EDINBURGH IS AN

EXPERIENCE, A CITY OF
ENORMOUS GIFTS, WHOSE
STREETS SING OF HIS STORY
AND WHOSE COBBLES TELL
TALES.
by Alan Bold






Have you ever wondered how a
trip to Edinburgh would be like?
If you want we could go together
because:
`Youth is the time to go
flashing from one end of the
world to
the other, both in mind and
body`,
said once Robert Louis Stevenson


It is not difficult to
understand how
local boy
Robert
Lewis
Stevenson
came to
write Dr
Jekyll and Mr
Hyde, growing up as he did
in a city of such extraordinary
contrasts. From the
history- soaked medieval
tenements,
vennels and
wynds of the
Old Town to
the sweeping
elegance of the
Georgian New Town,
Edinburgh deserves its
reputation as one of the most
beautiful and compelling cities in the
world.
With all this
and now a
festival in
almost every
month of the
year, it really is
always a good time to
come to Edinburgh.



































HOW DO WE GET THERE?
Flights from London take just over an
.hour. To get to and from the
airport, Airlink buses
(Service 100) run 24
hours a day
from directly
outside
domestic
arrivals to
the city centre
(single 4,
child 2; open return 7,
child 3; A taxi from the
airport to the city centre takes about 25
minutes and costs from 25.
Train
Waverley Station is located at the very
heart of the city, making the train a
great way to arrive. East Coast runs
frequent services from
London King's Cruk,
while Virgin Trains
run from London
Euston via
Birmingham
(Journeys from
London take from 4
1/2 hours. Scot Rails
Caledonian
Car
If you are planning to drive to
Edinburgh, remember that parking can
be difficult and expensive. However, some
park and ride facilities allow overnight
parking for a maximum of seven days.
Basic information
Tourist passes: a two-day Royal
Edinburgh Pass gives entry to Edinburgh
Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and
the Royal Yacht Britannia, as well as two
consecutive days of travel on Edinburgh
Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tours. Adults, 45;
child 5-15, 25; seniors/students, 40
A Historic Scotland Explorer
pass gives free entry to any of
their 78 paid entry
properties around
Scotland,
including
Edinburgh
Castle and Craigmillar
Castle. A three-day pass is
29; child, 17;
concession/student, 24; family, 58
Currency: British sterling at least until
the referendum on independence in
September 2014. Banks in Scotland print
their own notes, so you will see a bit of
variety in the appearance of the currency
Weather: take a sweater and an
umbrella, no matter what it looks like
outside the window in the morning
Tipping: as a general rule, people do not
tip taxi drivers in Edinburgh, although
some people will round up to the nearest
1 and occasionally tip 10-15 per cent if
a driver has been particularly helpful.
Similarly it is not usual to tip bar staff.
Some restaurants have a service charge
otherwise, 10-15 per cent of the bill is
usual

WHERE TO STAY
The Scotsman hotel
One of the citys landmark buildings, the
former Scotsman newspaper offices,
carefully converted to retain its
Edwardian grandeur -
oak panelling, marble
staircase, baronial
turrets - while
given a sheen of
low- key, modern
luxury. Nothing tricksy,
nothing bold, just warm,
well- upholstered and
comfortable. Surprisingly, theres nowhere
decent - other than the bar - to sit and
people-watch; the subterranean lounge is
depressingly sterile.
The Glasshouse hotel

Not exactly made of glass but theres lots
of it about: sweeping windows, semi-glass
staircase, and glass
baubles, vases and
objets dotted
around. Dcor is
retro 70s with
plenty of
orange, tan and
cherry-reds, pendant
lampshades, boxy leather
sofas and wood veneer furniture.
Eerily quiet, as theres no bar or
restaurant (breakfasts only plus room
service) just a nightclub-style, windowless,
lounge with honesty bar and gas-fire
bowl.