Edinburgh, a breath taking city
This last summer we had the opportunity to travel to Edinburgh, which was quite an experience, not only for the students but also for us teachers.
The adventure started since the departure, saying goodbye to our beloved ones wasn´t easy for anyone, however, we all knew that we were heading into a great adventure.
An 11 hours flight was exhausting and the welcome from Churchill house didn´t leave us time to recover or gain strength but started head on getting to know all the facilities, meeting the other students and begin all the activities and we didn´t want to miss anything.
The days were very similar; we had breakfast, English classes and then afternoon activities. The City of Edinburgh is breath taking and we had the chance to visit many places.
Our first visit was to Scottish National Gallery which houses a collection of fine art from Scotland and around the world. It was opened in 1859 and displays the work of some very famous artists such as Monet and Leonardo Da Vinci. Next, we headed to Nelson Monument, which commemorates Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and his victory over the French and Spanish at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh opened in 1670. Nearly 273,000 plants representing nearly 13,300 species are grown there. The Garden aims to promote the conservation of species and biodiversity.
National Museum of Scotland is one of the Top 10 UK visitor attractions, and in the Top 20 of the most visited museums and galleries in the world.
St. Andrews is a town found on the east coast of Scotland in Fife which is about 10 miles from the city of Dundee. It is home of the University of St Andrews which is the third oldest University in the English speaking world and the oldest in Scotland.
These are the places that we visited the along the first week.
During the second week, and between classes and night activities we visited Edinburgh Dungeons, which is a unique visitor attraction that brings together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, stages, scenes and rides in a truly unique and exciting walkthrough experience that you see, hear, touch, smell and feel.
Kelvingrove´s Art Gallery and Museum, it has a significant collection that includes superb paintings and sculptures, silver and ceramics, European armour, weapons and displays of relics from Scotland´s history and prehistory.
Stirling Castle, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542.
On our last week, we visited Perth, it´s a City in central Scotland. The presence of Scone Abbey, home of the Stone of Destiny where the King of Scots was crowned, enhanced the early importance of the city.
Glamis Castle, has been the family home of the Earls of Strathmore since 1372 when Sir John Lyon was granted the thaneage by Robert II. In 1376 Sir John married the King´s daughter and since then Glamis has been visited and lived in by many members of the Scottish and British Royal families.
St Giles’ Cathedral is the historic City Church of Edinburgh. With its famed crown spire it stands on the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and the palace of Holyroodhouse. Also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, it is the mother church of Presbyterianism and contains the chapel of the order of the thistle.
Old Town, Edinburgh old town is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, narrow alleyways and hidden courtyards, all amazingly well preserved and steeped in the city´s history.
As you can see we got to know many great places while having lots of fun and making new friends. It is a trip neither one of us will forget!
Mónica Fuentes and Leticia Burgueño