When Scotland trip, it is essential to include Edinburgh on the route. However, we wanted to explore more of Scotland, especially the beautiful mountains, rather than spend our time in the city. Fortunately, even if there are many things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland's old town is compact so travelers can easily see many of Edinburgh in three days or less.
Tour a Middle Age Castle
The Edinburgh Old Town stretches along about a mile; to be precise, the Royal Mile. At the western end of the Royal Mile is Edinburgh Castle . A ticket includes the ability to join a guided tour of 30 minutes from Edinburgh Castle, which we found was the best way to learn about the history of the castle. After the tour, we were free to explore the different rooms and sites Castle.
Robert Bruce captured Edinburgh Castle in 1314 when 30 Scots mastered the castle guard in the middle of the night. As it would not inhabit the castle and would not be able to protect the taken over by the English, he made sure that no one else could do this by burning down. The only original building that has survived is St. Margaret's Chapel. Chapelle Sainte-Marguerite was built in the 12th century and is the oldest building of all Edinburgh.
One the highlights of Edinburgh Castle is the jewel of the Scottish crown. Crown Jewels were hidden in Castle Dunnotour to save them from Oliver Cromwell . They were rediscovered in 1818 by a group of people, including Sir Walter Scott . During World War II, the Crown of Scotland was hidden again, this time in a latrine closet in the Tower of David. It is now on display in the building that holds the Royal Palace, where visitors can visit the room where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI . The crown jewels dating back to 1540 and are all the oldest of the crown jewels in Britain. Charles II was the last to be crowned King of Scotland in 1651 with the crown before Scotland is part of the UK. Included in the display of the Crown Jewels is Stone of Scone , which was originally the abbey of Scone and was the stone on which the two Scottish kings English and were crowned for over 1000 years.
In the same place as the Royal Palace is another highlight, the Scottish National War Memorial, which honors all Scots lost in wars throughout the day. Look carefully the windows that contain scenes of war as tanks and troops. In front of the War Memorial is the Great Hall, which has a roof with the hull of a ship. The roof is the only original piece remains, like the rest of the hall is 1800
Related :. 10 best castles in Scotland for a Road Trip Itinerary
Related :. 10 best castles in Scotland for a Road Trip Itinerary
Pretend be free to the queen House
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is home to the royal family when they are in Scotland. The palace was originally an abbey built in 1128 by King David I. It was converted into a palace by James IV. present form the palace was rebuilt by Charles II in 1670s.
Included with admission is an audio guide that explains the history of the palace and talk to each state apartments. The self-guided tour through the rooms as the throne room, the lounges and the Grand Gallery. In addition to the apartments of the state are the old apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots. This is where she lived after returning from France and that his secretary, David Rizzio, was murdered by his husband.
The palace also shows special exhibitions. During our visit, the Queen of the special exhibition celebrated the 0th anniversary with an exhibition of the largest collection of his clothing to ever be shown in Scotland.
Behind the palace are the remains of the abbey and the palace gardens.
Hiking in City
We were surprised to learn that we could take a hike in the middle of town. Thank you to a local couple we met on the tour of the cathedral roof our St. Giles, we learned about this great hike. They had lived in Edinburgh for decades and had never climbed to the roof of St. Giles before but had always wanted. Edinburgh also on their bucket list is hiking in Holyrood Park. I took their suggestion then golfed Romeo Musselburgh Links. Holyrood Park is located directly behind the Palace of Holyroodhouse and offers miles of hiking with views of Edinburgh.
Holyrood Park began as a royal hunting ground in the 1100s .. There are a number of interesting archaeological and geological features in the park. The land on which the Edinburgh seats is the result of a volcano. Hikers can walk the Arthurs seat, the remains of Edinburgh volcano. Edinburgh Castle is built on the same vent volcano.
Another site in Holyrood Park is St. Anthony's Chapel, a chapel built in medieval times. The chapel and property used to be a place of pilgrimage for people with skin problems. Hunter Bog, nestled between Arthur's Seat, Salisbury Crags and Whinny Hill, is a haven for wildlife and rare plants, and is also a favorite for dogs and their owners.
climb a hill Monuments
Calton Hill stands out along the horizon of Edinburgh because it is a hill covered with monuments that look more like remote ancient ruins. The monuments on Calton Hill include the National Monument, which looks like the Parthenon and honors the soldiers of Athens who died in the Napoleonic Wars, Nelson Monument obelisk as commemorating the death of Admiral Lord Nelson, and Dugald Stewart Monument. Calton Hill also offers spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Arthur's Seat.
