There are a few things to consider about holidays in Scotland. Firstly what time of year should you come? Around Christmas and New Year Scotland’s Capital city, Edinburgh has a programme of activities to make the most of it’s wonderful setting. They include a huge wheel on Princess Street that gives visitors a unique perspective of this beautiful historic city, a German market and other Christmas stalls selling hot food and drink (very nice on a cold day). Plus lots of fair ground rides and an outdoor ice rink. If you fail to feel Christmasy after a trip to Edinburgh’s celebrations, I give up on you – bah humgbug. Although Princess Street and George Street are the central shopping areas we’d suggest you go just that little bit further to find more individual shops. Areas like Stockbridge, Bruntsfield and Morningside and Victoria Street (off the Royal Mile) have small independent shops with less generic stock. Plus there are lots of good cafes including Loopy Linda’s in Morningside or Hula on Victoria Street where you can put the shopping bags down for a minute and consider the next item on your shopping list. At New Year (called Hogmanay in Scotland) there is a street party with bands and ceilidhs (a scottish dance). We promise this is an event you are unlikely to forget. Scots love hogmanay – it’s our time of year. We even get an extra public holiday to get over any excesses. Couple of tips here – be prepared to be kissed by complete strangers on the strike of midnight and to wishing people happy new year well into January.
