Edinburgh Christmas Market

Every year at the end of November Edinburgh transforms the East Princes Street Gardens into a Christmas Market for six weeks, which attracts thousands of locals and tourists.

First of all there is a Traditional German Christmas Market where you can try mulled wine, beer, different kind of sausages, cheese, gingerbread, French crepes or Scottish food.

It also gives you an opportunity to buy some stuff for winter like funny hats or Christmas gifts among which you can find different Christmas figurines, ornaments, candles or jewellery.

The Market is not too big, very crowded and you can smell mulled wine in the air.

If you want to have some fun, there is no better place to be as Edinburgh offers its Christmas Fair. You can choose from many attractions like an ice rink, the Edinburgh Wheel, a Snowglobe (inside which you can play with snow while a photo will be taken), a helter skelter, the Christmas carousel , a bungee snowdome or a flying carousel. For the first time this year children can watch "Rocket the Reindeer" in 3D cinema.

If you want to hear a bit of Scottish accent, here is a link with a short song prepared for this year:
Enjoy Winter in Edinburgh

There are many other attractions throughout the Christmas time in Edinburgh like fairs, concerts or Santa Run.

No matter how great this place looks like and that we always want to have fun, let's not forget that Christmas is not about a Christmas tree, Santa Claus, gifts, festive food and drink, but the real meaning of Christmas is simple as that: Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. I have this horibble feeling that people want to celebrate Christmas only to have another occasion to have fun and get presents, but they do not want to say it loud that Christmas is about Little Jesus who was born on 24th December. Maybe that is why I love Polish Christmas and I am proud of Polish traditions and I miss being there at Christmas so much.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Życzę Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!

My Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22762999@N00/

All rights reserved - Copyright © Lagnese

Find me on Facebook @ Lagnese Photography on Facebook

Read More

Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Princes Street, named after king George III's sons,  is the major street in the centre of Edinburgh. It was a part of the plan of building the New Town in Edinburgh. The building of the street started in 18th century. 

Nowadays Princes Street is a shopping street with many popular shops along it like Boots, H&M, New Look, Primark, Next, Marks & Spencer, BHS, Debenhams or the oldest Edinburgh department store Jenners. 

Marks&Spencer

Princes Street

Hanover Street

Princes Street and Hanover Street

H&M and Gap

Tram tracks

As Edinburgh council decided to build a tram system, the street was closed last year after the festival and George Street became the busiest street in the centre of Edinburgh. Princes Street is reopened now, but only buses, taxis and cycles can use it. The tram tracks are still being built and the trams are planned to start operating in 2014. It will connect Edinburgh Airport with the city centre. 

To be honest I don't understand why they decided to build it. In modern world undergrounds are built in big cities to help commuters move around the cities. Trams do not sound to be modern, do they? I know that the Edinburgh council has spent a lot of money and there has been also a lot of criticism of this plan and I really do not understand why they are building it as the bus system here is really good. There are buses everywhere, they are frequent, not expensive and they operate also at night and I really think that they are sufficient. What is more, Despite the fact that there is a lot of traffic in Edinburgh, they are rarely late. 

Last year before Christmas Primark was opened in Princes Street. Can you believe that Edinburgh was the only big city in the UK without Primark? I was more than shocked when I found out about it. Before that people from Edinburgh had to go to Glasgow or Dunfermline if they wanted to do the shopping in Primark. Probably it is because of money, but no matter how much they paid for the location, it is always busy and I am sure they are making a great profit. I was not there the first day it was opened, but I went there few days after and believe me that the traffic inside the shop was even worse than the one in Princes Street during Festival time. You could hardly move. It is definitely better now, but if it ever happens to me to visit the shop there are always a lot of customers. 

Edinburgh Primark

I do not like Jenners. I think I have been there maybe three times, but depsite the fact that the department store inside looks quite unique, I am always lost and this place is so claustrophobic. I should not feel lost as I have a good sense of direction, but there is definitely something wrong with this place. 

Jenners Department Store

I am not a shopaholic at all and I personally do not like doing the shopping so I am not one of those girls who have to buy something every time they go to the town because otherwise they are sick. However, if you are in Edinburgh and want to buy some stuff Princes Street, which is full of shops, is waiting for you. At the end of the street close to Leith Street there is also St James Shopping Centre, which I like. 

There are shops on one side of Princes Street and on the other one there are the Princes Street Gardens, which is a public park. 

Eastern part of the Princes Street Gardens

The Scott Monument

The Street Princes Gardens in the summertime

The Scottish National Gallery

You can visit there the Scott Monument, a Gothic spire to honour Sir Walter Scott. There is also the Scottish National Gallery with many Italian, Dutch, French or Scottish paintings. In the eastern part of the Gardens, close to Waverley Station, Christmas Market is held every year. 

In the Western, bigger part of the Gardens there is the Scottish American War Memorial and the Ross Fountain which is so spectacular with the castle in the background.

Western part of the Princes Street Gardens

The Scottish American War Memorial

The Ross Fountain

The Princes Street Gardens in the springtime

The Ross Fountain

The Ross Fountain in the springtime

Close to the Ross Fountain there is a popular playground which is always busy when the weather is nice. Next to it, there is the Parish Church of St Cuthbert and its cemetery.

A playground in the Gardens

The Parish Church of St Cuthbert

A cemetery next to the Parish Church of St Cuthbert

My Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22762999@N00/

All rights reserved - Copyright © Lagnese

Find me on Facebook @ Lagnese Photography on Facebook

Read More