About Edinburgh |
Edinburgh's Old Town |
Q. How big is Edinburgh?
The Scottish capital covers an area of…
Q. How many people inhabit it?
Scotland's largest city has a population of approximately 443,000 people.
Q. What are the language and currency?
English is the main language spoken in Edinburgh. Sterling is the currency spent.
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Things to See |
Edinburgh Castle |
Q. What is Edinburgh's number one attraction?
Edinburgh Castle is Edinburgh's most popular attraction with tourists. Over one million people visit it every year. Incidentally, it is also Scotland's number one attraction.
Q. So you'd recommend it then?
Absolutely. It costs £9 to get in, which you might seem as a bit steep, but it's well worth the money. Two hours is what you'll need to properly appreciate all this ancient fortress has to offer. Some of its highlights include the Royal Apartments, the Scottish National War Memorial and the Crown Jewels. If you're going, do so before 1pm. It's at this time each day that Mon's Meg, an old canon, is set off.
Q. Anything else which shouldn't be missed?
Edinburgh has a great selection of museums and art galleries. The Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland which stand side by side could take up half a day on their own. Art lovers will love the city's art galleries such as the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art. Admission to all the above museums are free. There is a collection of smaller museums along the Royal Mile, the Old Town's main thoroughfare. Entrance to all of these is free too.
Q. What's all this about 'Royal Miles' and 'Old Towns'?
Edinburgh is split into two sections - the Old Town and the New Town. The difference between both is quite evident. The New Town is full of high street shops and trendy bars. Its main street is called Princes Street. The other is awash with shops selling touristy kitsch and the pubs are of the more traditional variety.
Q. Anything else I need to know?
There are two spots in Edinburgh that offer breathtaking vistas over the city. The first is Carlton Hill. You can get to it from the west end of Princes Street. The walk shouldn't take you anything more than ten minutes. The other vantage point is Arthur's Seat. This is the extinct volcanic rock which looms over the city Old Town. The walk up this steep incline will take you substantially longer. Leave at least an hour to do this.
Book hostels in Edinburgh | Book tours in Edinburgh
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Going Out |
Edinburgh's Grassmarket |
Q. Is it expensive to go out in Edinburgh?
Not at all. Thanks to over 20,000 students who study in the Scottish capital, socialising is extremely cheap in Edinburgh. Bars all over the city constantly have promotions and some bars have cheap drink all the time!
Q. Where are most of the bars found?
There are bars all over Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is lined with traditional bars, while Cowgate in the Royal Mile has a number of bars popular with the backpacking fraternity. Grassmarket, also in the Old Town, is also full of bars. Over in the New Town you will find Edinburgh's trendier bars.
Q. Do I need to carry my ID with me when going out?
Not really. Bars around the Old Town don't tend to have too many burly bouncers ready to question your age, but if you plan on going out in the New Town chances are you will encounter one or two doormen. In that case have something that will prove you are the legal age to drink with you.
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