The first three-day weekend in London gave us a great opportunity to travel throughout Europe. Another group of students decided to visit two different countries in this short time period! Laurel Biddy, Julia Frohlich, and I visited both Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland. We left very early in the morning Friday, so that we could have the entire day in Edinburgh. Luckily, getting there is very easy, and we took a train straight to Edinburgh from London!
Edinburgh, Scotland is an old city known for its beautiful architecture. As you walk throughout Edinburgh, each street looks identical to the one pictured above. This is because there is a law stating that you cannot knock down the old buildings, you must build around them. Because of this, you will find new stores located in old buildings. Laurel Biddy said, "I love the buildings in Edinburgh, because they were all so old. Being a history nerd of some sort, I love seeing something that people interacted with hundreds of years ago, still standing. I love knowing that I am in the same place that they were, and that I am doing the same things that they did."
"This was the view of the city from Calton Hill. The view from the hill was amazing. You could see both sides of Edinburgh, you could see the old city, you could also see the ports and the water." - Laurel Biddy
Calton Hill is a famous hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is known for its beautiful views of the city, as well as being the home to many famous statues and buildings. The Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament are both located here. Some monuments situated on top of this hill include the National Monument, the Nelson Monument, and the City Observatory.
This is the National Monument of Scotland, and it is located on top of Calton Hill. This monument was built in honor of Scottish soldiers who were killed during in the Napoleonic Wars. It was modeled after the Parthenon in Athens. Construction for this monument began in 1826 and was never finished because of a lack of revenue. It is now called "Scotland's Disgrace".
"I laughed at this one because as soon as I saw it, I thought it was just like the Parthenon that we had seen in Athens. It was funny to learn that the people who live in Edinburgh actually call it 'The Disgrace of Edinburgh' because it was a building that wasn't actually finished." - Laurel Biddy
"Dean Village was really cute and it reminded me of a small Bavarian Town." - Laurel Biddy
This adorable town is located in walking distance from Edinburgh. It is known for its flowing water, and because of this, it was a very successful grain milling area. The water you see above is the Water of Leith, and it is the main river that flows through Dean Village and Edinburgh, Scotland.
"When Julia and I saw this store, we had to take a picture in front of it." - Laurel Biddy
As journalism students studying abroad, Laurel Biddy and Julia Frohlich could not pass up the opportunity to take a picture with a sign that says 'International Newsagents'.
Saturday afternoon we took a very short flight from Edinburgh to Dublin. We were able to have the night in Dublin, and take advantage of a full Sunday there as well!
Saint Patrick's Cathedral is one of the most famous cathedrals worldwide. It was built in 1191, and it is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Not only is it gorgeous, but it is also the oldest and tallest cathedral in Ireland.
"This is Trinity College in Dublin. I know some people who have studied here with foreign exchange programs, so it was cool to be able to tell them I visited." - Laurel Biddy
This gorgeous college is located in the heart of Dublin. The beautiful stone buildings surround gorgeous patches of green grass. This college is the oldest university in Ireland. It is also sometimes called the University of Dublin.
"The streets of Dublin were unlike any other city that we've gone to so far. Some of the reasons I liked it were because it was colorful, it was filled with lively music, and it had a great atmosphere. I loved all of the flags hanging overhead." - Laurel Biddy
"Dublin was a much more urban city. It had a lot more cultures intertwined, it wasn't just Irish. It reminded me of Boston or Philadelphia back at home." - Laurel Biddy
"What was cool about Dublin was that it was urban, but surrounded by historic sites. You would walk down a street and see large brick buildings, but then turn a corner and see a castle or a large cathedral." - Laurel Biddy
Dublin Castle, pictured on the left above, is located in the center of Dublin, Ireland. This castle is actually still used as a government complex.
You cannot visit Dublin without heading to the Temple Bar area! Temple Bar District is a great region of the city. Here are many bars and fun places to visit. As you walk through the streets you can hear live music playing from each bar, and the streets are filled with people bar hopping. This district is named after the famous Temple Bar, pictured above.
