Hello fellow travelers! 

   Here is a first page excerpt from our Clued In Edinburgh forward, posted for those of you who like to get the feel of things before making a purchase.

     We let our readers know what to visit and what not to visit based on their interests.  We also advise on the best ways to get between the airport and the city center, give tips on tipping, suggestions on safety, and reveal some secret spots those other books don’t know about. It’s like having a local along on your visit!

Edinburgh, Scotland

Ah, Edinburgh, how stunning you are! And how mysterious. You’re a city with two personalities, and two different sections of town to reflect them. Your medieval Old Town and Georgian-styled New Town could not be more different, and yet somehow strike a balance between the dark and the light of your long history.

The past is evident everywhere here; stone buildings from the 13^th century still line the streets and alleyways of the medieval area… never mind that there’s a Starbucks tucked inside some of them. This is what Edinburgh is and has been for awhile now: a place that has embraced the new without giving up the very foundations of its historic structure. Visitors will find this is especially true along the bustling “Royal Mile,” as it is now called. Formerly the city’s High Street, it runs from Edinburgh Castle straight over to the King’s Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Edinburgh is an incredibly friendly place and its local folk are ready to engage in conversation anywhere, anytime. Travelers won’t take long to realize that even a quick chat with a Scot can easily turn into an in-depth conversation about soccer, politics, or local sights that they heartily recommend. These are a people who love life, who want to share it, and who are never in a hurry to pass up the chance to make a new friend.

This is an affordable city for dining and readily offers up everything from fast food to pub food to well-priced haute cuisine. The food scene here continues to become more and more international, and our suggestions in the upcoming chapter on Feasting will reflect this. Even the locals here probably don’t eat haggis and blood sausage all the time. If you choose only traditional Scottish cuisine for every meal you’ll be missing out. Edinburgh is a proud but welcoming place to the rest of the world and that is precisely what is reflected in its modern cuisine.

Visitors to the Scottish capital should note that it’s a wee bit too large and too hilly to be completely walkable, though it can be done if you have a good amount of time. City buses, taxi cabs, a modern tramway, and Uber cars are all ready to assist you. Transportation services are relatively inexpensive here and help speed you to wherever you’re going. The top sights are either right in the center of town or only a fifteen minute ride away.  From the ancient fortress on the hill to the sheep pastures that reach down to the harbor known as the Firth of Forth, Edinburgh simply could not be more charming to today’s explorer. It’s well-cared for too, and clean to a fault when compared to centuries ago when a holler of gardyloo! meant that the contents of a chamber pot were about to be tossed out a window.

 With its famous International Festival, real haunted pubs, royal palace, kitschy ghost tours, and an abundance of free national galleries, Edinburgh definitely offers something for everyone. It boasts truly exquisite art, nearby castles to survey, steep hiking trails, quaint village streams, designer fashion stores, and plaid scarf shops galore. It’s a place where the semi-annual pagan bonfire ceremonies are just as important as its quaint Christmas markets. And for those willing to take a bus or taxi to the next village, a visit to the mystifying Rosslyn Chapel should certainly be in order.

Choose a neighborhood from this guide that appeals to you, either by its quirky personality or by its proximity to the particular sights you plan on exploring, and then reserve your accommodations early. Hotel prices are quite fair here especially when booked in advance.

Can a visitor skip the main sights altogether and still enjoy themselves? Absolutely. As one of the most haunted cities in the United Kingdom, let’s just say there’s never a dull moment, especially on our exclusive haunted pubs crawl. And there are enough street entertainers, bars, bakeries, markets, concerts, soccer matches, and festivals to keep even the biggest history-hater happy. These people can have a terrific time in Edinburgh, but they will never truly understand her.

As for Clued In Edinburgh, let’s just say this complicated city truly needs an opinionated guide book. Without candid suggestions, how can a visitor know which sights to wait in line for and which to skip entirely? There are several places that are definite “tourist attractions” and so we’ve either left those out entirely or put them in our more cautionary chapter. That’s why this guide is perfect for the traveler on the move who does not have a month to spend here. Our main chapters are literally titled Not to be missed, Try to fit it in, and Skip it unless it’s your thing –so that you can hit the ground running. Have a wee dram of Scotch whisky and then go find your inner Outlander, suited to your own interests, for this is a city that holds a different experience for each person.  And as we clue you in, we hope you’ll find some wisdom in our pages.

Otto, the traveling detective