Great Cities of Europe

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Text File | 1995-11-30 | 11KB | 410 lines

<F16>Edinburgh</F> <L7><F14>Basic Information</F> Documents Required: United States and EC citizens require a valid passport for visits not exceeding three months. American Consulate: 3 Regent Terrace; 131/ 556-8315. Currency: The pound sterling (ú ), made up of 100 pence, is used throughout the United Kingdom. Banks: Banking hours are Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9:30A.M.-3:30P.M. and Thursday 9:30A.M.-6 P.M. Customs: There are no limits on the import or export of currency. United States citizens may export $400 of Scottish goods, with a limit of 200 cigarettes, one liter of alcohol, 100 non-Cuban cigars, and one bottle of United States trademarked perfume. EC members are restricted to 800 cigarettes and 10 liters of alcohol. Climate: Edinburgh is temperate year round. In spring and autumn, the daytime average is 53 degrees, rising to 65 degrees in summer. Winter temperatures rarely dip below 35 degrees. Tipping: When a service charge is added to your bill, no tip is expected. Taxi drivers expect 10 percent of the fare. Tourist Information: Edinburgh Tourist Center, Waverly Market, Princes St. (east end); 131/ 557-1700. Airports: Edinburgh does not have an international airport. It is easiest for visitors from the United States to fly to London and transfer to a flight to Edinburgh Airport. Edinburgh Airport 131/ 344-3136 Links within the United Kingdom and to major European cities. Take a bus or taxi for the 30-minute ride to the city center. Glasgow Airport 141/ 887-1111, ext. 4552 International airport 50 miles west of Edinburgh. A bus will deliver you to downtown Edinburgh in about an hour and 45 minutes. Getting Around: Edinburgh has no suburban rail system. By car: Rent cars at Edinburgh Airport. Parking in town is limited; cars are best for excursions out of the city. By bus: Lothian Regional Transport, with dark red and white buses, is the main operator in the city. The Edinburgh Freedom Ticket, which gives you unlimited one-day travel, can be purchased at tourist offices at Waverly Market and St. Andrews Square. By taxi: Hail any taxi that displays an illuminated "for hire" sign. Postal and Telephone Service: Post offices are found throughout the city. To call Edinburgh from the United States, dial 011-44, the city code (Edinburgh is 131), and the local number. Public Holidays/Festivals: New Year's Day, January 2, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank holiday (first Monday in August), Christmas Day, and December 26. Electric Current:. Sockets are standard European, and accept two round pins. The electric current is 220V. <F14>Time Line </F> Beginnings of the City 6000B.C. Earliest known residents of Scotland live on the Argyll peninsula. Middle Ages 1005-1034 King Malcolm II unites the four major tribes of Scotland (the Scots, Picts, Britons, and Angles) and temporarily repels the English. 1130 King David I consolidates royal power and builds the Abbey of Holyrood. 1368 Edinburgh Castle is rebuilt. 1450 A wall is constructed around Old Town to protect against invaders. 1450-1500 Edinburgh's Golden Age. The city becomes capital and seat of government of Scotland. 1513 Battle of Flodden Field, lost to the English, ends Edinburgh's prosperity. Reformation and Restoration 1560 Protestant Reformation. John Knox, spurred on by Henry VIII's opposition to Catholicism, establishes the Scottish Presbyterian church. 1603 Union of the Crowns. Great Britain is united as James VI of Scotland ascends the throne of England as James I. 1642-1649 Civil war erupts, with religious differences a major cause. King James I is executed. 1650 Cromwell and his troops occupy Edinburgh. 1688-1689 The Glorious Revolution. Parliament strips Catholic James II of his crown and replaces him with Protestant monarchs William and Mary. Edinburgh Prospers 1707 The Act of the Union joins England and Scotland as Great Britain. 1730-1790 The Scottish Enlightenment. 1800-1850 Highland Clearances raise rents and force the conversion of farms to sheep pasture. Today 1928 Scottish National Party founded in Edinburgh. 1931 An economic depression hits Scotland. 1970 The discovery of North Sea oil boosts the Scottish economy, providing jobs for thousands. 