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Edinburgh

Europe | United Kingdom

300C FEATURE DESTINATION: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Built on extinct volcanoes atop an inlet from the North Sea (the Firth of Forth) and enveloped by rolling hills, lakes (lochs), and forests, Edinburgh invites exploration. This is a city of elegant streets, cobbled alleys, and incomparable sunsets.

Edinburgh (pronounced Edin-burra) is also a busy, noisy place with a spectacular landscape of hills and crags. The buildings of this vibrant capital city , from the historic houses of the Royal Mile to the elegant Georgian terraces and crescents of the New Town, offer the perfect complement to the natural setting. The city’s layout is linear, in a pattern set by Castle Rock and Castle Ridge, down which the Royal Mile descends to the palace of Holyroodhouse. North of this lies a shallow valley holding the lovely Princes Street Gardens, with Waverley Station, the city’s main railroad station at the eastern end. Above the gardens, and to the north is Edinburgh’s main street, Princes Street. This is an ideal vantage point from which to view the castle and Old Edinburgh.

Edinburgh’s famous castle is especially beautiful. Upon entering the city, it commands immediate attention. The eye of the visitor is drawn to the impressive structure rising high above everything else on its sheer granite cliffs. There are incredible panoramic views from the upper stories of the castle, including a clear view of the distant sea. The castle sits high on the huge rock formation that juts out as if in defiance of any who would seek to invade Edinburgh. Castle Rock, as it is known, is inaccessible on three sides, and has a long, descending ridge on the fourth side.

Studded with volcanic hills, Edinburgh has an incomparable location on the southern edge of the enormous Firth (River) of Forth. From the west end, beyond craggy Arthur’s Seat and over the waters of the Firth of Forth, can be seen the Old and New Towns. Most of the city’s sights are contained within these two districts: The Old Town is crowded with multistoried tenements dating from the 15th century and has ancient winding streets dotted with closes (entrances) and wynds (alleyways) on either side. The New Town, on the other hand, presents an orderly arrangement of Georgian buildings and a symmetrical grid of streets.

The effect of sightseeing in these two areas is that of stepping back in time, while still being in the present. At the same moment, you are in a totally intact medieval city, with all the original buildings, yet the people around you are from the modern day, and stores as we know them are functioning within the ancient structures. The contrast is incredible.

To the north of the city center is Leith, Edinburgh’s main port, which has shed its rough, waterfront image to become a fashionable area of pubs and restaurants. Leith Links is a favorite with golfers. The Links claim to be one of the earliest sites of the great game, in fact, dating from 1593 when the first set of the official rules was formulated there.

Portobello to the east is where Edinburgh’s citizens and summer visitors spend time on the beach. To the west, medieval South Queensferry sits in the shadow of two large bridges that span the Firth of Forth. To the south, near Holyrood Park, is picturesque Duddingston. The attractive streets of Duddingston run down to a loch which is part of a bird sanctuary. It is always thronged with geese and other interesting waterfowl.

Edinburgh is a fine destination for a family vacation. Small children will delight in just running up and down the Royal Mile. A ride on the double decker bus is also a treat. Older children will rise to the challenge of climbing the steps to Arthur’s Seat, and exploring what remains of the castle. The important things to keep in mind are to vary the activities of the day and to move at a leisurely pace. As long as children have ample opportunities to exercise and play, and have meals at regular intervals, they can tolerate and even enjoy many of the museums and exhibits that are of interest to adults. Plan the day and then cross off about half of that ambitious schedule, and add time to “run in the park” or “watch the geese on the pond”, and you have the basic ingredients for a day of smiles and good humor.

Edinburgh is filled with historic and literary association: John Knox, Mary Queen of Scots, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson), Alexander Graham Bell, Sir Walter Scott, and Bonnie Prince Charlie are all part of its past.

Many visitors entering into the ongoing debate over which is the best tasting malt whisky served in Edinburgh. The contenders are many: Highland malts, Lowland malts, Campeltown malts, Islay malts, to name a few. Many other nations have tried to replicate Scotch whisky, but none has succeeded. There is no way to authentically reproduce the Scottish combination of damp climate and soft water flowing through the peat at just the right temperature to produce the malt that forms the basis of the beverage.

Edinburgh’s close proximity to England, and its multicultural, sophisticated population set it apart. Its vibrant pub and club scene, its college population combined with the ever-growing Edinburgh International Festival and action packed list of cultural events, make this a city that is truly cosmopolitan and renowned world-wide.

City Information

Population:
448,850

Area:
100 sq mi

Country:
Scotland

Time Zone:
GMT/UTC

Telephone Area Code:
0131

Weather:
For weather forecasts and road conditions, call tel. 0891/505-322. This number also provides data about weather information for Lothian, the Borders, Tayside, and Fife.

Average Temperatures (In Fahrenheit):

High Low
January – March 46F 34F
April – June 62F 39F
July – September 65F 49F
October – December 54F 36F

The climate in Edinburgh is most pleasant from May to September, but whenever you go, you’re likely to see both sun and rain (or snow). In summer, daylight hours are long, and the evenings are luxuriously lengthy. In winter, it’s cold and daylight hours are short, but with so much going on, Edinburgh is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year, . There is one caveat: the city becomes impossibly crowded during the main festival period from August to early September, so make reservations well ahead of time if you plan to visit then.

