1. Day trip
Partly depends what people want, anything too 'cultural' may bore some people.
Cheaper to do some combination of things in Edinburgh itself (could even be free). But if we get sponsorship for it, a trip to the Highlands would be nice, perhaps including a visit to a distillery.
2. Suggestions
Possible activities during DebConf2007 include:
- Climb Arthur's Seat
- Trip to the beach, e.g. to North Berwick (by train or bus)
- Trip to Holyrood House (could arrange group, apparently they're helpful/friendly)
- Trip to the Castle (overrun with other tourists, but worth seeing)
- Trip to see the penguins at the Zoo
Meal at The Famous Bein Inn http://www.beininn.com, on a music night (usually rock)
For smaller groups:
- Go shopping
- Go to the some of the free art galleries
- Walk along the Water of Leith to the modern art galleries
- Walk along the Water of Leith to the Shore
- Go to the Fruitmarket Gallery / City Art Gallery
- Go to some of the free museums
3. Big list
Free attractions in central Edinburgh include:
- Calton Hill
City Art Centre http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/cac.htm
Dean Gallery http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=3-a
Holyrood Park http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/ranger_service/rs_about_our_parks.htm
Museum of Childhood http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/museum_childhood.htm
Museum of Edinburgh http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/museumEd.htm
Museum of Scotland http://www.nms.ac.uk/scotland/home/index.asp
National Gallery of Scotland http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=1-a
- Princes Street Gardens
Royal Botanic Garden http://www.rbge.org.uk/
Royal Museum http://www.nms.ac.uk/royal/home/index.asp
Royal Scottish Academy http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=7-a
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=4-a
Scottish National Portrait Gallery http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=2-a
Scottish Parliament http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/visitingHolyrood/index.htm
St Giles' Cathedral http://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk/
Talbot Rice Gallery http://www.trg.ed.ac.uk/
The People's Story (museum) http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/peoples_story.htm
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (World Heritage Site) http://www.ewht.org.uk/
Writer's Museum http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/writers_museum.htm
Central Edinburgh attractions with an entrance charge include:
Our Dynamic Earth (museum) http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/
Edinburgh Castle http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/properties/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_121
The Georgian House http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/visit/places/Property.asp?PropID=10027&NavPage=10027&NavId=5115
Gladstone's Land http://www.nts.org.uk/web/site/home/visit/places/Property.asp?PropID=10028&NavPage=10028&NavId=5115
The Palace of Holyrood House http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page559.asp
The Scott Monument http://www.cac.org.uk/venues/scott.htm
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre http://www.whisky-heritage.co.uk/
Other attractions nearby include:
Deep Sea World http://www.deepseaworld.com/ (via train: http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/travelinfo/ticketsandfares.php?pageid=00000000036&ms=sub)
Edinburgh zoo http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/
Museum of Flight (by bus) http://www.nms.ac.uk/flight/home/index.asp
The Royal Yacht Britannia http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/
Scottish Seabird Centre http://www.seabird.org/ (via train: http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/travelinfo/ticketsandfares.php?pageid=00000000024&ms=sub)
Rosslyn Chapel http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/
Nearby castles include:
Blackness Castle (16 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_035
Craigmillar Castle (3 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_123
Crichton Castle (12 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail?propertyID=PL_076
Dirleton Castle (23 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail?propertyID=PL_089
Hailes Castle (22 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_148
Linlithgow Palace (18 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail?propertyID=PL_199
Tantallon Castle (28 miles) http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_284