The Athens of the North
Humans have inhabited the area now known as Edinburgh since the 7th century AD and was the seat of Scottish kings (the stones used in modern British coronations are still housed here). Today its home to the Scottish parliament. School trips to Edinburgh will also find themselves in the birth place of Scottish Enlightenment when a great outpouring of scientific ideas which as well as seeing great changes in medicine, building, travel also had a notable effect on art, architecture and music in Scotland, Europe and reaching as far as the newly emerging Americas.
Edinburgh School Trip Hotels
Travelodge
Includes: WiFi, TVs, 24hr Reception, Cafe
Safestay Hostel
Includes: Free WiFi, 24hr Reception, Cash Machine, Luggage Storage
Mecure
Includes: WiFi, TVs, 24hr Reception, Restaurant
ENGLISH
GEOGRAPHY
HISTORY
DRAMA
RELIGION
SCIENCE
Edinburgh Castle
In a remarkably picturesque location overlooking the Scottish capital, Edinburgh Castle has stood on Castle Rock since the 12th century and remains of great royal importance to this date. It is the site of Mons Meg, The Stone of Destiny, the iconic Half Moon Battery and the old Prisons of War. Within the castle walls, students can also find the historic Royal Palace, the Great Hall and St Margaret's Chapel Edinburgh's oldest building.
Edinburgh Castle also houses The Honours of Scotland (the Scottish crown jewels) as well as the National War Museum with a large collection of artefacts used by Scottish military throughout the centuries.
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Edinburgh Dungeons
The Edinburgh Dungeons gives students the chance to get to grips with Scotland's dark history through interactive exhibits and humorous guided tours, led by a fantastic cast of costumed actors. Using special effects, 360 degree stages, scenes, rides and state-of-the-art production values, guests will be transported through the ages and come face-to-face with some of Scotland's most sinister historical figures. Including Burke and Hare, Sawney Bean and the ghostly Green Lady.
Other attractions include The Judge & Courtroom, The Torturer, Boat Ride and the freefalling Drop Ride. Educational visits are largely focused on History and Performing Arts students.
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Holyrood Palace
Holyrood Palace began life as a monastic building between 1195-1230 before King James IV decided to convert the property into fully fledged palace in the 15th century. Today, the Palace is The Queen's official residence in Scotland and one of Edinburgh's most historic sites, with around 285,000 visitors exploring the State Apartments, Holyrood Abbey and the personal chambers of Queen Mary each year.
The Palace also houses the Great Gallery commissioned by Charles II, featuring Jacob de Wet's famous portraits of both real Scottish kings and monarchs of legend. And throughout the property a Royal Collection of historical artefacts can be seen and admired.
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National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland has a vast collection of natural, historical and scientific objects as well as national artefacts including the famous Queen Mary harp and the Lewis chessman, one of Scotland's most celebrated archaeological finds.
The museum offers self-led and guided educational tours around the engaging exhibitions on display, including the Ancient Egypt and East Asia galleries, and the Energise exhibit celebrating sustainable energy which also offers students the chance to find out how much power they can generate by walking in the museum's giant hamster wheel.
Students can also enjoy a wide range of special exhibitions; recent events have included the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award and BUILD IT! a museum made from LEGO.
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Royal Botanic Garden
Founded in 1670 as a physic garden, Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is now a world-renowned site of plant biology, education and horticulture. The garden's world class living collection consists of over 13,000 different plant species, while the royal Herbarium, considered one of the leading botanical collections on Earth, contains nearly 3 million specimens.
The Royal Botanic Garden offers students self-led or guided tours of the botanical collections as well as family, cultural and special exhibitions showcasing how the gardens have and continue to shape our understanding of the natural world.
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Scone Palace
The Kings of Scotland were crowned at Scone Palace for nearly 1000 years, and to this day houses the Stone of Scone or "The Stone of Destiny", used for centuries in the coronation of Scottish royals, and later of English monarchs. The Palace features several exhibits detailing the site's immense historical value, with one exhibition highlighting the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a mixed-race member of the aristocracy who, recent evidence suggests, might have had a direct influence on the abolishment of slavery in the United Kingdom.
Regular guided tours are offered to visitors, as well as the chance to explore the Palace's original gardens and storied grounds.
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Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Houses of Parliament in Holyrood is a must for Edinburgh school trips. It gives students the unique chance to explore the award-winning buildings in self-guided visits or guided tours, to gain an insight into the history and work of the Scottish Parliament. Students will see the state-of-the-art debating chamber, the modern vaults of the main hall as well as the Dewar Room, where the extensive book collection of former first minister Donald Dewar is on full display.
Educational tours now include architectural and historical talks, as well as discussions of the building's artwork and how the changing parliament has affected Scottish writing and language through the years.
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The National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland have an extensive collection of over 96,000 works from some of the world's most revered artists, including masterpieces by Jacopo Bassano, Van Dyck and Giambattista Tiepolo. The selection of paintings is separated into four exhibitions, including the "Artist Rooms" containing modern and contemporary art, as well as the "Highlights" where visitors can find major works by Rembrandt, Picasso and Warhol.
The Galleries also house the world's most important collection of Scottish art, with a range of works spanning from the 15th century to the early noughties.
Get a quote"Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be."
Some might argue there are few cities that have had such an impact globally. In the areas of Science, architecture, design, law, medicine, literature, art, politics and business the work to have taken place in Edinburgh has often resonated globally making school trips to Edinburgh high on many agendas.
It’s also home to the world’s largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe which attracts names from around the globe and takes over the city each august.
School Trips to Edinburgh Facts - Did you know...
- The Encyclopaedia Britannica which was first produced in Edinburgh caused quite a stir when it was first released as it contained “unvarnished portrayals of the unmentionable parts of the human body.”
- Edinburgh has more listed buildings than anywhere else in the world (47,400).
- It was the first city in the world to have its own fire service in 1703.
- Robert Louis Stevenson said of the city “Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be”.
- The city has 112 parks making it one of the UK’s greenest cities.
- Edinburgh stands on 7 hills like Rome and Moscow.
Places to go, people to meet...
Great Edinburgh Locations
- Holyrood Palace
- Arthur’s Seat
- Mary King’s Close
- Royal Botanic Garden
- Scottish National Portrait Gallery
- Camera Obscura
- Edinburgh Castle
- Scott Monument
- Our Dynamic Earth
- Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
- Edinburgh Zoo
- Surgeon’s Hall
- National Monument of Scotland
- Royal Scottish Academy
- Fruitmarket Gallery
- National War Museum
Famous Edinburgh Residents
- Sir Author Conan Doyle
- JK Rowling
- Sean Connery
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Eduardo Paolozzi
- David Hume
- Kenneth Grahame
- Sir Walter Scott
- Alexander McCall Smith
- Irvine Welsh
- Charles Darwin
- John Napier
- D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson
- Sir Douglas Haig
- Alison Cockburn
- Adam Smith
- Sir Chris Hoy
- Burke & Hare
- Eliza Wigham
- Tony Blair
- Ken Stott
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