Edinburgh'''Edinburgh''' is in the Central Belt of Scotland|Central Belt of Scotland and is the capital city of Scotland. It has a population of approximately 450,000 people. ==Understand== Image:Edinburgh_Church_on_Royal_mile.jpg|thumb|The Hub on the Royal Mile, the former Tollbooth Kirk is the headquarters of the Edinburgh International Festival Edinburgh in the summer becomes "festival city" when no fewer than five major arts festivals are hosted in the city. These are: *The '''[http://www.edfringe.com/ Edinburgh Fringe Festival]''' - The largest arts festival in the world *The '''[http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/ Edinburgh International Film Festival]''' *The '''[http://www.eif.co.uk/ Edinburgh International Festival]''' *The '''[http://www.tonthefringe.com/ T on the Fringe Festival]''' - A music festival which has in the past hosted some large acts runs alongside The Fringe. *The '''[http://212.250.105.238/ Edinburgh International Television Festival]''' Edinburgh in the summer is also kept busy with the '''[http://www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk/ Edinburgh Tattoo]'''. An important thing to decide when planning a trip is whether you want to go at festival time, from early August to mid-September. Hotels are noticeably more expensive then, and you need to book well (at least six months) in advance. There is a ''huge'' range of performing artists in the Festival. Edinburgh in the winter Festive Season is also huge: whole sections of central Edinburgh are roped off and accessible only by ticket for the New Years' Celebrations known as [http://www.edinburghshogmanay.org/ Hogmanay]. Unfortunately with Edinburgh you cannot rely on the weather. Although there can be days of sunshine and calm air much of the time you should expect rain. Thankfully Edinburgh has a lot of attractions that are indoors and will not be spoilt by the weather. ==Get in== ===By Air=== The nearest airport to Edinburgh is '''Edinburgh International Airport''' (EDI) [http://www.baa.com/main/airports/edinburgh/], situated some 10 miles west of the city. Also commonly known as "Turnhouse", Edinburgh Airport offers a wide range of domestic and international flights to Europe and North America. The following airlines operate from Edinburgh: For domestic flights * [http://www.british-airways.co.uk British Airways] operate to Birmingham, Bristol, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Southampton * [http://www.flybmi.com bmi] operate to Leeds-Bradford, London Heathrow, Manchester, Norwich and Stornoway * [http://www.easyjet.com Easyjet] operate to Belfast International Bristol, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted and Nottingham * [http://www.flybe.com flybe] operate to Belfast International, Birmingham, Exeter and Southampton * [http://www.loganair.com Loganair] operate under a franchise agreement with British Airways, with flights to the Scottish islands, and Derry in Northern Ireland. Flights can be booked through the main [http://www.british-airways.co.uk BA website] For international flights * [http://www.airfrance.co.uk/ Air France] operate a service to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport * [http://www.air-scotland.com Air Scotland] (actually Greek owned) fly to Alicante and Malaga * [http://www.aerlingus.com Aer Lingus] operate a twice daily service to Dublin * [http://www.british-airways.co.uk British Airways] operate a daily service to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport * [http://www.continental.com/uk Continental Airlines] fly a daily service to Newark International Airport, outside New York * [http://www.czechairlines.co.uk/ CSA Czech Airways] operate twice daily to Prague * [http://www.flybmi.com bmi] fly to Brussels and Copenhagen * [http://www.flyglobespan.com Globespan] are a budget airline based in Scotland, and fly to the main Spanish airports, Paris and Rome * [http://www.lufthansa.co.uk Luthansa] operate a service to Frankfurt * [http://www.klm.co.uk KLM] operate a thrice daily service to Amsterdam A dedicated bus service runs from outside the terminal building to Edinburgh City Centre, every 15 minutes, fares start at £3 for a single, £5 for an open return. See [http://www.flybybus.com/ Flybybus.com] for more details. Glasgow#Get in|Glasgow International Airport, is 55 miles west of Edinburgh and offers more long haul flight options with flights to Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto,Vancouver and Dubai. Connections to the airport from Edinburgh on public transport are non-existent however, meaning you would have to take a train to Glasgow and then transfer by the airport bus. ===By train=== The main railway station in Edinburgh is called '''[http://www.networkrailstations.