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00:00Oh!
00:05Yes!
00:41Raise your travel dreams to their upright and locked positions.
00:45Join us now as we discover the ins and outs of travels in Europe.
01:09I'm Rick Steves. In this series, we're exploring the best of Europe.
01:12We're venturing north now into Scotland and Edinburgh, and it's festival time.
01:27If you've been with us from the start, you'll remember we're on a trip that began in Ireland
01:31and will take us through the Low Countries, France, Spain, and Portugal.
01:36This time, we're exploring Scotland, the northernmost part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
01:43In this program, we'll walk Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern edge of the Roman Empire.
01:49And then we'll explore the historic capital of Scotland, Edinburgh.
01:54Edinburgh is full of fun and culture.
01:57We'll enjoy its popular festival.
02:00We'll scout out ways to find rooms and tickets and save money during these crowded times.
02:05But let's do things in the proper order and start back in ancient Roman times on Hadrian's Wall.
02:16We began our tour in Ireland and Wales, two areas rich in Celtic tradition.
02:22This time, we're exploring another Celtic land, Scotland.
02:26Thousands of years ago, the Celts were spread across all of northern Europe.
02:29Today, the ancient culture survives only on the western edges, pushed there centuries ago by invading Germanic tribes and Roman
02:38legions.
02:39In Britain, this wall marks the edge of one of those pushes.
02:46Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Roman Empire spread as far north as the Danube River, the Rhine River, and
02:54the northern edge of England.
02:56The general reached this godforsaken point and decided, okay, let's call it an empire.
03:02We'll seal it off here with a wall from coast to coast and keep those wild barbarians out.
03:11Hadrian's Wall is one of England's most thought-provoking sites, providing an armload of goosebumps to a history buff like
03:17me.
03:18Built around 130 A.D. under the Emperor Hadrian, it stretched 74 miles from coast to coast with forts every
03:27mile.
03:28Flanked by ditches, 15 feet high, and wide enough to allow troops to race from fort to fort, it was
03:34manned by nearly 20,000 troops.
03:39The best single stop is Housestead's Fort, near the town of Haltwistle, with a museum, National Park Information Center, and
03:47the best preserved segment of the wall.
03:59Let's say goodbye to the Romans and head north into the land that was too much for even the likes
04:04of them.
04:13Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland.
04:16If you were attacking it in medieval times, you might survey the town from its very own volcano.
04:22Arthur's Seat lets you survey the cultural capital of Scotland and enjoy one of the easiest king-of-the-mountain
04:28feelings in Europe.
04:33Historical, monumental, entertaining.
04:36insurance company out of Armand here.
04:39What was the review?
04:56Special singing.
05:11Steeped in history, today Edinburgh is best known for its festival.
05:14The fun's been growing every year since it began in 1947.
05:18It's well worth planning for.
05:36It's well worth planning for.
06:03The Edinburgh Festival is actually four festivals in one.
06:08The official festival, plus film, jazz, and the Fringe Festival.
06:14It jams the city with formal entertainment, spontaneous fun, and happy tourists each summer.
06:25There are enough music, dance, art, drama, and multicultural events to excite even the most jaded traveller.
06:35The festival rages from mid-August through early September.
06:41City sites run on extended hours, and local historians give fascinating walking tours down Edinburgh's historic main drag.
06:49You can always find tickets.
06:51Only the major events sell out in advance, and even for these, return tickets are usually available.
06:57Just drop into the festival box office.
06:59Classic German tragedy.
07:01And every day is packed with ticket-at-the-door opportunities for minor events.
07:06The less formal Fringe Festival now rivals the official festival.
07:13Well, it's not showing it's sold out, so you're right.
07:16You can get tickets here at the box office, or you can go up and get the tickets there.
07:20Tickets to Fringe events are almost always available at the door.
07:25A city during festival time can be frustrating, but Edinburgh handles its crowds well.
07:31And with a little organization, a visit here can be smooth and fun even during festival time.
07:38At a crowded time like this, the Tourist Information Office can be a big help.
