Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Where to travel outside of Edinburgh, Scotland (and what to do while there)

Where to travel outside of Edinburgh, Scotland (and what to do while there)

Old Sep 15th, 2011, 09:58 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Where to travel outside of Edinburgh, Scotland (and what to do while there)

Anyone who has been to Scotland please help ...

Is there an area you traveled to outside of the capital that is to NOT BE MISSED (any hidden secrets)?

What were the top three things you did while in Edinburgh?

Any authentic/native dish restaurant suggestions?

Thank you, thank you!
TravelWise555 is offline  
Old Sep 15th, 2011, 10:11 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,549
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
Scotland is BIG place.

There are hundreds of threads about Scotland on here so a quick search will give you lots of info. Also - click on "Destinations" at the top of this page.

Before anyone can help you very much we need more info:

When are you going?

How many days? (Total for the whole trip and specifically in Edinburgh)

What sort of things do you enjoy?

How do you want to travel outside of Edinburgh? (Drive or take trains/buses)

Any places you've already researched and want to see?
janisj is online now  
Old Sep 15th, 2011, 10:27 AM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
First off - thank you!

"Destinations" - I have looked at the destinations and spoke to many people - it seems like without a car the best place is to just stay in Edinburgh. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am trying to pack a lot of things into one trip - is there any place that you would leave Scotland without seeing if you were only going to be there once in your lifetime?

When are you going? Edinburgh - October 23 - 26 (have work meetings two of the days). I have the option of staying longer.

How many days? (Total for the whole trip and specifically in Edinburgh) three days in Edinburgh (above)- I can stay longer if I would like but am trying to find out what I should defiantly see before booking anything

What sort of things do you enjoy?
Book shops, coffee, food, outdoors, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT THE NATIVES DO/KNOW FOR IN THE COUNTRY

How do you want to travel outside of Edinburgh? (Drive or take trains/buses) - i don't want to rent a car and it doesn't seem like it is a train-friendly place when compared to the rest of Europe, but it you have a 'must see' I will have to make sure I get there

Any places you've already researched and want to see? - I would like to walk the city and see the castle - up for anything else you think is worth seeing
TravelWise555 is offline  
Old Sep 15th, 2011, 11:07 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,549
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
OK --not my normal recommendation, but in your situation, I'd recommend extending your visit by 2 or 3 days.

See/stay in Edinburgh on your own and take one of the day trips or 2 or 3 day tours offered by either Rabbies or Timberbush

http://www.rabbies.com/

http://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/

They offer really good small group tours to some of the highlights of Scotland.
janisj is online now  
Old Sep 15th, 2011, 11:34 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Any hidden secrets?

Dumfries and Galloway.

Everyone passes it over but less than 90 minutes drive from the capital, packed with stunning scenery, country houses and good food.
humptynumpty is offline  
Old Sep 17th, 2011, 01:53 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What were the top three things you did while in Edinburgh?

1) People's Story - I revisit on every trip - http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/V...People-s-Story

2) Museum of Edinburgh - for display about Greyfriars Bobby - http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/V...m-of-Edinburgh

3) day trip using First Bus to National Museum of Flight - http://www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/museum_of_flight.aspx


Those have been my 3. Enjoy your visit finding yours
Cheers!
scotlib is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2011, 11:03 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hidden secrets- too many to mention. Following Humpty's lead, Wigtown for the book shops. If you go to Dumfries and Galloway, you'll need a car

Top three things in Edinburgh-National Museum of Scotland, Castle (cliched, but for a reason), a good pub.

Stac Polly bills itself as good Scottish food; Howies, too (I prefer Howies, I think); Martin Wishart is too, but financially staggering; I guess you must try haggis, which is good if you like it; not if you don't; trifle, venison, soup.
sheila is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 01:09 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I suggest a trip out to Rosslyn Chapel. On bus #15 it is a 40 minute ride from York Place, hourly.

For eating the most famous restaurant is the Witchery. I enjoyed it many years ago and poked my head in the door a couple of years ago. Unique.
spaarne is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 01:24 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Further eating suggestions.

