| Edinburgh has never been a city short of visitors. | | | | main street, where you'll find Scotland's oldest |
| As well as hosting one of the world's largest | | | | pub, The Sheep's Heid. Enjoy a game of skittles |
| cultural festivals every August, The Edinburgh | | | | here at the pub's Victorian bowling alley. |
| Festival, and the largest Hogmanay get-together | | | | Afterwards head back along the Innocent Railway |
| on the planet every 31 December, the city's | | | | path, through Holyrood Park and aim for Leith. |
| historic streets are rarely free from tourists. A | | | | The old city docklands are still very much a |
| quick walk up the Royal Mile, or the High Street | | | | separate community from Edinburgh itself, and |
| as it's called locally, will tick many attractions off | | | | Leith is crammed full of character and glimpses |
| the typical list of crowd pleasers, but to get to | | | | into the city's thriving maritime era. Luckily, Leith is |
| know the real Edinburgh, it's worth venturing | | | | also the best place to eat, so stop for lunch at |
| slightly further afield. | | | | one of the many traditional pubs on the shore. |
| Of the top ten things to do in Edinburgh, the first | | | | For a spot of afternoon window shopping or deli |
| one is simple. Walk. Don't get a taxi or a bus but | | | | splurging, head to the cosmopolitan district of |
| walk just as most people in the city do; you'll find | | | | Stockbridge. From cheesemongers and coffee |
| that it rarely takes more than 15 minutes before | | | | houses to award-winning butchers and wine bars, |
| you are in a completely different part of town. | | | | Stockbridge has a subtle charm and a village-like |
| Yes, the castle's on everybody's itinerary but it is | | | | atmosphere thanks to the Water of Leith running |
| there for a good reason. You don't have to pay | | | | through the middle of it. From here, head west to |
| the full entrance fee to appreciate the panoramic | | | | the Dean Gallery of Modern Art - free and not to |
| city views from the esplanade either. | | | | be missed. |
| From here amble down the full length of the High | | | | If you're not in Edinburgh during the festival don't |
| Street, past Holyrood Palace and the Scottish | | | | worry, the nights are still packed with opportunity |
| Parliament, and you'll find yourself standing at the | | | | and the many Edinburgh hotels will be quieter too. |
| foot of Arthur's Seat. This surprisingly easy climb | | | | For a show try The Playhouse or The Lyceum |
| is an Edinburgh institution as not only does it put | | | | theatres, or head to one of the city's long |
| the city's diminutive size into landscape | | | | established music haunts like Whistle Binkies on |
| perspective, but it's also the best way to feel like | | | | North Bridge. |
| you're in the Cairngorms, whilst only a 20-minute | | | | Afterwards, there's nothing like finishing off a day |
| walk from the nearest Starbucks. | | | | with one of Edinburgh's many ghost walks, all |
| From here keep heading south along the marked | | | | advertised on the High Street. Don't forget to |
| path and you'll reach the beautiful village of | | | | head to Forrest Road come midnight, for a good |
| Duddingston. However, the real treat is behind the | | | | choice of takeaways and late-night coffee shops. |