I'm in Edinburgh for Grad School and I haven't done a whole bunch of 'touristy' things yet, because I'm waiting for when family and friends come to visit. However, it would be impossible to ignore the Christmas Market that has taken over Princes Street Gardens. It's full of food, drinks, games, and rides. I've already been multiple times. I've sat in the pop-up bars and walked through the rows and rows of stalls. I've purchased a few Christmas gifts, but I can't share those until after the holiday passes for fear of ruining the surprise. If you ever get the chance to visit Scotland during the holiday season I say jump on it.
I'm curious as to how you guys feel about temporary carnival rides? The market has a Ferris wheel, this crazy swing thing that goes like 60 feet into the air (total guess on that height), a mini roller coaster for little kids, carousels, and a wave blaster type ride. Would you go on any of these? I know people who would never go on some of those rides because of how often they're put up and taken down. How could a screw or two not get lost? The market also has games like basketball, ring toss, throw a ball to knock down the cans (What is that called?), etc. Winners get a plush toy.
One thing about the market is that it is a lot of food. There are plenty of stalls to buy gifts, but I would guess that the majority are for food and drinks. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - everything looks and smells amazing. However, it did take a few people by surprise when they first walked through.
For myself, I've purchased a few different snacks. From the Fudge Shop stall, I bought three pieces: salted caramel, nugget, and mint chocolate. And OH MY GOSH they were all amazing. I also had a delicious soft pretzel. It's the perfect place to walk around and grab a snack.