07:44Let's pick up a city map, the Welcome to Edinburgh leaflet, and a list of city walking tours.
07:51We'll need the Fringe program and the festival schedule.
07:55Okay.
07:57Great.
07:58So where's Stalkythorne?
07:59Stalkythorne is just here.
08:01Uh-huh.
08:01The Information Center just here.
08:03Okay, that's where my bed and breakfast is.
08:05That's great.
08:06We called earlier in the trip for bed and breakfast reservations.
08:10Festival season is one of those times I make sure to call ahead.
08:15Use a guidebook to get the phone numbers.
08:17I list several in mind.
08:20Or arrive early in the day and either use the Tourist Information's room-finding service or call direct.
08:26I warn you, the service is expensive.
08:29You pay a hefty service charge, and your B&B pays 10%.
08:35I like a cozy B&B in a safe and quiet residential neighborhood and on a bus line into town.
08:42Add to that the friendly reception of the owner, and it hardly makes sense to pay downtown prices for a
08:48hotel.
08:51We're going to leave the car and our worries here, and our producer, Pat, and I are taking advantage of
08:56the easy bus connection into town.
08:59We're using a two-day bus pass, unlimited travel for the cost of four rides.
09:05Okay, we've planned out our strategy for the festival.
09:07We've got a wish list of tickets to try for in the morning, and for this evening, there's a world
09:11of possibilities in the Fringe Festival.
09:13It's a little potluck, but we'll find some.
09:51It's a little potluck, but it's a little potluck.
10:25We'll hassle for festival tickets tomorrow morning, but right now, I've got a ticket for some pub grub.
10:31This is Rose Street.
10:33With 21 pubs in two blocks, it offers Britain's ultimate pub crawl.
10:38But I'm just after a quick, inexpensive meal, and later, some Scottish folk music.
10:46Rather than share a ballroom with every tour group in town, I'll skip the swirling kilts, reheated haggis, and blaring
10:53bagpipes,
10:54and find a pub with a folk band entertaining people who already know the lyrics.
10:59The Fiddler's Arms has a weekly folk jam session, and except for the beer, it's free.
11:21Okay, we've got our tickets. Now we're ready for some serious sightseeing.
11:25We'll start up at the castle and work our way down the Royal Mile.
11:30This imposing symbol of Edinburgh is both a National Historic Monument and a still-functioning military barracks.
11:38Edinburgh was born on this spot centuries before Christ.
11:42The castle has had a busy career as a fortress, a royal residence, and even a prison.
11:50And there was 155,000...
11:52A 20-minute guided tour leaves every few minutes, and is included in the admission price.
11:57Now this was built in the 15th century for King James IV, and this was built to house the Scottish
12:03Parliament.
12:07Yes, the ceiling's original. It was made in the 1490s.
12:13There isn't a piece of metal in the ceiling. There isn't a pin or a screw or a nail.
12:18It's held together by its own weight and design, and some wooden pins.
12:26It's been the scene of siege after siege, alternately blown apart and built up over many centuries.
12:33This is Mons Meg. It was a gift from the Duke of Burgundy to James II of Scotland in 1457.
12:40James married the Duke's niece, and it was in effect a wedding present.
12:45It was very important in terms of sieges when Scotland were at war with the English.
12:51It was a very important piece of...
12:53It was the ultimate deterrent, in fact, in these days, because there was no defence against it,
12:57and anyone who was in a siege situation and heard that Mons Meg was turning up immediately gave up.
13:03So it was a very important piece of hardware at the time.
13:08St. Margaret's Chapel from the 12th century is the oldest building in town.
13:17Now let's hike down the Royal Mile, a medieval thoroughfare that runs from the castle to the palace of Holyrood
13:24House.
13:25Visitors can follow a local guide or a do-it-yourself guide booklet.
13:30Look at these windows, for instance. You'll notice that they are half wood and half glass.
13:36And indeed, window glass was taxed.
13:39So what the Edinburgh people did in order to save tax was to have glass on the top,
13:45the wood in the bottom.
13:46The wood in the bottom could be opened right around.
