We'll be in Glasgow and Edinburgh for just a week -- and on a budget. Does anyone have any recommendations for inexpensive but good lodging or restaurants? Advice on "don't miss" sightseeing is also appreciated.

On a budget? One of the most interesting tours we took was the "Ghost Walk" The history of the city, the mideval tales, and great guides make the tour a delight. Any hotel concierge can tell you the current schedule and meeting place. They have been going on for years, so I am sure you'll dtill find them active. Enjoy!

(cost about $12 in 1996)

Stay in Sterling, Scotland (20 minutes by bus to Edinburgh) & hoof it. It's a place not to be missed.
There's a Hilton (with CHEAP! rates in Sterling. As for Glasgow....Not my cup of tea. HAPPY TRAILS!!

Stay in Sterling, Scotland (20 minutes by bus to Edinburgh) & hoof it. It's a place not to be missed.
There's a Hilton (with CHEAP! rates in Sterling. As for Glasgow....Not my cup of tea. HAPPY TRAILS!!

There are tons of sights and things to do in Edinburgh but why on earth would you plan to spend more than 24 hours (if you must?)in Glasgow. If you are in Edinburgh in August then chances are you are there for the Military Tattoo at the Castle. Done under lights during the evening this is absolutely not to be missed. A castle visit itself is good during the day and inexpensive and Edinburgh is a glorious city with wide boulevards making it a wonderful place to walk and explore. Several galleries and museums are located in the downtown core adjacent to the Princes Street gardens, well worth visiting. And you must visit Holyrood Castle, where the Queen resides when she visits Edinburgh and where Mary Queen of Scots resided with her husband, who was strangled to death under mysterious circumstances in one of the rooms there. Do yourself a favour and avoid the "Scottish nights" put on at some of the big hotels. Featuring a meal (generally pedestrian, but there is the haggis ceremony which is interesting) and Scottish entertainment (various dancers and usually a hammy singer) these are quite expensive and of fairly short duration for the money spent. Enquire at your hotel for better occasions to enjoy Scottish folk performances. Enjoy Edinburgh -- it is one of the great cities of the northern Western hemisphere -- indeed, one of the great cities of Europe. Lanny

I've just returned from Scotland. I agree that the ghost tours are a must in Edinburgh (even my Marine Corps husband, an F-18 pilot, was creeped out). Dispite the fact that the tours are geared to the macabre they are also very informative about the history of the city. Our most enjoyable time was spent on the south-west end of Lock Ness, in Fort Augustus. I know a great B&B and resturants if you are interested. Also bring proof of car insurance if you are going to rent a car it will save you big bucks. Before we arrived we were quoted 85LBS for car rental. After taxes, insurance,and size upgrades (their cars are TINY) we ended up paying 210LBS. Proof of insurance would have helped. Despite that it was the best vacation of my life! Contact me If you want for must see's and what to avoid. P.S. We think we saw Nessie.

In Edinburgh, I recommend the Kingsley Guest House, a nice family-run place an easy Lothian Bus ride from Princes Street and the Royal Mile. Can't think of their contact information at the moment, but it's in the Rick Steves Guide to Britain for 1995. *Very* affordable--I paid 16 pounds/night for a single last fall.

And I agree with those who say focus on Edinburgh, not Glasgow. Much more to see there...Edinburgh castle is just overwhelming.

Quick correction--it wasn't Mary Queen of Scots' husband who was murdered at Holyroodhouse. It was her secretary, the Italian Riccio, who was murdered *by* her husband and some of his allies.