My mother and I are flying to your wonderful country on August 18th and unfortunately we only have 6 days. We're going to the Tattoo on the 22nd but otherwise have an open agenda. We're staying in Edinburgh the whole week at a B&B but would love some suggestions on day trips. We're not planning on renting a car; can we get around by bus/train well enough or would we be wise to hire a driver? Any help on what to do/see is greatly appreciated.

The fascinating Rossyn Chapel (of Da Vinci Code fame) is in a small village outside Edinburgh. I haven't tried public transport to get there, but I'm sure it's possible. You'll find it just as awe inspiring if you've never even heard of Da Vinci Code.

It's an easy train ride to Glasgow, Edinburgh's second city, which provides an interesting contrast in atmosphere to Edinburgh. Lots of Charles Rennie Macintosh stuff to get your teeth into.

BAD keyboard. That should say ROSSLYN Chapel.

Here's a link - it may give info on transport or tours
http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/

I should say, of course, that you will be in Edinburgh during the busiest month of the year, because as well as the Tatoo, you have the film festival, the Fringe festival and numerous other stuff going on. It would be a crime to spend some time there without trying to see some shows. there's something like 1000 shows a day - from serious plays to comedy stand up, in everything from proper theatres to school halls, boats, churches, you name it. Your B&B hosts will help you choose something to see I'm sure. Many of the shows can be bought on the day, and there's a guide printed daily - Caroline, I need your help here with the name!

When I go to the festival, I see about 5 shows a day.

I'd second the Rosslyn Chapel idea. Please note, the town it's in is called Roslin near to a town called Rosewell. There are infrequent buses out that way. It's a 15-20 minute drive by car.

Interesting article about it in today's Scotsman:

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1743472005

Da Vinci code has made all the difference; I worked out that way for years and one busful of tourists per day was as much as they could hope for.

I'd also recommend Linlithgow if it's history you're after. Also easy to get to using public transport.

Personally I'd plump for Fife, across the bridge. Kirkcaldy, my birthplace, also home to Adam Smith and the bloke who invented time zones (Fleming). And it DOES NOT smell of linoleum anymore, hasn't for a long time. St Andrews is worth a visit however, unless public transport has improved since I lived there, you'd have to get a train to Leuchars and then maybe a bus to St Andrews itself (Sheila, Janis, Caroline, any idea?).

Tony

My two favorite day trips from Edinburgh go by rail to Stirling, a great town with a mighty castle sticking out of it - assocaited with BraveHeart, etc. i believe but one of Scottish national patrimonies - and to St Andrews - a fine old seaside town with nice rocky seafront, famous university (Prince William just graduated from it) and of course its five famous golf courses, with the Old Course being Uber famous. (Train to Leuchars where buses meet trains to go the final few miles to St Andrews); trains go very frequently to Stirlin, about 45 minuts. Glasgow too is intriguing with pockets of glory - not as beautiful as Edinburgh, one of the world's MOST gorgeous towns. And from Edinburgh you also have inexpensive mini-bus tours that take you into the nearby Highlands. Drop by the Scottish Tourist Board atop the Edinburgh Waverly rail station for any info on these and other destinations.

If you are nature lovers, and if it's a nice day, you could take a train from Waverley Station out to North Berwick - it's about 25 minutes ride and trains go every hour.

North Berwick is a pleasant seaside and golfing town. From the harbour you can take a boat out into the Firth of Forth and round the Bass Rock - a huge lump of volcanic rock that has become home to thousands upon thousands of sea birds - mainly gannets. It's usually quite easy to spot grey seals and puffins too.

There are some nice beach/coastal walks, and there's a decent choice of pubs/hotels for lunch.

Tantallon castle - which is in a splendid location on a cliff overlooking the sea - is not far from North Berwick (although on second thoughts, I think you need your own transport to visit).

Have a look at http://www.north-berwick.co.uk/index.asp

Don't leave Edinburgh. St Andrews and all those places are there 52 weeks a year. You're in Edinburgh, with somewhere to stay, during an extraordinary four weeks when it's like nowhere else on earth.

Get a copy of The List from any newsagent, or the Fringe programme from the places listed at http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?i...amp;area_id=26 Then meander through a few dozen of the wilder looking shows. Be sure to hang out for a while at the Underbelly, which oozes Fringiness. Don't miss the Cartier-Bresson or the Gauguin exhibitions. See more pretentious, mediocre, modern architecture concentrated into less space than anywhere else on the planet at the Scottish Parliament guided tour (well worth the £3.50 just for the shock of hearing all this money has been spent on a debating chamber they only use one and a half days a week!)

