Help your Milanese friend....

[Jimburst]

1 hour ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

That's the problem...all 6 of us prefer to see Edinburgh over Dublin but we also prefer the Wild Atlantic Way over the Highlands.

But having never been there it's just our perception...as Italians we believe we like one thing more than another. Like when a Frenchman and a Spaniard ask me for advice on certain parts of Italy, my answer is different because I know they have different tastes.

We hadn't considered the islands in Scotland, though, and it's definitely a great idea.

 

 

 

 

What is it you like the look of in Ireland? 

[Earp]

1 hour ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

That's the problem...all 6 of us prefer to see Edinburgh over Dublin but we also prefer the Wild Atlantic Way over the Highlands.

But having never been there it's just our perception...as Italians we believe we like one thing more than another. Like when a Frenchman and a Spaniard ask me for advice on certain parts of Italy, my answer is different because I know they have different tastes.

We hadn't considered the islands in Scotland, though, and it's definitely a great idea.

 

 

 

You can get a train to the highlands, even as far as Skye (Mallaig then ferry) via Glasgow if you want to have Edinburgh as your base. Its a beautiful journey through Glencoe and crosses Glenfinnan viaduct (Harry Potter).

[OpenC]

The train doesn't go through Glen Coe, it approaches Fort William over Rannoch Moor to the east.  Glen Coe is barely wide enough for the road.

 

IMO if you prefer the look of the scenery in Ireland, you should do that.  Dublin and Edinburgh are both great but neither are (in my humble opinion, I got a lot of grief when I dissed Edinburgh in unpopular opinions) good enough to be the deciding factor in a holiday that also includes a tour of the wilder places.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2025 by OpenC

[Curva Sud Milano]

42 minutes ago, Jimburst said:

 

What is it you like the look of in Ireland? 

 

I've been to Belfast and I loved the surroundings of the city, I think Ireland is even more beautiful and wild... I don't know anything about Scotland, I've only seen Glasgow but only one day for the AC Milan match.

[Curva Sud Milano]

40 minutes ago, OpenC said:

 

 

MO if you prefer the look of the scenery in Ireland, you should do that.  Dublin and Edinburgh are both great but neither are (in my humble opinion, I got a lot of grief when I dissed Edinburgh in unpopular opinions) good enough to be the deciding factor in a holiday that also includes a tour of the wilder places.

 

 

 

 

Someone in the group says exactly this, also because we'll stay in Edinburgh or Dublin only for two days.

What don't you like about Edinburgh?

 

 

Edited November 18, 2025 by Curva Sud Milano

[Jimburst]

I loved the west coast of Ireland when I went but I'd say i'd call the Scottish west coast more wild and (IMO) more beautiful. But yes that's just opinions at that point.

 

Check out pictures of Glen Coe, Stac Pollaidh, Alchmelvich, Skye, Suilven, Mull etc. 

[Curva Sud Milano]

As for the food, what can you tell me?

In Belfast I ate really shitty food (from both Catholics and Protestants ) but it was 30 years ago.

I have the feeling that the food in Scotland could be better and maybe more interesting.

[AJ9]

2 hours ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

That's the problem...all 6 of us prefer to see Edinburgh over Dublin but we also prefer the Wild Atlantic Way over the Highlands.

But having never been there it's just our perception...as Italians we believe we like one thing more than another. Like when a Frenchman and a Spaniard ask me for advice on certain parts of Italy, my answer is different because I know they have different tastes.

We hadn't considered the islands in Scotland, though, and it's definitely a great idea.

 

 

 

You may struggle to get across to many of the Islands with that length of time. Skye is the exception as you can drive over the bridge.

[Curva Sud Milano]

I looked at some pictures of Skye and it looks like a dream place....I'm in love with Achill Island (north of Galway) but this is probably even better.

[Heron]

Western Ireland is fairly beautiful but I reckon I'd opt for Scotland too. Edinburgh is one of the best UK cities after Newcastle and Liverpool I reckon.

 

However, I am Inter...so maybe you don't trust me

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

10 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

I looked at some pictures of Skye and it looks like a dream place....I'm in love with Achill Island (north of Galway) but this is probably even better.

Applecross is lovely around there too and the road to get there is great fun.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

33 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

As for the food, what can you tell me?

In Belfast I ate really shitty food (from both Catholics and Protestants ) but it was 30 years ago.

I have the feeling that the food in Scotland could be better and maybe more interesting.

 

Scottish food is not good unless you like seafood and are near somewhere where it’s fresh. 

[OpenC]

36 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

Someone in the group says exactly this, also because we'll stay in Edinburgh or Dublin only for two days.

What don't you like about Edinburgh?

 

 

 

 

It's not that I don't like Edinburgh, I do It's just not that big and it has more of a big town feel than a capital city feel to me.  I felt similar about Dublin. I don't mind cities like that - Newcastle is one too but I personally couldn't spend days in Edinburgh like I could in London and Beijing.

 

The good bits of Skye - Storr, Quiraing, Elgol - are among the finest parts of the UK but they're a long way apart and the roads (and midges) can be purgatorial.  Torridon in the north west Highlands is my favourite place on planet earth and I've spent years all over the Highlands climbing the mountains.  The west coast of Ireland is less dramatically mountainous but it has better sea cliffs than Scotland and just a different feel altogether really.  In the same way as I prefer the gentler countryside of Northumberland to the Lake District, I can easily imagine people preferring the west of Ireland to the west of Scotland.

