2 Weeks in the UK @ A Perfect Edinburgh Airbnb & Glasgow Day Trip

After spending a few beautiful days surrounded by lakes, mountains, and endless greenery in the Lake District, it was finally time to continue our road trip towards Scotland.
We left the peaceful countryside behind and started our drive north towards Edinburgh.
This was another long stretch of driving, and unlike some of the previous travel days, we actually didn’t make any sightseeing stops along the way.

Everyone was still feeling relaxed after our time in the Lake District, so we simply enjoyed the journey itself.
As the miles passed by, we chatted, listened to music, snacked in the car, and watched the scenery slowly change outside the windows.
Road trips like this can sometimes be tiring, but they also give you the opportunity to spend quality time together.
Looking back, some of the conversations and laughter shared in the car became just as memorable as the places we visited.
It was also quite exciting knowing that we were crossing into another part of the UK.
After spending so much time exploring England, this felt like the start of a brand-new chapter in our adventure.
Scotland had always been one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting on this trip.
This was actually my second time visiting Scotland, but it felt just as exciting as the first.

What made it even more special was being able to return with my family.

There is something different about revisiting a place you enjoy and sharing it with the people you love.

I was looking forward to showing them the city, its beautiful architecture, and the unique atmosphere that made me fall in love with Edinburgh during my first visit.
For this part of the trip, we decided not to stay right in Edinburgh city centre.

Instead, we booked a house located about 15–20 minutes' drive from the city.

It gave us a little more space, a quieter environment, and better value for a group of seven.
As it turned out, this Airbnb became one of our favourite accommodations of the entire UK road trip.

But before exploring Edinburgh itself, let me first show you where we stayed, because this house definitely deserves its own little introduction.

One thing I really enjoyed during the drive to Edinburgh was the scenery along the way.

As we travelled further north, we passed countless fields filled with cows and sheep.
They were everywhere; grazing peacefully on the green hills, resting under the open sky, and scattered across the countryside like something out of a postcard.

Coming from a city environment, it was such a refreshing sight.

The fields seemed endless, with rolling green landscapes stretching as far as we could see.

Every now and then, I would look out of the car window and spot another group of sheep or cows, and somehow it never got boring.

The drive itself became part of the experience.
Even though we didn't stop, the beautiful countryside views kept us entertained throughout the journey.

It was one of those moments where you simply sit back, enjoy the scenery, and appreciate how different life feels outside the busy cities.

And then came the moment that made the long drive feel worthwhile, spotting the Edinburgh sign along the highway.

It may seem like a simple road sign, but for us, it marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
After hours on the road, seeing the sign brought a sense of excitement and accomplishment.
We had officially arrived in Scotland.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

We arrived and checked into our Airbnb, The Kaimes Garden House, at around 4pm.

The house is located in Corstorphine, a quiet residential area just outside Edinburgh city centre.

After a long day on the road, it was nice to arrive somewhere peaceful and relaxing.

The neighbourhood felt safe, calm, and well-kept, making it a great place to unwind after travelling.

To be honest, I was a little hesitant when booking this Airbnb. It had only recently been listed, and at the time there were no reviews at all.

Normally, I would feel more comfortable booking a place with plenty of reviews, especially when travelling with seven family members.

But then I thought about it from another perspective.

Since it was a newly refurbished house, it also meant that everything inside would be new and unused. Sometimes being one of the first guests can actually be a good thing.

Looking back, I am so glad we took the chance.

The moment we stepped inside, we were pleasantly surprised.

The house was even better than we expected from the photos. Everything felt clean, modern, and thoughtfully designed.

You could tell that a lot of effort had gone into renovating and furnishing the place.

Most importantly, everyone loved it.

After staying in different accommodations throughout the trip, it was nice to see the whole family immediately happy and impressed with the house.

It quickly became one of our favourite stays during the entire UK road trip, and we felt very lucky to have found it.

The house itself is a double-storey home with a total of four bedrooms, which was perfect for our group of seven.

The layout was quite interesting. The master bedroom was located upstairs, while the other three bedrooms were on the ground floor.
This gave everyone plenty of space and privacy throughout our stay.

The master bedroom was especially impressive.
It was much bigger than we expected, featuring a comfortable queen-sized bed, a spacious sitting area with a sofa, and a walk-in wardrobe.
It felt more like a hotel suite than a typical Airbnb bedroom.

What I loved most, however, was the bathroom.

The master bedroom came with a large detached bathroom that was beautifully designed and incredibly spacious. Everything felt clean, modern, and luxurious.

Honestly, it was one of those bathrooms that made you want to stay a little longer after every shower.

