Euro Trip - Looking for Advice

[Jason Dunn]

Ok gang, I'm looking for some advice from the community. In June of 2005, my wife and I are planning a holiday to Scotland and Italy. We're booking it through our time-share, so we're spending one week in each place (this isn't one of those "stay one night in one place" kind of trips). In light of that, I'm looking for input on two things:

1) Where's a good location to stay in Scotland, and in Italy, that will be relatively close to the major tourist spots. We'll be doing day trips from our hotel/resort.

2) Where should we go? What are the places that are "must see" in both Scotland and in Italy? My wife and I are part Scottish by heritage, so that's more of an "ancestral trip", but I don't know much about where we should visit. Ditto for Italy - there's so much to see I'm not sure where to start. :-)

I know it's a broad question, but any feedback/ideas would be fantastic! Thanks everyone. :way to go:

[Duncan]

Scotland? If you stay in Edinburgh you have a lot of history on your doorstep. The castle, Holyrood palace, Greyfriars etc. The Scottish tourist board site is: http://www.visitscotland.com/

Edinburgh also has superb train and coach links to everywhere else. The big tourist-y things are inevitably Loch Ness (for the sights - don't bother with any of the frankly crap monster exhibitions...!) - you can take a boat around it, Glasgow (of course!), depending on time and inclination take one of the islands or highlands tours.

If you get the chance - visit Culloden - site of the 1745 massacre by the English.

That's only touching the surface mind.

Oh - just a thought - but there is a place in Forfarshire, Scotland called Dun - site of a fortress (Dun meaning fortress or brown - I found out about it ages ago when looking up the meaning of Duncan). I believe it is the origin place for the Duncan clan and the surname Dun. Possibly Dunn could be a variant of that? Since you may be ancestor hunting...! :)

[aliensub]

Don´t you only go to Scotland for one thing..... Drinking Whisky :mrgreen:

Sorry, couldn´t help it :?

[Jason Dunn]

Thanks for the excellent info!

Possibly Dunn could be a variant of that? Since you may be ancestor hunting...! :)

According to my info, the surname Dunn comes from the Robertson clan.

[Duncan]

Thanks for the excellent info!

Possibly Dunn could be a variant of that? Since you may be ancestor hunting...! :)

According to my info, the surname Dunn comes from the Robertson clan.

One of the oldest of the clans (possibly THE oldest recorded). Took part in Culloden (I studied and teach the 1745 uprising as a special unit of school history!). I'd hazard a guess that Dunn will have come from an offshoot - Clan Donnachaidh (founded by a descendant of the original Robertson chief - according to my notes anyway - called Duncan (good name that!). Donnachaidh is actually a variant spelling of Duncan (literally 'brown headed warrior'). Curiously it is also the root of the word 'donkey' (seriously!).

Sorry if I'm telling you anything you already knew - but I would bet that looking up Clan Donnachaidh will led you more diectly to your ancestors. Needless to say both clans were at the Culloden massacre... (sadly mine fought for the English). :)

[JustinGTP]

Italy is a nice place and so is Scotland. When in Italy, you see a lot of Smart Cars. Milan, Italy is a great place with lovely buildings - walking around the streets is fantastic, all of the architecture!

Speaking of vacations, this summer we are going to a Six Flags amusement park in the States and then we are going on a 2 month (7 weeks) Europe trip! That is going to be exciting.

Have fun.

-Justin.

[SteveHoward999]

Scotland

Stay in Edinburgh for at least a couple of days. Walk around the Old City. Explore every alley-way you find .. they are completely safe, and there are some amazing things to be found off the Royal Mile.

Visit Sterling. Do the Wallace Monument ... take a camera for the view from the top!!!

Make time to drive to Loch Ness and/or Loch Lomond and stay at least one night in a local B & B on the shores of either. I highly recommend this place

http://glengarry.net/prices.php

It is a little expensive compared to many places for Bed and Breakfast, but food, service, location .. everything is excellent.

Do not forget to ask about driving the scenec route!

If you have time to just wander ... do exactly that. Take pot luck on finding cheap local lodgings. You will absolutely not regret it. If you are scared of pot luck, there are loads of sites like this that can help you plan in more detail:-

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/ppf/nodeID/517/search.aspx


Steve

[carphead]

In Italy.....

