A blazing Royal Mile

How do you make Hogmanay in Edinburgh even better? You bring Carabosse, a French company, to Edinburgh’s Old Town to create a dramatic performance of live art on the famous Royal Mile (after switching off all the lights of course). The live performance will include different fire sculptures and objects on fire, lighting up usually dark corners. All of this activity also includes live music from Parliament Square right in the middle of the Royal Mile. This is free entertainment in Edinburgh at its very best!

Beth’s Recommendation: Cancel whatever plans you already have and make sure you’re on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for Carabosse’s free outdoor Fire Installation. The Royal Mile will be alight from 7pm-11pm on Wednesday December 30 and from 4pm-8pm on January 1, 2010.

Get ready for Hogmanay 2010!

Hogmanay is the world famous New Year festival held in Edinburgh. Best known for the New Year’s Eve street party which attracts upwards of 120,000 people every year, this is the largest New Year event in the world and is not to be missed.

There is a range of celebrations and activities for all ages so regardless of whether you’re part of a family with children or are looking for a romantic getaway, Edinburgh makes a special destination for anyone to welcome in the year ahead.

Torchlight Procession

Beth’s Recommendation: There are so many fantastic events planned for the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 it’s hard to choose. If you are visiting Edinburgh during this period my personal recommendation is to make sure you take part in the Torchlight Procession on 29 December, 6:00pm. It begins at St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile and winds it’s way down onto Princes Street and then up to Calton Hill for a fireworks display and annual Viking ship burning. Torches cost £5 which goes towards Edinburgh’s One City Trust and Radio Forth’s Help a Child Appeal.

National Gallery of Scotland

It doesn’t get much better when you can go into an art gallery with works by world class masters FOR FREE!

National Gallery of Scotland

The National Galleries of Scotland have a number of physical buildings showing the gigantic collection of mostly traditional pieces. The photo here shows the National Gallery of Scotland on The Mound immediately after a brilliant morning snow shower.

Beth’s Recommendation: Just now (Dec 2009) the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci is in this Gallery. The story goes that in 2003 it was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle, the Dumfriesshire home of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry and was recovered in 2007. I’m a huge Leonardo fan no matter what the medium he used. He simply was the best of the best.

Edinburgh Sparkles – Nov & Dec

Edinburgh welcomes thousands of visitors for the winter holidays. As always, the city sparkles and comes alive with lights, food, reindeer.

Princes Garden rides

There are plenty of choices for shopping for that extra special holiday gift.

If you drive into Edinburgh the parking metres stop an hour early at 5:30pm to encourage visitors. Might as well take advantage of this while you can!

Beth’s Recommendation: Princes Gardens hosts holiday rides which are beautiful to see against the famous Old Town skyline. Walking through the gardens, all wrapped up, sipping from a hot cup of Glühwein makes for a perfect evening.

Princes Gardens – anytime

Edinburgh in the snow

On a snowy day Princes Gardens is like heaven…everything is white and perfect. You have a perfect view of Edinburgh Castle sitting above everything. At this time of the year there is plenty of shopping along Princes Street.

Edinburgh Castle and Ramsay Gardens

Here’s a webcam view of Princes Street with the gardens in the background:

Beth’s Recommendation: I highly recommend walking through the Gardens whenever you have the chance. The garednes are completely different during each season which is a great reason to come back and visit…alot!

National Museum of Scotland – throughout December 2009

There are lots of Christmas festivities happening at the National Musueums of Scotland (NMS).

National Museum of Scotland

Almost all the activities are FREE and range from making your own treasure, listening to holiday chimes, watching costumed dancers and drawing and painting. The entire family can join in and remember, entrance to most of the museums is FREE.

Beth’s Recommendation: On both the last day of 2009 and the first day of 2010 the NMS is hosting music events for families. On Thursday, 31 December you can hear the Canongate Cadjers Celidh Band at 2pm. On Friday, 1 January 2010 get the new year off to a great start by listening to some of Scotland’s best new traditional music talent at 12:45, 1:45 and 2:45pm. Scotland is a great place for great music so make sure you catch these FREE performances!

FREE Parking in Edinburgh city centre

I love this time of year, especially because we get FREE PARKING in certain areas in the run up to Christmas.

Look out for adverts, radio promotions and editorial reminding people that buses, taxis and cycles return to Princes Street on the 29th of November and that it’s easy to get into, and around, our city centre!

So no more excuses for avoiding the centre of Edinburgh now!

Beth’s Recommendation: Shop til you drop!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Snowing in Edinburgh

I don’t think there’s anyone, anywhere in the UK who doesn’t look forward to having snow for Christmas. It looks like we all might just get our wish this year. With only a week left until Christmas Edinburgh has had snow two days in a row now.

Beth’s Recommendation: If you like to sledge then you have to be quick in Edinburgh or the snow will be gone. Most of the best places are on the south side of town which is away from the Firth of Forth (the large piece of water on the north side of town). The Midlothian Snowsports Centre is a great place to ski down big slopes or innertube down a wee slope. There are plenty of nearby areas for sledging but remember to bring your own!

Ondine Restaurant is absolutely Scotland’s best!

We eat in a lot of restaurants in Edinburgh so we can see if they belong in Fiona’s Favourites, our recommended places to go, things to do and see and restaurants in Edinburgh that we give all our guests at the Storytelling Apartment. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!

Hot roasted shellfish with Aioli

This afternoon we booked lunch at Ondine Restaurant which is located just off the Royal Mile and sort of above the entrance to the new Hotel Missoni. I can describe the lovely decor, comfy seats, unpretentious tables and friendly staff but what I really want you to know is that this is the best seafood restaurant we have ever been to in Scotland. Fiona had Lobster Thermidore and I had the plate of hot roasted seafood you see in the photo which included half a lobster, langostine, mussles, clams, a scallop and a razorfish. Of course I shared with Fiona and we both agree that besides tasting so absolutely wonderful it was very good value.

The menu is filled with a huge section of CRUSTACEAN options that are out of this world! All the seafood is locally sourced in Scotland and they have a sustainability ethos (which I wish meant that they were obligated to help sustain my waistline!).

Beth’s Recommendation: Book yourself a meal at Ondine and tell Ewan the manager that Beth and Fiona sent you! This is fresh, unadulterated, Scottish seafood at its best!

St Andrew’s Day fireworks explode from Edinburgh Castle

Thanks to the steady hand and a very heavy coat, Grant captured a magnificent shot of the St Andrew’s Day fireworks coming from Edinburgh Castle. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version.

Grant (C) All rights reserved

You can see more fireworks photos by Grant on his Flickr site.

Beth’s Recommendation: If you have never been to Edinburgh for a fireworks display you have another opportunity on New Year’s Eve, or Hogmanay as it’s called here in Scotland. You can view the fireworks from almost anywhere in Edinburgh but Calton Hill is a favourite of mine. Get there in time to choose a prime location for photo taking!