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=stations.liststation&stationId=5199 Waverley Railway Station]''' and is an attraction in itself. First opened in 1846, Waverley Station was rebuilt 1892-1902. It lies between the old town and modern Edinburgh, adjacent to Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Princes Street Gardens, where it serves over 14 million people per annum. Despite various refurbishments, the past still survives in the station's elaborate, domed ceiling where wreathed cherubs leap amid a wealth of scrolled ironwork. There is a second railway station in the centre of Edinburgh, Haymarket, which is around a mile to the west of Waverley. Both Waverley and Haymarket stations had ticket barriers installed in 2004 so you will need a valid ticket. Edinburgh Park is a new train station opened in 2004, it is some miles from the city centre and mainly serves business parks. ===By car=== Edinburgh is at the junction of the M8 (East-West motorway), M9 (from Edinburgh North) and the A1 (from England and London). The city is famed for stationary traffic, and since privatising the traffic wardens, their dedication to ticketing anything that is not moving has become legendary. Finding available parking can be difficult, although there are several multi-storey car parks in the city centre (Castle Terrace for the West End and try St James Centre at the East End (access from York Place). ===By bus=== The city is served by the major inter-city bus companies from around Scotland and England. ===By boat=== Car and passenger ferries from continental Europe dock at Rosyth (about 10 miles from the city centre across the Forth Bridges), and Passenger liners are a common sight in summer at Leith Docks (north Edinburgh). ==Get around== There are two bus companies, Lothian and First. They share the same bus stops, but the route numbers are not interchangeable, and neither are the tickets. Day passes are cheaper if you wait until 0930. There are also at least two companies that operate sightseeing buses. Both have a policy that a sightseeing ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can get around central Edinburgh using the sightseeing buses. ==See== Image:Edinburgh_cannons_at_the_castle.jpg|thumb|Cannons on the northern defenses of Edinburgh Castle *the '''Royal Yacht Britannia''' [http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk] - runner-up Best UK Attraction in 2004 *'''Edinburgh Castle''' [http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/edinburghcastle] - tel 0131 225 9846. Edinburgh Castle, home to the Edinburgh Tattoo, is a magnificently situated royal fortress located on one of the highest points in the city. The castle has been continuously in use for 1000 years and is in excellent condition. The audio tour, which costs £3 per headset, is extremely detailed and worth hiring, providing both location based and chronologically based commentary on the castle. The castle opens at 9:30am and closes at 6:00pm April to October and 5:00pm during the rest of the year. Admission is £9.50 adults, £7 concessions and £2 children. *the '''Palace of Holyroodhouse''' [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page559.asp] - tel 0131 556 5100. fax 020 7930 9625. email bookinginfo@royalcollection.org.uk. The Palace is a royal residence, and hosts the Queen's Gallery containing a collection of art from the Royal Collection. The Palace is best known as the home of Mary Queen of Scots and as the site of the murder of Mary's secretary Rizzio by her husband Lord Darnley. The Palace opens at 9:30am and closes at 6:00pm April to October and 4:30pm during the rest of the year. Palace admission is £8 adults, £6.50 concessions, and £4.00 children. Separate admission to the gallery is £5 adults, £4 concession and £3 children. Joint admission to the gallery and the palace is £11 adults, £9 concessions and £5.50 children. *'''Museum of Scotland''' [http://www.nms.ac.uk/scotland/] and '''Royal Museum''' [http://www.nms.ac.uk/royal/], Chambers Street, tel 0131 247 4422. fax 0131 220 4819. typetalk 18001 0131 247 4422. email info@nms.ac.uk. The museum mixes innovative modern architecture with the best of Scotland's heritage. Exhibits include Scottish pottery and weapons from the Roman era and the Renaissance. Opening hours are 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday with extended opening to 8pm on Tuesdays; and 12pm - 5pm Sundays. Admission is free. *the '''Scott Monument''' - built in 1846 to commemorate the life of Sir Walter Scott after his death in 1832, the Gothic spire monument allows you to climb 200 ft above the city centre to enjoy fantastic views and get a closer look at sculpted statuettes of characters from Scott's works. Open April - September Mo-Sa 9-6, Su 10-6; October - March Mo-Sa 9-3, Su 10-3. East Princes Street Gardens, Tel: 0131 529 4068. Admission £2.50. *the '''National Gallery of Scotland''' [http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/] holds much of Scotlands fine artwork and carries exhibitions that change seasonally. The new Western Link was opened in 2004 with an entrance from Prices Street Gardens. It joins The National Gallery with the neighbouring Scottish Academy