Out & About in Edinburgh

The historic city of Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is home to more than 470,000 people. With a settlement history stretching back into the Bronze and Iron Ages, Edinburgh has a rich heritage that includes the city's early foundation as an English fortress by Edwin of Northumbria. Over the years, Edinburgh has experienced years of sovereignty wars between England and Scotland, the most notable of which include occupations by Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth Army and Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. Renowned for its beautiful Georgian period architecture, Edinburgh is one of the finest cities in Britain.

Amongst the many notable buildings in the city, the University of Edinburgh offers an imposing architectural feast for visitors to the city and the 25,000 or so students who grace its prestigious campuses. Indeed, Edinburgh itself has been a thriving intellectual nerve centre of Britain for hundreds of years and will no doubt continue to be so in future years.

Edinburgh is the wealthiest British city outside of London in terms of per capita earnings (more than =A328,000 per year average) and has a very strong collective economy. The Bank of Scotland Headquarters is located in the city and is a great visual symbol of the bank's monetary prosperity. Edinburgh also has very low unemployment compared with the Scottish national average.

The Scottish Parliament, City Chambers, Edinburgh Park, Tynecastle Stadium and Easter Road Stadium are other notable buildings in the city.

Shopping

As a capital city, Edinburgh quite literally offers the ultimate shopping experience. Princes Street is the city's main stretch of department stores, which include Marks & Spencers, Debenhams, Frasers, BHS and Jenners to name but a few! A more upmarket and chic retail experience can be had on George Street, which is awash with fashionable boutiques and designer clothes outlets.

Deep pockets will be found on St. Andrew's Square, which hosts the kind of stores that must be visited in best dress - Armani, Mulberry and Louis Vuitton amongst others. More shallow pockets are best directed to any one of the many shopping centres in the capital, such as the Prince's Mall or St. James Shopping Centre.

Food and Drink

As to be expected, Edinburgh has no shortage of fine restaurants, bars, cafés, pubs and nightclubs. The menu on offer at The Witchery is simply exquisite and includes dishes such as Roast Gressingham Duck, Prune and Kale Tart, or grilled Scottish lobster, herb butter and chips, followed by warm bitter chocolate tart and verbena ice cream. Delicious! The Witchery is set in jaw-dropping Baroque surroundings and includes a 'Secret Garden'.

The Rhubarb Restaurant is generally regarded as the most exquisite and opulent in Edinburgh, which is a truly impressive accolade. The seared Skye scallops, horseradish pomme puree and mustard oil dish is a treat to savour. Equally, The Tower represents a more trendy, modern environment in which to dine. As with The Witchery and The Rhubarb, The Tower is a restaurant that makes 'exquisite' its middle name.

The many bars and pubs in Edinburgh will spoil visitors to the city and makes it a fairly impossible task to list the very best. Nevertheless, especially popular locations include the Cloisters pub, Cumberland Bar and Brass Monkey, all of which are suitable for pockets of varying depths!

Arts and Entertainment

Edinburgh is synonymous with the Arts, largely due to its impressive cultural heritage. Indeed, events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and the annual Hogmanay celebrations are must-see attractions for anyone visiting the Scottish capital.

Moreover, Edinburgh has a rich selection of museums and arts galleries, including the Royal Museum on Chambers Street, whose exhibits include the infamous Dolly the Sheep (stuffed), the Millenium Clock and a suspended whale skeleton. The adjacent Museum of Scotland displays a variety of collections, including a replica of Mary Queen of Scot's tomb.

Edinburgh has a huge theatre and orchestra scene, with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, King's Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Playhouse, Usher Hall and the Queen's Hall playing host to exceptional large scale productions and musical performances.

Hotel and Travel

The Scotsman is a five star boutique hotel located within Edinburgh's walls and is, quite frankly, accommodation for the elite. Amongst the many superbly furnished en suite rooms and the hotel's renowned restaurant, there is a state-of-the-art gymnasium. There are myriad other five star hotels in Edinburgh, including The Glasshouse and The Howard.

Edinburgh Airport is the busiest of its kind in Scotland and caters to approximately 9 million passengers each year, with flights operating to destinations across the world. Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station is another key mode of transport in the city, serving more than 16 million passengers annually on 18 platforms. Edinburgh is roughly 8 hours from London by car and half that distance from Manchester and Liverpool.