What to do in Scotland
 

Hi,

We are six friends from Sweden who is planning a trip to Scotland (Glasgow or Edinburgh) in March 2010. No one of us have ever been to Scotland before and are interested of getting suggestions of what to do and see, tips of where to eat and drink, where to stay (B&B or Hotel) and so on.

The idea with this trip is to try to do and see things that Scottish people does. We are interested in:

Do crazy and funny things, see sports, meeting Scottish people, eat local foods, listen to local musicians/stand up, have a good time, party, hiking, travel by public transportations.

We are 33 years old, male and will visit Scotland for 3 days.

Thanks!

/Jost

You will have more fun in Dublin or Cork.

Suggest the following. Surf the web for any whisky festivals. These often happen in lovely little towns and you will be absorbed into the haze.

If this does not excite and golf and hunting/fishing not your thing then head to Edinburgh. March is a dull time but againsurf the city web site there will be something. If no luck there try Glasgow.

I f still no luck try Belfast or Dublin both of which may have some party going on

As well as being one of the world's top cities for tourism generally, Edinburgh is one of the top, if not the top, UK destinations for stag (& hen) parties so it obviously does have plenty to attract young men. (Cork ?? Belfast ???)

Jost, have a look at the website for 'The List', the listings magazine covering both Edinburgh and Glasgow, to see what sort of things it covers - music, clubs, comedy, theatre, art, etc - in case it helps, at www.list.co.uk. The magazine itself comes out every fortnight so you could pick one up on arrival to check out that week's specific events.

There is always football on, although I would hesitate to recommend attendance at a game to gently brought up visitors.

The Six Nations rugby tournament goes on until March (fixtures at http://internationalrugby.suite101.c...tions_fixtures) : the only Edinburgh game during March is Scotland-England and you won't be able to get tickets for that, although you may enjoy watching the game on TV in one of the big rugby-orientated pubs (e.g. the Cask & Barrel or the Guildford).

Glasgow has a lot going on too - more in some ways, as it's a bigger city and has more of a youthful scene - underground clubs, guerilla art, designer clothes shops - but not so much of an obvious tourist destination. (Don't get me wrong though - we like Glasgow and frequently visit, mainly for theatre or art.) It probably depends on whether you want to see tourist-type attractions too ? Edinburgh is a more immediately beautiful and historic city.

For accommodation, it might help if you give us an idea of budget. You'd probably like to be in the Old Town, the mediaeval part of the centre (as opposed to the New Town which is Georgian). The Apex hotels on the Grassmarket (the centre of the Old Town) are quite nice in a modern slightly designer-y way. A cheaper options in the Old Town is the Ibis in Hunter Square. Or would you fancy an apertment ? Give us more info & we can make further recommendations.

Edinburgh also has lots of good pubs :-) and restaurants.

I'd suggest basing yourselves in Edinburgh and have a day trip (using the train) to Glasgow.

With only three days, you should stay as close to the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh as possible and if you want to meet Scottish people, head to the Three Sisters pub one night you're there (hopefully over a weekend) as you'll meet plenty of Scottish people up for having a good time who will no doubt be as 'crazy and funny' as you want.

During your day trip to Glasgow, try and make it along to King Tut's Wah Wah hut for a gig, which will hopefully be a good local band, if not, it'll be someone worth watching.

Sounds like a lot of fun...

Hi guys,

Thanks for your answers.

Budget for accommodation is up to 50 pounds a day.

/Jost

I'll also be taking my English adult students to Edinburgh in March 2010. Right now, I'm looking at Holiday Express Inn Royal Mile. Was considering the Ibis but am concerned about the noise levels.

Thanks for all the interesting answers. Will be looking at the suggested links.

Come to Glasgow..very friendly people (in Edinburgh they are a bit reserved)and very lively with a great live music scene and a great buzz. The West End is great with loads of bars and restaurants and it's near the University (which is the 2nd oldest in the UK) it's only 45 minutes from Loch Lomond..
There is stand up at 'The Stand' comedy club as well as Jongleurs in the City Centre.... There is a hostel in the West End also.....http://www.blueskyhostel.com/html/prices.htm
If you want museums and culture Kelvingrove whihc has been refurbished is the most visiteed museum outside London outside the UK....it's also free to enter. There's all the Rennie Mackintosh stuff too...
If you want somewhere real and Scottish then base yourself here and visit Edinburgh for the day.....you van do the tourist stuff like the Castle. 1 in 8 people who ,live in Edinburgh are English...it's a very pretty city, but very touristy.....

and here ar some pics of Ashton lane i the West End of glasgow which is a great place for bars and restaurants..
http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flic...2012-image.jpg

"1 in 8 people who live in Edinburgh are English" : alihutch, I'm sure you know that is just not true.