Equivalent Weights And Measures:
1 cm 0.39 inches
1 meter 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
1 km 0.62 miles
1 liter 0.26 gallons
1 inch 2.54 cm
1 foot 0.39 meters
1 yard 0.91 meters
1 mile 1.60 km
1 gallon 3.78 liters

Holidays:
January 1, 2: New Year’s Day
March or April (varies): Good Friday
March or April (varies): Easter and Easter Monday
First Monday in May: Bank holiday
May (mid-late May): Victoria Holiday
From 1st Monday in July for 2 weeks: Edinburgh Trades Holiday
1st Monday in August: Bank Holiday
3rd Monday in September: Autumn Holiday
December 24-26: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Laundry:
Centrally located is: Sundial Launderette, 7-11 East London St. (tel. 0131/556-2743; Bus: 34, 35), open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, and Sunday 10am to 2pm. For dry-cleaning: Johnson’s Cleaners, 23 Frederick St. (tel. 0131/225-8095; Bus: 23, 41), open Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm.

Luggage/Storage/Lockers:
You can store luggage in lockers at Waverley Station, at Waverley Bridge (tel. 0131/550-2333), open Monday to Saturday 7am to 11pm and Sunday 8am to 11pm.

Newspapers/Magazines:
Published since 1817, The Scotsman is a quality daily newspaper containing national and international news, and the arts.

Magazines:
Edinburgh Review, published quarterly by the University Press, is a cultural journal.

Business Hours:
In Edinburgh, banks are usually open Monday to Wednesday from 9:30am to 3:45pm and Thursday and Friday from 9:30am to 5 or 5:30pm. Shops are usually open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5:30 or 6pm; on Thursday stores are open to 8pm. Offices are open Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm.
Internet:
For checking email or sending messages, try Cyberia Edinburgh, 88 Hanover St. tel. 0131/220-4405; Bus: 23, 41; e-mail: edinburgh@cybersurf.co.uk.

Dentist:
For a dental emergency, the Edinburgh Dental Institute, 39 Lauriston Pl. is available. (tel. 0131/536-4900; Bus: 23, 41). It is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.

Doctor:
In a medical emergency, call the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 1 Lauriston Pl. (tel. 0131/536-1000; Bus: 23, 41). Medical attention is available 24 hours.

Drugstores:
There are no 24-hour drugstores (called chemists or pharmacies) in Edinburgh. The major drugstore is Boots, 48 Shandwick Place (tel. 0131/225-6757; Bus: 3, 31), open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 8am to 6pm, Thursday 8am to 7:30pm, Saturday 8am to 7pm, and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Emergencies:
Call 999 in an emergency for police, ambulance, or to report a fire.

Post Office:
The Edinburgh Branch Post Office, St. James’s Centre, is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to noon. For postal information and customer service, tel. 0131/550-8232; Bus: 23, 41).

Rest Rooms:
These are found at rail stations, terminals, restaurants, hotels, pubs, and department stores. Public toilets, ( often marked WC, at various corners and squares throughout the city are safe and , but likely to be closed late in the evening.

Taxes:
A 17.5% value-added tax (VAT) is included in the price of all goods and services in Edinburgh, and elsewhere in Britain. There are no special city taxes. Hotel prices usually include this tax.

Getting There & Away:

Edinburgh’s international airport has frequent direct flights to Europe, Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom and a limited number of services to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. There are no direct air services from North America.

You can reach Edinburgh from airports in Britain and Europe and connect easily to and from America. Edinburgh International Airport is close to the city, a bus or taxi-ride away. Car rentals are available at the airport, or from numerous businesses in town.

Traveling from the United States to Edinburgh, the usual route is to fly to London, then take the train or bus north. The 4-hour London to Edinburgh rail trip takes only about an hour more than flying in actual travel time and is much less costly.

Buses are the cheapest, but not the most efficient mode of transportation for travel between Edinburgh and Europe or other parts of the UK. Discount rail tickets are competitively priced.

Arriving By Plane:

Edinburgh is about an hour’s flying time from London, 393 miles south. Edinburgh Airport (tel. 0131/333-1000) lies 6 miles (10km) west of the center, receiving flights from within the British Isles and the rest of Europe. A double-decker Airlink bus makes the trip from the airport to the city center every 10 minutes, discharging passengers near Waverley Bridge, between the Old Town and the New Town

Other Modes of Transportation for Reaching Edinburgh:

Edinburgh lies 46 miles east of Glasgow and 105 miles north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England. No express motorway links London and Edinburgh. The M1 from London goes part of the way north, but entry into Edinburgh is via secondary roads: A68 or A7 from the southeast, A1 from the east, or A702 from the north. The A71 or A8 comes in from the west, A8 connecting with M8 just west of Edinburgh; A90 comes down from the north over the Forth Road Bridge. Allow 8 hours or more for the drive north from London.

InterCity trains link London with Edinburgh and are fast and efficient, providing both restaurant and bar service as well as air-conditioning. Trains from London’s Kings Cross Station arrive in Edinburgh at Waverley Station, at the east end of Princes Street (tel. 0345/484-950 in London for rail info). Trains depart London every hour or so, taking about 4 1/2 hours

Overnight trains have a sleeper berth, which you can rent for an extra amount. Taxis and buses are right outside the station in Edinburgh.

The least expensive way to go from London to Edinburgh is by bus, but it is an 8-hour journey. Scottish CityLink coaches travel between London’s Victoria Coach Station and Edinburgh’s St. Andrew Square Bus Station, St. Andrew Square (tel. 0800/23-23-23 for information).

