Help your Milanese friend....

[Earp]

3 hours ago, OpenC said:

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.

 

 

 

Apologies yes it passes through Bridge of Orchy and then skirts around it. Stunning nontheless

[OpenC]

Aye it's phenomenal

[Earp]

1 hour 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.

There's something spiritual about Skye - its beautiful even when it's pissing down. Might be to do with my folks' ashes being there mind.

[Abacus]

You could also head south from Edinburgh and visit Holy Island. That place also has some sort of otherworldly quality.

 

This is the best thread on the forum right now. Don't you mods ever dare move it to general chat. 

[Stifler]

4 hours ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

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

Lorne sausage with potato bread, and black pudding is going to get his day off to a good start. Followed by a battered Mars bar for lunch, then neeps and tatties later in the day. All washed down with Irn Bru and Whisky.

It’s certainly different to risotto alla Milanese.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2025 by Stifler

[OCOCOL]

5 hours ago, CallumG6 said:

Edinburgh is just another level of city. Nowhere on the planet like it. 

Really? It’s a nice place but I prefer Glasgow personally - Edinburgh too touristy / southern English these days 

[Stifler]

Edinburgh is class, but once you’ve been you’ve been. It’s very much like York, great to go too, very pretty, but once you’ve had a day there the follow up visits are not as good.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

Glasgow is class. Has a bit of everything you want a city to have. 

[BlueStar]

1 hour ago, wfmk2 said:

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

 

It's called Dublin cos they keep dublin' the price of everything.

[Dandy Man]

As someone living in Galway, I would say that if you do go to Ireland just avoid Dublin altogether, it's a bit of a dump and really not got a lot going for it compared to most other European capital cities, as above it's also absurdly expensive (as is everywhere in Ireland generally these days) - I would suggest flying in to Shannon or Cork instead if possible. The whole west coast of Ireland is fairly amazing but I would not try to do too much in 7 days, try not to be like an American tourist and do 20 places in 5 days, you are also a total hostage to fortune with the weather and that can make or break the trip if you want to do stuff outdoors. Sligo (especially the north of the county) is worth checking out if you want to get off the typical tourist trail of Cork-Kerry-Clare-Galway etc.

[Tsunami]

If you do stay in Edinburgh avoid Princes Street as much as possible, George Street is much nicer and if you’re drinking there’s Rose St and the Grass Market area in the old town. There’s a pub called the Tile Bar on George St that’s a canny pub and in a nice spot.

[Curva Sud Milano]

3 hours ago, OpenC said:

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

This is absolutely true, in Italy we have nothing like that (high cliffs and obviously the ocean).

Moreover I am among the few Italians who love drizzle and fog... I could never live in Naples, I love the Milanese autumn mornings which are much more Irish than Italian.

[Curva Sud Milano]

2 hours ago, Earp said:

There's something spiritual about Skye - its beautiful even when it's pissing down. Might be to do with my folks' ashes being there mind.

 

If I were traveling alone I would stay there for 7 days.

[Abacus]

2 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

If I were traveling alone I would stay there for 7 days.

 

Totally get this. I spent 3 days watching the sunset at Holy Island.

 

And your friends, what are they after?

[Curva Sud Milano]

1 hour ago, Stifler said:

Lorne sausage with potato bread, and black pudding is going to get his day off to a good start. Followed by a battered Mars bar for lunch, then beeps and tatties later in the day. All washed down with Irn Bru and Whisky.

It’s certainly different to risotto alla Milanese.

 

Nothing and no one can beat risotto alla Milanese with Ossobuco.

Let's not joke or I might take a detour to Newcastle, belted with explosives and risotto, shouting "Risotto Akbar!!!!"

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2025 by Curva Sud Milano

[gbandit]

Osso Bucco done to perfection is faultless 

[Curva Sud Milano]

1 hour ago, Dandy Man said:

As someone living in Galway, I would say that if you do go to Ireland just avoid Dublin altogether, it's a bit of a dump and really not got a lot going for it compared to most other European capital cities, as above it's also absurdly expensive (as is everywhere in Ireland generally these days) - I would suggest flying in to Shannon or Cork instead if possible. The whole west coast of Ireland is fairly amazing but I would not try to do too much in 7 days, try not to be like an American tourist and do 20 places in 5 days, you are also a total hostage to fortune with the weather and that can make or break the trip if you want to do stuff outdoors. Sligo (especially the north of the county) is worth checking out if you want to get off the typical tourist trail of Cork-Kerry-Clare-Galway etc.

 

Great advice, thank you.

[Abacus]

Just bring your osso bucco mate, and shout Malick Thiaw.

 

Probably be a lot less hassle than having to buy a new belt.

[Curva Sud Milano]

18 minutes ago, Abacus said:

 

Totally get this. I spent 3 days watching the sunset at Holy Island.

 

And your friends, what are they after?

 

 They want nature, open spaces and wind on their faces.... we are much more interested in landscapes than cities.

[Danh1]

Edinburgh with a 2 hours trip south down the A1 to spend a bit of time in Britain’s best city. 

[Curva Sud Milano]

18 minutes ago, gbandit said:

Osso Bucco done to perfection is faultless 

 

Don't make the mistake of eating it in Rome, Florence, etc....only in some historic Milanese trattorias it's perfect.

It's a much more complicated dish than it seems.

[Curva Sud Milano]

8 minutes ago, Danh1 said:

Edinburgh with a 2 hours trip south down the A1 to spend a bit of time in Britain’s best city. 

 

...and bring Tonali home !

Sandroooo, I'm coming!

[Earp]

46 minutes ago, Curva Sud Milano said:

 

If I were traveling alone I would stay there for 7 days.

Sounds perfect 

[Miercoles]

2 hours ago, Dandy Man said:

As someone living in Galway, I would say that if you do go to Ireland just avoid Dublin altogether, it's a bit of a dump and really not got a lot going for it compared to most other European capital cities, as above it's also absurdly expensive (as is everywhere in Ireland generally these days) - I would suggest flying in to Shannon or Cork instead if possible. The whole west coast of Ireland is fairly amazing but I would not try to do too much in 7 days, try not to be like an American tourist and do 20 places in 5 days, you are also a total hostage to fortune with the weather and that can make or break the trip if you want to do stuff outdoors. Sligo (especially the north of the county) is worth checking out if you want to get off the typical tourist trail of Cork-Kerry-Clare-Galway etc.

 

That was my experience as a tourist in 2006 as well.

Dublin = meh

Galway = Fantastic.

 

Of course that trip is 20 fucking years out of date now, holy shitting jesus.

[AJ9]

If you’re doing Scotland, I would say the sweet spot for the time you have is doing the west coast from Ullapool down to Oban and include Skye. Not sure I’d be that bothered about doing the NC 500…and if you focus more on the west coast, you can do Edinburgh and Glasgow potentially