Ride a Whisky Barrel
Just a few doors down from Edinburgh Castle on the Royal Mile is Scotch Whisky Experience , the Disneyland of Scotch Whisky. After buying our tickets took us on an amusement park ride, a whiskey barrel car that moves along a track through the whiskey making process. It seems a little hokey, but it really is fun.
After the ride, we sat in a small room with other visitors watched a short film on the Scotch whiskey followed by a brief presentation by a guide, then had the chance to sample a single malt whisky.
A Scotch Whisky Experience the tour is like getting a really easy to understand primer on Scotch whiskey. We learned the difference between a mixture and a single malt. We learned that Scotland has four regions of Scotch whiskey: the Lowlands, which produce whiskey with aromas of citrus; the Highlands, which produce whiskey with floral aromas and vanilla; Speyside, producing fruity whiskeys; and Islay, smoke house, peaty whiskies.
After go whiskey school, we realized our dram of whiskey in the Diageo Claive Vidiz Whisky Collection, a collection of 3384 bottles of Scotch Whisky, the largest full of Scotch bottle collection in the world. We then moved into the bar where we could not only buy more whiskey to taste, but also try some whiskey cocktails inventive. While the Scots are quick to say that the single malt whiskey should not be mixed with anything more than a drop or two of water, mixed drinks blended whiskey base are absolutely delicious.
stand on the roof of a Cathedral
St. Giles Cathedral is the church of Edinburgh and is distinguished from the rest of the city with its bell-shaped crown. St. Giles is the patron saint of criminals, lepers, and the physically disabled. The original church was built in 1124, but the current church was built in the Gothic style in 1370. In 1450, the roof was raised and the church was enlarged. The oldest stained glass in the cathedral is from 1873 and the newest is from 1985 a window created by the Icelandic artist Leifur Breidfjörd and dedicated to Robert Burns.
The highlight of a visit to the St. Giles Cathedral joins the St. Giles tour 20 minutes on the roof during which we learned about the history of the cathedral and climbed on the roof for views to inside the bell tower and the Edinburgh skyline.
Enjoy afternoon tea in a Library
In the same place as the St. Giles Cathedral is one of the finest places to enjoy tea in the afternoon in Edinburgh. The Colonnades at the Signet Library is an impressive tea surrounded by libraries that reach the high ceiling. The books are all the books of law. Solicitors (lawyers in American speak) in Scotland used to be known as writers. The Signet Library is maintained by the Writers Company to Her Majesty Signet.
The Colonnades the Signet Library has an extensive menu of teas to choose from, including black teas, green teas and fruit teas. Our server helped us successfully navigate the tea menu to choose teas perfect for our tastes. An interesting tea on the menu that we had never heard of before was Russian Caravan , a tea that was popular in the 1950s and is back. It is bold without being bitter and Colonnades may be the only tea room that serves this unique place tea.
Afternoon Tea includes two candy trays, the first and second tasty sweet. Everything is miniature and picture perfect. Savory meringues offerings included carrots, puffs of air of goat cheese topped carrot; miniature beef Wellington; quail eggs with jamón ibérico, pies and spinach mousse with caramelized walnuts; Duck pastries; smoked salmon and caviar pannacotta; Coronation chicken salad sandwiches; and salad sandwich with eggs. The sweet miniature desserts included apple tea and Jell-O gin; Pistachio macaroons; lemon meringue; eclairs blueberry; and homemade scones served with clotted cream.
Royal Walk Mile
The Royal Mile is the heart of Edinburgh. On one side is Edinburgh Castle and the other to Holyroodhouse Palace, and between Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand. Along the Royal Mile are the most impressive buildings in the old town of Edinburgh.
Listen to Sound of Bagpipes Complete Air
Two things that are typically Scotland are bagpipes and kilts. You can do plenty of times before the High Court of Justice every day in the form of one of the many Edinburgh Bagpipe street performers. The plaintive sounds of the bagpipes resonate in the streets of Edinburgh and can be heard blocks away.
