I want to go to Edinburgh!

[karinad]

We went on a British Island cruise that was supposed to stop in Edinburgh but couldn't because of high winds. I didn't book the cruise just for that port. The cruise was great anyway! I'd still like to get there so here's what I'm looking at. There's a repositioning cruise on the Anthem of the Seas on Oct. 14, 2024. Our 50th wedding anniversary is the 12th. The cruise leaves from Southampton. I've already checked the flights. We'd plan on flying into Edinburgh a few days before and spend at least 2-3 nights there. We'd want to fly into Heathrow a day before and stay near the port. British Airways has reasonable non-stop flights. We end up in Rome and would possibly want to stay a night before we fly back to New York.

 

At our ages we had hoped that we wouldn't have time restraints but I take care of my 92 yr old mom so time is limited. We have not booked the cruise yet. Does anyone have suggestions with where to stay and a good itinerary for sightseeing to make the most of our time. Is this a good time to be there? Our last visit to the British Islands was in mid-Sept. and we had pretty nice weather.

 

Thank you for any suggestions!

[Scottishclover]

Just so you know you can fly direct to Southampton from Edinburgh with Loganair. It might be easier than flying to Heathrow and getting to Southampton. Another option to consider.

 

Don’t bank on good weather in October, come prepared for anything. If it stays dry you’ve hit the jackpot.

[John Bull]

As per @Scottishclover's post, the weather starts to turn in October.

And sunset in Edinburgh is around 6.30 pm.

 

Same applies to the seas in UK waters - you're heading into the risk of Autumn storms.

For that reason there are a limited number of round-UK cruises, and that repo cruise is pretty late in the season.

 

Yes, Edinburgh is well worth several days.

Because we were touring by car and in high season we stayed at an hotel near the airport - cheaper hotels, no parking woes, excellent & frequent tram service into the heart of Edinburgh. But October isn't high season, and unless your date clashes with a major event such as the Edinburgh Tattoo or The Fringe hotel prices should be reasonable. Somewhere along or just off the Royal Mile (Lawnmarket & High Street) or Princes Street would be as central as you can get.

 

And yes, fly from Edinburgh to Southampton. London's airports are 65 to 80 miles from Southampton, Southampton's airport is just 6 miles / £20 taxi from the cruise terminals.

 

JB 🙂 

[edinburgher]

13 hours ago, karinad said:

Does anyone have suggestions with where to stay and a good itinerary for sightseeing to make the most of our time

With only a short stay and the city having much to offer, probably best to stay somewhere central.  There is a massive amount of accommodation in Edinburgh in all different price bands, including  hotels, guest houses, B and B's, self catering apartments etc.  I know  from personal experience that it can be very time consuming and frustrating trying to find accommodation in any city which matches comfort level, location and price points., but it is the only way you will find what you are looking for, or the closest to it. 

 

As far as sightseeing is concerned, best advice is to read, read and read even more about the city and decide which attractions/sights appeal to you, not those which appeal to others as everyone has different priorities depending on their own interests.  You could try googling Edinburgh Tourist Information and choose which sites to read from the results, alsoTripadvisor,  YouTube videos and guidebooks, some of which you could perhaps borrow from your local library.

 

I don't know if reading any past threads would be helpful to you or not, as the majority are from CC members with only a few hours in the city, but here are some of them for you to decide:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=edinburgh&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=148

Edited January 14 by edinburgher

[karinad]

13 hours ago, Scottishclover said:

Just so you know you can fly direct to Southampton from Edinburgh with Loganair. It might be easier than flying to Heathrow and getting to Southampton. Another option to consider.

 

Don’t bank on good weather in October, come prepared for anything. If it stays dry you’ve hit the jackpot.

I will look into that! Thank you! Yes, going from Heathrow is a long drive!

[karinad]

19 hours ago, John Bull said:

As per @Scottishclover's post, the weather starts to turn in October.

And sunset in Edinburgh is around 6.30 pm.

 

Same applies to the seas in UK waters - you're heading into the risk of Autumn storms.

For that reason there are a limited number of round-UK cruises, and that repo cruise is pretty late in the season.

 

Yes, Edinburgh is well worth several days.

Because we were touring by car and in high season we stayed at an hotel near the airport - cheaper hotels, no parking woes, excellent & frequent tram service into the heart of Edinburgh. But October isn't high season, and unless your date clashes with a major event such as the Edinburgh Tattoo or The Fringe hotel prices should be reasonable. Somewhere along or just off the Royal Mile (Lawnmarket & High Street) or Princes Street would be as central as you can get.

 

And yes, fly from Edinburgh to Southampton. London's airports are 65 to 80 miles from Southampton, Southampton's airport is just 6 miles / £20 taxi from the cruise terminals.

