An Introduction to Edinburgh

In this feature I’m going to highlight some of the main points of interest in Edinburgh, along with a few travel tips. Just a few years ago back in back in 2009, Edinburgh was voted as the U.K.’s most desirable city to live in, and has a lot of historical and cultural significance within Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Edinburgh

Sightseeing

There’s a hell of a lot of sightseeing to be had in Edinburgh, and make sure you bring plenty of extra memory cards for your camera too. If you’re going to see all the main sights and get around the city a lot, it’s worthwhile looking into buying an Edinburgh Pass.

The Edinburgh Pass is popular with backpackers and other budget travellers and can save you a lot of money on transport as well as sites and museums. You also get the Guidebook included which has useful tips on what to see and do around the city, and discounts on some bars, restaurants, and shops. The Pass costs 29 GBP for one day, and discounts are given if you buy more days, it’s worthwhile, as you could save somewhere between 100 and 200 Pounds if you make the most of it.

Some of the main sites in Edinburgh worth seeing include Edinburgh Castle, St Giles’s Cathedral, Gladstone’s land, The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh zoo, and the Rosslyn Chapel which featured in the famous ‘Da Vinci Code’ book and movie of the same name.

Accommodation

What also attracts a lot of visitors to the area is the fact that there is a great selection of hotels in Edinburgh to choose from, the the George hotel Edinburgh is a good choice, and there’s a few decent backpacker hostels in the area to choose from as well. The accommodation isn’t as cheap as a lot of places in the rest of the UK, but it’s worth paying a little extra to see such an interesting and historic city.

Staying in the New or old Town districts, you will be in the heart of the action, but it’s worth checking out some of the accommodation in the Stockbridge Karen Mills district for some classic boutique options.

Shopping

The main shopping area in Edinburgh is the new term district, which dates back to Georgian times. Newtown is that commercial centre of Edinburgh, and is where most of the high street shops located.

The Stockbridge Karen Mills district has some interesting boutique stores, where you can pick up some delightful, unique, and exclusive items that you won’t find anywhere else. The perfect place to pick up a souvenir for your stay.