Literary Gossip Scotland Figures
A fun way to learn about famous literary figures of Scotland, as Sir Walter Scott Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson , is to join The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour of . The tour is led by two actors who play the roles of Clarity and McBrain. Clarity highlights the drunken debauchery famous authors of Scotland McBrain while trying to raise the conversation to a more intellectual level. All this leads Group pubs and Edinburgh being so literary history of Scotland can be enjoyed with a pint of Scottish beer. In addition to visiting local pubs and learning Scottish authors, the tour also key part of the Edinburgh story, like that of Grassmarket which had a gallows where criminals were hanged, including Maggie Dickson whose crime did not declare her pregnancy. She survived his hanging and was heard a knock on his coffin. Since his sentence was public hanging, which does not specify death, she was able to live the rest of his free life after serving his sentence.
Dodge plague in Edinburgh Close
We stepped back in time when Edinburgh was jam packed with people who practically lived on the other not the best conditions taking a turn near Edinburgh. Nearby is a narrow passage between two buildings. Edinburgh poor lived in the belly of these buildings, some in rooms without windows to allow light or fresh air.
to Close The Real Mary King is a well-preserved example of how people lived hundreds of years . While the closure was underground, it feels like it is now, for a floor was built at street level that creates a roof a few floors above the bottom floor of the building along the fence. A guided tour takes visitors in many rooms of the proximity and tells the story of the building's owner, Mary Close, a female merchant, and some of the residents. Included on the tour of the rooms without windows that acted as family houses, a room where the cows were kept and slaughtered, and a residence of a family struck by the plague. near Mary King was very popular because it was near the food market, therefore had up to 700 residents in one building. A tiny dark stone room housed 12 people. What made the closing popular Mary King was also one of the deadliest places to live when the plague struck because rats were attracted to the food market and fleas transmit the disease.
(do) Rub the nose of Edinburgh Loyal Dog
Scotland’s the most famous dog Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier who watched over the grave of his master for 14 years. The story goes that John Gray, an Edinburgh policeman, adopted a stray dog as a guard dog and named Bobby. John Gray died and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby accompanied his master in the tomb where he was buried and continued to keep the tomb every night until it also transmits, 14 years later. The bronze-size statue of Greyfriars Bobby was erected to commemorate the best friend of the most loyal man. Many travelers think rub the nose of the statue brings luck, as evidenced by his shiny nose. However, Edinburgh residents insist this is just a rumor that was started by a travel agency and beg that travelers stop rubbing Bobby wee nose so that the sculpture will not be destroyed.
pay tribute to the heroes of Scotland and Villains
It might come as a surprise that an American flag flies in Greyfriars Kirk . The church has stood since 1620 and the first service was on Christmas Day this year, the same month and year of the Mayflower set anchor in Plymouth harbor. Greyfriars Kirk has a connection over the United States that the refurbished ceiling consists California redwoods.
Surrounding the church is Greyfriars Kirkyard, huge church cemetery. Many of Edinburgh elite citizens are buried here, as well as its villains. After visiting the statue of Greyfriars Bobby, visitors can then visit both the tomb of John Gray, where Bobby slept for 14 years, and the tombstone for Bobby, where visitors leave sticks for him to fetch in the beyond.
Release your inner Taphophile
You can be a taphophile and do not even know. If you are a tombstone tourist and amateur cemetery, you might be a taphophile. There are a number of Edinburgh graveyards, not only Greyfriars Kirkyard. A particularly picturesque graveyard we came across while walking to the Palace of Holyroodhouse is near Burns Monument and contains Commonwealth War Graves.
Search for Harry Potter Inspiration
J.K. Rowling is a famous modern British author to write the Harry Potter series. She wrote the Harry Potter books while living in Edinburgh and found inspiration for the books in his adopted city. Travelers can see some of these inspirations if they know what they want.
A Harry Potter inspiration is bending and colorful Victoria Street, which was the inspiration to Diagon Alley. George Heriot School of inspiration for the architecture of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Some the names used in the Harry Potter novels have been taken directly from tombstones Greyfriars Kirkyard. One is the name of the one who must not be named, not Lord Voldemort, but Thomas Riddle. We see evidence of this during our visit, but apparently the fans visit the grave of Thomas Riddle and leave written notes on the fictional character.
attractions like these are included in The Reel Edinburgh Tower , a film walking tour has started by Mark Kydd and Laverne Edmonds, the actors who lead our tour literary history pub.
