07-29-2004, 03:19 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Euro Trip - Looking for Advice
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:
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07-29-2004, 03:46 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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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...! 
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07-29-2004, 04:30 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 37
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Don�t you only go to Scotland for one thing..... Drinking Whisky :mrgreen:
Sorry, couldn�t help it :?
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07-30-2004, 12:46 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Thanks for the excellent info!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Duncan
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.
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07-30-2004, 01:03 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Thanks for the excellent info!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Duncan
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).
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07-30-2004, 01:48 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,766
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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.
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07-30-2004, 02:22 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,183
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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/n...17/search.aspx
Steve
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07-30-2004, 07:07 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 318
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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.
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07-30-2004, 07:01 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 47
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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?
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Ashley Dunn
Copy Editor, Pocket PC Thoughts
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07-30-2004, 08:22 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 47
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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?
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Ashley Dunn
Copy Editor, Pocket PC Thoughts
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