Within the City and Environs:

Bus:

The bus is the chief method of transportation. The fare you pay depends on the distance you ride, referred to as “stages.” A stage is not a stop but a distance of about half a mile with a number of stops. Children 5 to 15 are charged a flat rate but teenagers 13 to 15 must carry a teen card as proof of age, and children 4 and under ride free. Exact change is required if you’re paying your fare on the bus. A family ticket for two adults and four children is available at a reduced rate. The Edinburgh Freedom Ticket allows 1 day of unlimited travel on city buses at a set price. Tickets and further information are available in the city center at the Waverley Bridge Transport Office, Waverley Bridge (tel. 0131/554-4494; Bus: 3, 31), open daily 6:30am to 10:30pm, or at the Hanover Street office (Bus: 3, 31), open daily 9am to 7pm. For details on timetables, call tel. 0131/555-6363.

Frequent LRT Airline buses run from Waverley Bridge near the train station to Haymarket and the airport, taking 35 minutes. Other bus services are frequent and cheap, and most leave from either St Andrew Square bus station or Waverley Bridge. Two main companies, Lothian Regional Transport and Scottish Motor Traction, compete on some services and their tickets are not interchangeable.

Trains:

Edinburgh does not have its own separate rail network. Trains running through the city are part of the national rail system. Trains heading west and north link Waverly station with Haymarket. A less costly alternative is to catch a bus down Princes St. There are regular trains west to Dalmeny and east to North Berwick.

The East Coast line is the fastest inter-city railway in Britain, and links Edinburgh’s Waverley station with London and Europe. ScotRail, Railtrack and West Coast lines link the city with northern and western Britain, and the latter are ideal for side trips to the English Lakes, Chester or Bath.

Driving a Car:

Though useful for day trips beyond the city, a car in central Edinburgh is difficult to handle. There is restricted access on some streets and many are one-way. Public transportation is the most efficient way to navigate the steeper hills. Walking through the city is pleasant and preferable to driving. Because of its narrow lanes, wynds, and closes, you can explore the Old Town in any depth only on foot. Edinburgh is fairly convenient for the visitor who likes to walk, as most of the attractions are along the Royal Mile or Princes Street or on one of the major streets of the New Town. Even with steep hills, Edinburgh is idea for cycling – nothing is more than half an hour away, and there are well marked cycle routes.

Attractions & Things To Do

City Art Centre
City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DE
0131/529-3993
Admission Free

Dynamic Earth
Holyrood Rd.
0131/550-7800
Apr-Oct daily 10am-6pm; Nov-Mar Wed-Sun 10am-5pm
Bus: 1 or 6
Admission charged
About a decade ago, a beer distributor donated its Edinburgh brewery to the city with the provision it be used for a permanent attraction with educational benefits for the community at large. The result is a stone amphitheater capped by a translucent tent. An interconnected series of galleries celebrate the natural diversity of the physical earth, with emphasis on the seismological and biological processes that led to the physical world we know today.

Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill, at the western end of the Royal Mile
0131/225-9846
Apr-Sept daily 9:30am-5:15pm; Oct-Mar daily 9:30am-4:15pm
Admission charged
No place in Scotland is filled with as much history, legend, and lore as Edinburgh Castle, one of the highlights of a visit to Edinburgh. It is believed the ancient city grew up on the seat of a dead volcano, Castle Rock. The early history is vague, though it’s known that in the 11th century Malcolm III (Canmore) and his Saxon queen, later venerated as St. Margaret, founded a castle on this spot. The only fragment left of their castle is St. Margaret’s Chapel, built in the Norman style, an oblong structure dating from the 12th century.

Edinburgh Zoo
134 Corstorphine Rd.
0131/334-9171
Apr-Sept daily 9am-6pm; Oct and Mar Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm, Sun 9:30am-5; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm
Bus: 2, 26, 69, 85, or 86
Admission charged.
This zoo is Scotland’s largest animal collection, 10 minutes from Edinburgh’s city center on 80 acres of hillside parkland offering unrivaled views from the Pentlands to the Firth of Forth. It contains more than 1,500 animals, including many endangered species: snow leopards, white rhinos, pygmy hippos, and many more. The zoo contains the largest penguin colony in Europe, with four species, plus the world’s largest penguin enclosure. April to September: a penguin parade is held daily at 2pm.

Georgian House
7 Charlotte Sq
0131/225-2160
Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-4:30pm, Sun 2-4:30pm
Bus: 2, 12, 26, or 31
Admission charged
Architecturally, the most interesting district of New Town is the north side of Charlotte Square, designed by Robert Adam. Together with his brother, James, he developed a symmetrical but airy style with an elegant reworking of Greek and Roman classical motifs. Their influence was widespread in Britain and America, especially in the U.S. South. Georgian House has been refurbished and opened to the public by Scotland’s National Trust. The furniture in this Adam house is mainly Hepplewhite, Chippendale, and Sheraton, all from the 18th century. In a ground-floor bedroom is a sturdy old four-poster with an original 18th-century canopy. The dining-room table is set with fine Wedgwood china and the kitchen stocked with gleaming copper pots and pans.

Gladstone’s Land
477B Lawnmarket
0131/226-5856
Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm
Admission charged
This 17th-century merchant’s house is furnished and kept in its original style. On the ground floor is a reconstructed shop booth displaying replicas of goods of the period, and an upstairs four-room apartment is furnished as it might have been in the 17th century. It is one of the stops as one walks along the Royal Mile. the house makes clear the crowded living conditions, even for those who were reasonably well off, before the construction of the New Town.

