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Your city… it is nice! It’s been a while since I was last here and, because it was work, I didn’t really get to see much if it other than the EICC and a casino. This time though, it’s 100% tourism. The city does seem under a lot of redevelopment though and I have the feeling that normal people are getting priced out of the places in town.
That tram: works. Seems efficient. Mostly clean, not to expensive.
Major gripe though… What the hell has happened to prices in general? It’s so much more expensive here than I remember. I know I am paying tourist prices for stuff, but it still makes me blink when I calculate back to SEK.
other than that, any recommendations for interesting things to do for a two day visit? Tattoo at the castle is Friday night, but otherwise open to things that my MiL will enjoy.
Major gripe though… What the hell has happened to prices in general? It’s so much more expensive here than I remember.
it’s the festival - prices right now of everything from accommodation to chips and cheese aren’t reflective of what they cost for the other 11 months of the year.
The underground city tour was surprisingly good when we were there last.
open to things that my MiL will enjoy.
Hall of mirrors?
Grayson Perry exhibition is excellent and half the price of what it would be in London. The £6.75 for gassy lager at Fringe events is a bit galling, save your drouth for a decent pint in a pub.
The Festival and Fringe are in full swing just now. That’s partly the reason for the costs but it is in general an expensive city. However plenty of cheaper places to eat and drink outside the city centre. As for things to do pick up a Fringe programme and see some shows. There’s stuff to suit every taste. We’ve seen some excellent stuff so far though maybe not mother in law taste.
What the hell has happened to prices in general? It’s so much more expensive here than I remember. I know I am paying tourist prices for stuff, but it still makes me blink when I calculate back to SEK.
When were you last in Edinburgh or the UK? Everything's very expensive now. 10 years ago supermarket prices were very cheap - maybe too cheap - but it's all gone up.
I know I am paying tourist prices for stuff, but it still makes me blink when I calculate back to SEK.
I think I did the same, but in reverse when we were in Stockholm in May. Scotland is cheaper than Sweden for many many things.
Mothers in Law like the Britannia tour in my experience.
Train to Glasgow (45mins) to see the Banksy exhibition
Camera obscura is highly rated by mrs mac
As much as I would like to go see Banksy (a friend saw the one in Bristol when that was first on and really rated it), a train to another city might be a bit too much of a stretch. Britannia and Grayson Perry are good calls though and the tour of the city Vaults is now on the list.
Last time I was here? Damn… I emigrated 2018 and have been back to the Uk once since then. Scotland though? 8 years maybe and that would have been the disaster out holiday to Islay that resulted in my divorce. Ah, happy days of innocence.
Anyway, onwards! My first order of business today is to find a place that does decent coffee. Start with the easy stuff.
Train to Glasgow (45mins) to see the Banksy exhibition
Definitely recommend, though i see you've ruled it out.
My lad is currently rehearsing to play for a mini opera show that is on somewhere at the Fringe next week (orchestra, not singing). I'm not sure even he knows where it is yet, but its two, hour long operettas, that start at midday, leaving him the afternoon and evening to explore other events. Lucky sod - though it's costing him a fair bit!
If you want a bit of calm, I can highly recommend Dr Neils' Garden - if your MiL isn't up to the walk up Arthur's Seat, this is a nice peaceful place at the foot of it.
https://www.drneilsgarden.co.uk/
The Vaults tour in the evening is good, as people have mentioned.
You can get tours to the top of the spire of St Giles Cathedral - you'll need to book in advance at the cathedral as they don't advertise it but that means you may well be the only people on it. It gives you an unparalleled view of the city that hardly anyone sees.
If you're all up for a short walk, going from town down into Dean Village then along the Water of Leith to Stockbridge and back up to the city centre through New Town gives you a feel of Edinburgh from the 16th all the way through to the 19th century.
If your MIL likes gardens and is happy to walk then you can continue along the Water of Leith to Saughton Rose Gardens which is a hidden gem. The more obvious Botanic Gardens is also worth a visit and is free. The museum on Chambers St has something for everyone and is also free. There's some good museums on the Royal Mile just down the hill from Camera Obscura.
