Mere days after we returned from Germany, we traveled to Edinburgh again for Tim’s work. This time though, I brought a friend and it made exploring the city even more sweet. We ventured to some new places together and I also shred my favorites with her. But the best part was, we got to see Edinburgh in it’s sparkly, magical Christmas decor together.

Where Wiesbaden’s Christmas market was winding and sprawling through the town’s center, Edinburgh’s market stalls lined up in straight rows like soldiers marching up the hill to the castle. Laid out on three distinct levels, the market design did was Edinburgh architects to best and made the use of Edinburgh’s hilly landscape, adding temporary sidewalks to flatten out areas to walk and even each level for easy access both on foot and in wheelchairs or strollers.

The market’s top level bustled with enormous fair rides that seemed to rise as high as the nearby Scot Monument, game booths and food stalls wafting their delicious aromas through the street. While enticing as the food was, the areas was too busy for me so I bought a gluehwein from the first stall on the corner and headed town to the still busy but less chaotic second level. In case you’re wondering, the gluehwein was delicious here too, but not as amazing as it was served in a disposable styrofoam cup instead of an awesome souvenir mug.

Down on the second level (if you’re counting from the top) stalls boasting many types of wares from jewelry to wooden brain teaser puzzles to kids plushies intermingled with even more gluehwein and mulled cider stalls. Each one different from the next. I felt like a lot of the items for sale were quite a bit pricier than their equivalents in Germany and the reason for this is probably twofold. 1 – Edinburgh is a much larger city with more of a tourist population (or at least I think… correct me if I’m wrong Weisbadiens), and 2 – For my constant converting to USD brain, GBP is more expensive than the Euro anyway. Nevertheless, we found some cute small presents for family and friends but I shan’t discuss them now so as to not spoil any surprises coming their way.

Further down the hill another level of shops awaited to dazzle us with their wares, each different from the other. At the bottom of the hill, deep into the Princes’ Street Gardens lie what looked to be the children’s area of the Christmas market. Father Christmas resided down there along with a Christmas tree maze, and some children’s games and rides. While we didn’t venture towards the bottom as we were sans kiddies, we did appreciate the view of the lit up Christmas tree maze from a level up and I thought what a lovely idea the maze was. I’ve never heard of a Christmas tree maze before!

Overall, I was quite pleased with the Edinburgh market, but maybe not as enthralled as I was in Germany. There was simply a magic to the market in Germany that called me back to it day after day. And while Kelsey and I did return to the market for a quick stroll the next day after out adventure in the Edinburg Dungeon, I didn’t feel compelled to wander through any longer than it took us to buy a couple small presents and take our leave. Edinburgh did a great job cultivating their Christmas market, and it was beautiful and interesting, but maybe just note quite as magical as Germany. But I guess that’s to be expected when it comes to Christmas, isn’t it?