Grassmarket
Grassmarket is one of Edinburgh’s nightlife centers, with numerous restaurants and pubs. An open area hedged by tall tenements and dominated by the castle, it can be approached from George IV Bridge, via Victoria St, an unusual two-tiered street clinging to the ridge below the Royal Mile. There are also some excellent shops in the area. The site of a market from at least 1477 to the start of the 20th century, Grassmarket was always the focal point for the Old Town. This was the main place for executions and over 100 hanged Covenanters are commemorated with a cross at the east end. The notorious murderers Burke and Hare operated from a close off the west end. Around 1827 they lured at least 18 victims there, suffocated them and sold the bodies to Edinburgh’s medical schools. Leading off from the southeast corner, Candlemaker Row climbs back up to the George IV Bridge and Chambers St with the Royal Museum of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh’s Old College.

Greyfriars Presbyterian Kirk (Church) & Kirkyard
Near the south end of George IV Bridge, at the junction with Candlemaker Row. It is directly opposite the new Museum of Scotland and the Royal Museum of Scotland. It is on bus routes 2/12, 23, 24, 27, 28-29, 40-42 and 45-47 and tour buses.
The church is open to visitors April-October, Monday-Friday, 10.30-4.30, Saturday 10.30-2.30. From November-March, Thursdays 1.30-3.30 and at other times by arrangement with the Visitors Officer.
Visitors are welcome at all services. Many visitors may be interested in the Gaelic services held at 12.30 pm on Sundays – the only weekly Gaelic worship in southeast Scotland.
more info

At the bottom of a stone canyon made up of tenements, churches, volcanic cliffs and the castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard is a peaceful oasis dotted with memorials and surrounded by Edinburgh’s dramatic skyline. The kirk (church) was built on the site of a Franciscan friary and opened for worship on Christmas Day 1620. In 1638, the National Covenant was signed inside near the pulpit. The covenant rejected Charles I’s attempts to reintroduce episcopacy and a new English prayer book, and affirmed the independence of the Scottish church. Many who signed were later executed in Grassmarket and, in 1679, 1200 Covenanters were held prisoner in terrible conditions in an enclosure in the yard. There’s a small exhibition inside.

High Kirk of St. Giles
High St.
0131/225-9442
Easter-Sept Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; October-Easter Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm. Sun services at 8, 10 and 11:30am and 6 and 8pm
Free Admission, but donation suggested
A group of cathedral guides is available at all times to conduct tours.
Built in 1120, and a short walk downhill from Edinburgh Castle, this church is one of the most important architectural landmarks along the Royal Mile. It combines a stone exterior with surprisingly graceful and delicate flying buttresses. One of its outstanding features is its Thistle Chapel, housing beautiful stalls and notable heraldic stained-glass windows. A particularly severe period in its history occurred between 1560 and 1572, when John Knox, the strict leader of the Reformation in Scotland, was its minister.

Holyrood Park
Edinburgh is blessed in having a real wilderness on its doorstep. The former hunting grounds of Scottish monarchs, it covers 1 sq mile of varied landscape, including hills, moorland, lochs and fields. The highest point is Arthur’s Seat 823ft. high. This is an eroded stump of lava flow that erupted around 325 million years ago. It forms part of a volcano that includes Calton Hill and Castle Rock. The park can be circled along Queen’s Drive by car or bicycle. There are several excellent walks within it.

Huntly House
142 Canongate
0131/529-4143
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; during the Edinburgh Festival, also Sun 2-5pm
Bus: 1
Free Admission
Across from the Canongate Tolbooth is this fine example of a restored 16th-century mansion, whose builders preferred a bulky, relatively simple design that suited its role as a secular, rather than an ecclesiastical, building. Today, it functions as Edinburgh’s principal museum of local history. The interior contains faithfully crafted reproductions of rooms inspired by the city’s traditional industries, including exhibits devoted to glass molding, pottery, wool processing, and cabinetry, with a focus on the struggles of the workers who labored within.

John Knox House
43-45 High St.
0131/556-9579
Mon-Sat 9:45am-4:30pm
Admission charged
John Knox is the reformer who founded the Scottish Presbyterian church. His late 15th-century house, with its timbered gallery, is characteristic of the properties that used to line the Royal Mile. The Oak Room has a frescoed ceiling and contains Knox family memorabilia.

Lincoln Monument
This monument was erected in 1893. It was dedicated to the thousands of American soldiers of Scottish descent who lost their lives in America’s Civil War.

National Gallery of Modern Art
Belford Rd.
0131/556-8921
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm
Free Admission, except for some temporary exhibits.
Bus: 13 stops by the gallery but is infrequent; nos. 18, 20, and 41 pass along Queensferry Rd., a 5-minute walk up Queensferry Terrace and Belford Rd. from the gallery.
In 1984, Scotland’s national collection of 20th-century art moved into a gallery converted from an 1828 school set in 12 acres of grounds a 15-minute walk from the west end of Princes Street. The collection is international in scope and quality though modest in size. Major sculptures outside include pieces by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Inside the collection ranges from works of cubist Braque and Picasso to recent works by Paolozzi. English and Scottish art is strongly represented. Works of artists from Europe and America, notably Matisse, Mir, Kirchner, Kokoschka, Ernst, Ben Nicholson, Nevelson, Balthus, Lichtenstein, Kitaj, and Hockney are displayed. Prints are also exhibited.

National Gallery of Scotland
0131/624-6200
2 The Mound
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm; during the Edinburgh Festival, Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Bus: 3, 21, or 26
Free Admission
In the center of Princes Street Gardens, this gallery is small, but the collection was chosen with great care and has been expanded considerably by bequests, gifts, and loans. A recent major acquisition was Giulio Romano’s Vièrge àLa Légende. Other important Italian paintings are Verrocchio’s Ruskin Madonna, Andrea del Sarto’s Portrait of a Man, Domenichino’s Adoration of the Shepherds, and Tiepolo’s Finding of Moses. There are also works by El Greco and Velàzquez.

