What The Dickins: A Tale Of Edinburgh City

Visiting Edinburgh? Here Are 6 Tips for You

Edinburgh old town

We love welcoming our guests to our gorgeous city and are always pleased to hear that the visit has been a success. In order to make the stay of anyone travelling to Edinburgh a bit smoother we’ve put together a wee list of tips for you that we hope you’ll find useful!

How to get to the city from the airport?

Edinburgh Festival tips

The new smooth-running trams will take you from the airport to the city centre in 35 minutes.

First things first; if you’re arriving by plane you need to get to the city from the airport. There are several options to choose from. The easiest and most expensive (around £20) is a taxi that you can catch on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park just outside the airport. The Airlink 100 bus leaves every 15 minutes outside the airport entrance and will take you to Waverley Bridge in around 25 minutes. It is £4.50 for a single ticket that you can purchase on the bus. There is also a night bus, the N22, that is available between 00.15 and 4am. Trams depart right outside the airport every 8-12 minutes and will take you into town in 35 minutes. A single adult ticket costs £5.50 and you can buy them from the ticket machines at the tram halt. Trams run from 6.15am to 22.45pm.

Be prepared for the Scottish weather!

Edinburgh Festival tips

You can experience all seasons in one day!

It is true what they say about the weather in Scotland: we really do have days where we experience all seasons in one day – which can make getting dressed in the morning a bit of a dilemma. Not to mention packing for your trip to Edinburgh! When you’re here and leaving your hotel room or Dickins self catering apartment to go exploring the city it is always a good idea to bring an extra cardigan or scarf with you to keep you warm. Brollies (British for umbrellas) are for sale in most shops, but if it’s windy as well you should opt for a disposable raincoat. Edinburgh is also a hilly city so do make sure you’ve packed comfortable shoes!

What to see in Edinburgh?

stgilescathedral

St Giles’ Cathedral on the Royal Mile is pretty on the outside and the inside.

Edinburgh has a fascinating history and there is so much to see and experience that it all can get a bit overwhelming. If you’re the relaxed type of traveller you might just want to walk around in the Old Town, soaking up the historic atmosphere and exploring the countless nooks and crannies on the Royal Mile. If you want to see as much as possible we recommend you plan your visit in advance. A good place to start is the This is Edinburgh website – the official guide to Edinburgh. Our top five things to do in Edinburgh have to be visiting Edinburgh Castle, exploring the Old Town, climbing up Arthur’s Seat, taking part in a guided walking tour or bus tour and going up Calton Hill to admire the gorgeous Edinburgh skyline. If you don’t have much time in our beautiful city, read our blog post about how to spend one day in Edinburgh.

Where to stay in Edinburgh?

12 St Marys Street Edinburgh

Dickins has many gorgeous flats in the Old Town, such as this one bed apartment on 12 St Mary’s Street that will cost you only £515 for a week!

We are obviously a little bit biased here, but we do feel like people don’t always know the advantages of staying in a self catering apartment. Instead of having only one little room to yourself as you normally would in a hotel you can rent a whole flat – for less! Staying in a place that has been decorated tastefully will make your stay a lot more enjoyable and you’ll be more comfortable too. Plus you’ve got the option of cooking your own meals and relaxing on the sofa watching a film if you want to. Take a look at these 5 charming very central apartments in the Old Town.

What did he say?

visit edinburgh

If someone asks you for a collie buckie, you’d be well within your right to be confused.

Understanding what the Edinburgh locals are saying might be a wee bit tricky at times, especially since they tend to mix in a fair bit of slang into their vocabularies. But don’t worry, read through this list of 10 words you need to know when visiting Edinburgh and you’ll find out what “barry”, “collie buckie” and “radge” means…

What to do with kids in Edinburgh?

Magnet play area the meadows

The Magnet play area in the Meadows Park is pretty exciting for the little ones!

Edinburgh is a great place for adults and kids alike. There is so much to explore, such as the fascinating Edinburgh Castle, the illusion-filled Camera Obscura and the exciting Edinburgh Zoo where you can bump into a panda! If you’re on a budget check out these 6 free things to do with kids in Edinburgh. A lot of restaurants and cafes have changing facilities for babies, but one safe bet is always the John Lewis parents’ room where you can change and feed your baby whilst enjoying amazing views of Edinburgh.

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