Edinburgh City Guide
| A Guide to the Districts of Edinburgh Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is located in the south east of Scotland on the south of the Firth of Forth estuary. It is the second largest Scottish city after Glasgow with a population of around 500,000 and is home to the Scottish Parliament. The city has some extraordinary Medieval and Georgian architecture found in a juxtaposed New Town and Old Town, which are UNESCO world heritage protected. At the heart of the city is Edinburgh Castle which is built on an extinct volcano shaped during the last ice age. The world famous and atmospheric Royal Mile leads down from the Castle to the Royal Palace of Holyrood, which is visited for a fortnight every summer by the Queen. It is the second most visited city in the UK thanks to it's world famous Edinburgh and Fringe Festival held every August. Edinburgh was recently voted in a you Gov Poll as the "most desirable city to live in the UK". It is one of the UK's largest financial centres with several large employers such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS and consequently has some of the highest property prices in Scotland. Edinburgh is undoubtedly one of the most attractive, historic and interesting cities in the world and has for centuries been prolifically punching far beyond it's weight in producing entertainers, authors, inventors and scientists of great stature. Whether that be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry Raeburn, Alexander Graham Bell or more recently, Ian Rankin or J.K. Rowling the city continues to cultivate, inspire, stimulate and motivate it's citizens to achieve true greatness. Visit and you'll see why.
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 Victoria Street, The Grassmarket, Edinburgh For more detailed information, please choose a district of Edinburgh below:- Abbeyhill Morningside What to do in EdinburghBy Amanda Farquhar-Scott The city of Edinburgh is a fantastic place to live and work; from the aesthetic delights of its architecture to countryside just on its doorstep; from its vibrant nightlife to its cosmopolitan artistic culture, where for several months a year the city hosts the largest arts extravaganza in the world - The Edinburgh Festival and Fringe Festival. The city has everything you might want to do in your leisure time and is very easy to get around, making it a star amongst Scotland's cities. A wander through the architectural heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site will take you on a winding historical journey via an eclectic mix of architectures, from the medieval Old Town, through the Georgian New Town and onwards towards award winning modern architecture. Why not climb the volcanic plug Arthur's Seat for a view of the dramatic new Scottish Parliament building and over to Fife; or take your bike down one of the cycle paths along the Union Canal or Water of Leith for a coffee at the Shore; or a walk at low-tide out to Crammond Island in the Firth of Forth, or take a promenade along Portobello Beach? Further afield, you can climb the Pentland Hills at Balerno, or take the ferry under the famous Forth Road Bridge and out to Inchcolm Island with its medieval abbey, puffins and seals. Or, if suitably experienced, hire a canoe and paddle yourself out into the Forth for a truly bracing view of the bridges. To feel at home in Edinburgh, take a Sunday stroll around the world famous Royal Botanical Gardens at Inverleith, or visit the stunning National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street which showcases tens of thousands of Scotland's most precious artefacts or visit the Galleries of Modern Art, where you can explore sculpture works by Hepworth, Paolozzi, Hamilton Findlay and Moore. The Gallery of Modern Art has a striking 'landform' sculpture to the front of the building by celebrated artist Charles Jencks. For a fantastic education in zoology and ecology visit Edinburgh Zoo at Corstorphine, one of the leading zoos for animal conservation and science in the world. Children and adults alike will love the daily 'Penguins Parade' and animal handling classes which not only entertain, but educate in an exciting and fun way for the whole family. No visit would be complete without a visit to Edinburgh Castle with it's fascinating, if not sobering, military museums. Scotland's Crown Jewels are displayed here which are well worth a look. Make sure you check out the views from the ramparts to truly see the city at it's best. Just before 1pm, however, make sure you put your hands over your ears - it'll make you jump (you'll know what I mean when you hear it!). In the evenings visit the Traverse Theatre for ground-breaking drama or take a walk up to The Filmhouse on Lothian Road and join the thousands of people who adore this celebrated home of art -house film, or if music is your thing you can hang out in the Jazz Bar in Chambers Street and listen to mellow blues or heart rendering jazz. If your taste is more traditional then visit a bar in the Old Town to join a few fiddlers and bodran player for "the craick". If you are into gigs then check out the music shop Ripping Records on Clerk Street for the latest tickets and information. And as for night-clubs, the city is your oyster! Whatever is to your taste - Edinburgh - The Cultural Capital of Scotland will have it. Get involved - it's all out there!
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