Sorento is a good place to stay. But quite remote. Otherwise Rome.

Good places to visit.

Venice
Capri
Rome
Mount Versivous (sorry bad spelling)

You could easily spend two days in Venice and Rome.

For flights between checkout www.flygo.com and www.easyjet.com.

[Ashley Dunn]

In my quest to find more information about both countries, I came across a very highly recommended hotel in Scotland (about a half hour from both Edinburgh and Glasgow) called Kilconquhar Estate and Country Club. According to the website, it's right near the SW coast by Elie. Everywhere I looked on our timeshare's site, I found raving reviews of this place. I'm seriously considering booking our time there, as it's close to the major locations we'd like to visit (Edinburgh and Glasgow), and it's got quite a lot going on within the walls of the actual hotel.

Has anyone who's travelled to Scotland heard of/stayed in this place? Is it a good choice in your opinion?

[Ashley Dunn]

I'm also really curious about the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It's right near Naples on the SW side of the peninsula - about 150km south of Rome.

I've heard it's beautiful, but I've also heard that Italy is not the place to go for beaches - Greece is better. Well, as we're not going to Greece, I wondered whether it was worth a day on the Amalfi coast.

Anyone ever been here? Is it a good idea to make a trip here?

[carphead]

I've not stayed at the place but I can tell you that it looks like it's in a good location. I've stayed in Elle and it's a really nice part of Scotland.

I've rowed most of the Scotish lakes and Fife is lovely place to stay.

Glasgow is a fine city to visit. There are only four places I'd live in the work apart from the East of England and they are Glasgow, Dublin and Porto (Portugal) and Capri. :)

As for Italy. We honeymooned in Sorento and the coast line is similar to Amalfi. There are almost no beaches. What beaches there are privately own and there are normally private bathing platforms that you can go on but at a cost.

If you want beaches it's better to head north and visit the Italian Lakes which in general have better beaches.

http://www.amalfi-coast.info/english.htm

Having said that if you do go to Amalfi you MUST visit Capri (http://www.capri.net/salsa/lang/en/page/home.html) . I like it so much I went back twice and thankfully now work for a company with a office there and we get good rates at the Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri as they're one of my customers. ;)[/url]

[SteveHoward999]

I'm seriously considering booking our time there, as it's close to the major locations we'd like to visit (Edinburgh and Glasgow), and it's got quite a lot going on within the walls of the actual hotel.

Has anyone who's travelled to Scotland heard of/stayed in this place? Is it a good choice in your opinion?


Unless you like ugly cities, I'd recommend not bothering with Glasgow. OK I know this is personal preference, but Edinburgh, Srerling, Aberdeen, Inverness, heck even Dumfries and Stranraer are lovely places. Glasgow is just an ugly old industrial city, the like of which you can see anywhere in Europe.

Take a look at these pictures of Edinburgh for inspiration :-)

http://www.tomorrows-key.com/EuroTAAC/index2.asp



Steve

[Duncan]

Unless you like ugly cities, I'd recommend not bothering with Glasgow. OK I know this is personal preference, but Edinburgh, Srerling, Aberdeen, Inverness, heck even Dumfries and Stranraer are lovely places. Glasgow is just an ugly old industrial city, the like of which you can see anywhere in Europe.

Oh dear me no! That is being very unfair to Glasgow which is as rich in history as any major European city. Only parts of the city are industrial ugly! Would you turn people off Birmingham and Manchester for similar reasons?

Glasgow - despite the appallingly unfair picture often painted of it - is the greenest city (i.e. most parkland etc.) in Europe! If you like architecture how could you miss visiting the architectural playground of Charles Rennie Mackintosh? Especially the famous (and beautiful) Glasgow School of Art - where Sean Connery used to pose naked for extra cash back when he was a milkman! :)

[SteveHoward999]

Oh dear me no! That is being very unfair to Glasgow which is as rich in history as any major European city. Only parts of the city are industrial ugly! Would you turn people off Birmingham and Manchester for similar reasons?


