Edinburgh

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Population

468,070

Postcode

EH

Area Code

0131

Coordinates

• Latitude: 55.950254
• Longitude: -3.187606

On Travellerspoint

• 14 Edinburgh Apartments
• 20 Edinburgh Guesthouses
• 28 Edinburgh Hostels
• 18 Edinburgh Hotels

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Introduction

Edinburgh Castle

© All Rights Reserved eTRAVEL

Edinburgh may be dubbed the Athens of the North, but in truth it is an exceptional and unique city.

While it's surpassed in size by Glasgow, Edinburgh is Scotland's most popular attraction as well as its capital. It is home to the Scottish Parliament and features a historic combination of Georgian and Medieval architectural styles. Not surprisingly, its Old Town and New Town have both been named as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Edinburgh's major drawcard each year is the world-famous Edinburgh Festival, which is held in August. This 4-week collection of festivals generally attracts as many visitors as there are permanent residents in the city.

For more information, also see the official Edinburgh Tourism website.

Neighbourhoods

Old Town

The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Holyrood Palace all reside in Old Town. The area is filled with budget hostels, pubs, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Other places of interest in Old Town include Greyfriar's Kirkyard, St Gile's Cathedral, Mary King's Close, and the Royal Museum of Scotland. The Edinburgh Vaults are also located in Old Town.

Old Town, along with neighboring New Town, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

New Town

The New Town, located just north of Princes Street Gardens, is home to many shops, banks, restaurants, and internet cafes. Along with vast amounts of commercialism, New Town has a great view of Edinburgh Castle. The Scott Monument is also located in this district, which gives incredible views of the city.

New Town, along with Old Town, was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Stockbridge and Canonmills

This neighborhood lies just north of New Town and contains the Royal Botanic Garden.

South Queensferry

South Queensferry rests at the foot of the Forth Rail Bridge on the banks of the Firth of Forth. There are many quaint restaurants along the shore as well as ferry docks that lead to numerous places around the Firth.

Sights and Activities

Edinburgh Castle Guns

© All Rights Reserved StephenJen

Edinburgh Castle is a must for anyone visiting Edinburgh City, sitting atop a massive rock overlooking all of Edinburgh and offering the best views of the city, particularly on a clear day. See the Scottish Crown Jewels when you are here. Save money on the already reasonable entrance fee by booking online.

Events and Festivals

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival takes place in August every year, and is the largest arts festival in the world.There are a number of varied performances from classic works, alternative arts and more mainstream fare. The festival takes place in a number of venues (over 250 in 2006) throughout Edinburgh, including a number of street performers on the "Royal Mile" in Edinburgh's old town.

Hogmanay

Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year. On December 31st Edinburgh holds one of the largest Hogmanay Festivals in the world. The city hosts an all night street party and features many popular bands.

Weather

Edinburgh has a typical maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. June to September is summer season with temperatures between 16 °C and 18 °C and nights around 11 °C. Winters are still above zero, even at night. The highest and lowest temperatures possible are 28 °C and -9 °C. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with autumn and winter being the wettest time and spring being the driest time. May is the driest and most sunny month of the year.

Getting There

By Plane

Edinburgh Airport (IATA: EDI, ICAO: EGPH) is about 13 kilometres from the city centre. Flights to Europe and Canada reach dozens of locations. Shuttle buses connect to the city every 10 minutes at peak times.
Lowcost airlines Ryanair has many flights, including to Alicante, Berlin, Bologna, Bordeaux, Bournemouth, Bratislava, Bremen, Brussels, Cagliari, Dublin, Gdansk, Girona, Frankfurt-Hahn, Haugesund, Krakow, Lanzarote, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Limoges, Málaga, Malta, Marseille, Palma de Mallorca, [[Pisa, Poznan, Oslo, Rome, Shannon, Stockholm, Tenerife-South, Weeze (near Düsseldorf), Wroclaw and Zadar.

By Train

National Express Trains from London (King's Cross) take five hours. There are links to Aberdeen, Inverness, Manchester, Newcastle and York.

By Car

By Bus

National Express and Mega Bus link cities in Scotland and England.

By Boat

From Belgium:
Norfolkline Ferries depart from Zeebrugge for Rosyth, which is about 30 minutes drive to Edinburgh. Ferry sailing time is approximately 18 hours and the fares start at around €170 for a return ticket in high season. A car costs about €240.

Getting Around

By Car

Taxis are fairly expensive. The minimum charge is £1.50 (£2.50 at night) for the first 300 metres or so.

By Public Transport

Many local trains depart from Waverley Station and run to the outer edges of the city, such as South Queensferry. There is also a two bus companies that provide service to the area, Lothian and First. Buses typically require exact change. Check with the bus company for the current rate.

By Foot

Edinburgh is a very walkable city. Most of the major tourist attractions are within walking distance of the Royal Mile. The charm and beauty of the city make your feet the perfect mode of transportation.

By Bike

Eat

Maxies Bistro & Wine Bar is a fantastic place to eat when up the Castle end of the Royal Mile, with a great menu and fabulous atmosphere, especially on a sunny day where you can sit out on the terrace. Address: 5b Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Work

Learn

• The University of Edinburgh

Keep Connected

Internet

The easyInternetcafe at 58 Rose Street in New Town is easy to find with its' bright orange logo. It has good rates, a helpful staff, and an extremely convenient location.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

Post