Sneaky Pete's followed by a pie from Storeys the 24hr bakery.
stevenmenmuir Free Member
If your MIL likes gardens and is happy to walk then you can continue along the Water of Leith to Saughton Rose Gardens which is a hidden gem.
It is weird to hear what is just my local park described as a hidden gem, but it is quite nice. 🙂
I tried to persuade both GF and MiL to sample a classic Scottish meat pie. They were not convinced.
Edinburgh: Very expensive, full of potholes (even by Leeds standards) and Princes Street needs to be pedestrianised as currently its poor for drivers and shoppers.
Daughter is studying there and this year moved to Haymarket (near the Lidl) that seems a bit cheaper and has some nice affordable places to eat and shop.
I tried to persuade both GF and MiL to sample a classic Scottish meat pie. They were not convinced.
Surely if you can brave a Swedish meatball a scotch pie is a walk in the park.
The classic köttbulle is made with known meat, whereas the Scottish meat pie is made with “meat”.
also, MiL is very picky with food…
I tried to persuade both GF and MiL to sample a classic Scottish meat pie. They were not convinced.
Quite right too, they are rank!
A scotch pie doesn't really look the best inside, lots of mutton and probably filler of some kind , salt and pepper with lots of hot melted grease dripping out
At the right temperature with a crusty pie case and brown sauce some are ok but maybe not what a nutritionist would recommend
A good Scotch pie (note the name, it’s not a Scottish meat pie) is a delicious delicacy. Though it might knock a few weeks off your life expectancy. There’s an annual championship for the best one. Personally I’d recommend Bains the butcher in Edinburgh.
Princes Street needs to be pedestrianised as currently its poor for drivers and shoppers.
It's mostly busses already (which would be very hard to route elsewhere) and the pavements are very wide anyway. The street's bigger problems are the vacant and depressing shops...
The street’s bigger problems are the vacant and depressing shops…
Aye it's a shite hole witha decent view. It's just wrong for today, the shops are massive and difficult to fill. The most useful thing it does is provide a decent transport interchange between bus routes... Which is needed because the bus routing in Edinburgh is a joke.
A Scotch pie a bit meh but a good Bridie knocks lumps out of a Cornish pastie.
Concur with Kenny. Bains elephant foot pie, half tin of beans and a blob of HP and you'll have to travel the world to find much more satisfying a lunch than that.
A Polentoni (Easter Road) filled Focaccia needs to be eaten in a spirit quiet contemplation as if you were imbibing the body and blood of JC himself. Goats cheese and beetroot arancini are bonkers too!
Princes Street is a problem, thought needs to be given to what folk might like to do in a city centre that isn't shopping. Edinburgh is a fab place to live, Edinburgh folk with their reserved nature are another thing altogether, it's amazing just how long people here can look right through you before they finally make eye contact and nod in greeting (talking years not minutes here). And I'm from here...
you’ll have to travel the world to find much more satisfying a lunch than that.
It certainly explains why Scots have always been such keen explorers, sailors, and colonists...they left home looking for decent food!
Well, made it back to the welcoming arms of Sweden last night so, for now, farewell Scotland. Thank you for all of the tips on places (we did Arthur’s Seat by the way, sooooo many tourists) and for the food recommendations. We ended up avoiding the pies, but mainly because the butcher was cash only and, coming from Sweden, we had no cash. Maybe next time.
It has just occurred to me I forgot to buy a haggis. Ah well, never mind.
And yes, I am aware of the irony of saying the place was full of tourists when I was also one. That kind of sentiment is in my head every time I visit the UK and is another reason why I hate going back.
The only upside is when people comment on how good my English is for someone from Sweden.
Princes Street needs to be pedestrianised as currently its poor for drivers and shoppers.
The tram and St James Quarter schemes have created this. Princes Street could have been turned into a wide, traffic free esplanade with views of the castle and old town but no chance of that now.
A lot of traffic still goes via Princes Street too. Oddly it's still the quickest way to get across town sometimes. Plus a lot of bus routes cross over it
any recommendations for interesting things to do
Visit St Margaret's chapel in the castle.... It's where me and MrsRNP got married!!!!