David Walsh

Journalist and editor | Travel writer

United Kingdom

Award-nominated journalist, editor and travel writer published in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Irish Independent, The i, Euronews, The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, The Herald, The Scottish Sun on Sunday, The Press & Journal, Culture Trip, Let's Go with Ryanair magazine, Hot Rum Cow magazine, Ferment magazine, Skyscanner.net, Interrailplanner.com, Eurailplanner.com, Mill magazine and i-on magazine.

Interests and specialisms include travel and lifestyle, opinion, reportage, foreign news and international development. Available for commission.

Portfolio

Travel - Print and online media

Culture Trip
09/23/2019
The Best Brunch and Breakfast Spots in Edinburgh

In a city boasting four Michelin-star restaurants, food is a serious business in Edinburgh. And as breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you can expect to find a plethora of cafés and restaurants serving up lip-smacking full Scottish breakfasts, eggs benedict and pancakes smothered in maple syrup.

Culture Trip
07/30/2019
The Best Whisky Bars in Edinburgh

Those in the pursuit of life’s little pleasures need look no further than sitting in a cosy pub with a whisky in hand. Don’t believe us? Make a beeline for one of Edinburgh’s legendary whisky bars to see for yourself.

Culture Trip
07/29/2019
10 Famous Historical Landmarks To See in Edinburgh

The story of a city is told by its landmarks, and Edinburgh has quite a story to tell. From Edinburgh Castle to the Scottish Parliament, each monument and building in the capital is a milestone in its long and chequered history.

Culture Trip
07/18/2019
The Most Scenic Train Rides From Edinburgh

Road-tripping in Scotland has long been a favoured holiday option for both staycationers and visitors from around the world. And while the open road is exhilarating, drivers can be all too frequently distracted by the head-turning landscapes. The solution is simple – let the train take the strain.

Mill magazine
11/01/2018
O Tannenbaum

Globe-trotting bon viveur David Walsh presents an aromatic guide to some of the best European Christmas markets.

The Telegraph
10/19/2018
The Irish seaside town with a closely guarded secret

Since the early 9th century when the Vikings first set foot on these shores, Wexford has grown accustomed to invasion. In the summer months, this small yet pretty harbour town is mostly overrun by hordes of Dubliners flocking to the 'sunny south east' for a weekend getaway.

Scotland on Sunday
08/12/2018
Speechless strangers on the shore

As words fail to do justice to the Outer Hebrides, the way to appreciate their beauty and variety is an island hopping visit, discovers David Walsh

Scotland on Sunday
11/01/2016
Coffee and culture with a cherry on top

Prepared for a starchy reception given its imperial grandeur and musical heritage, David Walsh finds that Vienna is in fact a really cool place to hang out

Scottish Sun
09/03/2016
Sea-ing is believing

Drawing back the curtains, it wasn’t a huge sur- prise to be greeted by haar. A real pea souper — the kind you only find when you’re by the sea.

Scotland on Sunday
03/13/2016
For whom the bell tolls in Slovenia

Between Alpine splendour and Adriatic calm Slovenia's location is as blessed as the newlyweds on its fairy-tale island, finds David Walsh.

Scottish Sun on Sunday
10/04/2015
Emerald Smile

"Just aim for the middle of no where and add a little." Brenda wasn't kidding with her directions.

Scottish Sun on Sunday
04/26/2015
Norway you should miss food heaven

There aren't many reasons why Per Magnus Værdal moved an entire 42-tonne, 18metre farmhouse eight miles along narrow, steeply winding roads — except for the view from my bedroom.

The Press & Journal
01/17/2015
Challenge: Beijing

Can Beijing be done as a short weekend break from Scotland? David Walsh finds out.

The Herald Magazine
11/08/2014
Istanbul

Continent-straddling city serves up its own brand of beguiling Turkish delights.

The Press & Journal
08/02/2014
New York: Be a part of it

Nightfall had descended by the time I came to be standing on the roof of our 17-storey hotel, gazing out at the skyline with a glass of poison in hand. The Empire State Building, adorned in blue, red and pink light, peeks coyly around a nearby office block, while yellow cabs streak across intersections below amid irate car horns which permeate the smooth beats of Jurassic 5 and the maraca-rattle of ice in cocktail shakers.

