MelP

Heading out to London again for a six day trip, but I would like to take a day trip out of town one day. I was looking to go to Edinburgh for 2.5 days but due to circumstances I won't get into here, I can't do an overnight elsewhere now. However, the plane fares to Edinburgh and Amsterdam are cheap enough to justify a same day return, but I dunno... Would have 10-11 hours to explore the city if I did one of these...should I go for it, and which one would be better for a day?

Could also do a train or bus day trip closer to London, but I'm running out of possibles. Have already been to Bath, Stonehenge, Brighton, Oxford, Canterbury, Cambridge, and Windsor, as well as further afield from Liverpool across to Manchester, Leeds, York, and environs. So where else interesting can I go to for a day that I don't need a car for? (I don't drive) Thoughts and suggestions greatly appreciated.

janis

Well - if you don't want to go back to any of the places you've been before then a day trip to Edinburgh or Amsterdam (or Paris) could be done easily enough.

Both Edinburgh and Amsterdam are better w/o a car than w/ one so that is no problem.

And both are pretty compact and you could see a lot in 8 to 10 hours "in city". My choice would be Edinburgh - but A'dam would be fun too.

Mamamia

I doubt you can do a day trip to Edinburgh, yet alone Amsterdam. Flying there is a matter of an hour (or two?). BUT getting to the airport (assuming you're flying one of those cheap ones, like EasyJet) is a matter of AT LAEST another hour. These cheap planes are many times late (as if British Airways is always on-time...), then consider getting out of the airport (

janis

Business travelers do day trips to Edinburgh all the time - and they go home in the late afternoon. A tourist w/o such time constraints would be able to as well.

Get out to LHR by 7:30 AM - check in for an 8:30 AM flight. Land in Edinburgh and be in the center of the city by 10AM. Fly back to London at 7 or 8 PM and you will have a full day in Edinburgh.

janis

Meant to add - doing it as a day trip is not ideal of course - but it is certainly doable.

MelP

I wasn't including the time it takes to get to the airport in the 10/11 hours - these would be from Gatwick (staying in south London). The flights I was looking at get into Amsterdam/Ediburgh at 8:10-8:30 am, and the return leaves 8:30 or 9:10pm.

janis

Well since you have already looked up the schedules you can see it is fairly easy. Especially if you are staying convenient to LGW (or to Victoria Station for the express)

You can see a LOT of either city in that much time - do remember there is a time change between A'dam and London.

Equihands

Just a suggestion, if you're adventurous. I recently returned from a 8 day trip to London and while I was there decided to go to Edinburgh for 2 days. I chose to book a lower berth on the Scotrail Caledonian sleeper car (I believe it was about 30 pounds). The train leaves Euston station at 11:40 p.m. (you can board starting at 10:55) and you get there the next morning by 7:00 a.m. They give you in the morning a small bag with coffee/tea, a muffin and an apple by the time you arrive. The sleeper cars are very small, like a bunk bed in a closet, but considering that you are sleeping (or trying to anyway for most of the trip) it's not too bad of a way to travel. The train moves very slowly. Saves time waiting around an airport and the train leaves on time. You can always catch a plane on your return home. I feel I saved a lot of time this way as I had a full day to explore my first day there. I plan to do this again next year when I travel again. Edinburgh is a must on all my trips now and if you can change your itinerary a bit I would suggest trying to stay overnight there. I thoroughly enjoyed walking down the Royal Mile, took a historic walking tour with Mercat Tours, leaves at 10:00 a.m. from the Mercat Cross and took and underground tour of Mary King's Close (which is underground under the City Chamber). Exploring Edinburgh Castle for a few hours can be done. I took a tour of Holyrood Palace which has included an audio tour and entrance to the Faberge collection. You can't go wrong whatever you decide to do there and I believe it's worth the trip, even if you can only do a day. Enjoy your holiday!

Gardyloo

Boy, tough call. Obviously it depends on what you want to do, and on weather, time of year, all that. If you're a museum person (and this can help in crummy weather, which is frequent in both cities) then A'dam wins easily - Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, all that. A'dam is a breeze to get to and from from Schiphol (Edin. isn't that bad, of course) and the canals are a walker's paradise, while Edin. is hilly and more spread out. OTOH, the castle and Royal Mile are unique sights in Europe, and if your trip is in the autumn the city's parks, vistas, textures can be unmatched. Edinburgh has great pubs; A'dam has brown cafes, both ideal for sitting and watching humanity pass by. Probably better and more eclectic shopping in A'dam unless you need a kilt.

You've seen a number of British cities and towns, but you haven't mentioned if you've spent much time on the continent or in the low countries. If you haven't been there, then I have to go for Amsterdam, and save your Scottish time for a more comprehensive visit later.

One other thought - I think EasyJet flies from LGW to Barcelona. It will be more expensive than EDI, don't know how it compares to AMS, but if you want something <i>really</i> different you might think about it.

MelP

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions. I'll be there end of November, so the weather won't be optimal, but that doesn't faze me much unless it's pouring rain.

Elsewhere in Europe I've been to Paris and Ireland, both more than once, which is why I'm not looking at those as options this time. I'd LOVE to go to Barcelona, but I'd really want 2-3 full days there at least with more of Spain as well.

OK, the reason why I can't really go away longer is that I have to feed fish. &lt;g&gt; Going to be staying at a friend's as I usually do, but this time he'll be away four of the six days I'll be there, so in exchange to having his place to myself I have to feed his fish. And I'd like to be around when he *is* there. Might be poss. to leave late one day and come back the next night, will have to check what the feeding schedule is. &lt;g&gt;

WillTravel

I'm a worrywart by nature, but my concern in that case would be - what happens, to the fish and your friendship, if your flight is cancelled or delayed? The odds of a problem are low, but every now and then people find themselves stuck overnight.