Visiting Scotland?
Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at
11:05 pm
annalynn asked:
anyone have any places I should visit while i am in scotland? i will be in the edinburgh area. thanks!
anyone have any places I should visit while i am in scotland? i will be in the edinburgh area. thanks!
Tagged with: Edinburgh Area • Visiting Scotland
Filed under: Scotland
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see the lepricorn on the hills as you drive in
This webpage would help, since the list of places you can visit is quite large:
Isle of Skye is very nice.
The Royal Museum is pretty cool, if you are into science or especially science history. It’s connected to the Museum of Scotland, which is good for Scottish history, if you are into that.
If you like walking/hiking (“hill walking” as they call it) there is a beautiful view of the city from the hill with “Arther’s Seat”. It’s near the palace that the Queen stays at when she is in Edinburgh, and the palace is open for tours, and they have a nice snack shop to get a bite to eat or a cup of tea after the hike. The best part is the tea cups in the gift shop! You can also walk around the new Scottish Parliament building in that area, which is cool if modern architecture is interesting to you.
Another interesting walk is David Hume’s burial tomb up on Calton hill, if you are interested in history/philosophy type stuff. You might combine that with walk along Princess Street, with shops on the north side of the street and the gardens on the south side. But also note that the streets that run parallel to Princess street and are just north of it have some nice little shops as well. The Queen’s yacht is an interesting glimpse into royal life, if that interests you. There is a tour bus that will take you down there, and also stops at some other attractions.
I’d recommend trying the fish and chips. Also, if you like Indian food, try that – the Indian food there was really good (compared to the US). Also, I’d try having tea at one of the tea shops- they know how to do tea there!
Lots to do and see – you won’t be bored!
The bus tours that leave from Waverly Station are great. you can buy a ticket and hop on and off all day near the tourist attractions. Palace of Holyrood house is good to tour. If you like a nice walk, take the path from the Princes Street Gardens up to Edinburgh Castle.
That’s a big question. i’d suggest that you visit the Scotland section of the National Tourism website for Britain, which has been well researched for presentating answers like yours.
I’ve also included a link to accomodation in Edinburgh in case it’s useful.
I hope that helps
Welcome to Edinburgh
Edinburgh is situated between the Pentland Hills and the South Coast of the Firth of Forth and is the capital of Scotland. A recent census put the population at around 450 000 people and growing. There is evidence of human settlement in Edinburgh dating from 1000 BC – making the city one of the longest continuously inhabited places in Northern Europe.The City of Edinburgh is 100 square miles in area and is twinned with Dunedin, New Zealand – Florence, Italy – Kiev, Ukraine – Munich, Germany – Nice, France – San Diego, USA – Vancouver, Canada and Xian, China. The city lies in the shadow of an extinct volcano called Arthur’s Seat which at it’s peak rises to 822 ft. Edinburgh has a number of nicknames: “Auld Reekie”, “Festival City” and “The Athens of the North” due to the amount of fine architecture in the city. Scots speak English with a Scottish accent, so understanding the locals should not be to difficult and visitors to the city can be sure of a warm welcome and expect a safe and pleasant stay.
Facts about Scotland
Country: Scotland
Continent: Europe
National Population: 5 500 000
National Capital: Edinburgh
Edinburgh Population: 450 000
Local Time: GMT
(5 hours from Eastern Standard Time)
(8 hours from Pacific Standard Time)
Official Language: English
Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)
1 = 100 pence
Religion: Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu.
Contacts
Scottish Tourist Board
23 Ravelston Terr.,
Edinburgh EH4 3EU,
Tel.: 0131 332 2433,
FAX: 0131 315 4545
19 Cockspur St.,
London SWIY 5BL,
Tel.: 020 7930 8661,
FAX: 020 7930 1817
Tourist Information Centre
Waverly Market, Princes Street, Edinburgh
Tel. 0131 557 1700
Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board Site
Arriving in Scotland
Passports & Visas
Entering Scotland
U.S., Canadian, New Zealand, and Australian citizens, even infants, need only a valid passport to enter Great Britain for stays of up to 90 days.
Entering the United Kingdom from outside Europe, a traveller 17 or over can take in ;
(1) 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco;
(2) one litre of alcohol over 22% volume or two litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs;
(3) two litres of still table wine;
(4) 60 ml of perfume and 250 ml of toilet water;
(5) other goods to a value of £145 (no pooling of exemptions is allowed).
HM Customs and Excise
44 York Place,
Edinburgh, EH1,
Tel.: 0131 469 2000 People
Edinburgh has a pretty cosmopolitan feel to it, partly due to the influx of Tourists (particularly in the Summer season) and with people in general moving to the city from other parts of the UK for employment opportunities and quality of life.
The locals have been described as stand-offish as opposed to the natives of Glasgow (it’s rival), who come across as more helpful and friendly, but it’s hard to generalise, so judge for yourself. There is certainly a feeling of Scottishness amongst the Edinburgh people, and in the atmosphere of the city itself.