1974 Parliament reorganizes and consolidates the counties of Scotland. </L7> <L6><F14>Hotels </F> Caledonian $$$ Princes St. 131/ 225-2433 Edinburgh's most famous and elegant place to stay. Howard $$$ 32-6 Great King St. 131/ 557-3500 Twenty-five rooms carved out of several Georgian-style terraced houses. Royal Terrace $$ 18 Royal Terrace 131/ 557-3500 With a noteworthy glass-enclosed patio restaurant. Roxburghe $$ Charlotte Square 131/ 225-3921 Central location and sedate charm. Teviotdale House $ 53 Grange Loan 131/ 667-4376 Bed & breakfast in the city. Norton House $ Ingleston 131/ 333-1275 Country home on Edinburgh's outskirts. <F14>Restaurants</F> Howtowdie $$$ 24A Stafford St. 131/ 225-6291 Traditional Scottish. Balmoral Grill Room $$$ Princes St. 131/ 556-2414 (ask for the Grill Room) Classic British. Martin's $$ 70 Rose St. 131/ 225-3106 All organic ingredients. L'Alliance $$ 7 Merchant St. 131/ 225-2002 Simple French and comfortable atmosphere. Kalpna $ 2/3 St. Patricks Square 131/ 667-9890 Vegetarian Indian. Lilligs $ 30 Victoria St. 131/ 225-7635 Good food, late hours, informal setting. </L6> <L1><F14>Sites</F> Edinburgh is divided into Old Town, which dates to the 16th century, and New Town, built from the 18th century on. Edinburgh Castle Royal Mile 131/ 225-7534 Noted for its views of the city. At night, the castle is illuminated. Georgian House 7 Charlotte Square 131/ 225-2160 A carefully restored 18th-century residence, complete with period furnishings. Royal Mile In Old Town. Medieval buildings and narrow alleys stretch from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Calton Hill Nelson's Monument, the National Monument, and the City Observatory. Plus, a perfect view of Princes St. Palace of Holyroodhouse (Holyrood Palace) Canongate State and historical apartments, and the Holyrood Abbey. Today, the palace is the official residence of the Queen when she visits. </L1> <L2><F14>Museums And Culture </F> Museum of Childhood 42 High St. 131/ 225-2424 Toys for adults and children. National Gallery of Scotland The Mound (between Market and Princes streets) 131/ 556-8921 European masters from Raphael to Gauguin. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Belford Rd. 131/ 556-8921 Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Derain, and more. City Museum (Huntley House) Royal Mile 131/ 225-2424 ext. 6689 Scottish and local history documented by art and artifacts. Music Usher Hall Lothian Rd. 131/ 228-1155 Edinburgh's concert hall and home of the Scottish National Orchestra. The Playhouse Greenside Place 131/ 557-2692 The Scottish Opera's venue. Theater Royal Lyceum Grindlay St. 131/ 229-9697 A mix of modern and traditional theater. King's Leven St. 131/ 229-1201 Contemporary and conventional performances. Traverse Theater 112 West Bow 131/ 226-2633 Avant-garde productions. Festivals Edinburgh International Festival One of the world's largest performing arts gatherings, for three weeks in August and early September. Tickets available from the International Festival Office, 21 Market St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 1BW; 131/ 226-4001. </L2> <L5><F14>Shopping</F> Shops are open Monday to Saturday 9 A.M.-5:30P.M. Princes Street Tweeds, tartans and sweaters. Jenners (4 Princes St.), the world's oldest department store, opened in 1838. Thistle Street Boutiques and antiques shops. Stafford Street and William Street Upscale shops and local crafts. </L5> <L3><F14>Children</F> The tourist information center at Waverly Market has up-to-date listings of activities for children. Edinburgh Zoo Corstorphine Rd. 131/ 334-9171 Scotland's largest zoo, on 80 acres of parkland. Brass Rubbing Center Trinity Apse, Chalmers Close 131/ 556-4364 Replicas of Pictish, Celtic and Scottish relics. Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World Melville Nurseries 131/ 663-4932 Ten miles south of Edinburgh, in the town of Dalkeith. Indoor exhibits mimic tropical jungles. Trampoline Center 3 Windsor Place 131/ 669-1075 Get rid of excess energy. <F14>Night Spots</F> Pubs Greyfriars Bobby 34 Candlemaker Row 131/ 225-3147 Comfortable and full of friendly locals. CafΘ Royal Circle Bar 17 W. Register St. 131/ 556-1884 Edinburgh's most famous pub. Royal Oak 1 Infirmary St. 131/ 557-2976 Traditional Scottish folk music. Nightclubs Amphitheatre Lothian Rd. 131/ 229-7670 Fantastic light show. Buster's 25 Market St. 131/ 226-4224 Consistently popular. Casinos Berkeley Casino Club 2 Rutland Place 131/ 228-4446 Private, but free memberships with 48 hours notice. Casino Martell 7 Newington Rd. 131/ 667-7763 Gambling, open to the public. </L3> <L4><F14>Excursions</F> Hadrian's Wall 75 miles south of Edinburgh Begun after the Roman emperor's visit in A.D.121, the wall spans 73 miles. Each mile is marked by a small fort, and each third mile by a turret. Dollar 27 miles northwest of Edinburgh Castle Campbell (131/ 244-3101), nicknamed Castle Gloom by the Scots, is one of the most dramatic fortresses in the country. On a hill surrounded by a wooded glen, the castle survived capture by Oliver Cromwell in 1654. Dunfermline 15 miles northwest of Edinburgh Once the largest producer of damask linen, the small town is better known as Andrew Carnegie's birthplace. Dunfermline District Museum Viewfield Terrace 383/ 721-814 Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum Moodie St. 383/ 724-302 Penicuik 10 miles south of Edinburgh Aside from the quaint town square, Penicuik is home to Scotland's distinctive glassware manufacturer. Edinburgh Crystal Center Eastfield 968/ 7-5128 </L4> (c) 1995 Leisure and Travel