winesaavy7

I'm heading to Edinburgh with a girlfriend over our winter break. We our flying from Florence into Glasgow (we study in Florence) and then taking a shuttle to Edinburgh to stay a few days with friends. After this we need to find the cheapest way to get to Ireland, good suggestions on where to go, cheap places to stay, cheapest/best shuttle/trans. options from glasgow-edinburgh vice versa or any other useful information anyone might have for us on these areas. I love this site for trips, and have found some of the best info here in the past

sheila

Bus for transport; and here's a dozen things to do in Edinburgh for (nearly) free

Walk through the new town with a proper guide to how it was all done.(free except for cost of book- probably somewhere on the web)

Visit Valvona & Crolla which is probably the best Italian deli in Britain (worth it for the experience even if you don't spend anything)

Visit the Royal Mile (free) and go to St Giles's Cathedral (free) and Parliament House (free) and John Knox House (£1.95) and the Castle (£6 including commentary) and appreciate the Stone of Destiny and the buried
tenement (Mary King’s Close- charge but I don't know how much)

Visit the Scotch whisky place (bit commercial; I wouldn’t)

Go to Deacon Brodie's pub and understand why it's called that (free except for the drink)

Eat in the Grassmarket and shop in Victoria Street

Go to the Royal Museum (£2)

Visit Arthur's seat (free)

Visit Hollyrood Park (free)

Go and see Greyfriars Bobby and read the story (free except the book)

Go to the Royal Scottish Academy (free except for special exhibitions) and the National Gallery of Scotland next door- (free)

Drink at Sandy Bell's pub where they play live folk music.

Eat at Viva Mexico and Cafe Vittorio and the Kalpna

Climb the Scott monument

Visit the Botanics

Daisy54

Sorry but admission to Edinburgh Castle is more like £10, not £6, and I'm sure the John Knox house is more than £1.95. However the Castle is totally worth the price of admission even if you are on a shoestring budget. One place that is free to visit is the Royal Botanic Garden, there's only a charge for the tropical building but the rest of the facilit is free and it's gorgeous.

sheila

We were £6 into the castle this summer, but checking the web site, I see it's £9.80. Maybe we were on a special day?

I must admit to not having been to John Knox's for years.

janisj

If you want to do a lot of sightseeing, you might consider picking up a 4 day Great British Heritage Pass. You either need to buy it from Italy or at the tourist office at Glasgow airport since it isn't available to UK residents.

Not sure what the 2006 prices are but you should be able to find out easily on-line. Should be approx £22-£25. That would get you into Edinburgh Castle, Gladstone's Land, Holyrood Palace, Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Craigmillar Castle (all in/near Edinburgh) and several places in Galsgow.

Just going to 3 sites will more than recoup the cost of the pass and eveything else will be "gravy".

But if you are just planning on one or two major sites, then it wouldn't pay for itself.

winesaavy7

thanks for the suggestions! sounds like there is more than enough to keep us busy for not too much money.
im definitely planning on the Mile, and the Castle, other than that will probably check out a few other of the locations you all mentioned.
Do you know if the bus for Edinburgh leaves directly from Glasgow airport?
also,
also,any good suggestions on where one can pick up some reasonably priced warm clothing?
BTW- we girls are both in our mid twenties

caroline_edinburgh

There are 4 National Galleries (% if you include the RSA) and they are all free except for special exhibitions - see www.nationalgalleries.org. Two of them, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art & the Dean Gallery, are a little way out of town but there is a free bus which shuttles between them - you can pick up a timetable in the Weston Link which is the entrance to the National Gallery & the RSA in Princes Street Gardens, in the centre. (The other NG is the Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, which has a good cheap cafe.)

The Royal Museum & the Museum of Scotland (next to each other) are both free except for special exhibitions.

There are lots of small commercial galleries & artist-run spaces which are free - quite a few on Dundas Street plus the Collective Gallery & Stills on Cockburn Street, Edinburgh Printmakers on Union Street, doggerfisher in Gayfield Square, the Embassy & Total Kunst on the south side... Your best bet is to buy 'The List' - fortnightly listings magazine covering Edinburgh & Glasgow - when you arrive, to see what's on.

Are you interested in theatre ? If so I can point you towards some websites showing what's on. The Traverse (the main new writing theatre) is quite reasonable & often has cut-price Apex deals + previews. What dates will you be here ?

