Edinburgh, Scottland

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Given the contrasting reputations of Edinburgh and Glasgow, any traveler who hasn't examined a map of Scotland might be forgiven for thinking that they are separated by hundreds of miles. In fact, Scotland's two primary cities are only about 72km (45 miles) apart, but almost everyone who visits them will be struck by their differences.
And although there is a good deal of competition (and some envy, too) between the two cities -- like The Beatles' Lennon and McCartney -- they are strongest as a pair, each bringing value to the partnership.
Both cities contribute mightily -- and equally -- to the cultural vibrancy of the nation. With this in mind, the country would do well to improve the public transportation links between the two cities, especially in the wee small hours.
To the east, the capital, Edinburgh, has an almost fairy-tale setting, with its imposing castle high on one hill. Built on ancient volcanoes and first established because of its secure and defensible position, it has become a crossroads. Practically everyone who comes to Scotland today spends some time in Edinburgh. And its midsummer international Festival is one of the biggest in the world. Edinburgh is the second most popular tourist destination in Great Britain following London, and it's not hard to see why. Compact and tidy, it is more of a big town than a small city.
In the west, Glasgow, on the other hand, is not a place that anyone might call precious. In comparison to Edinburgh, Glasgow was settled much earlier because it was an ideal place to ford the River Clyde, which later gained a reputation for shipbuilding and industry. Today Glasgow resembles nothing but a modern city. It has overcome its 20th-century associations with grime, grit, and gangsters -- and now it is arguably more vibrant than Edinburgh, with a vigorous indigenous music and art scene. Without a picturesque castle or twee palace, it exemplifies urban Scotland: historic, dynamic, increasingly cosmopolitan, and attuned to the world. In 1990, it was named European Culture Capital and in 1999, U.K. City of Architecture and Design.
Edinburgh and Glasgow have a lot to offer individually, and taken as a duo, they are more impressive still. Both cities are among Europe's most dynamic centers. Edinburgh is the seat of Scottish royalty and government, and urban Glasgow boasts lively culture and Victorian splendor.

 Edinburgh Attractions

Edinburgh's reputation is enormous and the city essentially lives up to it. The second most popular destination after London for visitors to Great Britain, the Scottish capital is one of the most picturesque cities in Europe. Built on a set of hills, Edinburgh is unarguably dramatic. Its Old Town lies at the heart, with Edinburgh Castle at one end of the Royal Mile, which follows the spine of a hill down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. For many visitors, this is Edinburgh, with its mews, closes, and alleyways. But across the valley to the north, now filled by the verdant Princes Street Gardens, is the city's New Town, which dates to the 1770s. Here are tidy streets and broad avenues, another popular focal point in Edinburgh, with restaurants, bars, shops, squares, and attractions, such as the National Portrait Gallery. New Town reaches out to the village-like setting of Stockbridge -- from which one can walk along the city's narrow meandering river, the Water of Leith -- to Dean Village (another district that feels almost rural in nature) and the National Gallery of Modern Art and its sister arts venue, the Dean Gallery. South of Old Town is the sprawling Meadows, with its acres of grass, and the precincts of Edinburgh University and suburbs such as Marchmont. North is the port of Leith along the Firth of Forth, which empties into the North Sea.
Edinburgh's world famous annual cultural celebration -- the Edinburgh Festival -- brings in tourists and lovers of art of all forms from around the world. But if you prefer a bit more space and smaller crowds, avoid the month of August in Edinburgh.
A Note on Museum Hours -- During the Edinburgh Festival, some museums that are normally closed on a Sunday will be open, and hours can be generally longer. Some museums that open only in summer are also open on public holidays throughout the year.
Suggested Itineraries
If You Have 1 Day -- Stick to the city's famous Royal Mile and Edinburgh's Old Town. It is every bit a day's worth of activity, with plenty of history and attractions from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, shops, restaurants, and pubs. Wander down some of the alleys off the Royal Mile, too.
If You Have 2 Days -- Take the hop-on hop-off bus tour that emphasizes the New Town. Your ticket is good for 24 hours (although the buses stop running in the late afternoon or early evening). Get off at Calton Hill for the views, which Robert Louis Stevenson said were the best in the city. Amble down Princes Street for a bit of shopping, and afterwards, rest in Princes Street Gardens. Admire some art at one of the branches of the National Gallery.
If You Have 3 Days -- Take in Leith, Edinburgh's once rough-and-tumble port. Now increasingly gentrified, it is still evocative of a historic seaside village. The Botanic Garden on your way back into the city center is worth a visit. It is one of the best in Britain -- and that's saying something. If you have any time to spare, take one of the strolls outlined in chapter 8 and visit Stockbridge or the Meadows, which feel off the main tourist tracks.
If You Have 4 Days or More -- Climb Arthur's Seat for views of the city and the sea, or if you have children, take the family to the Edinburgh Zoo. Explore the regions around the city, with excursions up to St Andrews, to the coast and North Berwick, or west to nearby, historic Linlithgow.

The red-sandstone building of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the New Town is easy to spot. Inside, you get a glimpse of the faces that have shaped Scottish public life and culture, from Mary Queen of Scots to Sean Connery.
The gallery provides a unique visual history of Scotland, told through portraits of the figures who shaped it: royals and rebels, poets and philosophers, heroes and villains. Every subject is Scottish, but their portraits are not necessarily by Scots. Such artists as Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Copley, Thorvaldsen, Rodin and Kokoschka are represented, alongside home-grown Ramsay, Raeburn and other Scottish artists.

Purpose built in the 1880s - via private largesse - the gallery is an imposing neo-Gothic building, designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, with murals and internal decoration displaying the pageant of Scottish history. Other portraits inside the gallery include David Hume, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, as well as living subjects Sir Alex Ferguson and composer James MacMillan.