| 1. Visit Edinburgh CastleIf you've never seen it, | | | | clockwise direction. Over the first mile you will climb |
| Edinburgh Castle is one of the finest castles in the | | | | steeply and be afforded some fantastic views to |
| world, and is truly one of the best things to do in | | | | Leith and over to the east of Edinburgh and over to |
| Edinburgh. Sitting at the highest point in the old town | | | | East Lothian. Carry on round the road and the view |
| Edinburgh castle has lorded it over the city for | | | | to the south of Edinburgh opens up. Continuing on |
| hundreds of years. Walk up the Royal Mile (High St) | | | | further round the hill, the view to the castle and over |
| to soak up the feeling of history as you approach | | | | the old town opens up and is absolutely spectacular. |
| the castle. The views from all round the castle across | | | | Stop and get a picture of this before you start to |
| Edinburgh are spectacular. The Scottish Crown Jewels | | | | drop down into Holyrood Park once again and back |
| are displayed in Edinburgh Castle, and a beautiful | | | | to where you started.4. Visit the Royal MuseumOn |
| chapel that is extremely peaceful despite the energy | | | | Chambers Street, Edinburgh's Royal Museum is a |
| of the city outside.2. Take an Edinburgh Old Town | | | | masterpiece and one of the world's finest museums. |
| tourIn the streets of Edinburgh's old town there have | | | | If you have a wet, rainy day in Edinburgh, visiting this |
| been dark and mysterious happenings for years and | | | | museum will keep you busy all day. Lots of |
| years. Tightly packed ancient buildings, tiny closes | | | | interactive stuff for the kids. The National Museum of |
| (narrow walkways between buildings) and narrow | | | | Scotland is now integrated onto it so there is twice |
| streets add to the sense that bits of the old town | | | | as much to see. Even without the wonderful exhibits, |
| can be scary when the sun goes down. A ghost and | | | | this museum is a work of art in itself. Stand in the |
| ghouls tour or witches tour will take you into the old | | | | central atrium and look up at the marvelous victorian |
| underbelly of Edinburgh and just might scare the | | | | architecture. Walk to the join between the old and |
| pants off you. A number of historical tours of | | | | new museums and look up at the array of different |
| Edinburgh's old town start at different positions along | | | | angles, shapes and light bouncing around.5. Walk along |
| the Royal Mile and are a must-do thing for new | | | | Princes StreetStarting at the east end of Princes |
| visitors to Edinburgh, notably by the Witchery at the | | | | Street (Edinburgh's main shopping street) by |
| top and by St Giles Cathedral about half-way down | | | | Waverley station, walk west along the entire mile of |
| the hill.3. Take the road round Arthur's seat (and climb | | | | street. Don't be sucked in immediately by the line of |
| it if you feel so inclined)Right in the middle of | | | | shops on your right, but instead focus your attention |
| Edinburgh lies Arthur's Seat. This is practically a | | | | on the view appearing on your left. This is the skyline |
| mountain in the middle of Scotland's capital city. For | | | | of Edinburgh's Old Town and you could easily shoot a |
| those that are so inclined there are a number of | | | | whole roll of film trying to capture it on camera. The |
| paths across that will take them to the top of | | | | park on your left is Princes Street Gardens and it can |
| Arthur's Seat in a little less than an hour. But for | | | | be a perfect place to while away an hour or so with |
| those who are car-bound or don't feel quite like | | | | a picnic lunch, or eat a sandwich from one of Princes |
| climbing to the top of this Edinburgh landmark, there | | | | Streets shops. As you continue along Princes Street, |
| is a wonderful drive around it. (not open on sundays). | | | | the skyline on your left gets higher and higher until at |
| Start in Holyrood Park beside the Palace and Scottish | | | | the top of it lies Edinburgh Castle in all it's glory, |
| Parliament and follow the road round the hill in a | | | | protected by high cliffs. |