gallery and gives Scotland it's first world class art space. The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL, tel. +44 (0)131 624 6200 *the '''Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art''' [http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=4-a] contains a fine selection of modern art from Scotland and other countries. Belford Road, off the northwestern fringe of New Town. *'''St Giles' Cathedral''' [http://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk/], Royal Mile *'''Mary King's Close''' [http://www.realmarykingsclose.com/], Warriston's Close (opposite St Giles' Cathedral), open daily except Christmas Day - a slice of Edinburgh's medieval history, preserved since being closed over in the 18th century - watch out for the haunting.... *'''Greyfriars Kirkyard''' is a very old graveyard in Old Town off the Southwest corner of George IV Bridge. It contains some impressive, ancient gravemarkers and fantastic views of the surrounding Old Town. *'''Old Calton Burial Ground''' just east of Princes Street and Southwest of Calton Hill in New Town contains a range of graves, memorials, and funerary ornaments. Notable memorials include those dedicated to the philosopher David Hume and the Scots who died in the American Civil War * Visit '''Edinburgh Zoo''' [http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/], entry £8.50 Adults, £5.50 children * The '''Scottish Parliament''', on the Eastern end of the Royal Mile, opposite the Palace of Holyrood House. A unique building with a staggering £ 400 million + price tag which is ten to twenty times the original estimate! Very controversial among Scots, who consider it either a daring showpiece of postmodern architecture or a national embarrassment. *Admire the panoramic views from '''Northbridge'''. ==Do== * Climb up to '''Arthur's Seat''' [http://www.scottishsport.co.uk/walking/arthurseat.htm], an extinct volcano. Wonderful view. * Climb Calton Hill in the morning or evening hours to experience a great sunrise/sunset over Edinburgh. * Walk along the '''Water of Leith''', a small stream that meanders through Edinburgh, providing a peaceful haven from the busy city. * If you like country dancing, go to a '''ceilidh''' at the Caledonian brewery [http://www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk/events/ceilidhs.htm]. Tickets £3-£6. * Walk around '''Holyrood Park''' which is just East of Old Town. Created by King James the VI in the 16th century, it is like a Scottish landscape in miniature, containing '''Arthur's Seat''', three lochs, and the stunning '''Salisbury Crags'''. * Walk through Princes Street Gardens, a small, beautiful park that lies in the small valley between Castle Hill and Princes Street. * Walk down the '''Royal Mile''' from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The Royal Mile is the backbone of the sixteenth century Old Town and most of the buildings date from this period. * Edinburgh has an excellent theatre and concert life. Europe's largest theatre, the 3000-seat Edinburgh Playhouse (top of Leith Walk) hosts major West End shows. The Festival Theatre frequently hosts opera and ballet, and the Usher Hall (Lothian Road) has weekly orchestral concerts all year round with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Queen's Hall (South Clark Street) is home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. * Follow a ghost walk around the back street surrounding The Royal Mile and learn about the sinister goings on of Edinburgh's past. ===Cinema=== * Go to the cinema. Edinburgh has a number of cinema's covering mainstream, foreign language and arthouse films. ** Cameo Cinema, Home Street (0131 228 4141) - Mainstream & alternative films ** Filmhouse, Lothian Road (0131 228 2688) - Arthouse & foreign language films ** Odean Cinema, Lothian Road (0870 50 50 007) ** Vue, Leith Street (08702 40 60 20) ==Learn== Edinburgh is host to a number of higher and further education organisations including: *'''[http://www.ed.ac.uk Edinburgh University]''' *'''[http://www.hw.ac.uk/ Heriot-Watt University]''' *'''[http://www.napier.ac.uk/ Napier University]''' *'''[http://www.qmuc.ac.uk Queen Margaret University College]''' ==Work== ==Buy== * '''Princes Street''', north of the castle, is the main shopping street in Edinburgh. It runs through the middle of the city from the train station to Lothian Road. It contains large chain stores such as HMV for music, Topshop and H&M for clothes, touristy shops, and department stores. There are lots of more upmarket shops and restaurants/bars on George Street and Cockburn Street in the Old Town has many small alternative shops selling novelty toys, underground clothing, body piercings and spiritual items. * The '''Royal Mile''', especially the higher end near the castle, has a lot of tourist-oriented shops selling Scottish souvenirs from postcards to whisky and kilts. * Try and take home a bottle of Scotland's finest export - a single malt whisky. ==Eat== Edinburgh is a