Scotland on Sunday
06/14/2014
Belle of the Balkans

A growing tourist magnet on the Dalmatian coast, Montenegro has kept all the charm of a backwater

Let's Go with Ryanair
05/01/2014
The Malt Mission

It's the Let's Go Whisky challenge! We couldn't let Scotland's Whisky Month pass without our own celebration of the national drink. So instead of visiting just one distillery for a quick tasting we challenged writer David Walsh and photographer Greg Funnell to hit six in five days, travelling 1,181 miles across the country's whisky-producing regions.

The Herald Magazine
02/01/2014
Reykjavik

Midwinter in the capital of Iceland means caves, carousing and kicking back with a beer in hand.

Scotland on Sunday
09/22/2013
Eire's arias and graces

Wexford draws music lovers from across the world to its opera festival, but it has much more to offer

i-on magazine
04/03/2012
Shetland

It may be the last UK landfall before the Arctic but don't be fooled by clichés about the climate or ponies. The Northern Isles are a thriving hub of culture, wildlife and stunning natural beauty.

Travel - Reviews

The Telegraph
Room Mate Bruno review

The second Dutch Room Mate outpost makes a bold statement, even in ultra-modern Rotterdam, dubbed the ‘Manhattan on the Maas.’ Its edgy design, on trend with explosive use of colour and geometric shapes, while sitting cheek-by-jowl with industrial heritage, has already made it a favourite with young travellers.

The Telegraph
Narendra Bhawan review

This former royal residence is arguably one of the finest heritage properties in Rajasthan, an oasis in the middle of the Thar Desert. Transformed after the death of the last Maharaja of Bikaner, Narendra Bhawan retains its regal airs and architectural graces while bringing contemporary luxury and comfort to the fore.

The Telegraph
Dumfries House Lodge review

Dumfries House Lodge, set on a 2,000-acre country estate on the fringes of Burns Country, is playing a prominent role in the renaissance of this part of lowland Scotland. Homespun service in regal surroundings takes the potential stuffiness out of what is a charming bolthole with a cottage feel and royal connections.

The i
01/11/2019
The Hoxton Williamsburg review

Having made its mark in London, then expanded to Paris and Amsterdam, it's surprising that it has taken the Hoxton brand so long to reach the world's capital of cool. This, its first US venture, opened in September in Brooklyn's hipster haven.

Scotland on Sunday
12/11/2018
Do Not Disturb: The Hoxton, Brooklyn, New York

It's unusual to feel right at home when you travel. It's partly the reason why I love visiting New York so much. For the most part, people jet off on holiday to experience something new, but there is something to be said about occasionally being surrounded by the familiar.

Scotland on Sunday
10/21/2018
Do Not Disturb: Blue Reef Cottages, Isle of Harris

Think the Outer Hebrides and you'll conjure images of beaches that look more akin to Caribbean islets than the west coast of Scotland. In rain or shine (and believe me, you'll experience both in quick succession most days) their beauty is overwhelming.

Travel - Blog posts

Interrail Planner
10/25/2018
Interrailing through Eastern Europe: five cities you don't want to miss

If its recent history is anything to go by, Eastern Europe has had it hard. Fending off unfair stereotypes of it being stark, brutal and uninviting - at least when compared with the cities of Western Europe, whose many attributes and attractions are well-known the world over - the east side of the continent has always had to work a little harder to be noticed.

Interrail Planner
10/08/2019
How will Brexit affect your Interrail travel plans?

Brexit is perhaps the most significant and complex political event facing Europe since the Second World War. With negotiations ongoing, it continues to drive the news agenda across the continent as it is likely to affect not only Britons but citizens across the European Union (EU).

Eurail Planner Blog
06/17/2018
Europe's best summer music festivals you can reach by train

There's nothing quite like a Eurail through Europe in summer; whether you end up joining local people enjoying cold beers and glasses of wine at terrace bars and cafes in continental cities, hiking through sundrenched Alpine mountains or lounging on Mediterranean beaches. We bet you haven't even

Interrail Planner
05/24/2018
Where should I go interrailing in Poland? The top 5 places in Poland to visit

Is Poland on your travel radar, and if not, why not? It may have had a reputation for being bleak and austere in the past, but if you've ever visited, you'll have already discovered the truth: Poland is a rare beauty, with its medieval cities, rolling hills, dense forests and crystalline lakes and rivers.