National Museum of Scotland (NMS)
Chambers St.
0131/227-4422
Mon and Wed-Sat 10am-5pm, Tues 10am-8pm, Sun noon-5pm
Walk south from Waverley Station for 10 min. to reach Chambers St. or take bus no. 3, 7, 21, 30, 31, 53, 69, or 80.
Admission charged ; but free for children under 18; supplement for some temporary exhibits
After being housed in several locations during the 1990s, the long-established Royal Scottish Museum and the National Museum of Antiquities were united in a single headquarters early in 1998. The resulting National Museum of Scotland, occupies an 1861 building near the Royal Mile that has been upgraded and enlarged with a postmodern wing. Displays include Scotland’s most impressive collection of decorative arts, ethnography, natural history, geology, archaeology, technology, and science.

National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD
0131 /624 -6200
Free Admission

*Outlook Tower and Camera Obscura
Castlehill*
0131/226-3709
Apr-Oct Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm; July to 7:30pm and Aug to 7pm; Nov-Mar daily 10am-5pm
Admission charged
This 1853 periscope at the top of the Outlook Tower throws a revolving image of nearby streets and buildings onto a circular table. Trained guides point out the landmarks and talk about Edinburgh’s fascinating history. In addition, there are several entertaining exhibits, all with an optical theme, as well as a well-stocked shop selling books, crafts, and CDs.

Palace of Holyrood House
Canongate, at the eastern end of the Royal Mile
0131/556-7371
Daily 9:30am-4:45pm, Sun 10:30am-4:40pm
Closed the last 2 weeks in May and 3 weeks in late June and early July (dates vary)
Admission charged
Early in the 16th century, this palace was built by James IV adjacent to an Augustinian abbey David I had established in the 12th century. The nave of the abbey church, now in ruins, still remains, but only the north tower of James’s palace is left. Most of what is seen was built by Charles II after Scotland and England were united in the 17th century. The palace suffered long periods of neglect. It had a brief moment of recognition in the mid-18th century when Bonnie Prince Charlie spearheaded a failed effort to unite all of the Scottish clans in their struggle against the English.

Princes Street Gardens
As the New Town grew, the city leaders decided to turn the area below Edinburgh Castle into the Princes Street Gardens, now one of the city’s most beautiful spots. The gardens’ chief landmark is the Scott Monument, though many find the summer flowers an even bigger attraction.

Royal Botanic Garden
At the Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row
0131/552-7171
Daily: April – August 9:30am to 7pm, March and September 9:30am to 6pm, February and October 9:30am to 5pm, and November to January 9:30am to 4pm.
Admission charged is by voluntary donation.
The main areas of interest are the Exhibition Hall, Alpine House, Demonstration Garden, annual and herbaceous borders (summer only), copse, Woodland Garden, Wild Garden, Arboretum, Peat Garden, Rock Garden, Heath Garden, and Pond.

Royal Observatory Visitor Centre
Blackford Hill
0131/668-8405
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun noon-5pm Bus: 40 or 41
Admission charged; free for children 4 and under
This center in a public park on Edinburgh’s south side exhibits feature images of astronomical objects, Scotland’s largest telescope, and antique instruments. An exhibit called “The Universe” uses photographs, videos, computers, and models to take you on a cosmic whirlwind tour from the beginning of time to the farthest depths of space in a couple of hours. The balcony affords a panoramic view of the city, and the astronomy shop is well stocked.

Royal Museum of Scotland and The adjacent Museum of Scotland
0131 225 7534
Chambers Street
Bus 7,14,28,45
Wed-Sat and Mon. 10-5; Tues. 10-8; Sun. 12-5
Admission charged. Free Tues. 4:30-8
The Royal Museum of Scotland, on Chambers St, is a Victorian building whose grey, solid exterior contrasts with its large, bright, galleried entrance hall of slim wrought-iron columns and glass roof. The museum houses an eclectic, comprehensive series of exhibitions. These range from the natural world (evolution, mammals, geology, fossils) to scientific and industrial technological development – with one section featuring the world’s oldest steam locomotive, Wylam Dilly (1813). There are also exhibits dedicated to the presentation of decorative arts of ancient Egypt, Islam, China, Japan, Korea and the west.

Royal Scottish Academy
The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.
Tel: 0141 248 7411
Fax: 0141 221 0417
Admission charged
This lovely classical building was designed by William Playfair in 1822. The Academy, founded in 1826, is based on London’s Royal Academy and has both Academicians and Associates. It is in the forefront of art promotion in Scotland. It holds two exhibitions annually: a Students Art Exhibition and the Annual Exhibition. The Academy also leases the facilities to other art organizations such as the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour and the Society of Scottish Artists, who stage their shows in its spacious galleries. It is also an important Festival venue.

University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh Centre
7-11 Nicholson Street
0131 650 2252
Mon-Fri. 9-5
Bus 3,7,21,36
Free Admission
The University of Edinburgh is one of Britain’s oldest, biggest and best universities. Founded in 1583, it now has around 17,000 undergraduates. The students make a major contribution to the lively atmosphere of Grassmarket, Cowgate, and the nearby restaurants and pubs. The university covers some distance, but the center is the Old College (also called Old Quad), at the junction of South Bridge and Chambers St, a Robert Adam masterpiece designed in 1789, but not completed until 1834.