Try Aer Lingus & Ryanair for flights from Edinburgh to Dublin - not sure about flights from Glasgow or Prestwick, except I know Easyjet flies between Glasgow & Belfast.

If you'll be getting buses around Edinburgh it's best to get a day ticket which is £2.30 & covers everything except the airport bus & night buses. If you leave from the airport, there is an 'Airsaver' ticket which covers the airport bus (normally c.£3) plus unlimited normal buses the same day - worth it if you are getting the airport bus + at least 2 others. Otherwise single fares are nearly always 80p & you need the right change.

If you get the train between Edinburgh & Glasgow, it's about £16 for a normal return but c.£7.90 for a cheap day return : you just can't use it before something like 9.30am or between c.4.30pm & 6.30pm.

Hawkshead is good for reasonably priced warm clothing - near the east end of Princes Street, above Top Shop. Also Black's (outdoor pursuits shop) on ?Frederick or Hanover Street.

winesaavy7

Caroline,
awesome, thanks! Just what i need, a person who is really in Edinburgh.
Can I gleam a little more info from you about your fabulous city?
I am here now, and will be here until the 1st or 2nd.
I'm def interested in checking out good thai food and sushi or indian-all at reasonable prices. these are my fav foods and cant get them really in Florence (where I study)
also, I would really love to find a used bookstore. my friend and I are avid readers and would love a scottish fiction or history book or any book in the english language for that matter
hope that wasnt too much for you,
ps. so far we love this place!
cheers
Brooke

caroline_edinburgh

Hi Brooke. So glad to hear you're enjoying it here. Sorry about the weather ! Although maybe the snow is a bonus for you ? (Where are you from ?) It's supposed to be getting much warmer from this afternoon, anyway.

Unfortunately Thai and Japanese food here tends to be expensive. The nicest Thai food I've had recently is at 'Thai Me Up' (despite the cringeworthy name) on Picardy Place - the food there is very fresh-tasting & slightly different too. You need to book. The only other ones I've been to are Sukhothhai on Brougham Place & one in Stockbridge - both nice but more trad. Plus the Thai Lemongrass on Bruntsfield Place - nice food but they rushed us through. But there are loads of Thai restaurants (c.30 at the last count) & I expect they are all OK.

Japanese restaurants come & go. The only one I can think of which is still open now is on West Richmond Street, on the south side right at the Pleasance end. Sorry, I don't know the name. I haven't been but it's been there for a couple of years so must be OK.

Our regular Indian is the Bombay Bicycle Club on Brougham Place. Kalpna on Nicolson Street is totally vegetarian & is very good - they do a great buffet but I think it's only on Wednesdays. Ann Purna, right opposite in St Patrick Square, is also vegetarian & supposed to be vg.

If you go to one of the places on Brougham Place tonight, you may see me in the Cloisters pub

Mentioning a buffet reminds me to warn you to avoid the 'all-you-can-eat' Chinese restaurants, which are rubbish.

Where in the city are you staying ? If you let me know, I can have a further think about places near you.

Used bookstores - hm, not something I know much about. There's one near the university, on Buccleuch Street, but it may just be academic books. There's a place called 'Book Swop' on Bruntsfield Place which looks like it has general interest books. I've had a look in the Yellow Pages & the rest all sound more like rare/antiquarian booksellers. But the charity shops tend to carry second hand books and Oxfam even has a dedicated book (& record ?) shop. The greatest concentration of charity shops is on Nicolson Street/Clerk Street & there are quite a few on Morningside Road too - I think that's where the Oxfam bookshop is.

What are you doing for Hogmanay ?

All the best, Caroline

caroline_edinburgh

Brooke: I'm off now & not back at work until the 4th (huzzah !). Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay.

winesaavy7

caroline-
thanks
!im actually at sporsters pub using email after the arsenal game. im staying in morningside and actualy found a used bookshop
tonight we are heading to the street festival with friends and thenwill be in thepubs for the night i think
how about you? tomorrow is our last night here and we are thinking aboutlooking for a distillery tour and some thrift shopping as welive in Italy now and clothes are all pricey and all the same
maybe well pass you and not even know it tonight!happy new years

Pumbavu

There's a pretty good Youth Hostel in Edinburgh... easy walk to the centre.