And if you're there on a Friday or Saturday night, have a pint of 80/- at the Frankenstein on George IV Bridge. If you've got a modicum of taste, you'll hate it (the bar, not the 80/-, which few pubs can mess up). But it's a mecca for hen nights (if that's not an oxymoron). Including, the day before yesterday, a dozen Can-Can dancers, a score or so cowgirls in pink stetsons, a gang of fairy queens and loads more groups dressed just sluttishly, sloppily or ill-fittingly.

A million times more fun than Stirling Castle. Though, to be honest, I've been to wakes at the Commercial Hotel Cowdenbeath that have been more fun than Stirling Castle.

Flanner: a little myopic i think. 45 min train ride to Stirling - castle of your dreams - overlooking lush Highlands - not much time out of 24-hour non-stop exhilaration in Edinburgh - i've been to these citywide festivals and they are great fun but i also like to take a breath and be bored by one of Europe's finest castles. that said the Edinburgh Festival and fringes is arguable the finest such thing Europe has to offer - more intoxicating than Oktoberfest for sure.

flanner is right - but so are the others. You can VERY easily fill all your days/night w/i a mile (actually less) Edinbr=urgh Castle.

The Tattoo, all teh festivals, special exhibits at all the museum and galleries.

But there are also MANY great places to visit outside of the city

It all depends on what sorts of things you want . . . .

4 easy day trips from Edinburg w/o a car would be:

Stirling - the castle is even more impressive than Edinburgh.

Fife - the train to Leuchars and a short bus or taxi ride to st Andrews. If you do it on a Sunday there is no play on the Old Course and it becomes a vast public park along the beach. Plus the Castle and Cathedral ruins. And you can take local buses along the coast to visit some of the lovely fishing villages (Crail, Anstrither, Pittenweem).

North Berwick which is also close to two great castles -- Tantallon and Dirleton. Dirleton is inland and has a gorgeous garden. Tantallon sits high on a dramatic cliff over the Firth/North Sea.

Linlithgow - a very easy train ride to this fascinating ruin on the shore of a resevoir and w/ a lovely church just outside the palace gate.

You may end up not leaving Edinburgh at all - but if you do, any of these would be easy day or 1/2 day trips.

sorry about the typos - but you get the idea . . . . .

Thank you all for your suggestions, I really appreciate your input. Mom and I want to at least get in a couple day trips outside of the city and Stirling Castle sounds wonderful. I love gardens and she loves castles, battlefields, ruins, etc, so there's definitely something for both of us in all your replies. I'm going to take a printout of your responses and we'll fit in what we can.

My vote goes for Rosslyn Chapel--fascinating and the little village of Roslin was nice to visit. On the advice of our innkeeper we took a cab which was a ridiculous price--well over the equivalent of $30! On the return trip we took a bus (easy to find out where to get on) that cost maybe $2 or $3 each. A visit to Rosslyn Chapel takes very little time. The guided tour was full of details and interesting stories.

Just curious, you're leaving in 10 days, going to stay for 6 days, and just now asking what there is to do?

Maybe you are just going to drink the whisky or whiskey (which is it?)

I know, I've left it a little late; I just came across this excellent site though. This trip is fulfilling my mom's dream so other than booking the Tattoo tickets (which I purchased back in January) I told her to be thinking of everything she'd like to do. I'm just wanting some other ideas in case we have some time left after seeing her choices. Definitely planning on drinking a bit of whisky (whichever way it's spelled).

I checked out the Tattoo website. Sounds like you'll have lots of fun.

One of my favorite whiskey's was Sheep Dip. Try it out.

If you love gardens, then don't miss the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, also Princes Street Gardens-which will be very crowded, but are lovely.

Also, you might enjoy Hopetoun House, a "stately home" just outside Edinburgh to the north. I'm not sure how to get there without a car, though. There must be a bus, or a tour you could join.

Another neat day trip goes to the Border Abbeys about 30 miles south of Edinburgh - buses regularly service Melrose and its famous abbey - also a neat old town, Jedburgh and Dryburgh - three old abbeys in a few-mile radius. Great hikes along Tweed River - border abbeys were all destroyed by Henry VIII and their ruins are very romantic. Bucolic area of hills and forests.

The gardens sound great and we'll definitely get down to the Borders; my grandmother was born in Galashiels and Mom has already talked about visiting the various abbeys. We'll try some Sheep Dip and raise a glass to all of you friendly and helpful people.

How many weeks are you staying, again?