The North Bridge Brasserie at the Scotsman Hotel. I had the *Tasting of the Sea*. Excellent.

At the Living Room I had mussels. Not bad.

At Maison Bleu the venison medallions were perfect.

For a brew have a visit to Deacon Brodie's. The Deacon was supposedly the model for Jekyll and Hyde, so says the mural inside.

Fortunately the food in Scotland is much better than in England.

Be prepared for the typical greeting in Edinburgh, *Are you OK?*
spaarne is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 02:12 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Roslyn Chapel is a cool secret place 30 minutes away

I enjoyed training to Blair Castle my ancestral clan home

and Invreness highlands are amazing a do not miss for me....

Argyle I Butte on the other side if time green picturesque

Happy Travels...
qwovadis is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 08:19 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,549
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
"Roslyn Chapel is a cool secret place"

Hardly a 'secret' place since Dan brown wrote that little book. Can't be secret when there is a coach park . . .
janisj is online now  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 10:36 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Edinburgh doesn't hid its charms. The best stuff is the obvious stuff. Walking through Princes Street gardens with the Castle above, touring the castle, walking through the Old Town (the Royal Mile), walking through the New Town.

One thing the Scots know is their history and their lore. You can pick up some of it before you go. The story of Greyfriars Bobby is a good one. The history of Mary Queen of Scots is another. Many of the sites associated with her tumultutous life are in Edinburgh. I suspect you can get some of the lore during a walking tour. I don't know who might offer them, but I'm sure the tourist office can put you on them. Or look on the internet for them.
Fife is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 10:40 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Scottish Border Abbeys. They are ruined now, but most are in, or close to, small market towns, which are in a pretty, but overlooked part of Scotland. There are buses from Edinburgh, but few and far between.
joto is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2011, 10:41 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You may want to read my trip report; click on my name to find it.
Michael is offline  
Old Nov 30th, 2011, 12:33 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Brass Monkey is my favourite bar in Edinburgh. Not so well known and well worth a visit. Here's a review I wrote about it http://www.holidaycheck.com/things_t...id_131761.html
Sophal is offline  
Old Nov 30th, 2011, 03:33 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wrote all the suggestions below then realised the OP has already been and gone ! Might as well leave it now, though, in case it helps anyone else.

With the amount of time you have, there's not really enough time to do Edinburgh justice never mind going anywhere else !

Start with one of the bus tours round the Old (mediaeval) & New (Georgian) Towns - i.e. the World Heritage Site - to get an overview. There are several operators - Guide Friday always used to be good but I haven't done it for a few years. You can decide on the way round which places you'd like to revisit. Personally I'm not a gtreat fan of the Castle and find the tour of the Palace a lot more interesting, but it's worth just visiting the Castle Esplanade to see it close up & to admire the view. If you like the outdoors, walk up Carlton Hill, or Arthur's Seat if you are fit enough (how many cities have an extinct volcano right in the middle ?!).

Given your interest in book shops, walk through the West Port / Grassmarket / Cowgate (basically all one street with 3 different names) - right in the heart of the Old Town with traditional architecture, several antiquarian bookshops, vintage clothing shops & other interesting small one-off shops, plus several OK pubs.

I think Stac Polly is the most Scottish restaurant (at least of those I've been to) - Martin Wishart is the best restaurant in town but not really Scottish (although it does use the best of Scottish produce such langoustines).
caroline_edinburgh is offline  
Old Nov 30th, 2011, 07:37 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 998
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Even though the OP has already been there and back, this thread is very timely and helpful to me, and perhaps others. My wife and I are planning a trip to GB for next spring/summer, so I am very interested in this information.
Thanks.
BillJ is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ileen
Europe
61
Mar 9th, 2015 11:45 AM
hamilmom
Europe
4
Apr 22nd, 2011 03:26 AM
evangelina
Europe
13
Jun 20th, 2007 05:28 AM
mom2mali
Europe
11
Jul 18th, 2006 03:35 PM
anandanj
Europe
5
Apr 21st, 2003 04:24 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -