Usually, the thought of a tasty, ice cold brew at the end of a long trek is what keeps even the most intrepid traveler fueled and focused when life on the road gets a little hard going. Thankfully, pretty much everywhere you go in Europe you’re up to your waist in world-class brew, and better yet, a veritable variety of amazing venues in which to relax, unwind and meet great people while you ... Read Full Article
Scotland Tourist Information
Scotland is the one of the nations comprising the United Kingdom and it is home to some of the country’s best nature preserves and scenic views. With a few major cities, much of the country has a rustic, rural feel. The largest city is Glasgow, home to a thriving music scene, whereas its neighbor Edinburgh is the capital and site for the world famous Edinburgh ... Read Full Article
Quick Eats in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a city full of life and activity. Given the many attractions and activities available, it can sometimes feel as though there just are not enough hours in the day to take full advantage of ones time in this beautiful city. A resolution to this problem comes from the bevy of options for accessible food choices and quick eats in Edinburgh. Most visitors to Edinburgh have heard of ... Read Full Article
Winter Ice Skating in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland
Traditional outdoor winter ice skating has soared in popularity in recent years, both amongst children and families, those just wanting to have a go on the ice and, of course, the serious skaters. Each year, special outdoor rinks are installed in various locations throughout Scotland to indulge one's skating passion. Like England and Wales, some excellent outdoor skating ... Read Full Article
Tour Edinburgh’s “Real Mary King’s Close”
Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is well known for having great views, shops and restaurants, not to mention historic sites like Robert Knox’s House, Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House. But far beneath the City Chambers building on the High Street is a world long-since abandoned. Across the street from St. Giles’ Cathedral is a small entrance to The Real Mary King’s Close. When the Edinburgh city ... Read Full Article
A Scottish Wedding
It came as a surprise to find out that there was an enormous upside to arriving in Edinburgh at four in the morning, over 13 hours later than planned. My girlfriend Kate and I had left our home in Portland, Oregon 36 hours earlier and after enduring delayed flights, missed connections and a three hour wait aboard a stuffy London train due to a “fatality on the line”. We had finally arrived at ... Read Full Article
Summer Literary Festivals in the UK
The summer months in the UK are typically the time when festival fever is fully in force. But, as well as the popular music festivals, there are plenty of literary festivals taking place and they offer a great opportunity to meet your favourite authors, discuss books and discover what’s going on in the literary world. Interested? Here are some literature festival highlights worth ... Read Full Article
Scotland’s Stalwart Castles
When people think of Scotland, they likely think of bagpipes, whiskey, and castles. And, castles are a large part of the landscape in Scotland– from those offering sweeping vistas - to fortifications in city centers - to crumbling ruins in the highlands that have taken their former inhabitant's secrets to the grave. Visiting castles should be a part in any tour of Scotland, and here are a few of ... Read Full Article
The Secrets of Rosslyn Chapel
Ten years ago, if one visited the quaint village of Roslin, a short bus ride out to the outskirts of Edinburgh, one could tour the local chapel by simply inquiring with the caretaker to obtain a key and letting yourself in. In 2003, Dan Brown published the DaVinci Code, and everything changed. Suddenly Roslin was swamped with tourists and Rosslyn Chapel was inundated with visitors eager to ... Read Full Article
Edinburgh Restaurant Guide
Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh is awash with great dining, as the city has one of the highest ratios of restaurants to residents in all of Europe. While venues are filled to capacity during the bustling Edinburgh Festival in August (and reservations are nearly compulsory during this time), the rest of the year a table can be easily had without much hassle. Being a cosmopolitan location, cuisines ... Read Full Article