U.K. and Ireland - Edinburgh in a day

Hi,

In just over 2 weeks a friend and I will be going to EDI from LCY for a day - arriving 10:15 and leaving 20:00.

I've only been to EDI for a quick meeting (incidentally, on the same day this year and last year) - so I have no idea what to do there.

I've bought tickets on the Airlink 100 bus, and then for the City Sightseeing bus, which takes us around the tourist areas.

However, what do you 'Scottish gods' on FT recommend? Which stops are worth getting off and taking a closer look? The main attractions?

Do you recommend any restaurant for lunch? Nothing too Scottish but nothing too common either! I take it taxis are plentiful in Edinburgh.

Thanks a million!

Edinburgh is perfect for a day trip. Most of the key tourist attractions are within walking distance of each other. The only down side, I suppose, is that there are lots and lots of steps to get to some of them. The bus should take care of this though. :)

Given the amount of time that you have you won't have to be too choosy about which attractions to see, provided you plan on staying in the city. The castle, scotch museum and kilt factory and all very close to each other. The royal mile, and old town are nice as is the cathedral.

Have fun and bring an umbrella.

Hi,

In just over 2 weeks a friend and I will be going to EDI from LCY for a day - arriving 10:15 and leaving 20:00.

I've only been to EDI for a quick meeting (incidentally, on the same day this year and last year) - so I have no idea what to do there.

I've bought tickets on the Airlink 100 bus, and then for the City Sightseeing bus, which takes us around the tourist areas.

However, what do you 'Scottish gods' on FT recommend? Which stops are worth getting off and taking a closer look? The main attractions?

Do you recommend any restaurant for lunch? Nothing too Scottish but nothing too common either! I take it taxis are plentiful in Edinburgh.

Thanks a million! Taxis are plentiful - but expensive.

In that time frame, I would concentrate on the Royal Mile area (which means Wedgwood for lunch - worth booking http://www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk/ now doing a £10 lunch menu).

Holyrood is a must. Scottish Parliament is good as well and the two are easily combined (Abbeyhill stop). Dynamic earth is a short walk away and also worth a visit.

The Museum (Chambers St) has recently been refurbished and greatly improved, but I think the National Gallery is better - but then I like paintings > things so that could be a personal choice. The National Portrait Gallery has also been refurbished and is really well done.

Castle is obviously a big attraction - I find it a lot of money for what it is. Given you'll have to pay to get into Holyrood and also Dynamic Earth (and be encouraged to give donations to the museums) you may decide to prioritise. However, the views across Edinburgh from the Lawnmarket (which are free) are well worth taking a look at. The Royal Mile also has a lot of traditionally Scottish old buildings on it - and the Scandic Crown.

A suggested routing therefore would be get off airport bus, walk to National Gallery. From there, walk onto George St (Princes St is currently closed, buses are diverted along George St) to get your hop on bus up to the Lawnmarket. Admire views, go to castle if you so desire. Walk down to Wedgwood, past St Giles (worth seeing for the Order of the Thistle Chapel, and you can try to remember what the Duke of Montrose did - was he a Covenanter, a Loyalist or a Jacobite? (And you can see the Covenant as well)). Have lunch. Then either bus down, or walk on down to Holyrood and the Parliament (do Dynamic Earth if you have time).

Complete bus tour. If you have time, you can always go around again to hear the commentary on the bits you missed!

That doesn't include the RMS - to fit that in, get the bus from lawnmarket around to Chambers St, and then once done, get the bus from Chambers St around the the Museum of Childhood (which is on the Mile, so lets you get caught up with Wedgwood).

Other lunch options - the Turkish places on St Mary's place, the proper family Italian cafe which does good paninis and coffee 2/3rds of the way down the mile (I can't remember what it's called, but it's near Starbucks).

Tourist traps to avoid - most of the stuff at the top of the Royal Mile (camera obscura/whisky and anything playing bagpipe music on loudspeakers).

