| The City of Edinburgh, where the lively activity of | | | | residence. Today, the Palace is used for official |
| Scotland's capital city sits in perfect contrast to the | | | | entertaining and ceremonies of state |
| tranquility of the surrounding area. | | | | The ancient tales of grave robbing and murder buzz |
| Edinburgh has one of the most beautiful vistas in the | | | | constantly around your head as you tour the city either |
| world, making it a perfect base to explore the city and | | | | on foot or on an Edinburgh open-topped bus. You can |
| the surrounding countryside. With Scotland's most | | | | also choose from a number of nightly ghost tours |
| famous castle dominating the city skyline, there is | | | | available if you are brave enough to cope with the |
| plenty to see and do with the ideal balance between | | | | grisly truths of Edinburgh after dark. |
| all things contemporary and traditional. | | | | After a session of shopping at Scotland's most |
| Every year during the month of August Edinburgh | | | | famous department store Jenners (opened in 1838 and |
| welcomes thousands of visitors to its world famous | | | | now owned by House of Fraser) on Princes Street, |
| festival. It is in fact made up of a variety of festivals, | | | | why not head over to the huge and beautiful Princes |
| exhibitions and events including The Fringe, Book | | | | Street Gardens. Built from a former loch, the gardens |
| Festival, the International Festival, Jazz & Blues | | | | are the perfect place to get out a picnic whilst taking in |
| Festival, Military Tattoo, Film Festival and Edinburgh | | | | the views of the castle, the Old Town and the park's |
| Mela. Additionally, many head to Edinburgh for its | | | | famed floral clock. A great place to watch the hectic |
| month long festival at Christmas which culminates in | | | | world of Edinburgh fly by. |
| the world famous Hogmanay celebrations. | | | | The city is at its most hectic during the summer |
| Even if this is not your first visit to the city, an open-top | | | | months for this is the time of the major festivals. The |
| bus tour of the city is a great way to get your | | | | immensely popular Edinburgh Fringe Festival offers a |
| bearings and work out what's where. Tours follow a | | | | mixed batch of light entertainment from comedy to |
| circuit through the 18th century Georgian New Town | | | | Shakespeare. To give you an idea of the sheer size |
| and the medieval Old Town so you can always get | | | | of the Fringe, 2006's Festival saw hundreds of groups |
| back to where you started. The top of the Royal Mile | | | | putting on 1,867 different shows with a total of 28,014 |
| is a great starting place to explore on foot. Edinburgh | | | | performances in 261 venues. |
| Castle is Scotland's number one attraction and | | | | Although driving is not recommended inside the city |
| definitely worth a visit. As well as the obvious visits to | | | | itself due to restrictions of parking spaces and the |
| see the Stone of Destiny and the Crown Jewels of | | | | convenience of an excellent public transport service, |
| Scotland, it's worth trying to locate possibly the most | | | | hiring a car in Edinburgh is recommended to take in the |
| touching aspect of Edinburgh Castle, the soldiers' dog | | | | wonderful countryside that surround the city. A 15 |
| cemetery. The cemetery is a small garden used as a | | | | minute drive takes you into the coastal, scenic town of |
| burial place for officer's pet dogs and regimental | | | | Musselburgh. Life here is a lot more down to earth and |
| mascots. Arguably the greatest view of Edinburgh is | | | | less cosmopolitan than its neighbouring big brother. |
| from the castle ramparts as nothing in the city is | | | | Expect to find a race track, possibly the oldest nine |
| permitted to be built higher. The fifteenth century | | | | hole golf course in Scotland and some excellent |
| cannon at the castle called Mon's Meg is fired at 1pm | | | | opportunities for fine dining along your route. |
| every day. | | | | Just south of Edinburgh is the mid-Lothian region |
| The next most visited attraction is that of The Palace | | | | particularly renowned for its diversity and places of |
| of Holyroodhouse. Built beside an Augustinian Abbey | | | | interest to pursue. A short drive away presents you |
| dating back to 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is | | | | with the delights of several castles that are open to |
| The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Situated at | | | | visitors, including one that has now been converted into |
| the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace is closely | | | | a luxurious castle hotel. You will also find stately homes |
| associated with Scotland's unruly past, including Mary, | | | | and old churches, including the Rosslyn Chapel (in the |
| Queen of Scots, who made her home here between | | | | village of Roslin) featured in the Da Vinci Code novel |
| 1561 and 1567. Successive kings and queens have | | | | by Dan Brown. |
| made Holyrood Palace the premier Scottish royal | | | | |