Weekend away in Edinburgh.

[oyster]

Any tips for our group of four almost retired going by train to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks? Good food, drink, interesting locations? Thanks.

[StreetFlatTwin]

I can highly recommend the Burke and Hare pub just up from the grassmarket

Or should that be ??

Edinburgh a nice place for a few days visit....the castle's a must and there are a few other places worth the visit-the Queen Mary out at Leith docks meant to be quite interesting!

There is also the old town tours where there are old streets underneath the current Edinburgh streets.....something to so with the Black Death or something......

I'm sure more folk will give you their thoughts......

[el-nicko]

http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/pl ... t/tickets/

[StreetFlatTwin]

Em.....yeah that's the one.....could have been worse I could have thought it was the titanic!!

[simon]

...
Bert’s Bar

The first round I bought in there was
:top
16 pints of heavy, then 16 pints of heavy and 16 pies..
then goto top, ad pecunias habent.

I'd been landed with the kitty

[McBoxer]

Any tips for our group of four almost retired going by train to Edinburgh.....

Avoid leaving Waverley station via the steps - there's a lot of them!

....Good food.....

There's a nice italian restaurant on the Grassmarket that I went to on my last visit - Gennaro's. Lovely hosts and I would recommend it. However, Edinburgh isn't short of a restaurant or two. Lot's of Italian restaurants (my favourite), but most other varieties too.

.... drink.....

Rose street always used to be THE drinking street in Edinburgh, where there was (and still is I believe) a whole variety of pubs to choose from. The Grassmarket also, and Lothian Road / Tollcross. Much will depend on where you're staying and how far you want to walk / crawl back!

....interesting locations.....

As mentioned, the Royal Yacht SS Queen Mary II is worth a look round. The Castle, of course (free to MOD personell) and Holyrood Palace are the two obvious ones. Princes street is worth a look - if only to marvel at the never-ending roadworks for the trams (ongoing since 1908 I believe). And while you're there have a look in Jenners on Princes St for a proper old school (think Grace Bros from the 70's - but posher) dept store. It's worth popping up to the cafe for a cream tea as you get a nice view over Princes St Gardens towards the Castle. Similarly, the restaurant in John Lewis (in the St James centre) has a great view looking over Leith and the Firth of Forth - if the cloud lifts for long enough! There's a good few art galleries if that kind of thing floats your boat, the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers St has lots of interesting stuff, and Surgeons Hall has some medical stuff if you have a biological or gruesome side to you. And, of course, you can just walk around and take in the architecture - it's a very pretty city. Something that I did not appreciate at all when I grew up there, but love to go and look at now! Enjoy your trip.

[el-nicko]

Also worth a look?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_ ... _the_Cross

[McBoxer]

Also worth a look?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_ ... _the_Cross

Worth a look if your eyesight's up to it. It seems to be in Glasgow - 50 miles away....

[el-nicko]

Also worth a look?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_ ... _the_Cross

Worth a look if your eyesight's up to it. It seems to be in Glasgow - 50 miles away....

So?

[McBoxer]

Also worth a look?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_of_ ... _the_Cross

Worth a look if your eyesight's up to it. It seems to be in Glasgow - 50 miles away....

So?

Fair comment - it's perfectly do-able, so I'll wind my neck in and get my coat. <shuffles_off_nervously>

[el-nicko]

Worth a look if your eyesight's up to it. It seems to be in Glasgow - 50 miles away....

So?

Fair comment - it's perfectly do-able, so I'll wind my neck in and get my coat. <shuffles_off_nervously>

My apologies for being a little 'abrupt' there mate but Oyster and his party are (I assume) traveling up from Kent (nearly 500 miles away) so I imagine it's not just for the one night and, whilst the pleasures of Edinburgh are many and varied, I would, myself, try to find at least one day to sample the 'fleshpots' of Glasgow. It was, I'll admit,a rather selfish suggestion but I'm a great admirer of the deeply unfashionable Dali and would find a particular pleasure in gazing upon a picture that I love but one that caused such a row when the city fathers paid £8k for but later refused to sell to Spain for £80 million. Ironically, Jesus was a carpenter so he must have 'knocked-up' a few crosses himself before 'they' nailed him. I'm sure though that while he was working he never earned that sort of dosh

[McBoxer]

So?

Fair comment - it's perfectly do-able, so I'll wind my neck in and get my coat. <shuffles_off_nervously>

My apologies for being a little 'abrupt' there mate but Oyster and his party are (I assume) traveling up from Kent (nearly 500 miles away) so I imagine it's not just for the one night and, whilst the pleasures of Edinburgh are many and varied, I would, myself, try to find at least one day to sample the 'fleshpots' of Glasgow. It was, I'll admit,a rather selfish suggestion but I'm a great admirer of the deeply unfashionable Dali and would find a particular pleasure in gazing upon a picture that I love but one that caused such a row when the city fathers paid £8k for but later refused to sell to Spain for £80 million. Ironically, Jesus himself was a carpenter so he must have 'knocked-up' a few crosses himself before 'they' nailed him. I'm sure though that while he was working he never earned that sort of dosh

No worries mate. Us Edinburgh folk (and I still count myself as one, even though I haven't lived there for God knows how long) have an inherent mistrust of Glasgow, and cannot understand why anyone would want to go there! Having said that, I have visited (under cover) several times over the years since I moved South, and <whispering> it was actually quite nice </whispering>.
Didn't get stabbed or anything! (Joke)

[el-nicko]

[oyster]

This is the summary our group has thanks to your suggestions:
Booked, first night : Dubh Prais restaurant,

Our possible visits :

http://www.bertsbar.co.uk/
the Burke and Hare pub just up from the grassmarket
Rose street always used to be THE drinking street in Edinburgh; Lothian Road / Tollcross
old town tours where there are old streets underneath the current Edinburgh streets
Queen Mary (Royal yacht) out at Leith docks
There's a nice italian restaurant on the Grassmarket that I went to on my last visit - Gennaro's.
The Castle; Holyrood Palace
look in Jenners on Princes St for a proper old school (think Grace Bros from the 70's - but posher) dept store. It's worth popping up to the cafe for a cream tea as you get a nice view over Princes St Gardens towards the Castle. Similarly, the restaurant in John Lewis (in the St James centre) has a great view looking over Leith and the Firth of Forth
good few art galleries
National Museum of Scotland on Chambers St
Surgeons Hall has some medical stuff
Avoid leaving Waverley station via the steps - there's a lot of them!

Thank you all, I believe we may have enough prompts for Edinburgh without having to consider further travelling. I hope to locate another obscure, quaint drinking venue to add to my list.