Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, is one of the world’s greatest cities. It offers a perfect blend of modern and ancient with a forward looking city at the edge of art and culture but steeped in history and romance.

Called the “Athens of the North”, part of what gives Edinburgh edge over the rest of the UK is the almost legendary architecture, the pinnacle of which is the Edinburgh castle, a magnificent royal fortress that looks down over the city. The castle has been used for over 1000 years and is still in fantastic condition. To get the most out of a visit take an audio tour with headsets costing about 3GBP per set.

Edinburgh has a reputation as one of the most haunted city in the UK rivaling London, there are many tours by both day and night, although night tours are not recommended for children. The best tours will visit Greyfriars, where the Convenanters prison is home of the Black Mausoleum and a visit to the haunted vaults under the South Bridge can be a little scary especially if the lights go out!

Other great spots to visit are:

The Scott monument built to commemorate Sir Walter Scott. This gothic spires towers 200 feet into the air giving fantastic views of the city.
The Royal Yacht Britannia a home on the seas to The Queen and Royal Family of Great Britain and the commonwealth.
The Royal Botanic Gardens is a beautiful and impressive collection of gardens with free entry to the gardens and a perfect way to spend a sunny day.
The National Gallery of Scotland houses a world class collection of artwork and seasonal exhibitions.
The Museum of Scotland holds the millennium clock and a fine range of Roman and renaissance artifacts.
Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano, offers breath taking views.

The most popular festivals also give Edinburgh edge with the top three definitely being the New Year’s celebration of Hogmanay, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (1st to the 23rd August 2008) and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (3rd to 25th August 2008), the largest arts festival in the world. It is a must to book your hotel well in advance during these periods as the city can be overflowing.

May to September offer the most clement weather but Scottish weather is extremely changeable and any time of year is likely to bring a mix of rain and sunshine.

Edinburgh has an international airport 10 miles outside of the city, with connections to North America and Europe including Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Paris. The main railway stations are Waverley and Haymarket and have links throughout Scotland, Eastern England and London. Edinburgh has good road links but the city itself can be difficult to drive around so once you arrive it is best to leave your car at your hotel. The city has two bus companies that offer reasonable fairs as well as open top sight seeing buses so transport inside the city is never a problem.

The Edinburgh edge comes from its blend of old and new, with some of the best nightlife in the whole of the UK and a range of restaurants offering international and domestic fare that will keep you spoilt for choice all set amongst some of the most enigmatic and emotive historical sites, in the world. This essential travel destination is the highlight of a visit to the UK.