Edinburgh
 

Will be in Edinburgh for 2 days in May. What are must sees and what would be a waste of our time? <BR>Thanks!

Abby, how fun but 2 days are too short! Well, I suggest you must see the Castle, with a stroll along the Royal Mile. Touristy yes but the stones and the view are not to be missed! Have a Grand time!

Two days too short! Great city! Do the castle first. We also enjoyed Holyrood Castle at the other end of Castle Mile if you have the time. Also did the People's Museum which is located on Castle Mile. Your two days can be taken up doing that. If you still have time I would recommend a good bus tour of the entire area as it will give you a good overview. We may be back there this summer and are looking forward to the return trip.

The Castle (at the top of the Royal Mile) is definitely the highlight. I would also sample the pubs on Rose Street--we felt a little like we had walked into someone's house. But the locals didn't seem to mind. Also, beyond the lower end of the Royal Mile (past Holyrod) is the distinctive rock formation called Arthur's Seat. There is a well-kept path that meanders to the top of the "Seat" (it's a fairly long hike, but the slope is moderate)--the views of the city and the surrounding countryside are worth the effort. My wife, mom, and aunt all loved Edinburgh (and the other parts of Scotland we visited, notably the area around Stirling--a short drive from Edinburgh). Have a great time!

Arthur's Seat - aside from being a distinctive rock formation, is actually an extinct volcano - dont worry though, it's been extinct for around 350 million years. Chuck is right, on a good day, the views fom the top are spectacular.

I'd visit the Camera Obscura. It's at the top of the Royal Mile near the castle. It's been going for 150 years and I suppose is an early equivalent of a web cam. It projects a moving panorama of the whole city on a table in front of you and the guide points out all the landmarks.