Hi,

In just over 2 weeks a friend and I will be going to EDI from LCY for a day - arriving 10:15 and leaving 20:00.

I've only been to EDI for a quick meeting (incidentally, on the same day this year and last year) - so I have no idea what to do there.

I've bought tickets on the Airlink 100 bus, and then for the City Sightseeing bus, which takes us around the tourist areas.

However, what do you 'Scottish gods' on FT recommend? Which stops are worth getting off and taking a closer look? The main attractions?

Do you recommend any restaurant for lunch? Nothing too Scottish but nothing too common either! I take it taxis are plentiful in Edinburgh.

Thanks a million!

The last time I was in Edinburgh I ate at a fantastic restaurant called Amber in the bottom of the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile. Scottish fare, but not "too scottish"! Skip the Disney-esque ride on the main floor though.

As far as what to see, I would start at the Castle at one end of the Royal Mile and work your way to Holyrood House at the other end. You'll catch most of the touristy stuff along the way.

Thanks everyone :)

I'll take a detailed look at all options and I'll be back, possibly with a few questions.

Thank you :)

Just a thought for the uninitiated - what about getting the airport bus in, then straight onto the city sightseeing bus. This would allow you to get your bearings of the city?

Depending on timings, you could either hop off at Wedgewood for lunch (if that's where you decide to eat - sounds good), or complete the tour then walk back to the restaurant.

You could then see some of the museums in the afternoon with a better idea of where they are in relation to the rest of the city.

Remember you can also pick up the airport bus at Haymarket station if you happen to be at the West end of the City at the end of the day.

That was my original plan when buying the bus tickets.

I already booked lunch at Wedgwood for 1pm.

As I said, I'll try to plan out a precise itinerary - would hate to lose time figuring out where to go next!

Tourist traps to avoid - most of the stuff at the top of the Royal Mile (camera obscura/whisky and anything playing bagpipe music on loudspeakers).

LOL! I actually loved the camera obscura. Where else can you see one of these now? The museum was interesting too. Things you don't see every day. Sure, we loved the castles but we'd seen quite a few of these on our tour of Scotland but only one camera obscura!

Deb

That was my original plan when buying the bus tickets.

I already booked lunch at Wedgwood for 1pm.

As I said, I'll try to plan out a precise itinerary - would hate to lose time figuring out where to go next!I'd recommend building in time for miscellaneous distractions, of which there are plenty. The city is enchanting, compact and great for exploring. Don't be put off if you get lost, it adds to the adventure. Just stay clear of buses marked Niddrie.

Does anyone know whether we can use the sightseeing bus on more than one round? Or once all stops are completed tickets are no longer valid?

Thanks :)

Just saw this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-ireland/1175029-edinburgh-guide.html
Off to read that... :o

Does anyone know whether we can use the sightseeing bus on more than one round? Or once all stops are completed tickets are no longer valid?

Thanks :)I believe the ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can hop on hop off as you like.

Check out lothianbuses.com -> bus tours

I believe the ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can hop on hop off as you like.

Check out lothianbuses.com -> bus tours

certainly when we did it a couple of years back, the ticket was valid for 24hrs.

Taxis are plentiful - but expensive.

In that time frame, I would concentrate on the Royal Mile area (which means Wedgwood for lunch - worth booking http://www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk/ now doing a £10 lunch menu).

Holyrood is a must. Scottish Parliament is good as well and the two are easily combined (Abbeyhill stop). Dynamic earth is a short walk away and also worth a visit.

The Museum (Chambers St) has recently been refurbished and greatly improved, but I think the National Gallery is better - but then I like paintings > things so that could be a personal choice. The National Portrait Gallery has also been refurbished and is really well done.

Castle is obviously a big attraction - I find it a lot of money for what it is. Given you'll have to pay to get into Holyrood and also Dynamic Earth (and be encouraged to give donations to the museums) you may decide to prioritise. However, the views across Edinburgh from the Lawnmarket (which are free) are well worth taking a look at. The Royal Mile also has a lot of traditionally Scottish old buildings on it - and the Scandic Crown.