The space was so comfortable and relaxing that I never felt like leaving.
After long days of sightseeing and driving, returning to such a nice bathroom felt like a small luxury and quickly became one of my favourite parts of the house.

It was definitely one of the best master bedroom setups we had throughout the entire trip.

The other three bedrooms downstairs were slightly smaller compared to the master bedroom, but they were still a decent size and comfortably fit a queen-sized bed for two people.

With seven of us travelling together, having four separate bedrooms was definitely a big plus.

Everyone had their own space to relax and unwind after a long day of exploring.
And honestly, everyone was very happy with the arrangement.

After so many days of travelling together, having your own room at the end of the day felt like such a luxury.

It gave us a little privacy while still allowing us to spend plenty of time together in the common areas.

For a group of seven, I would say the bedroom arrangement was almost perfect

If I had to point out one thing that wasn’t quite as ideal about the house, it would be the number of bathrooms.

For a big house with four bedrooms and seven people, there were only two bathrooms; one attached to the master bedroom upstairs, and another one downstairs for everyone else to share.

The downstairs bathroom was also noticeably smaller compared to the spacious one in the master bedroom.
Of course, with seven people sharing the house, having another bathroom would have been even more convenient, especially during the busy mornings when everyone was getting ready at the same time.

But honestly, it didn’t really affect our stay. We managed quite well by taking turns and planning our showers, and everyone was pretty easy-going about it.

So although two bathrooms might sound a little limited for seven people, it wasn't a major issue for us at all.

The house had so many other things going for it that this was really just a small point to mention.

My favourite part of the house was definitely the living room, kitchen, and dining area.
The living room was so beautifully designed and aesthetic.

Honestly, it felt like every corner of the room was photo-worthy.

From the furniture to the little decorations and the way everything was arranged, the whole space had such a warm and cosy feel.

But what I loved most was the view from the living room.
There was a beautiful garden outside, and my dad especially enjoyed sitting there every morning, quietly looking out at the garden while having his morning time. It was such a simple routine, but seeing him so relaxed and enjoying the peaceful surroundings made me happy too.

Since we were travelling as a big group, having a proper kitchen was really convenient.
The kitchen was modern, clean, and well arranged, with enough space for us to move around even when a few people were preparing food at the same time.

It was spacious enough for us to prepare meals for all seven of us, which was important because we cooked and had quite a few meals at home during our stay.
We could prepare breakfast, make simple meals, keep our groceries, and enjoy our food without having to eat out for every meal.

It was also nice having everyone helping out with the cooking and meals.

Some mornings were quite simple, while on other days we prepared a proper meal before heading out. With my sister and the two nieces helping with the cooking and grocery shopping, the kitchen became quite a busy little spot during our stay.

One little detail that I really appreciated was that the owner provided a capsule espresso machine, together with plenty of extra coffee capsules.

For a coffee lover like me, this was definitely a nice bonus. Having a fresh coffee in the morning before heading out made the stay even more enjoyable.

The dining area was another part of the house that I really liked because it was facing the garden.

We could sit together, enjoy our meals, and look out at the greenery at the same time.
It made even a simple breakfast or dinner feel a little more relaxing, especially when we were not in a rush to head out.

The dining table naturally became one of the main gathering spots in the house.
It was where everyone came together to chat, eat, laugh, and share what happened during the day.

After a long day of sightseeing, we could sit around the table and talk about where we had been, what we had seen, and what we were planning for the next day.
Sometimes we would simply sit there enjoying our food and chatting about random things.

I really enjoyed these little moments because this was when the house truly felt like our temporary home in Edinburgh.

It wasn't just a place for us to sleep, it was where we spent time together as a family.

After so many days of moving from one place to another, having such a comfortable and beautiful home base was honestly a blessing.

Looking back, I’m really glad we took the chance and booked this place even though it had no reviews when we first found it.

Sometimes you just have to trust your choice, and this one turned out to be a really good decision.

The house was spacious, beautifully furnished, peaceful, and comfortable enough for all seven of us. More importantly, everyone was happy here, and that made the stay even more special.

Beautiful interiors, a peaceful garden, plenty of space, good coffee, and a happy family — really, I couldn’t ask for more.

It was definitely one of the accommodation highlights of our entire UK road trip.

Glasgow: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

The next morning, we started our day quite early and drove from our Airbnb in Corstorphine to Glasgow for a day trip.

The drive was around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, so it was actually quite manageable. Since we were driving, we didn’t have to worry too much about train schedules or carrying everyone around.

We simply got into the car and headed towards Glasgow.

This time, we also had a little something to look forward to because I was going to meet a friend there. My friend kindly offered to bring us around Glasgow for the day, which made the visit even more enjoyable.
It’s always nice to explore a city with someone who knows the area and can show you places beyond the usual tourist spots.
Our first stop was Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, while we waited for my friend to join us.

