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HOW TO...

EDINBURGH
a student's guide
download full book: http://www.edinburghberlin.com/how-to-...-edinburgh-citytravelreview-curso-sample.pdf

CONTENTS

5 WELCOME TO EDINBURGH

6 KEEP THE HEID!

9 A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST

10 CULTURE
11 History and Heritage
12 Old Town Walking Tour
13 Royal Mile
14 Princes Street
15 Victoria Street
16 Scottish Parliament
17 The Cowgate and Grassmarket
19 Dean Village
20 Royal Botanic Garden
21 The Meadows
22 Arthur's Seat
24 Palace of Holyroodhouse
25 Edinburgh Castle
27 Lauriston Castle
28 Rosslyn Chapel
29 Calton Hill
30 Scott Monument
31 Burns Monument
33 The New Town
34 Witches Well
35 The Real Mary King‘s Close

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CONTENTS

36 From Poets to Painters


37 National Museum of Scotland
38 Writers' Museum
39 Museum on the Mound
40 Museum of Childhood
41 Camera Obscura
42 Surgeons' Hall Museums
43 Scottish National Gallery
44 Scottish National Portrait Gallery
45 National Gallery of Modern Art
46 City Art Centre

47 ACTIVITIES
48 Drink, Dance and Discover
49 Ceilidh
50 Bourbon
51 ATIK
52 The Cameo
53 Harry Potter Walking Tour
54 Ghost Tour
55 Souvenirs, Stalls and Shelves
56 Stockbridge Market
57 Fudge Kitchen
58 Museum Context
59 John Kay‘s
60 Armchair Books
61 Edinburgh Books
62 A Change of Scene
63 Leith
65 Portobello
66 Cramond and Cramond Island
68 Highlands and Loch Ness

3
CONTENTS

69 FOOD AND DRINK


70 Caffeine, Cakes and Cookies
71 Lovecrumbs
72 The Milkman
73 Let Me Eat Too
74 Art and Vintage Cafe
75 The Elephant House
76 Bowls Cafe
77 Hula Juicery
78 Chocolate Cafe
79 Clarinda's Tearoom
80 Chihuahua Cafe
81 Stuff your Piehole
82 Scottish Breakfast
83 The Baked Potato Shop
84 The Piemaker
85 Bertie's
86 Oink
87 Wee Budda
88 Hendersons
89 Dishoom
90 Finnegan's Wake
91 The Basement
92 Paradise Palms
93 Banshee Labyrinth

94 ABOUT THE AUTHORS

4
WELCOME TO
EDINBURGH
by Megan Robertson & Helena Grillenberger

Scotland’s capital, a beautiful, hilly and green city full of stories, has come a
long way. From being nicknamed “Auld Reekie” (old smoky) to now “Athens
of the North”, Edinburgh is and has always been a city of contrast.
The Old Town is compact and cobbled, full of haunted places and history.
The New Town is spacious, elegant and stylish, promising shopping and
dining experiences. Together they create a lively, busy atmosphere with big
city charm, but this can be easily escaped to the surrounding green spaces
and coastal towns.

With many theatres, music concerts, ceilidhs and an International Book


Festival, you can be immersed in Scottish culture. Also, with the Edinburgh
Festival Fringe, Military Tattoo and Hogmanay celebrations, just to name a
few, there’s almost always something to entertain you. 

This guide will show students and young people “how to...” navigate this city
of many things. It features all the main attractions, but we’ve also included
our favourite enticing small places you may miss otherwise.
So whatever you’re into, there’s always somewhere new to discover! 

Edinburgh is a very inspiring city. It has a certain charm that will enchant you
and make you want to return.

“There’s no leaving Edinburgh, no shifting it around: it stays with you


— always.” 
— Alan Bold

Keep your eyes open for the icons in this guide!

Our insider tip Vegan-friendly food and drinks

Admission free Must-see for Harry Potter fans

5
KEEP THE HEID!
by Lingbo Zhou & Luisa Rombach

This Scottish phrase means ‘Stay calm’ and the following pages will hopefully
help you do that in any tricky situation you might encounter. Whether you’re
trying to navigate the city easily, want to know what to do with your old
pound coins or have an emergency, this survival guide should have you
covered.

Getting around
You can walk between most, if not all, attractions in Edinburgh. However, the
Old Town has lots of hilly and cobbled streets, so bring appropriate footwear.

Bus (Single ticket £1.70, Day ticket £4)


There are good connections both in and around the city. Additionally,
Night Bus runs between midnight and 4.30am. Pay the driver after you get on
the bus. If paying by cash, you must use the exact amount of change.
Contactless is also accepted, and your card will be capped at £4 per day.

Tram (Single £1.70, Return £3.20, Day £4)


Edinburgh’s tram line only covers a limited route between New Town and the
airport. Buy tickets at vending machines before boarding.

tfeapp.com provides live updates for buses and trams.

Taxi (Central Taxis: 0131 229 2468 )


There are several taxi companies in Edinburgh,
and they are of course more expensive than public
transportation. In terms of apps, Gett is more
popular here than Uber, but Uber’s Follow My Ride
allows you to share your location with trusted
contacts.

Bike
With the Just Eat Cycles App you can rent a bike for
up to 24 hours and then return it at one of their
stations. A single one-hour trip is £1.50,
a day subscription comes at £3.

Airport
If you are carrying heavy luggage you may wish to
call a taxi to/from the Edinburgh airport.
Bus: Airlink 100 runs between the airport and
Waverley Bridge. Single ticket £4.50,
Return £7.50.
Tram: £6 single, £8.50 return.

6
KEEP THE HEID!
Money
Edinburgh uses pound sterling (GBP, £). Banknotes issued by the Bank of
England and Bank of Scotland are both accepted here. 
Old UK £5, £10 banknotes and £1 coins are no longer accepted by vendors.
They can be exchanged for the new currency at any bank but may require
a UK bank account.
It’s not cheap to live in the city, so always bring your student ID and ask if
there is a student discount.
 

Accommodation
Edinburgh offers lots of affordable accommodation, but the prices will go up
during festival seasons, especially in August.
High Street Hostel, 8-18 Blackfriars St, EH1 1NE From £10 per night,
conveniently located just off the Royal Mile.
Haystack Hostels, 5/3 W Register St, EH2 2AA From £12 per night, free
breakfast included, close to Waverley Station
For more options check hostelworld.com, Airbnb.com, booking.com and
lastminutebooking.com.

Food & Drink


Allergies are always marked in bold, but always
double check when eating out.
Vegan/vegetarian/gluten free options should
be labelled and are generally widely available.
Scottish tap water is drinkable and pretty good.
Bring a reusable water bottle and refill it to
save some money and the environment (The
Refill app shows you all the refill stations across
the UK).

7
KEEP THE HEID!

Very important numbers


999 - Medical, fire and crime-related emergencies
111 - Urgent medical problem and you don’t know what to do
101 - Contact the police when you don’t need an emergency response

How to access treatment


NHS currently offers free treatment for all UK residents and visitors from the
European Economic Area (EEA). Non-EEA visitors should make sure they are
covered for healthcare through personal medical or travel insurance for the
duration of their visit.
Visit the Accident & Emergency Centres at hospitals for serious
illness/injury.
Visit a walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent treatment centre for
minor illness/injury.
Local pharmacies (i.e. Boots) provide advice and medication for common
minor illnesses without a prescription.

8
A GLIMPSE OF THE
PAST
by Alexandra Dulinski & Katyaa Mathias

In 1437, Edinburgh became the new capital of Scotland. The city and the
surrounding Lothian region was once involved in many disputes between
Scotland and England, but had been under Scottish rule for a long period of
time. Many kings and queens have reigned the country since the year 843.
One of the most famous monarchs was Mary, Queen of Scots (1542 – 1587).
As a child, she was sent to France, where she grew up in a strict Catholic
convent. She married the future king of France in 1558. Her reign as Queen in
France was short, as her husband died aged 17. As a young widow, she went
back to Scotland in 1561 and reigned from then on. After her return, she had
to face a religious conflict within her country. John Knox was a strong
advocate of Protestantism. Mary tried to make peace with the protestants by
including them in her council. However, the conflict was always present and
could not stop permanently.
Her second husband was Lord Darnley, with whom she had a son, the future
James VI (of Scotland) and I (of England). After many wrong decisions
(concerning her choice of husbands), Mary was forced to abdicate in 1567.
She escaped to England, where she was then imprisoned. In 1587, she was
executed for treason.

Her son, James VI, united both crowns in 1603 and became the first King of
Scotland and England. The union of the parliaments took place in 1707,
known as the Act of Union, which became the foundation of the United
Kingdom. The Act of Union wasn’t welcomed by everyone. As a result, many
riots arose, known as the Jacobite Risings. However, the Jacobites were finally
defeated in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. After this incident, many Jacobites
were driven out and had to flee the country. The traditional clothes of the
highlanders, kilt and tartan, were forbidden. In 1822, George IV visited
Edinburgh and wore a kilt as a symbol of reconciliation. 20 years later,
Queen Victoria visited Edinburgh and was impressed by the city.
A statue was erected to please her.

In 1999, a new Scottish Parliament was founded in Edinburgh, known as the


Scottish Assembly. As a result, the Scots gained more rights to self-
government. In September 2014, the Scottish people voted in a referendum
to remain in the United Kingdom. Two years later, the majority of Scotland
voted to stay in the European Union, which has destabilised the relationship
within the UK.

9
what to see
CULTURE

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