Venerable, dramatic
EDINBURGH
, the showcase capital of Scotland, is a historic, cosmopolitan and cultured city. The setting is wonderfully striking; the city is perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags which rise from the generally flat landscape of the Lothians, with the sheltered shoreline of the Firth of Forth to the north. "My own Romantic town", Sir Walter Scott called it, although it was another native author, Robert Louis Stevenson, who perhaps best captured the feel of his "precipitous city", declaring that "No situation could be more commanding for the head of a kingdom; none better chosen for noble prospects."
Arrival And Information :
Although Edinburgh occupies a large area relative to its population - less than half a million people - most places worth visiting lie within the compact city centre, which is easily explored on foot. This is divided clearly and unequivocally between the maze-like
Old Town
, which lies on and around the crag linking the castle and the Palace, and the
New Town
, laid out in a symmetrical pattern on the undulating ground to the north.
Edinburgh International Airport
(tel 0131/333 1000) is at Turnhouse, seven miles west of the city centre; regular Airlink shuttle buses (£3.30) connect to Waverley Bridge in the town centre; taxis charge around £15 for the same journey. Conveniently situated at the eastern end of Princes Street in the New Town,
Waverley Station
(timetable and fare enquiries tel 0845/748 4950) is the terminus for all mainline trains. There's a second mainline train stop,
Haymarket Station
, just under two miles west on the lines from Waverley to Glasgow, Fife and the Highlands, although this is only really of use if you're staying nearby. The
bus
terminal for local and intercity services is on St Andrew Square, two minutes' walk from Waverley Station, on the opposite side of Princes Street.
More Edinburgh information... |
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