 

JB 🙂 

Thank you for the great advice with where to stay, I was surprised with the late sailing out of Southampton. The possibility of rough seas makes me a little nervous. I'm sure I'll have more questions by the time my research is done. You're always so informative JB!

 

[karinad]

15 hours ago, edinburgher said:

With only a short stay and the city having much to offer, probably best to stay somewhere central.  There is a massive amount of accommodation in Edinburgh in all different price bands, including  hotels, guest houses, B and B's, self catering apartments etc.  I know  from personal experience that it can be very time consuming and frustrating trying to find accommodation in any city which matches comfort level, location and price points., but it is the only way you will find what you are looking for, or the closest to it. 

 

As far as sightseeing is concerned, best advice is to read, read and read even more about the city and decide which attractions/sights appeal to you, not those which appeal to others as everyone has different priorities depending on their own interests.  You could try googling Edinburgh Tourist Information and choose which sites to read from the results, alsoTripadvisor,  YouTube videos and guidebooks, some of which you could perhaps borrow from your local library.

 

I don't know if reading any past threads would be helpful to you or not, as the majority are from CC members with only a few hours in the city, but here are some of them for you to decide:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=edinburgh&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=148

Thank you for the link! We have never had a long land vacation in Europe. We do love a cruise vacation but love to spend a few days on land. I wish we had more time!

[edinburgher]

7 hours ago, karinad said:

Thank you for the link! We have never had a long land vacation in Europe. We do love a cruise vacation but love to spend a few days on land. I wish we had more time!

Pleased you found it helpful. Using the SEARCH tool is a quick and easy way to find past threads for all your ports.  And you have more than a few hours in Ediinburgh so that is a bonus as there is so much to see and do here.  All good. Hope you enjoy your visit when the time comes.😀 Also hope the weather is kind to you as it can be very variable.  Pack layers.

Edited January 15 by edinburgher

[SBLOK64]

We stayed at a Premier Inn which was located just a block or two from the Royal Mile.  It was also only a block or two from the train station.  We took the train to London's King's Cross station but we weren't going on a cruise.  

[karinad]

15 hours ago, SBLOK64 said:

We stayed at a Premier Inn which was located just a block or two from the Royal Mile.  It was also only a block or two from the train station.  We took the train to London's King's Cross station but we weren't going on a cruise.  

Thank you! I've heard of Premier Inn before but never stayed in one. Will check it out.

[Harters]

7 hours ago, karinad said:

I've heard of Premier Inn before but never stayed in one. Will check it out.

Our largest budget hotel chain, with something like 800 hotels. Also check out Travelodge - the second largest with around 600. Travelodge tends to be a bit cheaper but some of its hotels are showing signs of age, so always worth double checking on, say, Tripadvisor for recent reviews.  

[fruitmachine]

8 hours ago, karinad said:

Thank you! I've heard of Premier Inn before but never stayed in one. Will check it out.

It's my 'go to' hotel chain.  Straightforward, simple accommodation.  Their dynamic pricing works very efficiently, so you pay the market price.  It's by far the largest hotel chain in the UK.  When COVID struck, they refunded non-refundable rooms without question when I cancelled a week before lockdown started.

 

They have a "good night guarantee" that I've claimed on a couple of times (though more recently I found that they were much more reluctant to pay out).

[SoonerDog]

Edinburgh is kind of divided between what's known as "Old Town' & 'New Town'.  Old Town basically sits above the New Town area and that is where you'll find the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle.  The Castle is at the top of the Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace sits at the bottom.  Along the way are many shops, pubs, restaurants and interesting sites.  It's best to find a ride to the castle (Taxi, Hop-on/Hop-off tour bus or City Bus (Lothian Buses) and walk down- much easier as getting to the castle on foot is a pretty good climb.  

 

Definitely stay in the City Center of Edinburgh.  The hotels there will be a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.  Anywhere in the 'West End' or York Place/St James Quarter of New Town will be great as the Edinburgh Trams run pretty much everywhere in the City Center, even down to the Leith area (seaport region where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored).  

 

There are also a number of nice hotels along the Royal Mile, as well as the Grass Market which is just below the castle; however, Trams do not run in those areas, so you'll have to walk or grab a Taxi or Bus.  One positive thing about the Edinburgh Buses (Red Lothian Buses) is the fact that they all run down Prince's Street at some point-  Just make sure to ask the driver if he is headed to or away from Princes Street. 

 

 The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are pretty much a 'must see', they are a pretty tough climb from Prince's Street which is the main shopping street.  The Edinburgh 'Hop-on/Hop-off' buses are a great way to get a general overview of the city and also will eliminate some of the walking/climbing between the main sites.  I would do that, stopping off along the way to see the Castle and walk DOWN the Royal Mile.