Absolutely. If someone is travelling thousands of miles to visit a country and get the best experience, then I tell them what I think will be the best experience, and turn them away from ugly cities like Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester!

Glasgow - despite the appallingly unfair picture often painted of it - is the greenest city (i.e. most parkland etc.) in Europe! If you like architecture how could you miss visiting the architectural playground of Charles Rennie Mackintosh? Especially the famous (and beautiful) Glasgow School of Art - where Sean Connery used to pose naked for extra cash back when he was a milkman! :)

Doesn't make Glasgow any less ugly.

I did already make it clear this was my personal opinion :-)

Steve

[Pat Logsdon]

Sean Connery used to pose naked for extra cash back when he was a milkman! :)
Good show, Duncan! I find that an anecdote about naked milkmen ALWAYS spices up my discussions of European architecture. :wink: :mrgreen:

That said, my Dad lives in Scotland on the Black Isle (http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/rosemarkie/rosemarkie/) and says it's quite nice. Supposedly one of the few places where you can see freshwater dolphins.

[SteveHoward999]

That said, my Dad lives in Scotland on the Black Isle (http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/rosemarkie/rosemarkie/) and says it's quite nice. Supposedly one of the few places where you can see freshwater dolphins.

It is. They have a nice little brewery there too ... The Black Isle Brewery. You can even order their beer over the internet :mrgreen:

http://www.blackislebrewery.com/

The highlands and islands are incredible, and should not be missed - but you cannot begin to view them in a week ...


Steve

[Duncan]

Absolutely. If someone is travelling thousands of miles to visit a country and get the best experience, then I tell them what I think will be the best experience, and turn them away from ugly cities like Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester!

Now I would willingly travel thousands of miles just for the architecture in Glasgow - an almost perfectly preserved Victorian city...! :)

I find that an anecdote about naked milkmen ALWAYS spices up my discussions of European architecture.

You should hear my commentary taking school parties round Durham Cathedral - depraved monks, the... er... 'unique watermarking' technique employed by the builders, the oldest toilet humour known to history... anyway, that's another topic altogether. ;)

[dh]

I used to work in Scotland - selling equipment to the Scotch Whisky industry. Glasgow was always my favorite place to stay, great city with really interesting people.

Just a short drive to the Loch Lomond area which I would love to go back to. The leg of lamb at the Windows on the Loch at Duck Bay Marina is one of my best ever food memories.

[SteveHoward999]

Now I would willingly travel thousands of miles just for the architecture in Glasgow - an almost perfectly preserved Victorian city...! :)

Edinburgh blows its socks off architecturally, IMHO. It has beautiful Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, whoeverelseian architecture ... and the 400-, 500-, and more years-old granite buildings in the old City are amazing.

It is clear that Edinburgh has always been the center of commerce in Scotland, whereas Glasgow grew out of the industrial revolution and the shipyards. Commerce v's industry created two very different animals.

http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/ed_index.htm

http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/glasgow.htm

http://www.henniker.org.uk/html/scot_index.htm


Steve

[Duncan]

Now I would willingly travel thousands of miles just for the architecture in Glasgow - an almost perfectly preserved Victorian city...! :)

Edinburgh blows its socks off architecturally, IMHO. It has beautiful Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, whoeverelseian architecture ... and the 400-, 500-, and more years-old granite buildings in the old City are amazing.

I think you've missed my point... but here is not the place to argue the merits of Glasgow vs. Edinburgh - they are both magnificent cities with a great deal to offer the interested tourist.

Of course Glasgow has five excellently preserved examples of the 1950's Police Box - you won't get that anywhere else...! ;)

[SteveHoward999]

Of course Glasgow has five excellently preserved examples of the 1950's Police Box - you won't get that anywhere else...! ;)

Hmmm - Edinburgh has apparently taken to using old police boxes as little vending huts and interactive, multimedia 'help' stations 8O

very cheesy :|


Steve

[carphead]

Now live on Pocket Pc Thoughts...... Scotish Cities fight 'bout which is best! :mrgreen:

[skewline]

$.02 from me: Edinburgh is fantastic to see, easily my pick over Glasgow. Northern Italy is gorgeous, don't miss Venice. Rome is great but HOT. Genoa, Florence my picks.