The building itself was already impressive from the outside.
It is a grand Victorian red-sandstone building surrounded by greenery and Kelvingrove Park, so even before stepping inside, there was plenty to look at.
The museum first opened in 1901 and today has 22 galleries covering everything from art and animals to Ancient Egypt, Scottish history and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Best of all, admission is free.

Since the entrance was free and we had some time to spare while waiting for our friend, we thought, why not go in and have a look around?

The interior was just as impressive as the exterior.

The huge central hall, beautiful architecture and the variety of exhibits made it an interesting place to wander around, even though we weren't planning to spend the whole day here.

It was actually a pretty good way to start our Glasgow day, a little bit of art, history, beautiful architecture, and a chance to explore somewhere new while waiting for our local guide to arrive.

It was actually my second time visiting Kelvingrove, but there was one thing I remembered very clearly from my first visit, Sophie Ryder’s Floating Heads.

These huge heads hanging from the ceiling are such a striking sight.

They are playful, unusual, and a little surreal, and somehow they really stayed in my memory after my first visit.

I remember being so fascinated by them that when I came back this time, I immediately wanted to see them again.

It’s funny how you may not remember every artwork in a museum, but one particular piece can stay in your mind for years.
For me, Floating Heads is definitely that artwork.

Seeing them again on my second visit brought back the memories from my first trip and made the museum feel a little familiar.

Definitely one of those artworks that you have to see in person to appreciate just how impressive they are.

Kelvingrove is actually a very big museum, with 22 themed galleries and around 8,000 objects in its collection, so there is definitely a lot more to see beyond the few exhibits I managed to capture.

The collections are incredibly varied.
You can find European paintings, including works by famous artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt and Dalí, as well as Scottish art and the works of the Glasgow Boys and Scottish Colourists.
But it isn't just an art museum.

There are also galleries featuring natural history, dinosaurs, ancient Egypt, Scottish history and archaeology, arms and armour, world cultures and design.

There is even a Spitfire aircraft and the famous taxidermied elephant, Sir Roger.

One of the things I like about Kelvingrove is that you can walk from one gallery to another and suddenly find yourself looking at something completely different.

One moment you're admiring a beautiful painting, and the next you're looking at ancient artefacts, animals or historical objects.
Even though this was my second visit, I still didn't manage to see everything.

The museum is the kind of place where you could easily spend several hours if you really wanted to explore all 22 galleries properly.
And the best part? General admission is free, so you can simply walk in, explore at your own pace, and leave whenever you're ready.

Lunch: Cottonrake Bakery

After spending one morning at Kelvingrove, we finally met up with my friend at Cottonrake Bakery for brunch.
And this was probably one of the most special parts of our Glasgow day.

It had been almost 10 years since we last met, so seeing each other again after such a long time felt a little surreal.

So many years had passed, yet once we started talking, it somehow felt like we had just met not too long ago.
I honestly felt very blessed that our paths crossed again, and this time, in Glasgow.

Being able to meet an old friend while travelling with my family made the trip even more meaningful.

It wasn't just a day of sightseeing anymore, it became a little reunion that I will definitely remember.

As for brunch, Cottonrake was such a lovely place to catch up over good food.
We ordered a few things to share, which was perfect for our group because everyone could try a little bit of everything.

The pastries and baked goods looked so tempting, and everything felt fresh and comforting.
We took our time over brunch, chatting, catching up on life, and of course, sharing plenty of stories from the years we hadn't seen each other.

Honestly, the food was good, but the company made the meal even better.

After almost 10 years apart, sitting around the table together in Glasgow, eating, talking and laughing again was a moment I really treasured.

Sometimes, travelling brings you more than beautiful places, it also gives you the chance to reconnect with people who were once an important part of your life.

Glasgow: University of Glasgow

After lunch, we continued our Glasgow day trip with a visit to the University of Glasgow, one of the places my friend highly recommended.

As she told us, Scotland has plenty of places associated with the Harry Potter atmosphere, and the University of Glasgow is one of those places where you can easily imagine yourself wandering around like Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Once we arrived, I could understand why she suggested it.

The university was established in 1451, making it one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world.

The architecture itself is already impressive, with its grand Gothic buildings, stone walls, arches and beautiful details that make the entire campus feel almost like something out of a movie.

One of the most photographed spots is the University of Glasgow Gilmorehill campus, particularly the famous Glasgow University Cloisters.

This was definitely the area I was most excited to see.