 

Depending upon how much time you have, some of my favorite places are as follows:

 

The Surgeon's Hall Museum on South Bridge/Nicolson St

Scottish National Gallery on Prince's Street 

National Museum of Scotland (near the University)

The Edinburgh Playhouse (There is usually a good play on)

The Conan Doyle Pub for a meal (named in honor of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes).  Conan Doyle lived nearby.

Stockbridge area if you have time and check out the 'Charity Shops'- Fun & full of bargains

The basement supermarket at Mark's & Spencer's on Prince's Street.

Primark Clothing Store- Prince's Street

Walk along Rose Street which is like a pedestrian only street right behind Princess Street.

TISO outfitters on Rose Street

Stop at the Gregg's bakery on Rose street for a 'Steak bake'

Also, any of the 'Pret' sandwich shops for a delicious quick snack

 

Edinburgh is a magnificent city and, in my opinion, one of the World's most beautiful.  It's easy to get around and people are friendly- even if a bit hard to understand at first.  You'll love it!

[karinad]

1 hour ago, SoonerDog said:

Edinburgh is kind of divided between what's known as "Old Town' & 'New Town'.  Old Town basically sits above the New Town area and that is where you'll find the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle.  The Castle is at the top of the Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace sits at the bottom.  Along the way are many shops, pubs, restaurants and interesting sites.  It's best to find a ride to the castle (Taxi, Hop-on/Hop-off tour bus or City Bus (Lothian Buses) and walk down- much easier as getting to the castle on foot is a pretty good climb.  

 

Definitely stay in the City Center of Edinburgh.  The hotels there will be a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.  Anywhere in the 'West End' or York Place/St James Quarter of New Town will be great as the Edinburgh Trams run pretty much everywhere in the City Center, even down to the Leith area (seaport region where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored).  

 

There are also a number of nice hotels along the Royal Mile, as well as the Grass Market which is just below the castle; however, Trams do not run in those areas, so you'll have to walk or grab a Taxi or Bus.  One positive thing about the Edinburgh Buses (Red Lothian Buses) is the fact that they all run down Prince's Street at some point-  Just make sure to ask the driver if he is headed to or away from Princes Street. 

 

 The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are pretty much a 'must see', they are a pretty tough climb from Prince's Street which is the main shopping street.  The Edinburgh 'Hop-on/Hop-off' buses are a great way to get a general overview of the city and also will eliminate some of the walking/climbing between the main sites.  I would do that, stopping off along the way to see the Castle and walk DOWN the Royal Mile.

 

Depending upon how much time you have, some of my favorite places are as follows:

 

The Surgeon's Hall Museum on South Bridge/Nicolson St

Scottish National Gallery on Prince's Street 

National Museum of Scotland (near the University)

The Edinburgh Playhouse (There is usually a good play on)

The Conan Doyle Pub for a meal (named in honor of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes).  Conan Doyle lived nearby.

Stockbridge area if you have time and check out the 'Charity Shops'- Fun & full of bargains

The basement supermarket at Mark's & Spencer's on Prince's Street.

Primark Clothing Store- Prince's Street

Walk along Rose Street which is like a pedestrian only street right behind Princess Street.

TISO outfitters on Rose Street

Stop at the Gregg's bakery on Rose street for a 'Steak bake'

Also, any of the 'Pret' sandwich shops for a delicious quick snack

 

Edinburgh is a magnificent city and, in my opinion, one of the World's most beautiful.  It's easy to get around and people are friendly- even if a bit hard to understand at first.  You'll love it!

Thank you for the detailed response and great information. Two of our stops will surely be the Royal Yacht and the castle.

[SoonerDog]

10 hours ago, karinad said:

Thank you for the detailed response and great information. Two of our stops will surely be the Royal Yacht and the castle.

You are most welcome!  My wife is from Edinburgh and, although we are now in the States, we lived in the City Center for a few years and travel back frequently to see family.

 

Some things I failed to mention-  Depending upon how much luggage you have, the Trams are a great way to get to the airport and I'd encourage you to use them if at all feasible.  If you are carrying quite a lot, you'll be better off taking a Taxi or Private Car hire.  If going by car/taxi give yourself some extra time, especially if your flight requires you to be at the airport between 7:00 & 9:00 or 4:00 to 6:30 as traffic can be quite heavy along the route during the typical 'rush hours'.

 

The Britannia is moored at Ocean Terminal which is an indoor shopping center that has a food court and Cinema.  The Trams run there from Princess Street with several stops along the way, including one adjacent to the Conan Doyle Pub & Edinburgh Playhouse I mentioned previously.