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Language
English
Currency & Best Way to Get Money
The British pound.
There are plenty of ATM machines
and exchange bureaus both at the port in Leith and in the old and new towns
that make up the city of Edinburgh's old and new towns.
Best Souvenir
Cashmere and malt scotch.
Where You're Docked
Leith is an historic port that's been restored and now
features everything from tours of the Royal yacht Brittania to numerous pubs
(ranging from waterman-seedy to chic) to shopping malls. Edinburgh itself is
easily accessible via taxi or bus (ten minute ride) or even, if you are
feeling spry, about a 30 minute walk.
Getting Around
You can walk anywhere -- the Old and New towns are
separated by the easily traversed Princes Street Gardens. Buses are really
easy to figure out and taxis are plentiful.
Watch Out For
Rain. It rains a lot. Which gives the city some of its
allure -- the misty cobbled alleyways, the gorgeous green gardens -- but you might also get wet.
Don't Miss
The Old Town:
Dating back from Medieval times (12th century), Edinburgh's
old town is where most of the major historic monuments and attractions are
gathered, with most anchored on or just off the Royal Mile, the main
roadway. The Royal Mile is the historic thoroughfare that's marked, at the
top, by Edinburgh Castle (the number one attraction in Scotland) and, at
bottom, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is the Queen of England's
official residence. Best bet is to start your trip down the Royal Mile from
the top (our listings run top to bottom); along the way The Royal Mile has
four different street names: Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and
Canongate. Here's a sprinkling of attractions and sights worth seeing:
 At Edinburgh Castle (daily 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.), key attractions include
St. Margaret's Chapel, the Stone of Destiny, which is where Scottish
monarchs were crowned, and a display of the Scottish Crown Jewels. Guided
tours are available.
Camera Obscura (daily from 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.) is one of those attractions
that sounds bizarre but turns out to be fascinating. Its full of exhibits
that focus on "seeing" -- holograms, optical illusions, 3-d cityscapes, etc.
The Scotch Whisky Heritage Center (354 Castlehill); tastings are available
after a fun tour (you ride around the displays in a whiskey barrel).
St. Giles Cathedral (Lawnmarket, Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday
1 - 5 p.m.) is the "high kirk" of Scotland and dates back to the Middle
Ages. Inside are numerous memorials, stained glass windows, and art
masterpieces.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse (open daily 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.) is, yes, the
Queen of England's official Scottish residence (and is closed for Royal and State visits -- check before you travel). There's a fabulous tour of the
chambers of Mary Queen of Scots, historic apartments and state rooms. The
palace gardens are gorgeous.
The New Town:
Its moniker is misleading -- the New Town actually dates back
to the 18th century and is, today, home to many of Edinburgh's art museums, galleries and shops. Attractions include The National Gallery (Monday -
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 2 - 5 p.m.), Royal Scottish Academy and
the National Gallery of Scotland (both located at the junctions of Princes
Street and the Mound, ); the former features revolving exhibitions while the latter holds Scotland's greatest collection of Old Masters.
Been There, Done That
Bring a picnic and climb 800-ft. Arthur's Seat (near Holyrood Palace), a
one-time volcano with breathtaking views of Edinburgh and the sea.
Tour Edinburgh, from medieval graveyards to castles, by bicycle via
Adrian's City Cycle Tour (daily, 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., reservations
required -- www.pedalculture.com). Another way to put a fun spin on a city
tour is to take a ghost walk or literary pub tour (that follows in the
footsteps of Burns, Scott and Stevenson).
Explore the Port of Leith. This one-time seedy port neighborhood has gotten
spruced up and boasts a shopping mall (Ocean Terminal), hip restaurants and
ye-olde pubs. One major attraction is touring the Royal Brittania, the one
time Royal Yacht (9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily), that's now docked at Leith.
Take the train to Glasgow, a 45-minute ride; for train schedules, consult
ScotRail (www.scotrail.co.uk).
Another great trip-by-train is the seaside resort of North Berwick (24
miles east of Edinburgh), home of the Scottish Seabird Centre with its Big
Brother style cameras focused on the bird life activity on the Bass Rock in
the Firth of Forth.
Lunching
Along the Royal Mile, fun pubs (that also serve bar food) include: The Bow
Bar (80 West Bow, Victoria Street), Deacon Brodies (435 Lawnmarket), Clever
Dicks (119 High Street) and Jinglin Geordies (22 Fleshmarket). For a
sampling of restaurants and cafes, good choices include: The Cafeteria (45
Market Street, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday, noon - 5 p.m. Sunday) for
casual fare. Polo Fusion (503 Lawnmarket, noon - 2 p.m.m Monday - Saturday)
offers International style cuisine. Dubh Prais (123B High Street, Tuesday -
Friday noon - 2 p.m.) has superb Scottish fare. And for fabulous medieval
atmosphere, try The Witchery at the Castle (352 Castlehill, noon - 4 p.m.
daily).
In Leith, check out: The Central Bar (7 Leith Walk), Leith Oyster Bar (10
Burgess Street) and Port EO Leith Bar (58 Constitution Street).
In the New Town, cafes and bistros line Rose Street; beyond that, one
favorite is Keepers (13B Dundas Street, noon - 2 p.m. Tuesday - Friday).
Staying in Touch
Easy Internet Cafe, 58 Rose Street, New Town
The Internet Cafe, 98 East Bow, Grassmarket, www.edininternetcafe.com
Shore Excursions
 Best for First Timers: A City of Edinburgh tour with trip to Edinburgh Castle is a terrific first visit.
Best for Night Visits: If your itinerary permits, The Edinburgh Tattoo, held at the castle over a three week summer period, is an entertainment extravaganza with about 1,000 performers, ranging from bands and dancers to bagpipes and singers.
Best for Sports Aficionados: Head out of town to St. Andrews, where golf was invented. The tour includes time to explore the medieval city of St. Andrews and a chance to walk a portion of the golf course.
For More Information
On the Web: www.edinburgh.org
On the Web: www.eventful-edinburgh.com
On the Web: www.oceanterminal.com
Cruise Critic Message Boards: Britain
The Independent Traveler: Europe Exchange
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