1 . The Best Hotels in Edinburgh Close to the Must-See Sights

Edinburgh is home to some of the best hotels in Scotland. Here are some selected hotels, ranging from iconic five-star institutions to new apartment hotels.

The Balmoral Hotel

For luxury accommodation, the Balmoral hotel offers five-star service and fantastic views of Edinburgh Castle. It is in the city center and features the iconic clock tower. The Balmoral is probably the most famous hotel in the city and is famous for its hospitality. It is also popular with locals for afternoon tea.

Wilde Apart Hotel

Wilde Apart hotel is a modern, stylish hotel. The hotel features well-appointed (设备齐全的) serviced apartments that have fully equipped small kitchens, free WiFi, and car parking nearby. The apartments are ideal for those who are staying in the city for more than a night or two and would like to have a small kitchen to enjoy breakfast or lunch.

The Radisson Collection Hotel

The Radisson Collection Hotel overlooks the iconic Royal Mile. It’s just a short walk from attractions such as Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Park, and it’s within easy reach of local restaurants, shops, bars, and galleries. Everything you will want to see and do in Edinburgh is close to hand, and it’s five minutes from Waverly Train Station and airport links. The hotel’s design is modern.

Scotsman Hotel

Originally built as The Scotsman newspaper offices in 1905, Scotsman Hotel has been carefully restored into nine floors of rooms and suites with commanding views over the city. Located at the top end of North Bridge, the hotel occupies the prime real estate spot (黄金地段) in Edinburgh. Easy access to Waverley Train Station and airport shuttles, the hotel is probably the most well-appointed accommodation in terms of transport links.

We hope you love the Edinburgh hotels we recommend!

4 . City walk gains popularity among young Chinese. Different from the fast-paced “special forces style” (特种部队式) tourism, city walk is _________ and not very purposeful.

To a certain extent, “special forces style” tourism is just a(n) _________ of regular travel, where young people spend 24 hours in a city with the same travel guides and check-in list. By comparison, city walk allows people to explore a city _________ without deliberately joining the _________ at popular tourist spots or waiting in _________ lines outside popular restaurants for hours. People _________ the past and present of a city as a local resident. After all, time is not _________ and the need for travel is not so pressing any more.

While “special forces style” tourists _________ fast pace and purposefulness, city walkers are completely slow and free. What really matters is _________ wandering. People expect that a trip frees themselves from high __________ and repetitive daily life. Since such words as leisure, __________ and purposelessness are associated with city walk, it seems not difficult to understand why young people are __________ about it.

When we were children in school, 45 minutes of class was worth a 10 minute __________. As we have __________ and started working hard, we always want to __________ freedom in life during free time. City walk is a path where we can freely choose, plan, and explore.

5 . Hosting the Olympics requires large spending. But in many cases, efficiently utilizing (利用) the post-event venues to maximize ongoing economic benefits is one of the major considerations for the host country. Here are four cities that took different approaches to make full use of their structures of the Olympics.

London, Britain

The Olympic Village for the London Summer Games was transformed into 3,000 high-end apartments and has a nearly 95％ occupancy rate. The area of London, called East Village, is seeing several retailers moving in and the development of a playground, and outside exercise areas.

Beijing, China

Built for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the Water Cube is now Asia’s largest waterpark, called Happy Magic Water Cube, equipped with 13 waterslides, a wave pool and a spa. The second floor also has several restaurants, bars and a museum of Olympic history.

New York, America

The Olympic Village in Lake Placid no longer welcomes athletes now, but instead, it houses criminals as the Federal Correctional Institution. It’s not surprising, though, because having a second public purpose for new buildings was the only way to get funding from the government.

Helsinki, Finland

Originally constructed in 1937, the Tennispalatsi, or Tennis Palace was first used as a basketball venue in the 1952 Summer Olympics. Now, however, it has been transformed into a popular tourist destination as a cultural center with an art museum and a movie theatre.

The local government of Zibo issued two open letters to all citizens. The government extended its gratitude for the citizens’     1     (warm) and hospitality toward visitors coming to enjoy the city’s signature barbecue,     2     has recently become a hit across the country.

Since early March, Zibo local barbecue     3     (cause) a sensation online. But how did Zibo rise to fame? From July 2022 to February 2023, Zibo organized many trips to the city for university students. Despite reaching peak visitation numbers, there was no sense of panic. Instead, several supportive     4     (policy) were promptly introduced, such as establishing a “Golden Stove Award”, forming a barbecue association, creating a map of Zibo barbecue restaurants,     5     launching 21 dedicated tourist routes that go beyond just barbecue.

Zibo’s sudden boom in popularity also resulted     6     the post-pandemic tourism revival China has experienced. The city aims to restore     7     (it) tourism industry and ensure sustainable growth.     8     (achieve) this goal, it has created     9     welcoming environment with convenient services for young people, particularly university students. The city has also invited students from distinguished universities to visit Zibo for free,     10     (signal) its eagerness to attract talented young individuals.

8 . A family vacation may be a good opportunity to relax and enjoy ourselves. Destinations nestled in nature with plenty of breathing room and easy access to fresh air are trending. Here are four destinations with an eye towards the great outdoors.

Woodloch Resort, Pennsylvania

Considering meals, drinks and activities are all included, it is worry-free to travel at Woodloch Resort. With vast rural grounds, its location and safety measures make it easy to be socially distant. You can sail on the lake, hike, swim or enjoy family-friendly games and entertainment. Comfort food classics served three times each day should satisfy even picky eaters.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground, South Carolina

Camping is a time-honored tradition. Families may bond over simple pleasures such as eating burgers grilled over an open fire and stargazing. Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, sits on nearly a mile of beachfront. Each site is roomy enough for a large camper. Mini-golf, a waterpark, and bike rentals are a few of the many family friendly recreational options.

Hull-O Farms, New York

Develop a connection to the land when you stay on a working farm. Take part in simple agricultural tasks such as picking fruit, gathering eggs and milking cows. Kids can enjoy the outdoor environment with healthy freedom that their parents might not be able to allow them in a crowded city. Hull-O Farms is a 7th-generation family farm. Guests may reserve one of three comfortable houses and participate in farm life as much or as little as they please.

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is not far from Philadelphia and New York. You’ll find a slower pace as you travel along scenic country roads through mountains, valleys and forests.

You can hike in Shenandoah National Park, explore large caves» or rent a boat moving down the Shenandoah River.

9 . The summer temperature near South Africa is around 77 F.     1     That’s where Chris James is about to take us.

Raglan is within two hours’ drive from Auckland. This is the time of year when the surf is up along with the risks for those who don’t pay attention to the reefs below.

    2     To me, surfing is one of the coolest things anybody can possibly do, and recently, my social media discover page has been overwhelmed with amazing surf videos, all filmed at this symbol location where I’m taking you today.

Welcome to Raglan. June is the peak season here at Manu Bay, which is home to one of the world’s most famous surf breaks. The perfect waves have helped top professional surfers wander on the water. It’s fascinating to watch these massive waves roll through, which can be as high as 20 feet.     3     According to experienced surfers, the intensity of the waves is due to the fact that there are three underwater reefs. They help to create those ideal conditions. But with the beauty of these waves, also comes a serious danger that has made Manu Bay known for the world’s deadliest wave.     4    

The peak surf season continues throughout the winter.     5     While they do that, I’ll be watching them joyfully from the safety of my couch.