokehouse smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and Eggs Florentine – all cooked to

perfection.

The Balmoral hotel is also known for its award-winning Afternoon Tea served under a sparkling glass dome in its historic Palm Court. A choice of champagnes and 88 teas as well as flavoured coffees are on offer and poured tableside (my teens loved the Jasmine Silver Tip tea and also the Butterscotch latte). Arrive hungry as the menu is plentiful and includes amuse bouche, savouries and finger sandwiches, scones and pastries which we devoured.

Edinburgh is the cultural heart of Scotland with its famous international festivals, world-famous art collections and free museums. We decided it would be a good idea to explore the city with Local Eyes Tours (www.localeyestours.co.uk) a wonderful company with highly experienced guides who are all local. We opted for the Hidden Treasures Tour and took in parts of the Edinburgh not often visited by tourists including the pretty Dean Village, lesser-known parts of the New Town, Water of Leith and Stockbridge. It was excellent and fascinating to learn about Edinburgh’s rich history, take in views of the city from Carlton Hill, and walk down lots of picturesque cobbled streets including Circus Lane in Stocksbridge.

Edinburgh Castle, standing on Castle Rock, dominates the city’s skyline and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. While it can be admired and photographed from the outside, we organised tickets in advance and explored inside, seeing historic pieces such The Stone of Destiny which will be used in the forthcoming Coronation of King Charles, The Honours of Scotland, the oldest Crown jewels in Britain, the Castle’s Dog Cemetery which has been used since Queen Victoria’s reign as a burial place for regimental mascots and officers’ dogs, and the Royal Apartments.

Another great experience involved all of us going under Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile as part The Real Mary King Close’s one hour tour (www.realmarykingsclose.com) Exploring the underground streets of Edinburgh and a warren of uniquely preserved 17th century buildings, we were able to wander through a labyrinth of Old Town alleyways and discover stories of the people who lived, worked, and died there, led by an entertaining, in-

character tour guide.

Edinburgh’s food and drink scene has really ramped up in the last few years according to locals. Centrally located on St Andrew Square, Dishoom Edinburgh (www.dishoom.com/edinburgh) is one of the city’s top rated Indian restaurants, with a curated menu of Bombay comfort food dishes and creative drinks including a Bolly Bellini and Kokum Milk Punch. Excellent food matched with excellent service makes this a go to after a

full day of sightseeing.

The Southeast Asian restaurant Ka Pao (www.ka-pao.com/edinburgh), located in St James Quarter, delivers some seriously tasty dishes.

Edinburgh boasts four Michelin star restaurants, two of them are located in the trendy Shore area of Leith which is becoming a real hot spot for foodies. On our final afternoon, we paid a visit to Heron (www.heron.scot) a relaxed fine dining restaurant.

Jumping on the bus back to the hotel, it was time for home and we were running late as usual, we picked up out bags and rushed for our train back home, sad to say goodbye to the city that has instantly charmed us but secretly smiling as we knew we were three minutes early…….

VisitScotland.com

The Balmoral Edinburgh – rooms start from £180 in low season, based on a double occupancy with breakfast and taxes included/www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/

www.localeyestours.co.uk Tours start from £15 per person