Edinburgh - Scotland
Tourist information & accommodation
B&B, Hotels and Hostels in Edinburgh
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Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century. It has two
distinct areas: the Old Town, dominated by a medieval fortress; and the
neoclassical New Town, whose development from the 18th century onwards had a
far-reaching influence on European urban planning. The harmonious juxtaposition
of these two contrasting historic areas, each with many important buildings, is
what gives the city its unique character.
The Historic Centre of Edinburgh was inscribed on
the World Heritage List in 1995.
Edinburgh is unique among Scotland's cities. Tourism, its proximity to England, and its multicultural population set it apart. There's up-to-the-nanosecond dance clubs in 15th-century buildings and firebreathers outside Georgian mansions: this is a place that knows how to blend ancient and modern.
Its superb architecture ranges from ancient churches to monumental Victorian masterpieces - all dominated by a castle on a precipitous crag in the city's heart. Pick any street to stroll - you'll be wowed by sudden vistas of looming battlements, cold volcanic peaks and hills steeped in memory. Edinburgh is well known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, the largest performing arts festival in the world, and for the Hogmanay street party. At the time of the art festivals the population of the city doubles. The city is one of the world's major tourist destinations, attracting roughly 13 million visitors a year, and is the second most visited tourist destination in the United Kingdom, after London.
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