Shop Till You Drop in Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s a brilliant place to go shopping. Because it’s a capital city, it has every chain you could name and plenty of quirky independent places that you just won’t find anywhere else.
Yet because it’s a small city, you can shop to your heart’s content without having to worry about getting tubes, taxis or busses between your must-visit destinations. So go on, grab the girls, book a hotel within staggering distance of the shops and enjoy a weekend of retail therapy.
Princes Street
This is Edinburgh’s most famous street and one of its main attractions is that you can enjoy views of the castle and the oasis-in-the-city Princes Street Gardens as you shop. Lots of big chains like Top Shop, Debenhams, Next, Urban Outfitters and Marks & Spencer can be found here so it’s a must-go to destination on your list.
George Street
Running parallel to Princes Street (with the narrow pub-filled strip of Rose Street in between), wide, grand Georgian George Street used to be the home of bank headquarters and offices. Nowadays they have all been converted into bars and high-end shops. After the hustle and bustle of Princes Street, this is where you can enjoy a bit more breathing space and gorgeous shops like Anthropologie, Space NK and Whistles.
Multrees Walk
If George Street has given you a taste for the high life, you need to head to Multrees Walk next, even if it’s just for a bit of window shopping. Home to Edinburgh’s branch of Harvey Nichols, it also boasts Mulberry, Michael Kors, Reiss, Louis Vuitton and lovely jewelery brands Pandora and Links of London. After Multrees Walk head into St James Shopping – this centre has many of the high street names you’ll find on Princes Street but it’s also home to Edinburgh’s branch of John Lewis and no shopping expedition is complete without a visit there.
Ocean Terminal
This one involves a bus ride down to the regenerated area of Leith but it’s a great one-stop destination, especially if it’s cold or pouring with rain – both likely scenarios in Edinburgh, even in the summer!. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from too, plus there’s a cinema where you can go and rest those shopping-ravaged feet. Once you are tired from all the shopping, you could go back to the hotel for a relaxing night in and opt for play bingo. The next morning, you should be ready for more!
Off the Beaten Track
Part of Edinburgh’s charm is that if you wander for long enough, you’ll find some hidden gem of a shop that has you wishing you could pack it up in your suitcase and take it home with you. For these upmarket independents, Victoria Street, a hill that meanders down towards the Grassmarket and is packed with colourful shop fronts full of hidden treasures that’ll delight you, is the place to start.
If you’re after a one-off print or a quirky piece of jewelery, you’ll definitely find it here. When you hit the Grassmarket, don’t miss W. Armstrong & Son, the biggest and best vintage clothes shop in the whole of the UK. It’s retro heaven!
Have you been to Edinburgh? What are your favourite places?
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