Edinburgh Guide

Introduction to Edinburgh

Few cities make such a strong impression on the visitor as Edinburgh. Scotland's capital is without doubt one of the most beautiful and elegant cities in Europe. Its urban bits are separated by parks and gardens and, most stunning of all, cliffs and rocks and grassy hills - even a few dormant volcanoes! This is real nature rather than the manicured stuff, which is all you get in most other cities.

The views around Edinburgh have to be seen to be believed: down from the Edinburgh castle across the Georgian New Town; from the New Town out across the Firth of Forth; from Arthur's Seat across the surrounding moors; and the most dramatic cityscape in Europe, from Calton Hill down the length of Princes Street to the castle. Edinburgh is so spectacular that it has an almost unreal quality. The great novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born and bred here, described the city as a “profusion of eccentricities, this dream in masonry and living rock”, and went on to express his astonishment that it was “not a dropscene in a theatre, but a city in the world of everyday reality”.

Fittingly, such a spectacular setting provides the stage for the Edinburgh International Festival, the largest cultural event on the planet, held over three weeks in August and September. Also in keeping with its status as one of the great European cities, Edinburgh has many excellent museums and art galleries: the National Gallery of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Scotland all boast the finest collections outside London.

There are loads of local Edinburgh car hire and rental companies. Edinburgh has fast become one of the top destinations for stag and hen parties, due to the great day time and night time activities offered in and around the capital.

Edinburgh Accommodation Map