With my guided tour of Sicily coming to an end, it is time to head to part two of my 2024 Europe trip. I’m flying from Sicily up to Manchester, England to spend several days before moving on to a month in Scotland.
I’ve never been to Scotland at all, and even within England I’ve not been further north than Birmingham. So everything in this is brand new to me. But why Scotland in particular? (Manchester is more my gateway than a destination in and of itself, although I’m excited for my time there also.) Well, besides seeming beautiful, having some awesome history, and featuring some incredible sights, A used to live in Edinburgh as a Masters student. She speaks so highly of the place that having the chance to come with her was worth planning a whole trip around.
Unlike my Sicily itinerary, since this one is not a guided tour and will be at a much slower pace – especially my four weeks in Edinburgh – I don’t have too many specific day by day plans. Rather I have a list of things to see, experience, eat, drink, and learn, as well as plenty of time just to try to figure out what it means to live in Scotland. (No, July isn’t what “real” Scotland is, but I will not willingly brave a Scottish winter. Those who do are better people than I am.) So pardon the huge numbers of days that seem sort of lumped together.
Day One – Catania to Manchester
A day of flying with a layover in Copenhagen, and I’m here, meeting TRT writer Mandy for what has become a yearly tradition of European exploration together.
Day Two – Manchester
Did you know that Manchester has four old and beautiful libraries? Today I’m seeing all of them, with a nice orientation walk of the city between.
Day Three – Manchester
Another day in the center of the city. I’ll see the cathedral, Albert Square, and possibly visit the Manchester Museum. I’ll also try to get caught up on some Sicily writing. Working in writing days is rough when a schedule is so packed, but if I fall too far behind, I will never catch up. I hope the city center has some good cafes to work from!
Day Four – Manchester
Today Mandy and I are headed to nearby Liverpool. We will explore the waterfront, including the Maritime Museum and the Beatles Experience.
Day Five – Manchester
Another day trip, this time to York, possibly the best preserved walled city in the UK. It will be a nice change from the industrial Manchester and Liverpool.
Day Six – Manchester
Mandy has to leave to head back to Spain, but A arrives in the evening, so life is good. I, meanwhile, will spend the day soaking in the Manchester United and the National Football Museum. The English Premier League is on break so I won’t be able to see a match, but this is the next best way to experience the world’s most popular sport, and one of its most iconic franchises.
Day Seven – Manchester to Glasgow
I really love train travel, and this one will hopefully be pretty as I head north into Scotland.
Days Eight and Nine – Glasgow
As of this writing, the exact timing for one thing hasn’t completely finalized, so the order I do my days is a bit up in the air. But I’ll be focusing my time in Glasgow on two stories: the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh; and two scientists, James Watt and Lord Kelvin. The Watt and Kelvin piece will include a tour of the University of Glasgow, where both did their research, as well as l Kelvingrove Park, the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, and George Square.
Day Ten – Glasgow to Edinburgh
A much shorter train takes me across Scotland to Edinburgh, where I will mostly spend the next four weeks.
Days Eleven through Seventeen – Edinburgh
This is the first big chunk of time in Edinburgh. The only thing I have pre-arranged is my visit to Edinburgh Castle, but I want to also cover some of the top items on my personal list: the Royal Mile, the Writers’ Museum, and the Scottish National Museum. I’d also love to begin my exploration into drinking scotch, something I am going in not really loving.
Day Eighteen – Edinburgh
This day is taken separately because, thanks to Rabbie’s, I am journeying to Hadrian’s Wall to do a story for them and their tour marketing. I’m super jazzed both about the tour and this awesome partnership.
Days Nineteen through Twenty-Two – Edinburgh
Back to exploring Edinburgh. Some great parks and gardens await, as does a dive into Scottish cuisine. What exactly is haggis and why should we try it despite what it sounds like?
Day Twenty-Three – Edinburgh to Inverness
A long train takes us way up into the Scottish highlands to the coastal city of Inverness. Is highlands scotch different from “normal”? I will have to find out. And maybe try a bagpipe.
Day Twenty-Four – Inverness
Part two of my collaboration with Rabbie’s brings a tour to the Isle of Skye, and a stop at Loch Ness where my photo finally capturing the lake’s famous monster will make my fortune! And there is at least one castle to visit along the way. A perfect day in the Scottish highlands.
Day Twenty-Five – Inverness to Edinburgh
The train back down is just as long as the one going up, bringing some solid time to write. Or sleep. Or count the money rolling in from my photo of Nessie.
Days Twenty-Six through Thirty-Seven – Edinburgh
If there are any museums I’ve missed, any corners of the city I’ve not explored, any scotches I’ve not sipped, or any delicacies I’ve not tasted, I have some time now to do so. I’ll try to do some hiking in the hills, some socializing in the pubs, and an interview with the Scottish National Party.
Day Thirty-Eight – Edinburgh to Athens
Did you know there is a direct flight between the two? Well, I’m on it. From the gloom of Scotland to the sweltering of Greece, it’s time for part three of the trip!
That’s the basics. Insert general caveat here that plans can change, especially those on specific days, with weather or any number of other factors. And given that this is part two of Europe 2024, my gut feeling is that articles will be a month or two behind my actually doing things, so if you want current info, follow my Instagram for daily photos.
Below is the map for this portion of the trip. London is in the far south, marked because I’ll be there for a few days before Sicily. Manchester is the flag just north of where it says Birmingham. Up north in Scotland, Glasgow is just to the left of Edinburgh on this map, while Inverness is in the far north.
