Over the past few years, the concept of ‘slow travel’ has gained popularity and it’s not difficult to see why. Overtourism isn’t a new phenomenon. During the Georgian era, Sir Walter Scott’s poetry caused the Trossachs to be one of the most popular tourist sites in Europe, with more than 500 carriages visiting Loch Katrine in the summer of 1810. With the introduction of the internet, social media, and ease of travel, overtourism has become commonplace and can be an issue in Edinburgh. Popular sites have become overrun with tourists, many only spending as long as it takes to get ‘the’ shot, then it’s on to the next sight without a pause to appreciate or understand what they’ve seen. The slow travel mindset attempts to combat this by encouraging visitors to appreciate the journey, not just the destination; travel at your own pace; get off the beaten track; and allow yourself enough time in each location to soak up your environment. It is easy to get caught up with a long checklist of places to visit, then return home, feeling physically and mentally exhausted, having only had a brief glimpse of each location. This blog post aims to give you inspiration for slow travelling in Edinburgh and although it can be used as a seven-day itinerary, I would encourage you to avoid strict schedules and take a few days in an area if you feel there’s still more you want to explore.