great city for the food lover. There is a massive selection of eateries scattered throughout every part of the city. All tastes, prices and styles are catered for in the same way that you would expect from any other large European City. The are a large selection of takeaways, fine restaurants and pubs where food is served; also Edinburgh is joining the rest of the UK that is currently seeing a boom in the Cafe Culture. I think there are currently five Starbucks in the city. There is a selection of traditional (and not so traditional) Scottish foods that you should try. These include: *Scottish Salmon *Aberdeen Angus steak *Haggis *Fruit pudding *Deep-fried Mars bar (only the Scots could do this!!) As well as the centre of Edinburgh it is also worth checking out Leith and the West End when looking for a place to eat. Both of these places are out of the centre of the city but hold a large number of places to eat. A list of specific places that are recommended follows: * For good traditional Scottish '''[http://www.thewitchery.com The Witchery by the Castle]''', Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh (0131 225 5613) is highly recommended as is '''[http://www.oloroso.co.uk Oloroso]''' (0131 226 7614) - albeit a little pretentious, and '''[http://www.aroomin.co.uk/westend A Room in the West End]'''. * Edinburgh hosts a number of excellent Indian restaurants including '''[http://www.suruchirestaurant.co.uk Suruchi]''' (0131 556 6583), '''Namaste''' (0131 225 2000), '''[http://www.britanniaspice.co.uk Britannia Spice]''' (0131 555 2255), '''[http://www.cityspice.net City Spice]''' (0131 476 1593), '''The Bombay Bicycle Club''' (0131 229 3839) and '''[http://www.thefarpavilions.co.uk The Far Pavilions]''' (0131 332 3362). * Excellent French restaurants include '''Cafe Marlayne''' (0131 226 2230), '''[http://www.cafesthonore.com/ Cafe St Honore]''' (0131 226 2211), '''[http://www.eloc.demon.co.uk/ Le Sept]''' (0131 225 5428), and Petit Paris (0131 226 2442). * Vegetarians are catered for with '''[http://www.davidbann.co.uk David Bann's]''' vegetarian restaurant. 56-58 St Mary's Street (0131 556 5888), info@davidbann.co.uk. Imaginative and tasty vegetarian food, some courses are suitable for vegans. Main courses cost about £10. Also worth a mention is '''[http://www.blackbos.co.uk Black Bo's]''' (0131 557 6136) just off the Royal Mile. * Edinburgh also has a number of fine fish restaurants ones to try include: '''[http://www.fishersbistro.co.uk Fishers Bistro]''' (0131 554 5666), '''[http://www.mussel-inn.com The Mussel Inn]''' (0131 225 5979) and '''Maxi's''' (0131 343 3007). * Other personal favorites include '''[http://www.jacquesbistro.co.uk Jacques]''' (0131 229 6080), '''[http://www.maison-bleue.co.uk Maison Bleue]''' (0131 226 1900), '''[http://www.first-coast.co.uk First Coast]''' (0131 313 4404), '''[http://www.izzi-restaurant.co.uk Izzi]''' (0131 466 9888), '''Tijuana Yacht Club''' (0131 220 1208), '''[http://www.relishrestaurants.co.uk/ Relish]''' (0131 225 8770) for great burgers, and '''The Outsider''' (0131 226 3131). * Edinburgh's first Michelin-starred restaurant is '''[http://www.martin-wishart.co.uk/ Restaurant Martin Wishart]''', which is on The Shore at Leith. Highly recommended, but maybe not for every night of the week! ==Drink== The Scottish really like their drink and Edinburgh's pub and night life really reflect this. There are establishments to suit all tastes scattered throughout every pocket of the city. Be careful, some of the more ''local'' pubs can be a little rough around the edges, especially in the area of Leith. For a non-alcoholic beverage give Scotland's second national drink a try - IRN-BRU. It's a great cure for the hangover. As for Scotland's first drink, you will find '''The Whisky Museum''' at the top of The Royal Mile. This is the best place to go if you want to sample whisky, as they have a very large selection (200+?) at reasonable rates. Older whiskies tend to cost more. The atmosphere is less pub-like than some might like - it tends to be fairly quiet. The food is reasonably priced and fairly good. * The city has highest number of pubs/clubs per capita. * Lots of traditional pubs all around the city. * Many famous traditional pubs at Grassmarket St. These pubs are tourist traps, real Edinburghers keep clear. * Lots of modern clubs around Cowgate and Lothain road including '''Subway'' and '''Diva'''. * Yellow Card at The Tron (at Hunter Square) cost you only £1 but will gives you discount on almost every drink in the pub. The same card can be use with many other pubs around the country with a Yellow Card sign * '''[http://www.opallounge.co.uk/ The Opal Lounge'''] is one of Edinburgh's most trendy nightspots and is located on George Street amongst a feast of other pubs including '''The Candy Bar''', '''Tonic''', '''Fingers''', '''Bar38''' and '''All Bar One'''. * In the old town around George IV bridge you will find another selection of lounges including '''The Beluga