 

And ultimately you're from Italy, near the Alps and Switzerland  the Scottish mountains hold their own in any company and are miles better than the rest of the UK, but they're not better than ones you'll know from home

 

Like I say, though, you won't be disappointed either way imo

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

Dublin isn’t great, Ireland is good though, Scottish scenery is phenomenal. 

[Curva Sud Milano]

5 minutes ago, Heron said:

 

However, I am Inter...so maybe you don't trust me

 

Jesus Christ, I'm sorry...what happened?

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

He was born with both genitals 

[Heron]

4 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

Jesus Christ, I'm sorry...what happened?

Marriage.

[Curva Sud Milano]

5 minutes ago, OpenC said:

 

It's not that I don't like Edinburgh, I do It's just not that big and it has more of a big town feel than a capital city feel to me.  I felt similar about Dublin. I don't mind cities like that - Newcastle is one too but I personally couldn't spend days in Edinburgh like I could in London and Beijing.

 

The good bits of Skye - Storr, Quiraing, Elgol - are among the finest parts of the UK but they're a long way apart and the roads (and midges) can be purgatorial.  Torridon in the north west Highlands is my favourite place on planet earth and I've spent years all over the Highlands climbing the mountains.  The west coast of Ireland is less dramatically mountainous but it has better sea cliffs than Scotland and just a different feel altogether really.  In the same way as I prefer the gentler countryside of Northumberland to the Lake District, I can easily imagine people preferring the west of Ireland to the west of Scotland.

 

And ultimately you're from Italy, near the Alps and Switzerland  the Scottish mountains hold their own in any company and are miles better than the rest of the UK, but they're not better than ones you'll know from home

 

Like I say, though, you won't be disappointed either way imo

 

Thanks for the advice. I love the mountains and go skiing whenever I can (a two-hour drive from Milano). And precisely because I know the Alps I'm more fascinated by mountains I don't know, like yours.

If you're a mountain lover (and haven't seen them yet) come to the Dolomites.

[Curva Sud Milano]

14 minutes ago, Heron said:

Marriage.

 

I thought divorce was legal in the UK...

[Abacus]

53 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

As for the food, what can you tell me?

In Belfast I ate really shitty food (from both Catholics and Protestants ) but it was 30 years ago.

I have the feeling that the food in Scotland could be better and maybe more interesting.

 

Well here's the thing (and by the way this is miles better than talking about football on an international break ), west coast of Scotland is sensational but food wise ... I probably went 10 -15 years ago but despite having access to some of the best seafood in the world that's normally exported and what's left isn't great. Best thing I ate there was in Oban, a little shack that sold fresh lobster tails, brown bread and chunks of lemon. No idea if it's still there.

 

In Ireland it wasn't too much different but maybe a bit better. Mussels in Galway etc. But I think neither were gastronomic capitals or made the most of their local ingredients. 

 

Like I say, that might all have changed and a lot of it is personal opinion but a lot of it was tourist food. Each capital, though, will have brilliant restaurants. Think I'm biased towards Edinburgh for being surprised by how brilliant haggis can be. A proper Irish stew, though. And then you have the Guinness. But on the other hand you have the single malts in Scotland. Hmmm.

 

The short of it is you won't go far wrong either way. Toss a coin and all agree to visit the other one next time.

 

Or perhaps we should put a poll up?

[OpenC]

33 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

Thanks for the advice. I love the mountains and go skiing whenever I can (a two-hour drive from Milano). And precisely because I know the Alps I'm more fascinated by mountains I don't know, like yours.

If you're a mountain lover (and haven't seen them yet) come to the Dolomites.

 

 I suspect the west coast of Ireland will probably be more of a different experience for you - as someone who looks onto a sea at home like you do, oceans have always fascinated me and seeing the actual Atlantic and actual Pacific were big moments for me even though they looked just like my own north sea

 

But yeah the Scottish mountains are wonderful - huge by the standards of the rest of the UK but pretty small by continental standards, but they start at sea level on the west coast rather than from a high plateau like I guess you'll be more used to. There'll still be a bit of snow on them in May/June but most will have gone so you'd see them at their best - steep rock and scree with snow on the tops.

 

The three archetypal Scottish mountains for me are Buachaille Etive Mor at Glen Coe, Liathach in Torridon and An Teallach near Dundonnel, all big stand-alone rock and scree hills around 1,000 metres and all requiring a bit of nerve and a head for heights to reach their best bits (and full winter gear if the snow is still frozen). If they take your fancy then the rest of the west coast will probably be to your taste as well.

 

The Dolomites and the Alps are exactly the reason I feel like you might be a bit underwhelmed by the Scottish hills that are so dramatic to us in the UK  and why I feel like the Atlantic coast in Ireland might be more of an experience for you, it's more likely to be something very different to what you're used to.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2025 by OpenC

[FloydianMag]

38 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

I thought divorce was legal in the UK...

Henry VIII to thank for that👍

[Rafalove]

Edinburgh is class. Book tickets for the castle and not to far away is the whisky tasting experience. Some great art museums too. Midgie repellent that time of year is a necessity. Like seriously, don’t fuck with them.

 

 

[wfmk2]

Dublin is an expensive mess these days, with hotels routinely over 200 Euro a night.

[KennyUtd]

Edinburgh is canny but not a patch on Glasgow. The city, the people, the whole vibe of Glasgow is fantastic. In my top 3 cities in Europe. A brilliant place to visit and you can get phenomenal food too if you're prepared to pay for it.