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)

• Ghost tour http://www.mercattours.com/private-bookings.asp

• 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