Bar''', '''Frankensteins''' and '''Bar Khol'''. * Other night clubs around the city include '''Ego''', '''Faith''' and '''The Liquid Room'''. * '''[http://www.thebongoclub.co.uk The Bongo Club]''' (0131 558 7604) is also well worth a mention for travellers. Although a little further outside the city towards the new Scottish Parliament this is a great cafe style bar come live music venue. * '''Doctors''' and '''Sandy Bells''' in Old Town offer good ales and pub food in a relaxed atmosphere. ==Sleep== ===Expensive=== *'''[http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=EDNCHHI The Caledonian Hilton]''', Princess Street, tel. +44 (0)131 2228888. The Caledonian Hilton is a five star hotel situated within the building of the Old Caledonian Railway Station. This one hundred year old hotel is centrally located and holds fantastic views of the Edinburgh Castle on one side. Three restaurants are situated within the hotel as well as two separate bars. Prices vary from £125 for a basic double to £400 for a luxurious suite (and they are luxurious). ===Cheap=== *'''[http://www.edinburghfirst.com/ Edinburgh First at University]''' aka '''Pollock Halls''', 18 Holyrood Park Road, tel. 0800 028 7118, fax 0131 667 7271, overseas tel. +44 (0)131 651 2189. Open June 18th to September 24th. Accommodation on the campus of the University of Edinburgh, near to the Royal Commonwealth Pool and Arthur's Seat. About half-hour walk to city center. Very nice Scottish breakfast in campus cafeteria: stuff up in the morning and skip lunch. Completely nonsmoking. Single room £27-£46, most expensive in August (Edinburgh Festival time). ==Contact== *'''[http://www.jollyjudge.co.uk The Jolly Judge Pub]''', 7 James Court, Lawnmarket (Royal Mile, near the Castle). ph 0131 225 2669. Open daily, mid-afternoon until 11:30 (later on weekends). No computers, but free wireless connection for those with the right equipment and know-how (no support); may be too busy on Thursdays and weekends for extended web sessions. Drinks: yes, it's a pub. Food: don't think so, apart from crisps. Price: Free (but buy a pint!) *'''[http://www.theforest.org.uk The Forest]''', 3 Bristo Place. ph 0131 220 4538. Open daily. 2 computers and wireless connection for free. You probably have to wait for a while, but as it is a bar, you can enjoy a coffee while waiting. * '''Pyramid Imaging''', 6-8 Bread St. ph 0131 229 7010. 3 computers with Internet access. Access is 5p/minute. ==Stay safe== In general Edinburgh can be considered a safe destination for visitors but like all major cities there are problems and areas best avoided. When out and about: * Avoid looking like a rich target , don't flash wads of cash or wear massive amounts of jewelry. * Keep your eyes open , if the area is heavily vandalised and there are groups of young people hanging around , perhaps its not the best place to stop. * Try not to get too drunk - if you have had too much get a taxi home. When using a private car it vitally important to: * Keep the boot or trunk locked - in some areas thieves open the boot and snatch bags at the traffic lights. * Keep mobile phones, valuables out of sight - this goes double when you park the car. * Park in well lit places with no cover around the car - if there are bushes etc. thieves can work on the locks out of sight. * Its worth extending your insurance to cover all costs of window / windscreen replacement , it's not uncommon for thieves to just smash the glass to get in. * Oh and watch out for the pedestrians , the scots tend to just wander across the road as it suits them :-) When on public transport: *Buses and trains: Stay near the driver/conductor when getting on *Taxis: Use the licenced black cabs, rather than private taxis, even though they might be slightly more expensive When in public: * It is an offense to drink alcohol in public although this law is widely flouted. * Public nudity is frowned upon and is classed as lewd behavior, a criminal offense. Nude sunbathing on the few days of the year it isn't raining is therefore better carried out in private :-) * Sex in public places is likewise frowned upon , although it's not uncommon in some public parks at night or known "lovers lanes". * The age of both heterosexual and homosexual consent is 16. However, the homosexual age of consent is 18 where there is a "relationship of trust". Calton hill is a nice palace to wander about during the day with good views of the city but it is also a popular gay cruising spot at night. ==Cope== ==Get out== ==External links== *[http://www.edinburgh.org/ Edinburgh.org] - Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board website *[http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/ City of Edinburgh Council] - official website for the Edinburgh municipal authority *[http://www.edinburghguide.com/ EdinburghGuide.com] - Edinburgh directory and what's on. WikiPedia:Edinburgh First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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