With the Ireland vs Scotland Six Nations game coming up this Sunday in Murrayfield, JOE gives you a few alternative things to do in Edinburgh this weekend.
By Padraic O’Connor
Famous for it’s Royal Mile, Hogmanay celebrations and annual Arts and Fringe festivals Scottish capital Edinburgh is the destination for thousands of expectant Irish rugby fans this weekend as they follow the Boys in Green in hope of an Irish victory in Murrayfield.
Volcanic activity (thousands of years ago, no need to worry) and glacial erosion gave the city it’s hills and spectacular setting while Edinburgh’s Georgian and medieval architecture in no uncertain way help it to be considered by many as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe – there were over 1.2 million visitors last year to Edinburgh Castle alone.
If you’re part of the green and white army heading over to the Scottish capital for the weekend then we here at JOE.ie have compiled a wee list of 5 alternative things to do outside of the boozing and the rugby. We know what you’re thinking… “But we are just going over for the boozing and the rugby”… but stick with us.
1. Keep Your Spirits High
Ok, so this one is booze related. Instead of just satisfying yourself with bedding down in a pub for the weekend, take some time out and get yourself down to the old town and the Scotch Whisky Experience.
The whisky tour starts with a barrel ride through a replica distillery where you become part of the whisky making process, you’ll find out about the tastes and aromas of Scotland’s most famous export.
The shop in the whisky centre has a wide selection of well known and obscure blended whisky and single malts and depending on how long you want to stay and how much you’d like to spend there are a selection of tasting tours – for groups or individuals – of local whisky. The venue’s Amber restaurant also serves up traditional Scottish fayre and luckily enough for the boozy Irish all tour prices include a dram of Scotch Malt Whisky and a Glencairn tasting glass as a parting gift.
2. Bring your dancing shoes
Get ready for Sunday’s game with some ceilidh or disco dancing on Saturday night. Running every year since 1962, The Highland Annual Ball is rated by many as the biggest and best ceilidh of the year and as if the great lord of the Dance himself was shining his light down upon us, this year’s Annual Highland Ball takes place at Teviot Row this Saturday 26th of February. A host of musicians and dancers will be descending upon Edinburgh for a party to end all parties!
Tickets are £7 for students and £9 for everyone else. If you’re a musician (apparently playing the spoons – and the floot – doesn’t count, so you’ve been warned!)?you can bring your instrument to the door on the night and come along for £5
Alternatively of course you can go disco dancing, and there’s plenty to choose from in Edinburgh’s blossoming nightlife. Top nightclub Cabaret Voltaire hosts the storming house and techno of Funk D’Void and Aqua Bassino – also on Saturday 26 February – if you don’t fancy a bit of ceilidh.
3. Auld Reekie Tours
‘Auld Reekie’ was the Victorian nickname for Edinburgh; in times around the industrial revolution the city would have been heavy with smoke, fumes, fog and pollution that would have helped to hide the city’s dark side.
You can “enjoy” tours – above or below ground – of the haunted vaults or tales of the South Bridge Poltergeist or hear of dark and dingy stories from Edinburgh’s past of witches persecution and body snatching.
Enter at your own risk!
4. P-P-P-P Pick up a penguin
Opened in 1913, Edinburgh Zoo is one of the world’s leading conservation zoos with a mission to ‘inspire and excite our visitors with the wonder of living animals, and so to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats.’
Highlights include the Sun Bears (native to South Eat Asia and the smallest and rarest bear species in the world), the Budongo chimp trail (featuring a state of the art chimpanzee facility where you can get up close and personal with the chimps), the UK’s only Koalas and a hilltop Safari.
But the perennial favourite for the majority of visitors to Edinburgh Zoo is the Penguin Parade. Every day at 2.15pm the gates of the zoo’s world famous penguin enclosure are opened and the lovable black and white beauts waddle their way around the zoo. All together now… “Awwwww”.
5. Visit the Elephant House
Yes, we know we just mentioned the zoo in the last point, but you’ll see no live elephants in this Elephant House. The Elephant House in question here is a gourmet tea and coffee house in the heart of the city made famous by its association with authors like Ian Rankin and JK Rowling.
The Elephant House café is most famous in recent times as the place where JK Rowling spent many afternoons getting inspired to write her early Harry potter books while enjoying the wonderful views of Edinburgh Castle.
Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan or not, get away from the madding crowd and relax with a choice from the café’s large selection of teas and coffees, booze or food.
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