EDINBURGH | Ten things to do on a budget

An annual tradition of mine is to book the cheapest flight to go on a city trip in January. A new city every year. This January I went to the beautiful capital of Scotland: Edinburgh.

The reason I chose to go to Edinburgh was mostly based on the price of my flight, a mere 30 euros. Since I am still a student and am obliged to pay my tuition every now and then, I am trying to make these trips as affordable as I possibly can. Therefore, I have put together a list of ten free Edinburgh activities for the students and fellow cheapskates among us.

• Harry Potter tour
  On https://freeharrypottertour.com you can book a walking tour along the most iconic sites of Edinburgh that were used by J.K. Rowling to base some of the beloved sites in the Harry Potter books on. These tours take place every day starting at the Royal Mile. In 1.5 hours the guide will take you to places such as the shop that was the inspiration for Ollivander's on Victoria Street, as well as Hogwarts and Greyfriars Kirkyard, the cemetery Rowling walked in search of names for her characters. Afterwards, you can catch your breath and enjoy a lovely cup of coffee at The Elephant House where Rowling wrote a significant amount of the books.                                    Please note: the tour is free, but the guides do expect you to tip them once the tour is over. Keep this in mind!

• Museums
  The United Kingdom is known for having free museums and Edinburgh is no exception to this rule. The National Museum of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery, the Museum of Childhood and, for the booklovers among us, the Writers' Museum are just a few of the wonderful museums Edinburgh has to offer.

• The Royal Mile
  When you are done browsing the beautiful art collections and historical artefacts in and around Edinburgh, you can take a nice refreshing walk down the Royal Mile. The High Street is dotted with restaurants, cute little souvenir shops and street performers. With the Edinburgh Castle on one side and the Palace of Holyroodhouse on the other, the Mile provides for a walk that must be done at least once.

• St. Giles' Cathedral
  When walking the Royal Mile, you will also encounter St. Giles' Cathedral. Also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, the cathedral has been a part of the city's skyline for 900 years. It truly is an impressive sight to walk by and it is certainly worth your time to go in and explore.

• Princes Street Gardens
  Between Edinburgh's Old and New Town in the former Nor Loch you can find the Princes' Street Gardens. A leisurely stroll through these beautiful gardens is a perfectly good way to spend your mornings or afternoons. For those of you visiting in the winter season: the park is transformed into a Winter Wonderland, so you can spend your day ice skating and riding a ferris wheel as much as you like!

• Arthur's Seat
  Arthur's Seat is an extinct volcano of approximately 250 meter high situated in Holyrood Park. A walk up the hill takes about two hours and provides you with amazing panoramic views of the city. There are several routes to choose from when hiking up the hill, depending on the difficulty you prefer. But whichever route you take, the view of Edinburgh will be the same: a spectacular one.

• Calton Hill
  If you suffer from vertigo or you simply do not have enough time to climb Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill is another great option. Situated at the east of Princes street and around 100 meters high, this hill will also offer beautiful views over the Scottish capital, whilst the hike is slightly shorter.

• Royal Botanic Garden
  The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is among the world's leading botanic gardens, according to their website. The gardens consist of 70 acres of flora and fauna and offer yet another beautiful view of the city's skyline.

• Dean Village
  If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, a ten minute walk down Princes Street will lead you to the picturesque Dean Village. This former separate village is now a part of the Scottish capital and is situated alongside the Leith River. The area is mostly residential, so there are but a few restaurants and shops nearby, but no worries: the Village offers great picnic spots! Also very good for aesthetically pleasing Instagram pictures, of course.

• Film locations
  Edinburgh has been the set for many a film. Think of films such as One Day, The Da Vinci Code and the Outlander series. Take a wander about and explore!

Click here for a map of film locations in Edinburgh: