Your Guide to Conquering

Transcription

1 Beyond the Kilt: Your Guide to Conquering EDINBURGH

2 Table of Contents Layout Annika Balzer Heather Herczak Lina Hübner Editors Annika Ehinger Julia Weidemann Mariana Rivas Samantha Seitz Writers Alina Drechsler Amy Hopes Annika Balzer Annika Ehinger Annika Hofbeck Hannah Gröner Heather Herczak Julia Weidemann Katrin Brehm Lina Hübner Linda Feyen Mariana Rivas Natalie Köttel Samantha Seitz Selina Sieben Stephie Ulm Guide Intro History Sights & Monuments Museum & Galleries Streets & Tours Entertainment Nightlife Shopping Food & Drinks Contributor Profiles

3 Price range guide Guide Intro above 15 pounds: pounds: 1-10 pounds: The reviewers on top of Arthur s Seat Hello and welcome to Edinburgh! In your hands you hold all the best this incomparable city has to offer. For almost a month, we, the reviewers, have worked tirelessly exploring museums, cafes, monuments, and so much more so you could experience Edinburgh to its full potential. Each location was visited personally, and every review is honest and unbiased. Our reviewers come from all over the world and each place we chose to investigate reflects our own personal interests. We have strived to give you an essential guide so you can enjoy every facet of the Scottish capital. Whether your curiosity is geared more towards art and culture, or you are just dying to know where the best pubs are, we have covered it all. No stone has been left unturned in this city. So, read on knowing that this guide has been created to ensure you miss nothing and see the very best of Edinburgh. Go and explore this remarkable and unique destination for yourself and, if you need any suggestions, we are here to help! Take us along for your incredible adventure and we promise we will not let you down. Take in as much as you possibly can and once your stay is through, haste ye back! Edinburgh is a place you will want to see again and again. It is a city that will never cease to amaze. -Stephie Ulm

4 Quick History Edinburgh dates back to the Iron and Bronze Ages. Castle Rock was important as it was high enough to be used to look out to the North to watch for invaders. In the 7th to 10th centuries, Edinburgh was not in fact in Scotland, but was in the region of Northumbria. This was ruled by a man called King Edwin which is where the name Edinburgh originated from. It went from Edwin s Fort ( Din Eidyn untranslated), to Edwinseburgh and finally Edinburgh. For the next few centuries Edinburgh alternated between being Scottish and English due to the Wars of Independence. Edinburgh became the capital city of Scotland in In 1560, the population was only 16,000 out of 1 million in Scotland. The plague, which affected people across Britain, deeply reduced the number of citizens. It was recorded in 1645 that there were under 60 men able and well enough to fight and defend Edinburgh should it be needed. Leith, just outside Edinburgh became a successful trading and whaling port in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1603, James VI, King of Scotland, succeeded the English throne, as well as, drawing together England and Scotland. Four years later, Great Britain was formed with the Act of Union. Rising population caused overcrowding in the middle of the century resulting in a competition being launched for an architect to design the New Town. It was planned to be the largest city development in the world at the time with plenty of housing and open spaces. Names of the streets were chosen to be patriotic, with Rose and Thistle Street (English and Scottish national flowers), as well as George Street after the current king. In 1821, Edinburgh was no longer the largest city in Scotland. However, it continued to flourish as a capital city and was a great place for educational advances, technology and literacy. - Amy Hopes Lauriston Castle History

5 Public Transportation Accommodations The major bus service in Edinburgh which is operating throughout Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian is called Lothian Buses. A single ticket costs 1.6 for adults and 0.8 for children. There are day and night buses and an Express Bus, number 100, coming from the Airport directly to the city centre. For an Airport Day ticket you have to pay 9 for an adult and 4.5 for a reduced ticket. If you want to buy a Night ticket it is 3 and a Day & Night ticket costs you 3.5 including a One Day ticket. Buses number 104 and 113 run from East Lothian to the City Centre and beyond, 7 days a week. To plan your journey in detail, check out the Lothian Buses webpage: If you are looking for a real Edinburgh, but still a cheap, experience, the Castle Rock Hostel is your place to be. The old building looks more like a museum or an art gallery than a hostel. You can get a dorm room between 10 and 14 and if you like it more private a double room with shared bathroom is between 45 and 50. For breakfast they will charge you 1.5 and for using towels 0.2. The Castle Rock Hostel is located at 15 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2PW. Another good option for a low budget vacation is the Edinburgh Backpackers Hostel. A dorm room is also between 10 and 14 and for a private double room you have to pay 40. You can get Breakfast for 4.95 and use towels for 1. You can find the Edinburgh Backpackers Hostel at 65 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1BU. For more details about this hostel, you can read the review in this guide.

6 Food and Drinks Emergency In Edinburgh there are many stores where you can buy something to eat and to drink, so you will definitely find a shop nearby. The main supermarkets in the Scottish city are Sainsbury s and Tesco. If you want to get budget products, you can choose Lidl as well. The supermarkets are normally open seven days a week, so even on Sundays you can go grocery shopping. Most shops open early around 7am and close late in the evening between 8pm and 11pm. Even in the smaller stores you can find a large choice of food and drinks. If there is a long queue at the cash point, do not worry. Most supermarkets even have a selfservice checkout, where you can scan your chosen products and pay by yourself. If you have a fire emergency, need an ambulance for an emergency or you have to call the police 999 is the number to call. If you would like to book an ambulance call for non-emergencies where the person is considered medically unfit by a doctor to travel by other means. 111 is the number for NHS 24, the medical phone advice in the Scottish capital. It is available 24 hours a day and even 7 days a week. - Selina Sieben & Alina Drechsler At the weekend there are also some markets like the Farmer s Market where you can buy some fresh food. More information about this can be read in the reviews.

7 Accommodations You love to travel and meet other people from different cultures but do not want to spend too much money for your hostel. Then the Budget Backpackers Hostel is the perfect choice. It is centrally located at the Cowgate and only five minutes away from the castle. You can choose between different room offers, depending whether you travel alone or as a group. The rooms are equipped with bunk beds including bed linen and washbasins as well as free lockers. The rooms are cleaned every day. Bathrooms are on the corridor, but even so they are always kept clean. The staff is very friendly and available at all times to help you if you have any requests. If you are a fresher in Edinburgh you get tourist information and a city tour for free. You want to be up to date? No problem, Wi-Fi is included as well. On the ground floor of the Budget Backpackers Hostel is a café. There are different foods and drinks available and the best is: low prices and a relaxed atmosphere. Budget Backpackers Hostel - Annika Balzer Cowgate Price rannge: 13 per night

8 Sights & Monuments E Sights & Monuments dinburgh thrives with over centuries of dynamic history. From its influential literature and writers to its architecture and royals, Edinburgh is sure to have something for everyone! Influences from people such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Mary Queen of Scots, and John Knox are sure to be seen around the city. Make a trek up to Edinburgh Castle for a step back into time and a wonderful view of the Old Town and New Town. Here, you can see wonderful monuments such as the ones on Calton Hill and the Scott Monument. If looking for some darker tales or even a light tale of a friendly dog named Bobby, check out Greyfrairs Kirkyard and St. Giles Cathedral. While seeing the main monuments is amazing, Edinburgh has some hidden sights, which are not largely talked about. For something off the beaten path, make sure to check out the Sherlock Holmes Statue and the Runestone in Princes Street Gardens. In Edinburgh, you can take a step through several periods of the city s history and delve into the stories behind its monuments and sights. There are always good stories when visiting these monuments! - Samantha Seitz David Hume statue on the Royal Mile

9 As the landmark of Edinburgh, the castle is a mandatory visit. It is located on a volcanic hill, 134 metres above sea level, so you have a fantastic view over the city. In later times, it was used as a residence for the Royals of Scotland and for military purposes; hence, Edinburgh Castle you can get a good picture of Edinburgh s history. Its oldest surviving building is St Margaret s Chapel, which was built about In the castle, there are various museums about military history. Another building to visit is the former prison where you can get an impression of a prisoner s life in the 18th century. A highlight is the Scotland s crown jewels, which were worn for the first time by Mary Stuart in If you want to visit the castle you should plan about three hours. You can buy tickets beforehand, so you do not have to wait in Castlehill Everyday 9:30am 6pm Admission price: line. An audio guide or a guided tour is available for an additional fee. Some specials are the one o clock gun fired every day at 1pm, apart from Sundays, or the historical live performances in the main hall which take place at 11:15am, 12:15pm, 2pm and 3pm. - Hannah Gröner Sights & Monuments

10 Princes Street Gardens Runestone Quite a challenge to find but if you make it through Princes Street Garden, over the bridge and up the hill to Ramsays Garden you will find the Runestone. Not only will you just find a beautiful view over the city and the sea, you will also be able to admire a quite rare thing in the whole of the UK. =A gift donated from Sweden to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the rune stone reminds you that the Vikings not only came from Norway and Iceland but they also explored Scotland and England. The stone was built as a memorial from Ari to his deceased father Hjalmr ari + rasti + stain + aftir + (h)ialm + faþur sin + kuþ + hialbi + ant hans. This translates into Engish as: Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit. It has everything that is expected from an old historical Viking legacy: mysterious rune inscriptions and symbols as well as a huge snake, better known as Jörmungandr, a sea serpent known from Odin s Story in the Prose Edda. Even if you are not familiarised with Old Norse, runes or Vikings, the Runestone in Princes Street Gardens guarantees a beautiful view far away from all the other busy, touristy places in Edinburgh. - Selina Sieben Princes Street Gardens, below Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, set within a fenced enclosure adjacent to Ramsay Garden Sights & Monuments