Climate
The Scottish climate is not renowned for being the most consistent in the world, but when it’s nice it’s nice and when it’s unpleasant it’s generally wet.You may spend a summer week in Scotland and experience nothing but low clouds and drizzle. On the other hand, you may enjoy Mediterranean-like weather even in early spring and late autumn. Scotland has few thunderstorms and little fog, but there are often variable winds. Generally speaking though, Scotland is two or three degrees cooler than southern England.
Tip of the day ;
Bring an umbrella with you.
Average Temperatures
January 43-34°F (6-1°C)
February 43-34°F (6-1°C)
March 47-36°F (8-2°C)
April 52-40°F (11-4°C)
May 58-43°F (14-6°C)
June 63-49°F (17-9°C)
July 65-52°F (18-11°C)
August 65-52°F (18-11°C)
September 61-49°F (16-9°C)
October 54-45°F (12-7°C)
November 49-40°F (9-4°C)
December 45-36°F (7-2°C) Health
No particular jabs are necessary for visiting Scotland.
Pharmacies
A pharmacy — or chemist, is identified by its sign, a green cross on a white background.
Boots (48 Shandwick Pl., west end of Princes St., Tel.: 0131 225 6757) is open Monday-Friday 8 AM-9 PM, Saturday 8 AM-7 PM, and Sunday 10-5 PM
Hospitals
Western General Hospital
Crewe Road, Edinburgh, –
Tel. 0131 332 2525
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
City Centre Hospital with Accident & Emergency Dept. 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, – Tel. 0131 536 1000
Dentist
For a dental emergency, go to the
Edinburgh Dental Institute,
39 Lauriston Place,
Tel. 0131 536 4900
open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
Emergencies: Tel. 999 in an emergency to summon the police, an ambulance, or firefighters.
Currency
Britain’s currency is the pound sterling, which is divided into 100 pence (100p). Notes are issued in £50, £20, £10, and £5 values. Coins are issued in £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, and 1p values.
Scottish coins are the same as English ones, but Scottish notes are issued by three banks: – the Bank of Scotland, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and the Clydesdale Bank.
Exchanging Money
Most city-center banks have a bureau de change (usual banking hours are weekdays 9:30-4:45). The bureau de change at the Tourist Centre, Waverley Market, is open daily. There are also bureaux de change at Waverley Station and Edinburgh Airport. Banks can also be used to exchange currency, although shop around for the best rates.
Other Exchange Services
International Currency Express — Tel. 888 278 6628 for orders,
Thomas Cook Currency Services — Tel. 800 287 7362 for orders,
Banks
The city has branches of all major UK Banks and Building Societies and most of the towns of the Lothians have at least one branch of the major Scottish banks. Opening hours are normally between 9.30am and 3.30 or 5.00pm.
Value-Added Tax
The British sales tax, VAT (Value Added Tax), is 17.5%. The tax is almost always included in quoted prices in shops, hotels, and restaurants. As in other European countries, non-EU residents are entitled to a refund of the VAT paid on goods taken home with them.
Global Refund is a VAT refund service available Europe-wide at 130,000 affiliated stores. In participating stores, ask for the Global Refund form (called a Shopping Cheque). Have it stamped like any customs form by customs officials when you leave the European Union. Then take the form to one of the more than 700 Global Refund counters — conveniently located at every major airport and border crossing — and your money will be refunded on the spot in the form of cash, check, or a refund to your credit-card account.
Post Offices
Post Offices, which normally open between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday and 9am until 12am on a Saturday, can be found throughout the city.
Business Hours Info
Banks are usually open Monday to Wednesday 9:30am to 3:45pm and Thursday and Friday 9:30am to 5 or 5:30pm.
Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5:30 or 6pm; – on Thursday stores are open to 8pm.
Offices are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Mail
Airmail letters to the United States and Canada cost 43p, postcards 37p, aerograms 38p. Letters and postcards to Europe under 20 grams cost 30p. Within the United Kingdom first class letters cost 26p, second class letters and postcards 19p.
If you’re uncertain where you’ll be staying, you can arrange to have your mail sent to American Express. The service is free to cardholders; all others pay a small fee. You can also receive letters at any post office by labelling them with your name and “Poste Restante” and addressing them to the post office of your choice.
The post office in the
St. James Centre
(St. Andrew Sq., Tel. 0131 556 0478)
is the most central and is open Monday 9-5:30, Tuesday-Friday 8:30-5:30, and Saturday 8:30-6.
Other main post offices in the city center are at
40 Frederick Street and
7 Hope Street
Many newsagents also sell stamps.
Online
At Postcodes On-Line you can find any Postcode or Address within the UK from our database of 27 million addresses.
To search for a Postcode, use Postcode Finder.
All you need to do is enter the address details.
To search for an Address, use Address Finder.
All you need to do is enter a Postcode.
