A door into Scotland: everyday cultural secrets that will illuminate your next holiday to Edinburgh

Can I drink tap water in Edinburgh? Yes you can drink the tap water in all of the UK. The water in Scotland and specifically Edinburgh has a great taste. This is because the water comes directly from the pentland hills and other highland fresh water supplies. So don’t waste your money on plastic bottles at the supermarket and don’t use unnecessary plastic. How is Edinburgh pronounced? Phonetically, Edinburgh is pronounced ed-in-bruh. To other English speakers you might be tempted to pronounce the 'gh' at the end like you would Pittsburgh, however, this 'gh' is silent. To non English speakers don’t be tempted to imitate the native Scots, because you’ll end up rolling your r’s so much it will sound like Edinboro. What to wear in Edinburgh? This depends a lot on what season you go, however, the first thing you should pack is a rain jacket and an umbrella. Most of you know that this is a very wet region and rain showers can appear at any moment. So it's good to be prepared. Summer: bring warm weather clothes, if your touring the city you might be more comfortable in long pants and a short sleeved top. Autumn: an acceptable everyday outfit would be pants, sweater and a light jacket. Early autumn is quite mild so packing layers is a good idea. The late autumn months tend to get colder, wetter and rainier so pack warmer jackets and scarfs or hats. Winter: pack a warm/winter jacket plus accessories (hats, gloves, scarves) shoes that can handle wet and a couple of those fluffy woolly sweaters. Snow is not a huge possibility in Edinburgh but it does get below freezing and it will definitely rain. Spring: is a beautiful time, the sun comes out more and more so bring you shades. You might be able to pull off wearing long pants and a t-shirt some days but it’s good to pack long sleeves and light jackets in case the temperature turns. •Note that people originally from warm climates tend to think the weather in Edinburgh is colder so pack some extra layers.• Are Edinburgh shops open on Sunday? This is a hard one, the larger shops and the big brands are usually open however, they have shorter hours on Sundays, usually 11-5. The souvenir shops on the Royal Mile are open till later but a lot of small privately owned shops and cafes might be closed. Pubs and restaurants will be open but keep in mind that Scots eat early dinners so if you are looking for a late meal you will need to go to the more touristy places. In our opinion, you should not save your shopping expedition for Sunday when you visit. It’s also worth noting that most shopping closes at 5.30-6 in Edinburgh. Are Edinburgh buses contactless? Yes they are and so are the trams and trains. Card and contactless purchases are possible in bigger stores, but American Express is not as commonly accepted. Cash is a good thing to have when visiting Scotland. There are a lot of places who only take cash so we would recommend to have an amount on you in case.

Can I drink tap water in Edinburgh?

Yes you can drink the tap water in all of the UK. The water in Scotland and specifically Edinburgh has a great taste. This is because the water comes directly from the pentland hills and other highland fresh water supplies.

So don’t waste your money on plastic bottles at the supermarket and don’t use unnecessary plastic.

How is Edinburgh pronounced?

Phonetically, Edinburgh is pronounced ed-in-bruh. To other English speakers you might be tempted to pronounce the 'gh' at the end like you would Pittsburgh, however, this 'gh' is silent. To non English speakers don’t be tempted to imitate the native Scots, because you’ll end up rolling your r’s so much it will sound like Edinboro.

What to wear in Edinburgh?

This depends a lot on what season you go, however, the first thing you should pack is a rain jacket and an umbrella. Most of you know that this is a very wet region and rain showers can appear at any moment. So it's good to be prepared.

Summer: bring warm weather clothes, if your touring the city you might be more comfortable in long pants and a short sleeved top.

Autumn: an acceptable everyday outfit would be pants, sweater and a light jacket. Early autumn is quite mild so packing layers is a good idea. The late autumn months tend to get colder, wetter and rainier so pack warmer jackets and scarfs or hats.

Winter: pack a warm/winter jacket plus accessories (hats, gloves, scarves) shoes that can handle wet and a couple of those fluffy woolly sweaters. Snow is not a huge possibility in Edinburgh but it does get below freezing and it will definitely rain.

Spring: is a beautiful time, the sun comes out more and more so bring you shades. You might be able to pull off wearing long pants and a t-shirt some days but it’s good to pack long sleeves and light jackets in case the temperature turns.

•Note that people originally from warm climates tend to think the weather in Edinburgh is colder so pack some extra layers.•

Are Edinburgh shops open on Sunday?

This is a hard one, the larger shops and the big brands are usually open however, they have shorter hours on Sundays, usually 11-5. The souvenir shops on the Royal Mile are open till later but a lot of small privately owned shops and cafes might be closed. Pubs and restaurants will be open but keep in mind that Scots eat early dinners so if you are looking for a late meal you will need to go to the more touristy places.

In our opinion, you should not save your shopping expedition for Sunday when you visit. It’s also worth noting that most shopping closes at 5.30-6 in Edinburgh.

Are Edinburgh buses contactless?

Yes they are and so are the trams and trains. Card and contactless purchases are possible in bigger stores, but American Express is not as commonly accepted. Cash is a good thing to have when visiting Scotland. There are a lot of places who only take cash so we would recommend to have an amount on you in case.