Travel tips: Edinburgh and Dublin

[deskslave]

SportsJournalists.com never fails in these sorts of things.

Got a friend visiting from America next week, and we're going to hit Edinburgh for two days and Dublin for four. (Three flights each? $110 total. The service may suck, but Ryanair sure is cheap.)

Yes, the weather will suck. Yes, it will be cold. Yes, it will get dark early. All that aside, what does anyone recommend? (Besides the Guinness tour. Because, duh.)

 

[Armchair_QB]

Try the haggis.

 

[YGBFKM]

Check out the Phil Lynott statue in Dublin.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

See if you can catch an SPL soccer match. Or whatever GAA sport is in season now in Dublin.

 

[Football_Bat]

You can drive much of the Scottish coast on the Irish Sea side south and west from Glasgow.

 

[Bob Cook]

Edinburgh's got an outlet mall, and there's a restaurant called the Curly Dog that serves deep-friend hot dog sandwiches that taste better than you'd think...

...oh, you didn't mean the one in Indiana?

 

[deskslave]

See if you can catch an SPL soccer match. Or whatever GAA sport is in season now in Dublin.

Going to Edinburgh during the week, and in any event, my traveling companion is not a sports fan. She's getting dragged to a football match whether she wants to be or not, but it'll probably be down here rather than up there.

GAA seasons are all over. Shame, too. Could probably get her to go to hurling, just for the novelty factor.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Oh, well, then stroll the Royal Mile, ducking in and out of shops as you go.

 

[KJIM]

Do the castle in Edinburgh. Basically, you can't go wrong in the city. Some cool cemeteries to wander through. I wanted to do the ghost tour but forgot about it.

Queen of Tarts in Dublin has good food. I was there during last summer's flooding. Didn't get to see a lot else.

Good luck with RyanAir.

 

[EE94]

Walk the Green in Dublin -
and everyone you meet there will tell you to go see the Book of Kells at Trinity. But unless you know Irish history, its just a book under glass.

I suggest taking a train to a couple of the coastal towns about an hour south of Dublin. Pretty cool feel and always a good pub. (Last time I was there Dublin was filled with obnoxious yuppies, so getting out was good.)

For Edinburgh, as someone said, tough to go wrong. Definitely do the castle. Yes, its another castle, but its one of the better ones. Walk around the "New City" - which of course isn't very new but has some nice architecture - as does most of downtown Edinburgh. Paris of the North.
And if you can, read some Ian Rankin "Rebus" books, his series on a grizzled detective that really paints a picture of Edinburgh. Good books, too

 

[Iron_chet]

Ryan Air is notorious for add on charges.

Watch the weight of your bags and check in on-line. It is truly no frills service, no window shades or seat back trays IIRC. Everything is an add on charge. I have heard the flight attendants can be aggressive on the upsell.

Double check where you are flying into in Edinburgh as Ryan Air often uses out of the way airports that end up plunking you where you have a steep cab charge to get into the city you think you are arriving in.

 

[deskslave]

Ryan Air is notorious for add on charges.

Watch the weight of your bags and check in on-line. It is truly no frills service, no window shades or seat back trays IIRC. Everything is an add on charge. I have heard the flight attendants can be aggressive on the upsell.

Double check where you are flying into in Edinburgh as Ryan Air often uses out of the way airports that end up plunking you where you have a steep cab charge to get into the city you think you are arriving in.

You can't not check in online anymore. And they still charge you for it most of the time (though not on the tickets we bought). They do have window shades, but only because the Irish Aviation Authority made them.

Edinburgh only has one airport; it's outside the city, but there's a bus for like £6 return. Glasgow is worse; it has two airports and the one RyanAir uses is way the hell outside town.