The Cloisters are a series of beautiful Gothic arches connecting the different parts of the university. Walking underneath them, with the tall stone columns and dramatic architecture surrounding us, really gave us that magical, old-school university feeling.

I can totally understand why people love taking photos here.
Almost every angle looks good, especially when you stand in the middle of the Cloisters and look down the long rows of arches.
It has such a grand and atmospheric feel.

Even though we were simply visiting as tourists, walking around the university grounds made us feel like we had stepped into another era for a little while.
And with my friend showing us around, it was even more enjoyable because we got to hear little stories and facts about the place along the way.

Glasgow Downtown City Walk

After visiting the University of Glasgow, we continued our day with a walk around downtown Glasgow.

Since this was my first proper time exploring the city, I was quite surprised by how beautiful the architecture was.
Glasgow has a very distinctive character, with grand Victorian buildings, detailed stone facades, tall windows, arches, and impressive old structures lining the streets.

Walking around the city was actually quite enjoyable.
Instead of rushing from one attraction to another, we simply wandered through the streets, taking our time to look at the buildings and soak in the atmosphere.

I especially loved how the old architecture blends into the modern city.
You can walk along a busy shopping street and suddenly find yourself standing in front of a beautiful historic building.
There is something interesting to see almost everywhere you look, from the grand facades to the little architectural details that you might easily miss if you were rushing.

The city also felt lively without being overwhelming.
There were people walking around, shops and cafés along the streets, and plenty of activity happening around us, but we could still take a leisurely walk and enjoy the surroundings.

Of course, no city walk is complete without a little shopping!

One of the places we stopped by was Primark, and let's just say this was where we spent quite a bit of time.
Since we were already in Glasgow, we couldn't resist having a look inside, and once we started browsing, it was hard to leave empty-handed.

Primark is always one of those places where you think, “I'll just have a quick look,” and somehow end up carrying a bag full of things.
There were clothes, accessories, homeware, shoes, and plenty of little items that were reasonably priced and hard to resist.

Dinner: Ardnamurchan

For dinner, my friend brought us to Ardnamurchan Restaurant, a Scottish restaurant in the city centre.

After a full day of walking, sightseeing and shopping, we were definitely ready for a proper meal.

Since there were nine of us, we ordered quite a lot of dishes to share.

This was actually the perfect way to try Scottish food because we could order different dishes instead of everyone having to stick to just one.
My friend also helped us pick some must-try Scottish dishes, which made the dinner feel a little more like a proper introduction to Scottish cuisine.

We tried haggis, probably the most famous Scottish dish, usually served with neeps and tatties.
I was actually quite curious to try it because I had heard so much about it.
The flavour was savoury and slightly peppery, with a rich and hearty taste. It was definitely different from what I normally eat, but surprisingly enjoyable.

We also had Cullen skink, a traditional Scottish soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. It was creamy, warm and comforting, and probably one of the easier Scottish dishes to love.

We also tried black pudding, another traditional British and Scottish breakfast staple made with blood, fat and oatmeal. It has a firm, slightly crumbly texture and a rich, savoury flavour. It might sound a little intimidating if you've never tried it before, but I was glad we gave it a try.

Another dish my friend recommended was Cullen skink, a traditional Scottish soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. It was creamy, warm and comforting, and probably one of the easier Scottish dishes to love.

I really enjoyed having my friend choose the food for us because she knew exactly what we should try. It made the dinner more interesting than simply ordering whatever looked familiar on the menu.

And with seven hungry people after a full day in Glasgow, the table was soon filled with food.
We ate, chatted, caught up even more, and laughed about the day's adventures.
It was such a lovely way to end our Glasgow day; good Scottish food, good conversation, and most importantly, good company after almost 10 years of not seeing each other.

And just like that, our Glasgow day trip came to an end.

After dinner, we headed back to Edinburgh together with my friend.

It had been such a full and enjoyable day; from exploring Kelvingrove and the University of Glasgow, wandering around the city, doing a little shopping, to ending the day with a proper Scottish dinner.

What made Glasgow even more special was having my friend with us.
After almost 10 years without seeing each other, being able to catch up, explore the city together, and share a meal made this visit much more meaningful. I’m really grateful that our UK road trip gave us the chance to reconnect again.

By the time we got back to our Airbnb, everyone was tired but happy.

We still had three more exciting days ahead of us, and this time, it was finally time to properly explore Edinburgh.

I had been to Edinburgh before, but I was especially excited this time because I got to experience it together with my family.
And with my friend joining us, I knew the next few days were going to be even more fun.

After a good night's rest, we were ready for another few days of walking, exploring, taking lots of photos, and discovering more of the beautiful Scottish capital.
Next stop: Edinburgh. Stay tuned for the next part of our UK road trip!