Monday 4 August 2014

Travel Review: Edinburgh, Scotland - June 2013

In June 2013 my husband and I travelled to the town of Edinburgh in sunny Scotland. We were up there for 5 days (although we could have stayed for longer). The weather was actually surprisingly good.

While in Edinburgh we tried to be a bit cultural. We attempted to pack in as much as we could into the visit. Neither of us had been to Scotland before. We did not stop long to relax!

On the Monday we got the 7:00am flight from Southampton airport. Flying with Flybe from here was very convenient and the airport has a Costa coffee - so proper sources of caffeine were thankfully available.

Upon arrival it was far to early to check into our hotel. However, the reception staff at the travelodge were more than happy to keep hold of our larger pieces of luggage. This was great as we did not have to carry them around. It was not until we arrived that we realised how close we were to the main town. While there was not an attached food restaurant, the room was surprisingly large. However, it could really have done with a sofa... It was very clean and in a fantastic spot for the price we paid (about £100 for the stay).

We visited many tourist hotspots around the town. It is well worth getting a 24hour or 48hour bus ticket for the city sight seeing bus tours. In addition to a range of commentary options - including horrible histories - it also gives you discounted access to some of the local attractions.

The National Museum of Scotland was one of the many attractions we got taken past. Having caught our attention, we jumped up and off the bus for a nose around. It is really worth a visit. This is really good for family members of all ages. There is lots of practical things to see and do. 

As you come down towards the main high street, in the direction of the Old town, looking up the hill provides a stunning view of  Edinburgh castleIt is a fascinating statue of history. Really worth a visit if you are in the local area and have a day to fill. We choose to pay a bit extra for an Audio tour. This is really worth considering. It does add a lot of time to your visit, however, the information is really well communicated and the tour is clearly marked. It is surprising how much of a history this area has. I would love to go back for a second visit. 

Edinburgh Castl, Scotland - Built on top of an extinct Volcano


We also made a visit to the Scottish Whisky experience. This was a great few hours spent learning about the process of whisky making. If you enjoy whisky, this will allow you to gain a greater understanding of how the flavours are produced and which types of Scottish whiskies you enjoy! We went for the Gold package. This was a few pounds in addition to the basic package. However, it gives you the chance to try a few additional whiskies at the end. Highly recommended that you eat something before entering! Think about budgeting a little for a bottle of whisky at the end - it is a very yummy bit of luxury. We brought a really nice bottle of 10 year old whisky for about £35 with the discount card. 

Me enjoying a glass of whisky infront of one of the largest private whisky bottle collections. 

The selection of whiskies at the bar at the end of the tour


The Scottish National Gallery is also worth a look. For one thing, the historic gallery is free to enter and you can take photos of anything that particularly catches your eye. There is a range of images to suit all tastes. They also host exhibitions - sometimes also free to enter. It can be fun, for those not normally into art, guessing the price of the work. Some can be the cost of a house (although I could not quiet understand the logic). We had to stop for a cup of tea in the cafe to calm ourselves down!

Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh - Highly worth a visit


If you are looking for somewhere to eat the Hard Rock cafe is worth a visit. However, we went in with deal and the menu offered with it was limited. The deal did also mean a reduced entry trip to the Edinburgh dungeons - so it can mean a day of your itinerary in just a few clicks. But the food was good and the atmosphere was really friendly. Highly recommend booking a table as it was packed - you can get the booking sorted when you first do the deal on the internet.

The Edinburgh Dungeons is a great way to spend a few hours. You get to hear some gruesome tales of the old city - so it will keep your teenagers informed and amused. There is one drop down ride, but the photo is really worth taking a look at!

If you need to grab something to eat there is plenty to choose from. There is also a number of pubs and a J.D. Weatherspoons in an old bank that can be accessed from Rose Street. The trick, I think, is just to have a wonder round in the first few days. You tend to un-earth some surprises!

Weatherspoons, Rose Street Edinburgh. An old bank. 


If you find yourself around the Royal Mile and want a tour of the old Edinburgh, Mercat tours is worth a look. They run both Historic and ghost walks. The tour guides really get into character and have a really easy presenting style. The ghost walk in the Edinburgh catacombs was really spooky. We highly recommend the extended tour, it adds a sit down in the 'inn' with a glass of something. It also gives you a chance to hear some more stories. Very family friendly. Don't recommend if children are under 10.  

The Royal Mile, Edinburgh


One of our best days out was with a coach company called 'Gray Line Tours'. I found them after a quick search on the internet. They picked us up from near our hotel in the morning and then their driver took us on a tour. There are a range of tours to go on. However, we choose the one that took us through the highlands and Stirling Castle. It also stopped at Lake Lomard - the biggest open expanse of water by surface area - where there is the opportunity to pay about £10 per person for a boat tour. This lasts about an hour and is well worth it if you have a coat with you. The only thing to thing about when booking the coach tour is the additional expenses of the boat tour, lunch and entry to Stirling Castle. But it was a really great experience. 

Stirling Castle, 


Highly recommend a trip up to Edinburgh. Providing you book your travel and accommodation in advance you can get yourself a relatively cheap holiday. Just avoid the Fringe festival dates as this hikes the prices up. Definitely hope to make it back up there in a couple of years.