Car Hire Guides Edinburgh - Transportation - Getting Around
Getting around - other related articles in this section > Travel and Flights > Car HireEdinburgh has ample public transport, but if you're planning a few days in the city it's well-worth thinking about hiring a car. With fabulous towns such as St Andrews and sites such as Stirling Castle located within driving distance, why not grab a set of keys and visit Scotland outside the city limits?
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If you're flying into Edinburgh airport you will find a number of international car hire companies such as Hertz, Avis, Budget and Enterprise.
All the car hire desks are located in the UK arrivals hall; to find the best prices, inquire with each company about special discounts and/or deals. Book in advance and you stand to make real savings (the net will bring car hire costs down by as much as 50 %). From the airport it's a 25 minute drive into Central Edinburgh, or you can head off in the direction of one of the following destinations:
A Selection of Day Trips
Dunfermline is an ancient town located 5 miles (8 km) north of Edinburgh. Originally a quiet home to Celtic monks, Dunfermline made the annals of history when King Malcolm III married his queen there in 1070. Today you can visit the remains of Dunfermline Abbey and Palace. On a more modern note, the famed businessman Andrew Carnegie was born there in 1835; his birthplace is now a museum.
St Andrews lies 33 miles (53 km) northeast of Edinburgh ; Forth Road Bridge will bring you across the Firth to get there. Located in the area of Scotland known as Fife, St Andrews is not only home to the early 15th century University of St Andrews, but you can also find there the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, known as the 'Mecca of golf.' With the ancient ruins of a cathedral, palace and tower, it's easy to see how Wills never commanded all the attention.
Located 22 miles (35 km) away is the historical town of Stirling, viewed throughout the ages as the most pivotal of Scottish cities. Situated in the centre of the country at the only crossable point on the Firth of Forth, access to Stirling meant access to all of central Scotland. The resulting power struggles for domination proved the old saying that whoever holds Stirling controls the country. Visit Stirling Castle when you're in town; this dramatic fortress rises above hills and meadows that witnessed centuries of battle. From the castle you can view the William Wallace Monument tower, which houses the sword of the famous 13th century Scottish warrior.
Linlithgow is located 18 miles (29 km) south of Edinburgh. Visit Hopetoun House, built in 1699 by architect Sir William Bruce and enlarged by William Adam in 1721. The vast ruin of Linlithgow Palace, where Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542, is also worthy of a visit.
Edinburgh - Weekend Breaks