Edinburgh also has the Stand and Johngleurs comedy clubs.

jost, is that £50 per person and are you prepared to share rooms ? If that is £100 for 2 people sharing a twin room you can stay at the hotels I mentioned before. Otherwise look at the Central Youth Hostel, which is quite nice, billed as a '5 star hostel' and has rooms from 1 single bed to 8 beds, all with their own bathrooms. It's just on the edge of the city centre.

schuler, you surprised me there as I'd never heard of anywhere calling itself the Holiday Inn Express Royal Mile and the only hotel on the Royal Mile is the Radisson, or whatever it's calling itself this week. But on googling I see it's on the Cowgate, which is still very central Old Town (just more raucous, but good for young people !).

Hey, Caroline (and guys),
I had to laugh at the 1-in-8 comments. On my first trip to Edinburgh (from California), the first two bartenders I met there were fellow CALIFORNIANS, studying at Edinburgh University! But, they were the only Californians I met, in the two weeks I spent in Scotland. I spoke with many friendly Scots in Edinburgh, who were happy to share information about their fine city, and direct me to the folk music clubs I sought.

Jost, if you and your friends are into live music, you'll find plenty of it -- from folk to rock to the latest genre -- at pubs and music clubs all over Edinburgh and Glasgow. Have a wonderful trip!

Hi Caroline,

"Young people". That's what we like to think of ourselves but my students are between 30 and 75.

Also looking at the Ibis because of its location, price and decent reviews.

Choices, choices, choices.....

caroline_edinburgh.....I wish I could find the article I read it in....was about 3 years ago.....1 in 8 in edinburgh and 3% in Glasgow... I can't remember the exact thrust of the piece, but I didn't make it up......ah have found another piece...

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sc...not.2798471.jp

OK so it's 1 in 10....although it says in some parts higher. I certainly know for more English people in Edinburhg than Glasgow.
I didn't mean that Edinburgh didn't have The Stand or Jongleurs etc. and anyone going to the city will have a good time....I was just trying to point out why for these particular guys,, and knowing both cities well, that Glasgow would be just their thing.

schuler, some guests at our wedding stayed at the Ibis and had no complaints, although I have seen mixed reviews since.

alihutch - OK, maybe - certainly nowhere near that many people I meet are English (and I know people in the New Town and everything - all of whom are Scottish), so I can only assume a lot of the people in this stats must be students. Don't get me wrong about Glasgow - as I said before we enjoy going there regularly, but I'm assuming the OP and his friends will want to do some sightseeing or at least be surrounded by history, and although I know Glasgow has its own attractions, I think the appearance and sense of history is just more obvious in Edinburgh. Also, thinking about it some more, Glasgow is bigger and more spread out so what they want may not all be concentrated in one area the way it is Edinburgh. I could also be wicked and say they are more liklely to get stabbed in Glasgow :-)

The Holiday Inn Express Royal Mile is actually in the Cowgate a couple of hundred yards from the Royal Mile ,it opened about a year ago,it is almost next door to the Travelodge on St Mary's Street.The Cowgate gives you direct access to all the bars of the Grssmarket .
The Smart City hostel gets great reviews and is close by these other hotels mentioned.

OP didn't actually mention history or sightseeing, but we have that too.....my Aussie bf whom I mentioned this to, said oh, obviously Glasgow also. Anyway sure they'll have a fab time wherever...and just in case you scare anyone....I feel extremely safe in glasgow...in fact safer than many places in the south of England. I find Glasgow v compact...being able to walk home in 35 mins from the city centre to the West End is one of Glasgow's delights....
Guys, you'll enjoy the Oran Mor in the West End http://www.oran-mor.co.uk/(big converted church with a large bar, 2 restaurants and a 2 venues...the downstairs has regular touring bands and a club several nights....always someone in there for a chat.

The beauty of Scotland is you can do both Glasgow and Edinburgh and they both have enough to keep people happy. We should be advertising them as a joint destinations, they're only 45 miles apart. For those who like picture book Scotland Edinburgh ticks all the boxes. Glasgow gives great nightlife, superb shopping and enough sights and culture to fill a visit.

Jost, before they started squabbling, the advice was sound. Get a B&B (or the Grassmarket Hotel) in central Edinburgh, and have a ball. Go to Glasgow if you get bored- and my advice would be- don't buy the ticket in advance:)