History of Edinburgh Experience
the Edinburgh Museum is a small museum that traces the history of Edinburgh from the beginning. The most interesting part is the Edinburgh Foundation - The Story of a City room, a movie presented on the floor of the theater museum which shows the growth of Edinburgh Auld Reekie, the coal town smoky, where the population of the city lived above the other in a tiny space, expanded to New town.
See Scotland Treasures
The National Museum of Scotland is a huge museum housing the treasures of Scotland, as well as pieces of nature and world culture. It would take hours to see everything in this museum alone. Since we only had three days in Edinburgh, we chose to focus on some of the highlights of the museum. One of these strengths is the Lewis Chessmen, chessmen that were made of walrus tusk in the late 12th or early 13th century and were found in Lewis, Scotland in 1831. Another must is the silver canteen of Bonnie Prince Charlie held most often required as a bone marrow ball, nutmeg grater and taster ....
Watching the weaving Tartans
The Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition is a monument to the five-story tartan production. During the week visitors can see the mill in action and made kilts. There are also plenty of opportunities for shopping throughout the plant.
Visit Edinburgh Other Monuments
There are monuments to significant figures in Scotland throughout the city. One of the most important is the Scott Monument, the largest monument to a writer in the world. The characteristics of the Sir Walter Scott monument and his favorite Deerhound Maida. Visitors can also climb the stairs of the monument to yet another view of the city, but we were unable to do that the monument was restored during our visit.
Other Edinburgh monuments include the Burns Monument, commemorating the Scottish poet Robert Burns, and the equestrian statue of King Charles II, who is the oldest statue in Edinburgh.
Stay in a Hotel Edinburgh on the Royal Mile
The Key to see everything on a three-day Edinburgh route is to stay in a centrally located hotel. Our Edinburgh hotel choice was Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh in the center of Edinburgh and the Royal Mile. The seriousness location can not do better than the right on the Royal Mile, roughly equidistant between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and within walking distance of absolutely everything, including attractions, restaurants , and the train station. In addition to the hotel bar, there are also two pubs just across the street that have live music and serve beers and Scotch whiskeys.
Even if it was just us two trips, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh put us up in a large family room angle. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh is an Edinburgh hotel for traveling families and couples traveling. The family room had a king-size bed with two double beds, a sofa, a desk and chair, a small table and chair, more fun toys for children as a road carpet, train set, and table. There were two closets, you can bet that we took advantage of even if we are not family expected four.
Along with corner room came beautiful views of the Edinburgh skyline. With all the tiny chimneys sprouting from the top of brick and stone buildings of Edinburgh, I felt almost as if I was on the stage of Mary Poppins where chimney sweeps chimneys jump out and start singing and dancing "Step in Time" Mary Poppins was accidentally playing theater festival a few blocks away homes, also next to a large fish and chips place.
In Besides being a large hotel looking in the middle of it all with beautiful rooms and comfortable beds which allowed me to sleep the first night without waking up (a sign of jetlag), the Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh also serves a great breakfast to fuel travelers for the day. This is not your breakfast continental run-of-the-mill. There is an area where you use you can make a full Scottish breakfast of eggs, beans, fried tomatoes, sausages, and more, and an assortment of yogurt, fruit and pastries. In addition, customers can order a bowl of porridge or omelette. I liked to take advantage of that and had porridge with honey each morning.
The service the Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh offers its customers is also worth noting. We could leave our luggage in a locked room so that we could walk to the train station to pick up our rental car. A desk clerk helped me by calling a restaurant for us to reschedule our dinner reservation. Once, when we were in our room in the early evening, a member of the hotel staff was parlors to offer free drinks. On our last night in Scotland, one of the front desk staff offered to have breakfast box for us when he learned we had to leave for the airport before breakfast was served, and breakfast in box that objects that could be taken through airport security content.
While there are certainly more things to do in Edinburgh that are not our itinerary for this trip, we could see the best Edinburgh three days before setting off to explore the rest of Scotland.
Tip: Some of the attractions of Edinburgh are covered by Explorer Pass , which provides access to 77 attractions throughout Scotland.
Thanks to Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh This Is Edinburgh and Association of Scottish visitor Attractions to accommodate our time in Edinburgh and make it possible post. As always, all opinions are my own.
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