try http://www.yha.org.uk/

Pumbavu

Oooops... that's just England and Wales... try http://www.syha.org.uk

I stayed here for a week...
http://www.syha.org.uk/SYHA/Web/Site...ghEglinton.asp

winesaavy7

P-
thanks for the tip, any good ones for Cork City or Dublin? We're in Belfast tonight, got stuck here. meeting friends in Galway tomorrow and staying with them one night (the 3rd of Jan) then the 5th we might want to head to Dublin and stay the night as we fly out the next day.

hsv

Just noticed this report, which for whatever reason was posted on the US forum:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...1&start=50

caroline_edinburgh

Happy New Year Brooke ! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay - did you find anything open on New Year's Day ? The only things I was aware of being open were the national galleries. We may well have passed each other in the street since I live in Morningside ! Where did you stay ?

winesaavy7

Caroline,
thanks my New Years was amazing. I Loved Edinburgh so much I'm moving there for the summer before I return to the U.S and my real job in the wine industry as I'll be graduated soon after my return. I will probably be renting a room in the morningside area. I was at woodburn terrace during my stay, with some guys I know who are studying there. I love that neighborhood and everything about Scotland. I felt right at home the entire time.......had scotch shortbread, scotch eggs, and all for the first time since I was a kid and my grandma used to always have them around. Right now I'm in Galway staying with an old friend from San Francisco, and tomorrow we're heading to Dublin. New Years Day all we found were pubs that were open so we did just a day of food and drink and relaxing and watched soccer.
Hope your trip went well as well, and if you've any more tips about Edinburgh, even about looking up room for rent listings or wine shops/bars that are good (for work!) i'd love to hear them. It's too bad we didn't run across eachother so I could listen to your stories!
cheers
Brooke

caroline_edinburgh

Hi Brooke. Wow, that's fantastic that you liked it so much you're coming back for a longer stay ! You must make sure to be here during August when all the festivals are on : even if you can't afford to go to much (and there are some special deals to be had), the atmosphere is brilliant.

Not the best time of year to find a room, of course, but some students let theirs out temporarily while they are away for the summer. Probably best to consult your friends who are studying here about where to look but you could try 'The List' when you arrive, or newsagents' windows in Morningside & Marchmont, or there are probably noticeboards at the universities.

A favourite wine merchant of ours is Great Grog who are very casual & unstuffy & often seem to employ young people passing through from winemaking areas - www.greatgrog.co.uk. They have a wine warehouse, a wine bar on Rose Street & just recently have also opened a shop. The owner is Richard Meadows. There are lots of other independent wine merchants here - Cockburn's, Henderson, Peter Green, Raeburn Fine Wines & TM Robertson are a few others. The two main national chains are Oddbins & Threshers : Oddbins is better but probably harder to get a casual job at since they have a very good training scheme. There are of course millions of bars so probably best to look in the Yellow Pages when you return.

I live a bit further up the hill from where you were. I daresay you tried out the Canny Man's, did you ? *Not* the pub to visit if you're on a budget !

All the best, Caroline

winesaavy7

Caroline,
thanks for the great wine tips. I can't wait to get back into an area where wine classes are taught in English and I talk wine with other like minded people.
I'll probably email the few people I know around May and see if they know anyone leaving or renting a room.
I didn't check out Canny Man's when I was in Morningside, we really just hopped on a bus downtown each morning.
However, I did stumble across a great used book store practically across the street from Canny Man's in Morningside and picked up a Scottish fiction, which I have, unfortunately already finished.
I can't wait to see Edinburgh in the sunshine, if I liked it so much in the freezing temps I'm sure i'll fall in love in the summertime.
How long have you lived in Edinburgh? Are you Scottish?

caroline_edinburgh

Hi Brooke.

The Canny Man's is probably the most expensive pub in Edinburgh, & the owners have an attitude problem, but it probably needs to be done once to marvel at the decor

I'm actually English (& my hubby is Welsh) and I've lived in Edinburgh for 12 years. I love it except for wishing it was a bit warmer in the summer - I miss being able to sit outside in the evenings as I did in London.

There are lots of clubs & wine merchants who run tutored tastings. We ourselves belong to one such club (www.iwss.org.uk), but it packs up between May & September so I guess it won't coincide with your visit ? Great Grog frequently has visiting winemakers giving tastings, so watch their website.
All the best, Caroline