Before moving to Belgium, I jokingly told all my best friends that visiting me was a requirement—unless they got engaged, married, or had a baby then they had a viable excuse. Well, Hannah had a baby while I’ve been here… and she still came to visit, which meant the world to me. I was also incredibly proud of her because I think I’ve always felt like it was important for moms to maintain their independence. That’s not to say it’s easy though, and I’m grateful for her husband, family, and in-laws, who all tag-teamed taking care of Gwen for the week so I could have uninterrupted time with my best friend.

The first two days we spent in Brussels, and I think Hannah left convinced that it’s a sunny city! The weather was absolutely amazing—60s and sunny—and we spent time walking through neighborhoods, thrifting, going to brunch, reading in the park, and talking over each other because we had so many stories and updates to share (even though we text every single day, lol)

Off to Scotland!

On Monday morning at the crack of dawn, we headed to Scotland! We flew into Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-en-burr-oh) and arrived around breakfast time. The airport was super convenient, with both bus and tram options directly to the city center—definitely not always the case when traveling!

We stayed at Wilde Aparthotels Grassmarket, a perfect location tucked just under Edinburgh Castle, on a quiet street only 10–15 minutes from everything the city has to offer. Naturally, our first stop was coffee, so we walked about five minutes to the famous Victoria Street in Old Town, which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although I’ve never seen Harry Potter, this is where J.K. Rowling said she got her inspiration for Diagon Alley. It’s a beautiful, colorful street where we grabbed coffee, later ate a traditional Scottish meal, and did our souvenir shopping.

Continuing through Old Town, we walked the Royal Mile, which connects Edinburgh Castle (to the west) with the Palace of Holyroodhouse (to the east). At one point, my favorite pair of boots broke, and since we wouldn’t be back at the hotel until evening, I had no choice but to buy a new pair. I left my broken ones at a bus stop, hoping they’d find a new home or someone to repair them—hahah.

Exploring the Highlands: Loch Ness, Glencoe & More

You can’t visit Scotland without seeing its stunning landscapes, so the next day we took a day trip to Loch Ness, Glencoe, & the Scottish Highlands. This was a 12.5-hour bus tour (apparently the longest single-day bus trip in Europe!), leaving from the city center early in the morning.

As we drove north through the breathtaking Highlands, we stopped periodically to see Highland cows, sheep, and several famous filming locations (Harry Potter, James Bond, and Outlander were all filmed in Scotland!).

One of the most beautiful stops was at the Three Sisters of Glencoe, a breathtaking mountain ridge shaped over 400 million years ago and further sculpted by glaciers.

Our tour guide shared an interesting fact: Scotland has a population of around 5.5 million, but the sheep population is estimated to be around 7 million this time of year. That means there are more sheep than people in Scotland! We also learned that Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn. It has been a symbol of Scotland for centuries, representing purity, strength, and independence. It even appears on their royal coat of arms. I didn’t realize you could have a fictional animal as a national animal!

We passed by Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. Its name means “mountain in the clouds” which is fitting, since the summit is only visible about 20% of the time. While less famous than Everest, Ben Nevis is one of the UK’s most dangerous mountains, with a growing number of fatalities largely due to unpredictable weather and difficult terrain.

We then made our way to Urquhart Castle in Inverness, a historic medieval fortress on the shores of Loch Ness. This castle saw great conflict during its 500 years as a stronghold, changing hands many times during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

We then took a boat cruise across Loch Ness, enjoying stunning views of the castle and—of course—keeping an eye out for Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. “Loch” is the Gaelic word for lake, which is why bodies of water are called lochs rather than lakes in Scotland (and Ireland). Scotland has over 30,000 freshwater lochs!

While no monster sightings were confirmed, we learned that Loch Ness is Scotland’s most famous loch, largely due to the legend of Nessie. It stretches 22.5 miles and reaches a depth of 745 feet, making it one of the deepest lakes in the UK.

A Perfect Last Day in Scotland

Our last day in Scotland was probably my favorite (even though the entire trip was amazing). We finally had a morning to sleep in, then grabbed coffee and a pastry before heading up Castlehill to Edinburgh Castle.

One of the oldest fortified places in Europe, the castle has served as a royal residence, military garrison, and even a prison of war.

The oldest part, St. Margaret’s Chapel, dates back to the 12th century. We also saw Scotland’s Crown Jewels, which are the oldest Crown Jewels in Britain, made of gold, silver, and precious gems (you can’t take pictures in this portion of the castle).

After exploring the castle, we had a purse-making experience at Islander UK, where we created our own Harris Tweed handbags. Picking out the colors, patterns, and straps was the hardest part! Harris Tweed is unique because it’s the only fabric in the world protected by its own Act of Parliament. By law, it must be handwoven in the Western Isles, using pure virgin wool. I liked hearing about the history and being able to create something with it.

Obviously, we had to have snap some photos outside after the workshop with our new bags!

To end our trip, we had afternoon tea at The Dome in the Georgian Tea Room which is open from 12pm – 5pm daily.​​ Tea has been popular in Scotland since the 18th century. Initially, it was a luxury only for the wealthy, but by the late 19th century, it became a staple of Scottish life. Afternoon tea is generally taken as a late lunch or to bridge the gap between lunch and a late dinner, which is exactly what we did! There are sooo many options, but we felt like The Dome provided a classic afternoon tea experience in a grand setting for a reasonable price.

We would drink coffee, then more coffee, then tea, then more tea—only to look at each other at night and say, “Why can’t we sleep?!” 😂

Final Thoughts

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from Scotland. We booked this trip purely because of an Instagram reel Hannah sent me last April, lol. Hannah and I kept joking that we were going on a blind date with a country. When I told friends/coworkers in Belgium where we were going, most were surprised—it’s not a common holiday destination for them. Since Belgium is always rainy, most people prefer sunny destinations. But we were lucky—Hannah’s entire trip had great weather, and it only rained once in Edinburgh (and briefly!).

The people were very friendly and quirky there, it felt easy and comfortable to get around because everything was in English, and nearly everything was in walking distance.

Regardless of where we spent our time, I knew it would be something to remember. You know when you’ve known someone so long that you can be the truest version of yourself around them? 

I’m so thankful for this time together—the fun activities, exploring a new country, and the quiet moments of simply reading and reminiscing on 24 years of friendship. 💛