13:50The original old Edinburgh grew along this volcanic ridge.
13:55This dense tangle of historic buildings bunny-hopping down this mile
13:59was, in its day, the world's most crowded city.
14:03The Royal Mile's houses, shops, and arcades are seven stories high,
14:08considered skyscrapers back then.
14:11Frontage was so limited that the buildings were narrow and tall,
14:15with little courtyards called closes branching off.
14:18They were connected to the main drag by skinny lanes or even tunnels.
14:24A museum called Gladstone's Land gives the best look at a typical 400-year-old house
14:29with a slice of 17th-century life.
14:34So it's been furnished in the manner of a well-off person of the 17th century.
14:39What is this thing?
14:41Well, it's called a fire scroll.
14:43The spices were so precious, they were brought from abroad.
14:48The lady of the house kept the key very carefully to herself.
14:52In the winter, they had no fresh food at all.
14:56So they used a lot of spice to flavour it
14:59and cover the nasty flavour of stale food.
15:03The diet was fairly simple,
15:06and very much based on oatmeal,
15:08which is now becoming very popular again.
15:11If the oatmeal was a bit too coarse,
15:14you would then roll it out with this roller with the ridges in it.
15:20These little shoes here are called patterns,
15:23and they have a metal hoop underneath,
15:26and they were used to slip on either over your bare feet or over your shoes
15:31to go outside into the street.
15:34The streets were pretty dirty, they were muddy,
15:36and people just threw all sorts of rubbish and things onto the street.
15:41It's a baby walker,
15:42and it's made entirely of wood without any screws or nails,
15:48no ball bearings,
15:50and it moves very, very easily.
15:53Keep the baby off the big pile.
16:04Just around the corner is Lady Stairs' 17th-century townhouse,
16:08filled with manuscripts and knick-knacks
16:10of Edinburgh's three literary giants,
16:13Sir Walter Scott,
16:14Robert Burns,
16:16and Robert Louis Stevenson.
16:28And here's Deacon Brody's tavern.
16:30You know him.
16:31The original Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
16:34Robert Louis Stevenson's real-life inspiration.
16:37A respected town leader by day,
16:39who did unspeakable deeds after dark.
16:44Back here, screams could be mistaken
16:46for just another mangy alley cat.
17:09Could Deacon Brody have begged for God's forgiveness here?
17:12The High Church of St. Giles
17:14is the Mother Church of Scottish
17:16and, to some extent, world Presbyterianism.
17:21lungsケرk.
17:21gèm
17:21andrire
17:21m
17:21m
17:21en
17:21a
17:21to
17:21m
17:25en
17:25en
17:31fe
17:46o
18:01the great reformer john knox preached here he's buried austerely enough in the parking lot
18:10excuse me can you tell me where john knox is buried this used to be the actual
18:13the creed yard i see can you tell me where john knox is buried yes i understand it's uh in
18:19what is now the car park i think it's position number 44 over there
18:28huh history everywhere
18:36reformation buff shouldn't miss the house where he's reputed to have lived
18:40do you think maybe an emissary from mary queen of scots may have called on him here
18:49it was just down the road at the bottom end of the royal mile where mary witnessed the grisly
18:55murder of her favorite david rizzio at the time she was awaiting the birth of her son james who
19:02would become the first monarch to sit on the thrones of both england and scotland forming a united great
19:08britain the palace of hollywood house is still a royal residence and unless you're a friend of
19:14the family the only way in is with a guided tour
19:32after surviving what must be the most jam-packed mile of sightseeing in europe
19:36we're rewarding ourselves with an evening at the biggest event of the edinburgh festival the military
19:41tattoo
19:42so
19:53so
21:57Excuse me, how are you doing?
21:59Oh, we're doing well.
22:00How are you doing?
22:01Good.
22:02You have a good trip?
22:03Oh, I'm one.
22:04You know what we're going to do today?
22:06No.
22:06Go skiing.
22:07Skiing in Edinburgh.
22:08This city is full of surprises.
22:10It sure is.
