Edinburgh

Draped across a rocky terrain and looking out over the sea, Edinburgh boasts a wonderfully picturesque cityscape. With the 12^th century Edinburgh Castle crowning its towering volcanic outcrop, and other buildings and monuments perched on crags and cliffs, the city fits so neatly into its landscape that it could almost have sprung from it.

Pair this dramatic setting with the famously moody weather and you can see where Edinburgh gets its reputation for being both quirky and mysterious and one of Europe’s most charming cities. Through the heart of it all cuts the cobbled stretch of the Royal Mile, reaching from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse – this is the Old Town, a marvellous medieval jumble of towering tenement buildings and famous sights.

As you explore, you’ll notice how the old melts into the new, as the neo-classical uniformity of the New Town takes over, not so much of a mixing of styles, but a clash – and it works. Edinburgh took its 18^th century status as a city of enlightenment, of high culture, arts, philosophy and science and ran with it, and remains today a cosmopolitan, cool and chic city, full of excellent museums and the annual Edinburgh fringe, as well as a sophisticated smorgasbord of cafés, restaurants, bars and pubs.

It might still be Auld Reekie, but there’s nothing hazy about the wonders of Edinburgh!