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre
354 Castlehill
0131/220-0441
Admission charged
Daily 10am-5pm; children 4 and under free
This center is privately funded by a conglomerate of Scotland’s biggest distillers. It highlights the economic effect of whisky on both Scotland and the world and illuminates the centuries-old traditions associated with whisky making, showing the science and art of distilling. You get to see a 7-minute audiovisual show and ride an electric car past 13 sets showing historic moments in the whisky industry. For an extra charge, you can sample two whiskies during the tour. A tour entitling you to sample five whiskies and take away a miniature bottle is L18 ($29.70) per person.

Scott Monument
In the East Princes St. Gardens
0131/529-4068
Mar-May and Oct Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm; June-Sept Mon-Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Bus: 1 or 6
Admission charged
Looking more like a church spire than a monument to a writer, the Gothic-inspired Scott Monument is Edinburgh’s most famous landmark, completed in the mid-19th century. In the center of the 200+ foot spire is a large seated statue of Sir Walter Scott and his dog, Maida, with Scott’s heroes carved as small figures in the monument. You can climb 287 steps to the top for a spectacular view.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery
1 Queen St.
0131/624-6200
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm Bus: 18, 20, or 41
Free Admission , except for some temporary exhibits
Housed in a red-stone Victorian Gothic building by Rowand Anderson, this portrait gallery provides an opportunity to see what the famous people of Scottish history looked like. The portraits, several by Ramsay and Raeburn, include notables from Mary Queen of Scots to Flora Macdonald and Sean Connery.

Sir Jules Thorn Exhibition of the History of Surgery / Dental Museum
9 Hill Sq.
0131/527-1649
Mon-Fri 2-4pm
Bus: 31 or 33
Free Admission
Edinburgh’s rich medical history and associations make the Exhibition of the History of Surgery well worth a visit. On the upper floors of a 19th-century town house tucked away in a square, you can chart the development of surgery from 1505 to the 21st century. The exhibits, well presented though sometimes macabre, include such items as a pocketbook made from the skin of the notorious body snatcher William Burke.

The People’s Story
163 Canongate
0131/529-4057
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (Aug also Sun 2-5pm) Bus 1
Free Admission
This exhibit is reached by walking downhill along Canongate toward Holyroodhouse Canongate Tolbooth was once the courthouse, prison, and center of municipal affairs for the burgh of Canongate. Now it contains a museum called The People’s Story, celebrating the social history of the inhabitants of Edinburgh from the late 18th century to the present, with much emphasis on the cultural displacements of the Industrial Revolution.

Writers’ Museum
In Lady Stair’s House, off Lawnmarket
0131/529-4901
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Admission free
This 1622 house takes its name from a former owner, Elizabeth, the dowager countess of Stair. Today, it contains a treasure trove of portraits, relics, and manuscripts relating to three of Scotland’s greatest men of letters: Robert Burns (1759-96), Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), and Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94). The Burns collection includes his writing desk, rare manuscripts, portraits, and many other items. Also on display are some of Sir Walter Scott’s possessions, including his pipe, chess set, and original manuscripts. The museum holds one of the most significant Stevenson collections anywhere, including personal belongings, paintings, photographs, and early editions.

Gardens & Open Space:

Royal Botanic Garden
Inverleith Row
0131/552-7171
Admission charged is by voluntary donation.
Daily, April to August 9:30am to 7pm, March and September 9:30am to 6pm, February and October 9:30am to 5pm, and November to January 9:30am to 4pm.
The main areas of interest are the Exhibition Hall, Alpine House, Demonstration Garden, annual and herbaceous borders (summer only), copse, Woodland Garden, Wild Garden, Arboretum, Peat Garden, Rock Garden, Heath Garden, and Pond.
As the New Town grew, the city fathers decided to turn the area below Edinburgh Castle into the:

Princes Street Gardens
Now one of the city’s main beauty spots. The summer flowers and lovely pathways are the attractions that bring visitors to the gardens.

Attractions Outside of Edinburgh:

Dunbar
Dunbar is a holiday resort and small fishing port on the east coast, 30miles from Edinburgh. It was the site of two important battles, both resulting in Scottish losses. Edward I invaded in 1296 and General Monck defeated a larger Scots army in 1650, facilitating Cromwell’s entry into Edinburgh. John Muir (1838-1914), pioneer conservationist and ‘father’ of the US national park service, was born here.

John Muir House
The man’s childhood home, has a small exhibition and audio-visual display on his life. A more adventurous option in the area is offshore diving to sites like Johnson’s Hole or Old Harbour reef.

Haddington
Haddington, straddling the River Tyne 18mi east of Edinburgh, dates back to the 12th century when it was made a royal burgh by David I. Most of the modern town, however, was built between the 17th and 19th century during the period of great prosperity that resulted from the Agricultural Revolution. It’s still a prosperous market town and the administrative centre for East Lothian.

Gifford
Gifford, a picturesque village 4mi south of Haddington, dates from the 17th century. By the 19th century it looked as it does now. Looking down on Main St is Yester Parish Church in which there’s a memorial to John Witherspoon, one of the signatories to the American Declaration of Independence, who was born in the village. The slopes of the Lammermuir Hills begin south of Gifford, where several walking trails begin. You can pick up a snack for your walk from The Little Bread Shop, a small bakery near the river, where the women serve dressed in period costume.

Glasgow
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, and is located a little less than 50 miles from Edinburgh. Springing back to renewed life forty years ago, it is a dynamic, thriving metropolis with superbly preserved 19th century architecture. Glasgow is filled with designer shops, restaurants, and museums, and is known for its beauty and dynamism.

