I live in one of the UK's most beautiful cities but most people visit it at the wrong time

Autumn is a fantastic time to travel as most holiday spots are a lot cheaper now that kids are back at school, but you do not have to travel abroad to find somewhere worthwhile to visit. Edinburgh is often considered a beautiful city, as travel publications such as Travel + Lesiure and Time Out have time and time again named it one of the top places to visit in the world.

However, I have lived in Edinburgh for most of my life and the biggest mistake I see people make is visiting at the wrong time of year, as it is best to travel to the city in autumn. Most visitors come to Edinburgh in the summer thanks to the international festival that takes place in August, but by then it is absolutely packed, and this makes it difficult to see anything without tourists getting in the way. Wintertime can also be busy in Edinburgh thanks to the Christmas market, and Scotland tends to be freezing in spring so it is not enjoyable to walk around unless you are used to the weather.

However, Edinburgh has no big events in autumn so it tends to be a lot less crowded which means you can see any attractions you want without being smothered by other visitors or paying ridiculous prices.

In my opinion, the city also looks absolutely breathtaking at this time of year due to all the tall gothic buildings which stand out against all the colourful leaves falling on the ground.

This week, I decided to take a one-hour walk around Edinburgh to snap some photographs. There is so much to see, proving you can enjoy Scotland's capital without spending any money.

Where should you visit in Edinburgh?

It was a rainy day when I decided to have a walk around, but it was only drizzling. As a local, I am used to this type of weather but make sure to pack a good coat with a hood if you want to visit at this time of year.

I first started my journey on The Royal Mile, which is at the heart of the city where it is easy to find most big attractions as they are only a short walk away. It is a gorgeous place with cobblestone pathways, a massive medieval cathedral and is only a mile away from Edinburgh Castle.

One of my favourite things to do on The Royal Mile in autumn is visit Mary King Close, a historic street underground which goes into grisly detail about the plague and urban legends.

I then walked about five minutes to enter Victoria Street, one of the most iconic places in the city that is known for its colourful buildings and array of interesting shops.

I love visiting Victoria Street but be aware if you are trying to save money as one store sells some of the best cheeses, chutneys and other charcuterie board items you will ever taste.

However, most visitors like Victoria Street because it is believed to have inspired Diagon Alley in J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series. The Elephant House, where Rowling wrote the first book, is also on Victoria Street.

I then kept walking down the hill until I got to The Grassmarket, which is one of my favourite places as Edinburgh castle looms over the area and you can get lots of great photographs.

In autumn, I always make sure to get hot chocolate from Mary's Milk Bar, an iconic dessert shop. I then sit on a bench at The Grassmarket to enjoy the sights.

If you want a one of the best views of the castle, then you can climb the stairs next to Mary's and you will be able to take a spectacular photo.

Once I was done with my hot chocolate, I continued to walk down for roughly 10 minutes until I was at St Cuthbert's Kirkyard, a graveyard often overlooked by tourists that offers stunning views of the castle.

After walking through the graveyard, I was in Princes Street Gardens. I spent a little while walking around the Ross Fountain and enjoying the pretty natural sights as all the leaves were falling from the trees.

I was then on the Princes Street, the main street, and had walked for roughly an hour. I had really enjoyed myself and seen a some of the most beautiful sights the city has to offer.

If you want to spend some time in one of the most atmospheric places in the UK, then I highly recommend Edinburgh, as no matter where I travel I find it the most captivating place to visit.