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Exciting Edinburgh

From nature and history to the trendiest stores and hip nightlife, Edinburgh offers a wide range of thrills

Living history Rosslyn chapel outside Edinburgh is in the news thanks to ‘The Da Vinci Code’

The moment you step into Scotland’s capital city, you are guaranteed to instantaneously fall in love with the sweeping green landscape dotted with castles, country houses and ancient battlefields – a reminder of Scotland’s rich past . The countryside of Edinburg is a wild, beautiful tumble of raw mountain peaks and deep glassy lakes.

The best time to visit this magical city would be between May and September when the weather is fairly warm and the long day light hours make the evenings seem to last forever. However even the brutal climate with its sudden bursts of ghastly winds adds an edge to the experience.

The train journey to the city too is an unbelievably scenic one with picture postcard glimpses of the North Sea surrounded by steep green slopes with fat sheep lazily grazing all over them.

With plenty of things to do and sights to see for the active tourist as well as being a perfect haven for the lazy traveller to just lie back and relax, Edinburgh is popularly known as a city of contradictions.

Whether you are after a romantic break, a family get-together or a fun getaway with friends, Edinburgh promises to offer exactly what you came looking for.

Don’t know where to begin? Buy a pass for one of the hop-on hop-off bus services that will quickly take you through the narrow lanes of the Old Town as well as the Georgian New town and give you a feel of the place before you set off exploring on your own.

The Edinburgh Castle makes a stunning first stop with its crown jewels, great halls and secret passageways as well as the large courtyard that has recently been a popular haunt for rock shows and music concerts. For a deeper delving into the rich culture and art of ancient Scotland, the intricate stained glass at the St Giles cathedral is a must see.

While Edinburgh has a host of museums, including the Museum of Scotland, Royal Museum, the Children’s museum and War Museum, the essence of the city lies in its castles and churches. The Palace of Holyrood House is the official residence in Scotland of the Queen and is the only functional palace that is open to the public.

The Royal Mile is a long cobbled street that extends for a mile in the heart of the Old City right from the Castle down to the Palace of Holyrood House and has little passageways with interesting shops selling quaint trinkets and souvenirs. The Royal Mile has famous residents like Adam Smith, Graham Bell and of course J.K Rowling. A graveyard lines practically the entire length of the Royal Mile, making for an eerily fascinating walk.The history of Scotland is dotted with myths of monsters, ghosts and witches and many places tell tales of preternatural and strange disappearances and events. This hoary past has a trendy new avatar in various tours like an all night graveyard tour famously known as the City of the Dead as well as walks at night with tales of the past exposed in the Edinburgh Dungeon.

The variety of shops in Edinburgh makes sure that none of the visitors leave empty handed. Fashion lover? Swoon over all the big names like Harvey Nichols and Louis Vuitton at the Princess Mall or the elegant George Street. Jenners, an elegant old structure on Princess Street is said to be the Harrods of Scotland. The right place for a person looking for bargains would be the shopping areas of the Grassmarket and Stockbridge. It is a shame to leave Edinburgh without buying at least one of its famous tartans, which are soft cashmere shawls that have the famous Scottish red and green pattern on it.

Even as you make your way through one of the busy streets in Edinburgh, there will always be a traditionally dressed Scottish bagpiper with his tartan skirt playing out the melodious tunes that hum and echo through every tiny street transporting you back in time.

If all the activity gave you an appetite, it is time to feast on Scotland’s signature dishes at Taste of Edinburgh, as you watch the chefs cook up a storm in beautiful surroundings. For the less adventurous, Edinburgh is famous for its all-you-can eat buffets that cover almost all cuisines be they Chinese, Italian, Thai or even Indian.

For the nature loving and laid back visitor, a walk up to the beautiful Calton Hill is highly recommended. With its breathtaking view of the entire city of the Edinburgh with all the twentieth century architecture and the huge Acropolis structure that dominates the sky line, it is a veritable feast for the eyes. Apart from this Edinburgh has several low lying “walks” where one can just stroll about getting lost in the surroundings. One can also lie on the grass and try and outstare the clock towers and churches.

The New Landmark waterfall that cuts out the bustling streets gives you some alone time. If there you do not have time constraints, a Highland Tour that takes you through the scenic areas in little villages around and on the outskirts of Edinburgh is highly recommended as the highlands usually take up an entire day.

There are also a host of tiny islands surrounding the city, the most famous among them being the Cherry Island and a ferry service between all the islands gives a glimpse of one of the clearest and sparkling water bodies ever seen. Striking, exciting and historic Edinburgh is one hotspot not to be missed.

AFRAH SHAFIQ

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