Making the most of Leith Edinburgh Scotland
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Historic Leith has been restored and now offers adjacent Royal yacht Britannia tours and numerous shopping-mall restaurants. Edinburgh is easily reached by taxi or bus in ten minutes, or by Majestic Tours hop on/off buses every 15 minutes in high season and 30 minutes otherwise, for 12 Pounds. Ocean Terminal is about 20 minutes by car or taxi from Edinburgh airport.
Only smaller ships use Leith; most large ships anchor next door at Newhaven.
Buses 11 and 22 run every 5 minutes from Princes St. and nearby areas. George Street is also good for shopping, while bus 35 goes to the old town, Royal Mile and National Museum of Scotland. Buy a single (£1.70) or dayticket (£4.00) on boarding: tell the driver, put coins in the box, collect your ticket and sit down. Drivers cannot make change, so have the exact coins before boarding.
Edinburgh's exceptionally beautiful cityscape makes it ideal for a city break destination. Scotland's most famous castle dominates the skyline, and there is plenty to see and do, with traditional and contemporary attractions well balanced.
World-class museums, galleries, open-top bus tours and the city's zoo are all options. From world famous Festivals to top-class restaurants, bars and fabulous shopping, there is much to choose from.
Built on extinct volcanoes above the North Sea inlet of the Firth of Forth and surrounded by rolling hills, lochs and forests, Edinburgh rewards exploration with elegant streets, cobbled alleys and incomparable sunsets.
Pronounced Edin-burra, Edinburgh is also busy and noisy, set amid spectacular hills and crags. Historic Royal Mile houses, New Town Georgian terraces and crescents complement the landscape. Its linear layout follows Castle Rock and Castle Ridge, with the Royal Mile running down to Holyroodhouse. To the north, Princes Street Gardens fill a shallow valley, with Waverley Station, the main railroad station, at the eastern end. Above the gardens, and to the…
Getting around
Many City hop on/off tours start by the central railway station. Tours cost 12 to 17 pounds, clearly marked on the bridge where buses wait. The Grand Ticket 24 costs 17 pounds, or 15 pounds for seniors, works with all companies' hop on buses so waits are short, and includes Royal Brittania and other-destination tours.
Food and shopping
Princes Street is Edinburgh's main shopping drag, filled with U.K. department stores and chain retailers. Also visit Harvey Nichols, the famed London department store with its first Scottish branch in Edinburgh's St Andrews Square.
Money
The pound (£), also called quid, is the UK currency. Scottish bank notes are frowned upon elsewhere in the UK, so exchange them before leaving Scotland.
Ensure your change is in English notes, because Scottish notes are not accepted everywhere in the rest of the UK.
Widely available cash machines (ATM), informally known as holes in the wall, generally dispense £10 and £20 notes.
Most shops and restaurants accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro.
Staying connected
English is used throughout the country, although accents can be heavy.
Most cafe's and restaurants have free WiFi.
The local emergency number is 999; EU-wide 112 also works.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours generally are:
Small stores open 6 or 7 days weekly, 10am - 6pm. Larger stores generally remain open til' 9PM, while Hyper marts are often 24/7.