Eclectic Edinburgh!

Scotland’s historical and cultural capital is a must see in Great Britain! It is the perfect place to experience and discover the Scottish culture and its welcoming people. Passionately valuing the history of the Scottish people, Edinburgh is also a vibrant and dynamic city that will charm anyone!

From its impressive towering castle now home to the Scottish Parliament and the National War Museum, you can stroll down the Royal Mile, the oldest street in Edinburgh connecting the castle to the Palace of Holyrood House, up to the busy town centre.

Shopaholics will to spend afternoons in the lovely shops and luxury boutiques lining on Princes Street and its surrounding area. Almost everyday, you can hear the traditional tunes of typical bagpipes players drifting across the town centre. The beautiful, impressive historical houses lined up you will see across Princes Street and its Gardens will give you an authentic feel of Scotland and take you right back to the late medieval times. If you walk up to Regents Park, chill out and enjoy the astonishing panoramic views from Calton Hill, a major vantage point included in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites that has been inspiring visitors and artists for centuries.

Art lovers will be charmed by the master paintings of the Scottish National Gallery, home to the largest part of the country’s best collection of fine art. To learn more about the Scottish history but also world cultures and art, try the National Museum Scotland, right next to the prestigious University of Edinburgh, and the various exhibitions it organises.

If you feel like escaping from the busy and bustling streets of the centre, then Holyrood Park is the cure! Just a few minutes walk from the Old Town, this dramatic open space in central Edinburgh will provide you with all the peace and quiet you could possibly ask for. The path leading to the top of Arthur’s seat, the highest point of the park, may be a little bit steep but will undoubtedly prove to be worth the climb! Looming over Scotland’s capital city, the peak will give you an unobstructed and incomparable view of both the city and the North Sea that will surely take your breath away. Feeling more like taking a walk along the shore? No problem! Take a Lothian bus to Portobello and enjoy the charms of the Nordic beach and seashore.

Don’t worry, the city will also satisfy all your nightlife needs! A stay in Edinburgh is not proper until you have gone to one of the numerous bars and traditional pubs and enjoyed a pint of a locally brewed beer or cider. To find one of these marvellous places where the Edinburgh magic happens at dusk, my recommendation would be Grassmarket, a historical market place where you can relax and bask in a friendly atmosphere. This street indeed hosts most of the best pubs of the city and is adjacent to Cowgate, where you will find several nightclubs that are very popular among students. Before the twelfth stroke of midnight, try to be at the Frankenstein Pub on George IV Bridge, where a mystery guest will steal the show! The New Town area and especially the upmarket George Square is filled with chic restaurants, bars and nightclubs housed in spectacular building boasting beautiful Georgian architecture.

Not so much of a party maniac? I would advise you to try out the Golf Tavern, just off Leven Street, and take part in their weekly Wednesday quiz night! As for Harry Potter’s fans, have a cup of tea in the Elephant House, the very coffee shop where J. K. Rowling first penned her famous bestseller. The back window of this place offers an amazing view of Edinburgh castle, surely a source of inspiration for the special atmosphere conveyed by the books.

Now to experience the true Scottish way of life, don’t forget to try the iconic national dish locals are so fond and proud of – haggis. This savory pudding is usually served as part of the “Full Scottish Breakfast” or the traditional Burns Night supper, a national celebration in Scotland. Try it and love it, just like Edinburgh!

Margaux