Borders Region
If you head south from Edinburgh, you’ll find the lovely Tweed Valley – rolling hills, forests, castles, ruined abbeys and sheltered towns of the Borders that have a romance and beauty of their own. This is excellent cycling and walking country. Although parts, especially to the west, are wild and empty, the fertile valley of the River Tweed has been a wealthy region for 1000 years. The population was largely concentrated in a small number of burghs (towns, from ‘burh,’ meaning a defensive ring of forts), which also supported large and wealthy monastic communities. These provided an irresistible magnet during the border wars, and they were destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. The monasteries met their final fiery end in the mid-16th century, burnt by the English yet again, but this time English fire combined with the Scottish Reformation and they were never again rebuilt. The towns thrived once peace arrived and the traditional weavers provided the foundation for a major textile industry, which still survives.

Arts and Entertainment:

Scottish Chamber Orchestra
(Dance, Music and Theatre)
Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EA
0131 228 1155
Usher Hall
Admission charged

Playhouse Theatre
0131/557-2590
Edinburgh’s largest theater, the 3,100-seat Playhouse Theatre, 18-22 Greenside Place Bus: 7, 14, was built in 1929.

Queen’s Hall
0131/668-2019
The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street (0131/668-2019; Bus: 3, 33, 31), is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a major venue for the Edinburgh Festival…

King’s Theatre
2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ
Tel: 0131 529 6000
Fax: 0131 662 1199
Bus: 10, 11), presents a wide repertoire of classical entertainment.
more info

Edinburgh Folk Club
077-8896-0732
In addition to pubs that sometimes feature folk music, the Edinburgh Folk Club offers Wednesday performances at changing venues from September to June.

Festival Theatre
0131/662-1112 for administration
Opened in 1994 on the eastern edge of Edinburgh, near the old campus of the university, the Festival Theatre, 13-29 Nicolson St. (0131/662-1112)

Queen’s Hall
Clerk Street
Edinburgh, EH8 9JG
Tel: 0131 668 2019
Fax: 0131 668 2656

Open Eye Gallery
5-79 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6RD
Tel: 0131 557 1020
Fax: 0131 557 1020
more info

The Dean Gallery
Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
0131 624 6200

Motherwell Theatre
Civic Centre
Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TW
Tel: 01698 267515
Fax: 01698 268806

Royal Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AX
Tel: 0131 248 4848
Fax: 0131 228 3955
The highly respected resident company of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street Bus: 11, 15

Nightlife:

Abbotsford
3 Rose St., New Town
0131/225-1894
Bus: 3, 31, 33
An ever-changing selection of five real ales, bar lunches, and Victorian atmosphere.

Bow Bar
0131/226-7667
Near Edinburgh Castle
80 West Bow
Bus: 2, 12

Cask And Barrel
115 Broughton St., New Town
0131/556-3132
Is a busy pub in which to sample hand-pulled ales at the horseshoe bar, reflected in a collection of brewery mirrors.

Cloisters
26 Brougham St.
Tollcross, West End
0131/221-9997
Is a West End pub specializing in real ales, malt whiskies, and good food, all at reasonable prices.

Café Royal Circle Bar
0131/556-1884
17 W. Register St.
Bus: 3, 31, 33
Edinburgh’s most famous pub.

Carlton Highland Hotel
0131/556-7277
Bus: 3, 31, 33
Some hotels regularly feature traditional Scottish music. You can check with the Carlton Highland Hotel on North Bridge

Family Fun Attractions

Museum of Childhood:
0131/529-4142
42 High St.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; during the Edinburgh Festival, also Sun 2-5pm
Free Admission
The world’s first museum devoted solely to the history of childhood is located just opposite the John Knox House. Contents of its four floors range from antique toys to games to exhibits on health, education, and costumes, plus video presentations and a small activity area. Because of the youthful crowd it naturally attracts, on weekends and school holidays it can be “the noisiest museum in town.”

Edinburgh Zoo:
134 Corstorphine Rd.
0131/334-9171
Apr-Sept daily 9am-6pm; Oct and Mar Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm, Sun 9:30am-5; Nov-Feb Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm Bus: 2, 26, 69, 85, or 86
Admission charged.
April to September, a penguin parade is held daily at 2pm.
This zoo is Scotland’s largest animal collection, 10 minutes from Edinburgh’s city center on 80 acres of hillside parkland offering unrivaled views from the Pentlands to the Firth of Forth. It contains more than 1,500 animals, including many endangered species: snow leopards, white rhinos, pygmy hippos, and many more. The zoo boasts the largest penguin colony in Europe, with four species, plus the world’s largest penguin enclosure.

Edinburgh Castle:
Castlehill, at the western end of the Royal Mile
0131/225-9846
Apr-Sept daily 9:30am-5:15pm; Oct-Mar daily 9:30am-4:15pm
Admission charged
No place in Scotland is filled with as much history, legend, and lore as Edinburgh Castle, one of the highlights of a visit to Scotland. It is believed the ancient city grew up on the seat of a dead volcano, Castle Rock. In the 11th century Malcolm III (Canmore) and his Saxon queen, later venerated as St. Margaret, founded a castle on this spot. The only fragment left of their castle-in fact, the oldest structure in Edinburgh-is St. Margaret’s Chapel, built in the Norman style, the oblong structure dating principally from the 12th century. Children will enjoy the climb and the adventure of exploring the site. They will also like seeing the cannon. Among the batteries of cannons that protected the castle is Mons Meg, a 15th-century cannon weighing more than 5 tons.