Eurail Planner
05/16/2018
5 stops you need to make on your Eurorail trip in the Netherlands

It would be wrong to judge anyone for thinking first of Amsterdam when planning an Eurorail adventure across Europe. After all, it's without question one of the continent's most beautiful cities and a destination that should be on everyone's bucket list.

Interrail Planner
04/23/2018
Interrailing the Med: a guide to the best cities to visit in the sun

From well-known spots to hidden gems off the beaten track, here are just six of the best cities to inspire you while you plan your summer odyssey on the Mediterranean. Linked by high speed trains to Seville and onwards to Madrid, Cadiz is the pearl of the Costa de la Luz.

Skyscanner
05/05/2015
Top 7 things to see and do in Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam at its dizzying best, Ho Chi Minh City is a flurry of light and noise. Be at the heart of the buzz with our recommendations. Formerly known as Saigon, fittingly for a city with two names, it does exhibit Gemini-like qualities.

Skyscanner
04/20/2015
Top 6 things to see and do in Birmingham

Banging the drum for Brum: from chocolate to diamonds, we've got six ideas for what to see and do in Birmingham. Birmingham 's industrial landscape has been reclaimed and revamped for the 21st century. Check our top suggestions for things to see and do while you're there.

Skyscanner
04/30/2015
Top 10 things to see and do in Munich

From Oktoberfest to fairytale castles, top tips for an unforgettable stay in the beer capital of Germany. Munich is a hotbed of history and culture, not to mention food and architecture. And of course, it's the centre of the world-famous annual beer festival (and let's face it, probably the world's largest mass hangover).

Opinion

The Scotsman
07/10/2017
David Walsh: The trauma of antenatal classes for dads

"Are you ok, darling?" In the timbre of a whisper, it felt like my wife had shouted at me from across the room. I was inextricably engrossed in the scene before me, my face obviously betraying my horror at what was unfolding in front of us and the rest of the assembled group of expectant parents.

The Scotsman
05/24/2017
David Walsh: A love letter to Manchester

The humanity shown in adversity by his fellow Mancunians offers a way forward for a world confronted with terror, writes David Walsh The rain falls on Manchester's streets far less frequently than its reputation would have you believe. Still, it's a slander that seems to have stuck fast over the years.

Reportage

The Guardian
03/13/2015
Thousands die on Bangladesh's roads every year. One app may change all that

Coming to rest against a tree at the side of the highway, the car had narrowly avoided catastrophe. Jennifer Farrell's first instinct as a doctor was to help the motorcyclist. Just moments before, a bus had been crossing paths with the young American medic's vehicle on the N2 - one of the world's deadliest highways - when the cyclist had overtaken at speed.

The Guardian
06/10/2013
Suffering in silence: women in the shadow of Srebrenica

"My younger son was so bright and did so well in maths," Safia recalls wistfully near the spot where she last saw her 16-year-old son. He, her husband and her eldest son were running across the street and into woodland to safety. She and her pregnant daughter-in-law fled in the opposite direction.

The Guardian
05/30/2012
Women in Libya now face a greater battle for liberation - from tradition

Aside from occasional volleys of gunfire, the centre of the western city of Zawiya is eerily silent as a group of medical students and their close friends gather. Not knowing what else they can do, they decide to make a film having little idea of what the outcome of it would be.

Edinburgh Evening News
09/26/2015
Edinburgh teacher tells of her bid to help Syrian refugees

Helen Russell watched TV as 800 refugees died in the Med earlier this year as their ramshackle boat sank. But she refused to sit idly by, packing her bags to help the displaced clinging desperately to survival.

Buzz magazine
04/07/2011
Curious George

Famed for his antics on Celebrity Big Brother, out spoken and often- controversial politician George Galloway talks candidly to Buzz about the man behind the orator and his Holyrood ambitions.