A suggested routing therefore would be get off airport bus, walk to National Gallery. From there, walk onto George St (Princes St is currently closed, buses are diverted along George St) to get your hop on bus up to the Lawnmarket. Admire views, go to castle if you so desire. Walk down to Wedgwood, past St Giles (worth seeing for the Order of the Thistle Chapel, and you can try to remember what the Duke of Montrose did - was he a Covenanter, a Loyalist or a Jacobite? (And you can see the Covenant as well)). Have lunch. Then either bus down, or walk on down to Holyrood and the Parliament (do Dynamic Earth if you have time).

Complete bus tour. If you have time, you can always go around again to hear the commentary on the bits you missed!

That doesn't include the RMS - to fit that in, get the bus from lawnmarket around to Chambers St, and then once done, get the bus from Chambers St around the the Museum of Childhood (which is on the Mile, so lets you get caught up with Wedgwood).

Other lunch options - the Turkish places on St Mary's place, the proper family Italian cafe which does good paninis and coffee 2/3rds of the way down the mile (I can't remember what it's called, but it's near Starbucks).

Tourist traps to avoid - most of the stuff at the top of the Royal Mile (camera obscura/whisky and anything playing bagpipe music on loudspeakers).

Thanks for a quick summary - taking friends up to Edinburgh in August! :D

I'd recommend building in time for miscellaneous distractions, of which there are plenty. The city is enchanting, compact and great for exploring. Don't be put off if you get lost, it adds to the adventure.

This, I live here during term time. Two years in, there's still so many things I still haven't seen and done!

Just stay clear of buses marked Niddrie.

I don't think there are any marked for Niddrie anymore, that would make it too easy ;)

Though, watch out for the ones for Pilton, Muirhouse and Sighthill :D

Out of curiosity, where do those go/what's so 'special' about them? :p

Ever read any Irvine Welsh? ;)

Out of curiosity, where do those go/what's so 'special' about them? :p
Generally to areas which were constructed as large areas of council housing which have become sink areas within Edinburgh. These are not the posh, middle-class, Alexander McCall Smith areas of Edinburgh - these have dog .... covered streets, council build housing, drug taking (and selling) families where the kids all have different fathers, people who are fully acquainted with Social Security's rules and processes. They're the kind of places that estate agents and developers invent names for (North Fettes = Pilton!), in the hopes no-one will realise where the property they are trying to sell actually is.

Muirhouse before they demolished half of it : http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1124971
Pilton - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/16172
Sighthill - before they demolished it - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2610538

Um... Nice...

Tourist traps to avoid - most of the stuff at the top of the Royal Mile (camera obscura/whisky and anything playing bagpipe music on loudspeakers).

To which "whisky" do you refer? The Scottish Whisky Experience is fairly cool, actually -- a beautiful space with a nice selection of current expressions, impressive displays of rare, expensive bottles, and with a surprisingly agreeable cafe and whisky bar downstairs. Royal Mile Whiskies is a solid whisky shop and I wouldn't hesitate to visit them to buy something difficult to find, or just to pick their brains about whiskies.

I joined the free walking tour in Edinburgh and the guide (foreigner) was very knowledgeable and we covered quite a bit of grounds. One of them also conducts a cemetery tour at night (with a fee and a drink) which was not meant to scare but rather informative. It's just pretty much at night, and very factual information was provided (the guide is very fascinated with the lore). Very, very cool tours though.

I did join one of those dress-up night tours, but they did not venture into any cemeteries. Just scare you a bit and tell you a bit of stories, but it was for a spot of fun on an otherwise quiet winter night.

LOL! I actually loved the camera obscura. Where else can you see one of these now? The museum was interesting too. Things you don't see every day. Sure, we loved the castles but we'd seen quite a few of these on our tour of Scotland but only one camera obscura!

Deb

If you plan to visit San Francisco, we have one that is located by the Cliff House. It is on a national registry.:)