22:11First, we're going to do some of the culture, and we're going to go over and check out the Georgian
22:14town.
22:15Fine.
22:15And then there's one of these bus tours where you can get on and off and see all the sights
22:18really easily.
22:20Several companies do half-day city sightseeing tours.
22:23A good budget alternative is to catch the scenic Guide Friday bus.
22:28It circles the town center, visiting nearly all the main sites.
22:31You can stop and go all day through the town.
22:34It's narrated, and on sunny days, it goes topless.
22:39One of the stops is the Walter Scott Monument.
22:42It looks gothic, but like London's House of Parliament and Big Ben's clock tower, it's neo-gothic.
22:48Just 150 years old.
22:57400 years ago, Edinburgh was nicknamed Alderiki.
23:00This entire Royal Mile was a mess of chimneys, and it reeked of smoke.
23:05We're coming into a place we skipped yesterday.
23:07I'd like to drop in today because it's great help in understanding the city.
23:14Huntley House offers a terrific look at Edinburgh's history.
23:17It gives a peek into how Edinburgh lived in past centuries.
23:21Its crowded hubbub was described by native son Robert Louis Stevenson as
23:25neighbor mounting upon neighbor's shoulder until the population slept 14 to 15 deep in a vertical direction.
23:33During the 18th century, the city fathers decided to build an entire new city on a grid plan, just north
23:40of the old town.
23:42What followed was one of the classic flights to the suburbs, as the upper classes abandoned their crowded roosts in
23:49the old town for the prestige of the new town.
23:53Back when the 13 colonies were fighting King George III, a new revolutionary style of architecture was popular across Europe.
24:01They called it neoclassical on the continent.
24:04Britain named it Georgian after her king.
24:07Edinburgh built an entire new city in this style.
24:10The new city shone with elegant mansions decked out in symmetrical facades, colonnades, pediments, and sphinxes.
24:20The refurbished Georgian house on Charlotte Square gives an elegant peek into 18th century life.
24:27Oh, everything in the house is of the period, and the glasses here are wine glass coolers.
24:39They were for cooling the wine glasses.
24:41They were filled with crushed ice, and then the stem of the wine glass was placed on the lip, and
24:46the wine glass was cooled.
24:51They would be hesitant to call a doctor in, because very often the doctors wouldn't know much more than they
24:59did.
24:59So they all had a cabinet, a medicine cabinet.
25:09The British ornamental ice cream cones with a chocolate stick.
25:13It's called a flake.
25:14It's good.
25:15This is the Princess Street Gardens.
25:18It's on what used to be a lake, separated the old town from the new town.
25:22It offers a peaceful escape, even during festival time.
25:30But it's hard to escape for long.
25:32Theater troops occupy every available basement and bluff, including Edinburgh's unfinished Folly,
25:38a neoclassical fantasy that ran out of economic steam.
25:42Oh, humor me, Maureen.
25:43Two friends are sycophants and toadies, primed to tell him lies.
25:48He always draws an easy card to throw the six at dice.
25:51Oh, throw!
25:52Did you deliver my pen to the kitchen?
25:54Oh, I didn't think so.
25:56To top off the perfect trip to Edinburgh, how about skiing?
26:00Who says you need snow?
26:02Travel's full of surprises.
26:04Like skiing on nylon brush.
26:08And if you think this is impressive, join us next time as we head south to England.
26:14We'll explore the Celtic mystery of Avebury.
26:18We'll go 18th century chic in the glamorous city of Bath.
26:23We'll stroll through time-worn villages in the Cotswold Hills.
26:31Until then, I'm Rick Steves, wishing you happy travels and no brush burn.
26:36Cheerio.
26:38Home videos of destinations in this series are available for $24.95.
26:43To order the 80-minute, three-program tape on North Wales, Edinburgh, and the Cotswolds,
26:49or any other destination tapes, call 1-800-866-7425.
26:54Also available, Rick's 422-page Europe Through the Back Door book for $17.95.
27:01To order, please have your credit card ready and call 1-800-866-7425.
27:50See you next time on North Wales,
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