The Edinburgh Zoo () is a real city gem It’s west of the city – about halfway towards the airport – in a popular and very liveable neighbourhood called Corstorphine. The Zoo is up on a hill, and it has decent views of the city but fantastic views of the Pentland Hills, just south.
The nice thing about the Edinburgh Zoo is that they have so many events and attractions that are geared up for children; I know many local wee children who demand their regular stop in I loved this closeup shot of a King Pengiun, who clearly thinks that he rules the roost!
The Zoo is easy to get to – best options from the city centre are the frequent bus 26 service, or you can take the Airport Express bus X100 for a slightly higher charge (be sure to let the driver know you’re going to get off at the Zoo).
For more information about when the shows are on – including the Penguin Parade – visit the official Edinburgh Zoo website, .
One of tourism’s biggest trends in the last year has made its way into the Scottish capital. It’s farmstays – tourist friendly accommodation on a working farm. They come in a variety of flavours, from simply staying on a farm to a fully fledged working holiday. I think they’re...
Today I’d like to highlight another awesome daytrip opportunity if you find yourself at a loose end in Edinburgh and curious to explore further afield for the day. Dunfermline is a city in the Kingdom of Fife, just to the north of Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth. The city is one of the...
Edinburgh’s a place where the real attractions can be found in the details. By that, I mean the closer you look, the more you find. From years of battles and changing of ownership, to simply the city’s old age, you’ll find layer upon layer of history and intrigue.
My advice for...
I’ve heard lots of tall tales and facts about Edinburgh – but not all your pub quiz trivia is made equal. Here are a few little trivia tidbits, and what I’ve found to be the correct answer. Some of them are surprising.
Fiction: Scots call their dinner ‘tea’ because...
Everybody loves a good fairytale. As a child, you fantasize about being the romantic princess being saved, or being the knight to comes to her rescue. As adults, we muse about the origins of these and laugh at their subtle metaphors and the ‘moral of the story.’ As like many of our...
You might have missed the woefully short Edinburgh jazz festival, and you might be having your fill of Fringe madness. But you can have a great night of jazz any time of year (almost) in Edinburgh, if you know where to look. Here are a few top rated jazz clubs and venues in the city where there’s...
If you’ve ever been in Edinburgh for the Fringe, then you know what I’m talking about with the swag. Just try walking down the Royal Mile (map) from one end to the other and you’ll end up with two arms’ full of flyers, buttons, postcards, brochures, lanyards, and who knows what...
Every year, someone asks me: why is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival called the Fringe? Well, we have to go back to the start in 1947 to answer that question. It’s a worthwhile trip in the past, as the festival certainly had a very interesting journey.
1947
The Edinburgh Fringe makes its unofficial...
Edinburgh doesn’t have too much of a graffiti problem – it’s here and there in places, including a few special spots where it’s actually encouraged.
But during Fringe, it seems every spare inch of space becomes a potential art gallery, and i just loved this blank black canvas...
As any regular readers know, I have one and only one favourite place in Edinburgh: The Water of Leith (map). It’s a tranquil place, without a lot going on – which is probably why I like it. This summer though sees the Water of Leith a hub of activity, as some new neighbours have moved...
If you’re looking to have a business meeting or just get out of the house and get some work done in a cafe during the month of August in Edinburgh, good luck. Many of the best cafes are near the large festival venues, but even if not almost all of the streets in the Old Town and Princes Street...
Today’s Photo Friday tip is one of the most fabulous things you can do during an Edinburgh summer: go boating out on the Firth of Forth! The firth of forth is the sea estuary that wraps around Edinburgh from the north sea and heads inland. The major provider of boat tours is Forth Tours,...
It’s another photo Friday here at Planeteye, and let’s celebrate this TGIF with some dead people!
Edinburgh is well known for its many haunted spaces and places, so during your tour I highly recommend you check one of them out. You don’t have to look hard – these guys are along...
There are technically two places that are often called Edinburgh’s beach: one is Cramond, which really isn’t a beach at all (though at low tide you can walk on the waterbed). The other is Musselburgh (map) and Portobello (map), and it’s here where you can squeeze sand between your...
This gorgeous photo Friday shot – an interior, different than our usual – comes from the Queen’s Hall (map), a lovely music venue on the south side of Edinburgh’s old town.
The venue opened in 1823 as Hope Park Chapel, and stayed that until 1979 when it was converted into a music...
If you’re looking for an offbeat adventure that’s fun for families and outdoor lovers, then I’d like to suggest to you to checkout the Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World, just south of Edinburgh.
Butterflies
Who doesn’t love a good butterfly? There are hundreds here at the...
Hidden away just south of Edinburgh City Centre is another offbeat historical sight that few know about, and even fewer have managed to find. It’s the oddly named caiy stane:
Where Is It
The Caiy Stane is near the intersection of Caiystane view and Oxgangs Road (map). It’s a residential...
Today’s photo friday is a true relic – one that is a sight you’ll probably walk by during your Edinburgh visit but you could easily pass it by, St John’s Church (map):
Now THAT, my dear readers, is a church. This is the breathtaking nave of St Johns Church, the gorgeous building...
I’ve always wondered the question, what exactly makes a Georgian building, well, Georgian? I’ve heard lots of little snippets and clips on tours and in articles, so I did a little investigation and wanted to share with you my thoughts on this topic. It isn’t as simple as it seems.
Why...
