Food, art and a wee dram are just some of the things our pair of roving reader reporters found in this historic city
THE ADVENTURERS:
Our intrepid travellers this issue are LOUISE, 31, a brand manager, and MARK, 37, a product manager, who met about 2½ years ago in Spain.
“I was on my annual girlie week in Puerto Banus and Mark was on his annual lads’ weekend,” explains Louise. “At the time, I was living in Dublin and Mark was living in London. We just ‘clicked’ and knew we wanted to make it work, so we spent the next year taking it in turns to visit each other every weekend. Then Mark moved to Northampton and, just over a year ago, I joined him.”
They love to travel and together have been to Belfast, Rome, Marbella (twice), Seville, Lisbon, Paris, New York and on safari in Kenya. Next up they’re spending a weekend in Madrid.
“I’m a big football fan,” says Mark, “so we try to catch a game whenever we’re away – so far we’ve been to matches in Spain, Italy and Portugal. This was our first trip to Edinburgh and we loved it!”
DAY ONE
1.30pm
CAMBRIDGE BAR
It was lunchtime when we arrived, so a bite to eat was first on the agenda – as was catching at least some of the football that afternoon! On a recommendation from the hotel concierge, we made our way to the Cambridge Bar (www.thecambridgebar.co.uk). With comfy leather couches, it was the perfect place to chill out and watch the game – and the burgers were tasty!
3.00pm
CITY STROLL
After lunch we took a stroll through the city centre, along George Street and across Princes Street towards Waverley Train Station. All of the high street brands have a store on one of these two streets, but we managed to avoid doing too much damage to our credit cards! We then crossed the bridge that divides the New Town from the Old Town, allowing us great views of both sides of the city.
3.30pm
TOUR BUS
Next up, to help us get our bearings, we jumped on an open-top bus for a tour of both the Old and New Towns (www.edinburghtour.com). We liked the Grassmarket area, with its quirky shops, bars and restaurants, and eerie sights, like the large star denoting the spot where criminals used to be hanged. The parliament buildings were also really interesting – and quite a contrast to the rest of the city’s architecture.
7.00pm
THE DOME
Afterwards, we went back to our lovely hotel and readied ourselves for a night on the town. We were instantly attracted to the Dome restaurant and bar (www.thedomeedinburgh.com), just across the road. Its architecture is stunning and the whole place buzzed – it’s a great place for pre-dinner cocktails. Be sure you glance up when you’re in the main bar for a look at the dome which gives the venue its name.
9.00pm
OLOROSO RESTAURANT
We dined that evening at Oloroso (www.oloroso.co.uk), a third-floor restaurant with great views across the city. The service was attentive and friendly, and the food exceptional. The dessert menu looked amazing, but we just couldn’t manage another bite! Sated, we retired to the bar for a post-prandial drink and were presented with a really unique cocktail menu – Louise’s drink came complete with rose petals!
DAY TWO
10.00am
THE ROYAL MILE
After a hearty breakfast at our hotel, we started proceedings with a walk up the historic Royal Mile – the famous road with Holyrood Palace at one end and the castle at the other. Just strolling up the well-trodden path gives you a real sense of the history of the city. The Scotch Whisky Experience (www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk) is just one of the many attractions along the way.
11.30am
EDINBURGH CASTLE
At the castle (www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk ) we were confronted with quite a queue for tickets. We could have bought them online in advance but figured that, as it was coming into winter, it would be quiet. It seems it’s never quiet at the castle! But it was well worth the wait: there’s a wealth of stuff to see inside, from the Scottish crown jewels and prisoner-of-war cells to an exhibition about the Royal Dragoons: a British cavalry regiment.
2.00pm
PRINCES STREET GARDENS
We could have spent hours experiencing all there is to see and do at the castle, but there was so much more we wanted to see in Edinburgh before we left, so we hit the streets again. We strolled down the (rather steep!) pathways leading from the castle and took some time to enjoy Princes Street Gardens. Considering the hustle and roadworks of Princes Street are just above, it’s incredibly peaceful and has amazing views up towards the castle.
3.00pm
SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY
After quite a walk (through wind and rain!), we were finally greeted with the beautiful building that is the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which has permanent and changing exhibits of artists from 1900 until the present day. Afterwards, we popped across the road to the Dean Gallery, which also specialises in modern and contemporary art, and houses works by Dali and Picasso. Both galleries are located in beautiful parkland, offer free entry and are definitely worth the short trip from the city centre – check out the curving artist-landscaped front lawn. (www.nationalgalleries.org)
4.30pm
CAFE ANDALUZ
With time running short, we made our way back to the centre of town and decided to grab something to eat before our flight home. The food at Café Andaluz (www.cafeandaluz.com), a tapas bar on George Street, was delicious… and this time we had enough room for dessert! Then, sadly, it was time to head to the airport for our journey home – but not before promising ourselves that we’d be back in Edinburgh one day soon!
THE HOTEL
The George is in the heart of the city’s shopping and entertainment area. You simply couldn’t get a better location in Edinburgh, and the lobby is popular with locals for tea, coffee and cakes. The staff were very helpful and friendly.
Our room was beautiful, and from our window there was a great view across the city and out towards the sea. Breakfast was a highlight, with a fantastic variety of delicious food. The hotel bar is really popular and, even if you’re not staying at The George, a drink here is highly recommended.
Our writers stayed at the four-star George Hotel in Edinburgh. It’s available to book from £79 per night on a room-only basis (based on two sharing). To book, visit www.bmibaby.com, where you can search for hotels and apartments in all bmibaby destinations. Powered by Europe’s leading travel and leisure website, lastminute.com
GOT A PASSPORT & A DIGITAL CAMERA?
We’re looking for two people to visit a bmibaby destination for 24 hours. If you’re handy with a camera and happy to tell our readers what to see and do, we want to hear from you! Email bmibaby.ed@ink-publishing.com with a photo of you and your travel buddy, and tell us why you’d like to be a guest writer. Winners receive return flights for two to one of our destinations from your nearest bmibaby UK hub (please advise), one night’s accommodation and £100 towards transfers, meals, etc.
GETTING THERE
Take a wee flight with bmibaby to Edinburgh from Birmingham, Cardiff or East Midlands from just £18.99 one-way, incl taxes. For more info, log on to www.bmibaby.com
