Edinburgh (Scotland)

Advantages: So Much to See and Do. Something for everyone.
Disadvantages: It took me six months to write about it! Not a cheap family destination.

...from our actual experiences of Edinburgh itself. It is all too easy to become carried away in great company and to see the gloss rather than the reality of the place that you have come to see. Without naming names, I dedicate this review to the pair of them, for aiding my wife and I with our most enjoyable excursion of 2006. RICHADA’S PREVIOUS EDINBURGH EXPERIENCES In all honesty, had it not been for my Polish wife, Adrianna, wishing to see Edinburgh, ...
...ones. I have visited Edinburgh on two previous occasions, back in the 1990’s – again as a day tripper. Both times - firstly in July, then in October - the weather had been grey and cold, leaving me with a rather grim impression of this being a grey city under an even more grey sky. On the first occasion I parked the car for a day in a multi-storey car park, walked my feet off around this very hilly city and then could not find it again. No, not ... Read review

Advantages: It's beautiful. It has a castle! It's very centralised
Disadvantages: The weather (occasionally) and can be expensive

...could ever cover everything about Edinburgh (I could easily do 10,000 words, but I’ll take words off for good behaviour!), so I don’t mind missing some stuff out. This is very much a personal guide to this wonderful, cosmopolitan city of culture and commerce. A is for - ARTHUR’S SEAT. You have to visit here for one reason - THAT view! Arthur’s Seat is an extinct volcano and it’s distinctive shape can be seen from many ...
...C is for CASTLES Edinburgh Castle is rightly famous - it just looks so impressive! I mean, there you are on Princes Street, right in the middle of town, shops on one side, castle looming over you on the other! I haven’t been there for years but my wife, Anne, took the kids there in May and found it very interesting. Joshua (6) and Nathan (31/2) were suitably entertained for several hours! It cost £7.50 for adults and £2 for kids (under five’s ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful and Historical City
Disadvantages: COLD and WINDY (even in Summer)

...title, which is well deserved. Edinburgh is indeed an exceptionally beautiful city, situated at the mouth of the “Firth of Forth”, its city centre dominated by the huge, old Castle, sitting on the Castle Rock, and permanently looking out over the town and its inhabitants like an eternal sentry. Then there is “Arthur’s Seat”, the extinct volcano, situated right in the middle of Holyrood park, and dominating even Holyrood ...
...~ The main street of Edinburgh is Princes Street. About a mile in length, it is also the main shopping thoroughfare, and all tastes are catered for, from small souvenir shops to large department stores. Princes Street is a gem of a street in which to shop or walk, as it has shops and buildings on one side of the street only. In recent years, traffic is only allowed access down one side of the street, and this has the effect of making the environment ... Read review

Advantages: Great atmosphere, shops, bars, restaurants
Disadvantages: Visitors often overlook it

The population of Edinburgh swells this time of year as the multitudes descend upon the city to enjoy the wealth of art, music and theatre on offer. Sadly, a great many people never manage to get past George Street in their travels, thus missing out on one of the best neighborhoods in town. I have lived in Stockbridge for over three years, and my affection for the place increases every day. If you're in Edinburgh for any length of time, whether ...
...The Floatarium- Another Edinburgh institution. You can stock up on crystals and potions while booking an appointment for a aromatherapy massage, range of beauty treatments, or a "float"- suspended animation in a special tank for total chill-out. Highly recommended- the staff are nice and you'll feel great afterwards. PUBS Although there are a few places which deserve mention, there's one place which I know and love above all others. The Baillie ... Read review

Advantages: Cosmopolitan atmosphere, loads of culture, loads of pubs.
Disadvantages: Not a lot of big live music venues, Prince's Street's layout can be annoying if you're in a hurry.

...sure where to begin. Edinburgh is a beautiful city, so much so that if you're a resident you kinda take it for granted. Edinburgh is a city of layers, one that, as it's expanded, has carefully preserved the past alongside the present. The town itself boasts three universities, and several art galleries and theatres. This helps create a fairly cosmopolitan atmosphere, with people from all over the world coming not just to visit, but to study, and ...
...leave. The only downside to Edinburgh is that Princes Street lines all the shops side by side. This means you quite often have to walk from one end to another and back again to browse before shopping. Glasgow is possibly better designed for someone just interested in shopping. Heading down the Royal mile, there are a myriad of small shops selling gifts and goods. Whilst the occasional shop is guilty of selling "tartan tat", there are a lot of good ... Read review

Advantages: Lots to do,great for tourits, shopping, eating out.
Disadvantages: Gets very busy in Summer months, weather can be dreadful

...this day we still try to make it happen around three times a year. I look forward to these outings very much and I don't think I'll ever grow out of them. ** Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and is the second largest City in Scotland. Edinburgh is situated in the South-East of Scotland, and lies along the Firth Of Forth. Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since 1437. Edinburgh is not only home to the Scottish Parliament, but also to 448,624 people. Edinburgh is also extremely popular with tourists, and every year thousands among thousands of tourists come to visit the city. Edinburgh is famous for many things, including the Edinburgh Festival which comes ever year in the Summer. Another thing Edinburgh is most obviously famous for is its Castle which is the base of many tourists journeys. EDINBURGH FESTIVAL... Read review

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Advantages: Convenient location...for me
Disadvantages: Lack of destinations

...If you're flying anywhere from Scotland, the chances are that you'll have to use Glasgow or Prestwick Airport - the latter particularly when using Ryanair. This can be a pain if you live in the East of the country as I do. It's particularly galling when planes are constantly flying directly overhead to and from EDINBURGH AIRPORT which is only 6-7 miles from my house. So, when I saw an offer from flyglobespan.com, a new low-cost operator, for scheduled flights to Barcelona for less than £100 return, I booked up quicker than a greyhound passing a Korean restaurant. • THE PAST • The present Edinburgh Airport was opened by Queen Elizabeth I/II, in 1977. The airfield that was to become Edinburgh Airport was the site of a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome. In 1915, the aerodrome was placed adjacent to the main East Coast railway... Read review

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Advantages: A world famous landmark & you learn about Scottish history
Disadvantages: Expensive & not that much to see once inside

...'s castle in the last century. * The Castle is Edinburgh's, and Scotland's, most visited historical building with more than 1 million visitors a year. To put this in perspective Edinburgh Castle is the second most visited historical monument in the United Kingdom, the Tower of London being in first place. Dominating Edinburgh's skyline the Castle rises above the city perched on top of an extinct volcano. Finding the castle is unlikely to be a problem thanks to it's high visibility but, for the record, it is situated in Edinburgh's Old Town (the city is effectively divided in two by an old loch which has been drained to form gardens, to the north is the New Town which was built in the 18th Century so not so new, and to the south the Old Town which was the original settlement area). The castle stands at the eastern end of the Royal Mile... Read review

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