Short Break - Edinburgh or Oslo?

Bawnmore

Hoping to book the flights today, so hopefully someone can advise. I'm looking to book a 3 night trip away at the beginning of next month with the OH, and I'm stuck between Edinburgh and Oslo.

Edinburgh seems like the easier option all round, considering it's only a short hop away and there'll be a familiarity to it which might make it easier for a short stay. Oslo on the other hand is appealing because of the unfamiliarity, and it'd be something different. I've been to Edinburgh before, but the OH hasn't and neither of us has been to Oslo. Is Oslo a crazy notion?

Hopefully someone who's visited both can advise on where they think would be best for a 3 night stay.

Is there anywhere else we should be considering?

rainbow kirby

Oslo is nice, but it is HORRENDOUSLY expensive. Think around €11/pint, and you'll be very lucky to get any accomodation for under €100/night.

Bawnmore

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Oslo is nice, but it is HORRENDOUSLY expensive. Think around €11/pint, and you'll be very lucky to get any accomodation for under €100/night.

I've heard similar from others too, but would it really be that bad for 3 days? We're not big drinkers (maybe the odd pint here or there), moreso interested in sightseeing and activities. But maybe in that case, Scotland is the way to go this time anyway? We're really looking for 3 days of pottering around, and seeing/doing things - I haven't been to Edinburgh in years, but I'd assume it'd suit this type of trip.

rainbow kirby

Bawnmore wrote: »

I've heard similar from others too, but would it really be that bad for 3 days?

We went for 3 days too, and it was like someone had left a tap running on our wallets. Even very basic things like bus and tram fares and simple snacks are really expensive.

I got talking to a girl in a coffee shop there, and she was saying "Oh I'm just back from London, it was so cheap..." - that should tell you something.

Bawnmore

rainbow kirby wrote: »

We went for 3 days too, and it was like someone had left a tap running on our wallets. Even very basic things like bus and tram fares and simple snacks are really expensive.

I got talking to a girl in a coffee shop there, and she was saying "Oh I'm just back from London, it was so cheap..." - that should tell you something.

That's good enough for me Looks like we're going to Edinburgh in that case. Thanks for the heads up!

lc180

Edinburgh seems to cater for every type of tourist. Be it backpackers, couples, old folks, groups of lads it really does have something for all! Bring a good jacket, the weather is unpredictable but everything it wont dampen your spirits.

I'm was considering Oslo myself for weekend in April, can get flights for under €40 but when I checked how much the shuttle bus to/from the airport to Oslo is I found it nearly cost as much!
I'm gonna leave it til August when the days are much longer, weather is warmer and should be able to do a lot of free outdoors activities.

Bawnmore

lc180 wrote: »

Edinburgh seems to cater for every type of tourist. Be it backpackers, couples, old folks, groups of lads it really does have something for all! Bring a good jacket, the weather is unpredictable but everything it wont dampen your spirits.

I'm was considering Oslo myself for weekend in April, can get flights for under €40 but when I checked how much the shuttle bus to/from the airport to Oslo is I found it nearly cost as much!
I'm gonna leave it til August when the days are much longer, weather is warmer and should be able to do a lot of free outdoors activities.

Good advise - and I think we'll leave Oslo until the weather lends itself more towards hiking and exploring.

Shedite27

Just on an aside, if the price was the same, what would people reccomend?

I've never been to Oslo (mainly because of the stories of the money), or heard anyone that's been there, is there much to se/do there?

coylemj

Shedite27 wrote: »

I've never been to Oslo (mainly because of the stories of the money), or heard anyone that's been there, is there much to se/do there?

Walked around downtown Oslo off a cruise ship a few years ago, seems like a very nice town with some outdoor markets selling stuff but even woolly hats from the stall vendors were a minimum of €10. I looked into a local Burger King to check their prices, the cheapest 'meal deal' was €11! We didn't spend a penny in the place, just way over-priced for everything.

Nice and all as the place is, I couldn't recommend it for a weekend visit based on the prices. As a visitor you have to eat out and pay for accommodation and transportation so no matter how you plan it, you are going to pay through the nose for everything. There are dozens of cities around Europe where you could have a ball for half the money you'd spend in Oslo.

The Norwegians are heavily taxed in return for which they have a superb social welfare system - probably free health and childcare and all that sort of stuff but for tourists it is one of the most expensive places to visit in Europe. North Sea oil means they have virtually no dependency on tourism.

Junglewoman

I stayed in a hotel in Oslo at a staff rate with 50% off all food and drinks and it was still very hard on my pocket!