…
Information Centre
The Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre
3 Princes St.,
Tel.: 0131 473 3800 –
FAX: 0131 473 3881
May, June, and Sept., Mon.-Sat. 9-7, Sun. 10-7; July and Aug., Mon.-Sat. 9-8, Sun. 10-8; Oct.-Apr., Mon.-Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-6
Telephones
Area & Country Codes
The country code for Great Britain is 44. The city code for Edinburgh is 0131. When dialing a Scottish or British number from abroad, drop the initial 0 from the local area code. For instance, if you were calling Edinburgh Castle from New York City to ask about opening hours, you would first dial 011 (the international code), 44 (the Great Britain country code), 131 (the Edinburgh city code), then 668-8800 (the number proper).
Directory & Operator Information
To call the Operator, dial 100
Directory inquiries (information), 192
International directory inquiries, 153
International Calls
To make international calls from Scotland, you must use the international access code 00 + the country code + area code + number. For the international operator, credit card, or collect calls, dial 155.
The country code is 1 for the United States and Canada, 61 for Australia, and 64 for New Zealand.
Long-Distance Calls
For long-distance calls within Britain, dial the area code (which usually begins with 01), followed by the telephone number. The area code prefix is only used when you are dialing from outside the city. In provincial areas, the dialing codes for nearby towns are often listed in the phonebox.
Public Phones
There are three types of public pay phones: those that accept only coins, those that accept only phone cards, and those that take British Telecom (BT) phone cards and credit cards. For coin-only phones, insert coins before dialing (minimum charge is 20p). Sometimes phones have a “press on answer” (POA) button, which you press when the caller answers.
For phone card telephones, buy BT (British Telecom) cards from shops, post offices, or newsstands. They are ideal for longer calls, are composed of units of 10p, and come in values of £3, £5, £10 and more. An indicator panel on the phone shows the number of units you’ve used and at the end of your call the card is returned.
Online
Welcome to BT Directory Enquiries, this free reliable service allows you to find people & organisations in the UK.
Useful Info & Numbers
Lothian and Borders Police Force Headquarters – Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4 1RB. — Tel. 0131 311 3131 — Fax. 0131 311 3038
Police Information Centre – 188 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS.
Tel. 0131 226 6966
Edinburgh Airport Police Room – Almond Avenue Edinburgh,
EH12 0AL. — Tel. 0131 333 2724
Emergencies – Tel. 999 in an emergency to summon the police, an ambulance, or firefighters.
Hospital – The most convenient is the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 1 Lauriston Place, — Tel. 0131 536 1000
Dentist – For a dental emergency, go to the Edinburgh Dental Institute, 39 Lauriston Place, – Tel. 0131 536 4900 — open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
Doctor – In a medical emergency, you can seek help from the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 1 Lauriston Place, – Tel. 0131 536 1000
Medical attention is available 24 hours.
Chemists – There are no 24-hour Chemists in Edinburgh. The major Chemist is Boots, 48 Shandwick Place – Tel. 0131 225 6757 — open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 8am to 6pm, Thursday 8am to 7:30pm,
Saturday 8am to 7pm, and Sunday 10am to 5pm.
Cyberia Cybercafe – For checking on your mail or sending messages, head to the Cyberia Edinburgh, 88 Hanover St.
Tel. 0131 220 4403 — e-mail:
Web 13 – Also try Web 13 at 13 Bread Street, — Tel. 0131 229 8883
e-mail:
Laundry/Dry Cleaning – Try Sundial Launderette, 7-11 East London St. ; Tel. 0131 556 2743 —
open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, and Sunday 10am to 2pm.
For your dry-cleaning needs, check out Johnson’s Cleaners, 23 Frederick St. ; Tel. 0131 225 8095 —
open Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm.
Luggage/Storage/Lockers – You can store luggage in lockers at Waverley Station, at Waverley Bridge
Tel. 0131 550 2333 — open Monday to Saturday 7am to 11pm and Sunday 8am to 11pm.
Post Office – The Edinburgh Branch Post Office, St. James’s Centre, is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to noon. For postal information and customer service, – Tel. 0131 550 8232
Toilets – These can be found at railway stations, bus terminals, restaurants, hotels, pubs, and department stores.
There are also Public Toilets which are perfectly safe and clean.
Safety – Edinburgh is generally very safe and is in fact one of Europe’s safest capitals for a visitor to stroll at any time of day or night. But that doesn’t mean crimes don’t occur, so be streetwise and don’t flash the cash, or jingle the jewellery.
– Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board Site – Edinburgh District Council Site – Useful Scottish directory – The Ultimate Scottish directory – Excellent Scottish directory
Edinburgh Castle
Holyrood Palace
National Museum of Scotland
Old Town
New Town
Royal Yacht Britannia
Roslyn Chapel
St Giles Cathedral
National Gallery of Scotland
Concord (in Fortune, East Lothian)
Linlithgow Palace
Flakirk Wheel