Euronews
09/19/2012
iTalk - José Manuel Barroso

A special edition of iTalk, in conjunction with a Google+ hangouts, which was broadcast live across Europe on euronews. Along with presenter Alex Taylor, I was one of three on air participants from across the EU asking European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso questions on his State of the Union address.

MA Journalism, Napier University
09/05/2012
Multiculturalism: Under Siege

A short documentary filmed for my MA Journalism taking an in-depth look into multiculturalism in the UK. I interviewed activists in the ranks of the English Defence League (EDL) and members of a Muslim community in the remotest part of the UK.

Lifestyle

The i
10/27/2017
The real Edinburgh doctor who inspired Sherlock Holmes

Emerging into the early morning light from one of the narrow closes off Edinburgh's deserted Royal Mile, a Victorian gentleman in an Inverness cape, deerstalker and tweed trousers stops to peer into a tobacconist shop window. You'd be forgiven for thinking he was one of the Old Town's many apparitions, but Toby Virgo, dressed in Sherlock Holmes apparel, is very much of the living.

The i
09/18/2017
10 restaurants worth leaving Edinburgh for

With four Michelin-starred restaurants to its name (the most in any UK city outside of London) and new eateries opening every week, Edinburgh is bursting at the seams with quality dining options. But venture just a few miles out of town, and you'll discover a whole new culinary world just waiting to be explored.

Hot Rum Cow
11/27/2014
We love ... The London Distillery Company

Just mentioning the existence of a whisky distillery in London is enough to solicit the most vacant of expressions from the capital's city slickers. It's a fact of life that Darren Rook, co-founder of The London Distillery Company, is well accustomed to. Most young entrepreneurs would be wrenching their hair out in despair; he's calm and collected.

Hot Rum Cow
06/18/2014
We love ... Þoran Distillery

When Birgir Már Sigurðsson talks about his laboratory, one must strain every sinew to suppress images of a cat-stroking Bond villain in his secret lair. But, rather than some deadly toxin or WMD, the secret work being kept firmly under wraps on the outskirts of Reykjavík is the refining of an Icelandic single malt whisky.

i-on magazine
05/01/2012
Children of the Revolution

From moonshine stills in garages to full scale factory production, micro breweries are seeing a renaissance in Scotland and the brewers themselves realising lifelong ambitions. Ditching its reputation as an old man’s tipple, real ale is being enjoyed by a younger crowd. Here David Walsh talks to three award-winning local brewers, the success stories of the growing national trend and the real ale revolution.

i-on magazine
02/03/2012
Alter Ego

When the working day is done, most of us go home and unwind. For some, however, leaving the office means taking off the guise of one job and putting on that of another. Here i-on meets some of Edinburgh's own Clark Kent's

i-on magazine
02/02/2012
The Long Weight

Celebrated Scots artist Jack Vettriano discusses the inclusion of his self-portrait at the National Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh with i-on magazine.

i-on magazine
10/03/2011
Home from Home

Part of Edinburgh’s charm is its beating cosmopolitan heart which draws people of all cultures and creeds from the four corners of the world. i-on asked five international businessmen and women why they chose to settle in the city, what they see as the most noticeable cultural quirks and what they miss about their homeland.

i-on magazine
01/04/2012
Cream of the Crop: Best of 2011

A round-up of i-on magazine's best Edinburgh restaurants of 2011, including Kanpai, Ondine, The Honours and Cucina.

i-on magazine
10/03/2011
Restaurant review: Nobles, Edinburgh

It feels almost other worldly as we take a seat in the alcove beyond the bar and peruse the menu. The Victorian interior of Nobles Bar has changed relatively little since it opened its doors in 1897 and the present incarnation is held in high regard among its loyal Leith regulars.

i-on magazine
09/01/2011
Restaurant review: Yes Sushi, Edinburgh

There’s something satisfying about taking sips of warming Sake whilst watching the umbrellas outside on Hanover Street battle against the wind and rain. It’s a satisfaction that begins soon after pushing open the doors of Yes Sushi when a Zen like tranquillity is the first striking feature of a long functional dining room of tables, carefully laid with chopsticks and sauce bowls and softly lit by lanterns.