ProudDUB

I'd vote for Oslo, purely in the interest of going and seeing somewhere new.

I was in Edinburgh just before Xmas and I loved it. The Xmas market was on, so there was lots to do/see/buy & there was a great buzz about the place. I'd imagine its a different story now though, with all of that stuff gone or shut down. We did all of the touristy stuff, but after 3 days, we really felt that we had done and seen it all. If the weather was nicer, we could have gone on some nice day trips to the lochs and nearby castles. But given the crap weather when we were there, that really wasn't an option. Would it be any better in March? If you have already been there, what else could you do, that would be new and interesting, that you haven't seen or done already?

Olso may be expensive, but at least it will be new & different. If the cost is a concern, perhaps you could plan in advance and eat picnic lunches, instead of going to eat restaurants all the time? Or go to a supermarket in the evening and, get in the fixings for brekkie in the morning, as oppose to eating it in the hotel? Go online and see what discounts for tours and attractions you can get, if you book them online in advance. TripAdvisor is great for picking up tips on that kind of stuff.

sawdoubters

half price hotel

https://booking.hotelglo.fi/reserve?ChainCode=CHA&HotelCode=&lang=en&getAvailability=1&PromotionalCode=PROFRD&_utma=59199099.1590789123.1392320217.1392320217.1392337861.2&_utmb=59199099.1.10.1392337861&_utmc=59199099&_utmx=-&_utmz=59199099.1392337861.2.2.utmcsr%3Dslickdeals.net%7Cutmccn%3D%28referral%29%7Cutmcmd%3Dreferral%7Cutmcct%3D%2Ff%2F6717998-glo-hotel-helsinki-finland-2-for-1&_utmv=-&_utmk=254587980

Junglewoman

sawdoubters wrote: »

half price hotel

https://booking.hotelglo.fi/reserve?ChainCode=CHA&HotelCode=&lang=en&getAvailability=1&PromotionalCode=PROFRD&_utma=59199099.1590789123.1392320217.1392320217.1392337861.2&_utmb=59199099.1.10.1392337861&_utmc=59199099&_utmx=-&_utmz=59199099.1392337861.2.2.utmcsr%3Dslickdeals.net%7Cutmccn%3D%28referral%29%7Cutmcmd%3Dreferral%7Cutmcct%3D%2Ff%2F6717998-glo-hotel-helsinki-finland-2-for-1&_utmv=-&_utmk=254587980

This showed hotels in Helsinki....another city worth visiting though!

whiskeyman

Over the two, I'd pick Edinburgh.
Perhaps look at Stockholm?

munchkin_utd

whiskeyman wrote: »

Over the two, I'd pick Edinburgh.
Perhaps look at Stockholm?

Stockholm is good, theres cheap flights from Dublin with SAS or Ryanair and cost of stuff there isnt any more than Dublin if you are sensible.
You can get lunch deals in a restaurant for about a tenner for example so not out of kilter with the price of a carvery in Ireland.

cml387

Edinburgh.

And do the ghost tour.

I hate tourist cliches but the actors who do the tours from St Giles cathedral are brilliant.

gandalf

Went to Oslo back in 2010 to see Rammstein in concert. Didn't do a lot of research on the place we were going for the concert. However when we got there we were very pleasantly surprised. Its a lovely city and very easy to get around with excellent public transport. We went in early Feb so it was covered in snow and freezing but it was so different we had a great time. Drink is unbelievably expensive, I've been to Tokyo and Oslo beats there! The wife was pregnant when we were there so we weren't drinking but eating out is very expensive.

It depends on what you want, if you want a similar city break then Edinburgh is for you. If you want to try something different and your wallet can handle it I would recommend checking Oslo out.

Bawnmore

Thanks for the suggestions all - 3 night booked in Edinburgh for the beginning of March.

Bawnmore

Just thought I'd pop a quick update in here to see if there are any other must do's we're missing. Heading off early Sunday morning. Here's our itinerary:

Sunday
- Explore town - maybe hop on hop off buses.
- Zoo

Monday
- Ice Rink
- Mary Kings Close
- Comedy Club


Tuesday
- Dungeons
- Arthurs Seat
- Camera Obscura

stargazer 68

The red tour bus is great. We did the ghost tour - had a great evening with the guide. Reminded me of the movie Burke & Hare with the steep steps and alleys! Don't forget to try Haggis Balls with whiskey sauce - had it in one of the pubs on Princes Street for lunch!