Events & Entertainment

January

*New Year’s celebration starting New Year’s Eve for 3 days

Edinburgh Hogmanay*

Hogmanay, the Scottish celebration of the New Year, is marked with concerts, street parties and a massive bonfire on Calton Hill. It features street theater; lively processions, illuminated by firebrands; and the burning of a long boat. By 1997, the crush to attend Europe’s largest winter festival forced the city to limit numbers, the consequence being that access to the city center after 8pm on New Year’s Eve is by ticket only. For details, call 0131/473-3800.

*January 25

Burns Night*

The celebration of the birthday of Scotland’s national poet on January 25 traditional supper of haggis, neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes), accompanied by a wee dram of whisky, while listening to recitals from the works of Scotland’s Bard, Robert “Rabbie” Burns, whose birthday is being celebrated. Burns suppers are held in hotels and restaurants all over the city.

*April

Edinburgh Science Fair*

Lectures and events covering all branches of science and technology, held in over 40 centers city-wide.

*May

Museum Week*

Annual events to publicize Edinburgh museums, with a series of art workshops, guided walks and exhibitions.

Scottish International Children’s Festival

the largest festival of the performing arts in the United Kingdom for children and young people. Public performances Friday – Sunday. Telephone 0131 225 8050

Come to Britain’s Biggest Performing Arts Festival for Children and enjoy:

A unique live theatre experience!

Cultural Diversity

Performances from the best theatre companies from Germany, Denmark, England and Scotland

Dance Workshops And Story Sessions

*June

Royal Highland Show*

Includes a huge variety of events, such as pedigree livestock judging; show jumping; and agricultural displays over a period of five days.

*August

Edinburgh International Festival*

The Hub, Castle Hill, Edinburgh EH1 7ND

0131/473-2000

open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm.

The highlight of Edinburgh’s year comes in the last weeks of August during the various festivals. Since its inception in 1947, I The International Festival has grown into one of the world’s largest and most important arts festivals. The festival has attracted artists and companies of the highest international standard in all fields of the arts, including music, opera, dance, theater, poetry, and prose.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

180 High St.

Edinburgh EH1 1BW

0131/226-5257

This festival began unofficially at the same time as the Edinburgh International Festival and grew in tandem to become the largest such event in the world. Over 500 amateur and professional groups present every possible kind of avant-garde performance in venues all around the city.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Tickets and mail-order bookings are available from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Tattoo Office, 32 Market St., Edinburgh EH1 1QB 0131/225-1188

takes place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. The show is an extravaganza of daredevil displays, regimental drill, and swirling bagpipes and ends with a single piper playing a lament on the battlefields. The Tattoo features the precision marching of not only the British Army’s Scottish regiments but also performers from some 30 countries, including bands, dancers, drill teams, gymnasts, and motorcyclists, even horses, camels, elephants, and police dogs. The music ranges from ethnic to pop and from military to jazz.

Edinburgh International Film Festival

88 Lothian Rd., Edinburgh EH3 9BZ

0131/228-4051.

This is the world’s longest running film festival. It features both mainstream and independent new releases, with interviews, discussions, and debate. It occurs at the same time as the Military Tattoo.

Jazz and Blues Festival Also at the same time as the Military Tattoo. This festival runs the gamut of jazz forms.

Edinburgh Book Festival

Scottish Book Centre

137 Dundee St.

Edinburgh EH11 1BG

0131/228-5444

occurs annually. The festival occupies a tented village in Charlotte Square and attracts a wide spectrum of visitors.

*September

Fireworks Concert*

A fantastic fireworks display against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, accompanied by classical music.

Open Doors Day

Cockburn Association

Trunk’s Close

55 High Street EH1 15R

0121 557 8686

Some of the finest private homes in Edinburgh are opened to the public on one day of the year, in September.

*Late November

Edinburgh’s Capital Christmas*

One of Europe’s finest Christmas festivals with a month-long programme bringing warmth and festive cheer to Edinburgh as the city transforms itself into a magical winter wonderland with lots of activity centred around the world-renowned Princes Street Gardens.

*December 31-January 1

Highland Gathering*

An annual indoor music extravaganza catering for 25,000 people, this unprecedented event is designed to compliment the City’s traditional Hogmanay happenings, the Winter Festival, and the existing yearly New Year’s Eve celebrations.

*Arts and Entertainment

Scottish Chamber Orchestra*

Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EA

0131 228 1155

Usher Hall.

Playhouse Theatre

0131/557-2590

18-22 Greenside Place Bus: 7, 14

Edinburgh’s largest theater, the 3,100-seat Playhouse Theatre, was built in 1929.

Queen’s Hall

0131/668-2019

The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street (0131/668-2019; Bus: 3, 33, 31), is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a major venue for the Edinburgh Festival.

King’s Theatre

2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ

Tel: 0131 529 6000

Bus: 10, 11

presents a wide repertoire of classical entertainment.

Edinburgh Folk Club

077-8896-0732

In addition to pubs that sometimes feature folk music, the Edinburgh Folk Club offers Wednesday performances at changing venues from September to June.

Festival Theatre

13-29 Nicolson St.

0131/662-1112 for administration

Opened in 1994 on the eastern edge of Edinburgh, near the old campus of the university,

Motherwell Theatre

Civic Centre

Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1TW

Tel: 01698 267515

Fax: 01698 268806

Royal Lyceum Theatre

Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AX

Grindlay Street Bus: 11, 15

Tel: 0131 248 4848

A highly respected resident company.

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