Rough Guide to Edinburgh

Nestled in the flowing landscape of the Central Lowlands of Scotland, Edinburgh remains the Scot’s battered, bruised but never really defeated Capital City. Dating back to the 12^th Century, it has seen invasions, wars and disease. The Roman’s overlooked it when they brought us sanitation and roads - it is said you could smell it from 50 miles away. Today though Edinburgh is coined as one of most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s certainly one of the most sentimental and engaging.

City dwellers are proud of Edinburgh’s history. It is a stunning archaic icon of Scotland and from aloft of Castle Rock stands one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions - Edinburgh Castle. Tickets are £11 for adults, £5.50 for children and under-five’s go free, making for a fantastic, enthralling family day out. At the end of the day - from the hilltop where the Castle beams - you can watch the sun setting over the Old Town in panoramic view. Sonia’s Guest House is just a 10 minute drive from the city centre and offers bed and breakfast from as little as £30.

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, so called as it is roughly one ‘Scots mile’ in length, stretches through the Old Town and is home to an array of both quaint pubs and lively bars. The Mitre serves food throughout the day and hosts live music as well as an impressive selection of drinks at reasonable prices. On a Saturday night the average price for a pint is around £3.30. The street itself was once the site of thousands of murders, tortures and human trafficking and is said to sit on top of one of the most complex underground systems in Europe. An old folk tale tells of a young drummer boy who was sent down to investigate the labyrinth below the Mile. When the drums ceased, locals bricked up the ends and, presuming him to be victim to whatever lay below, forgot about him.

With a history as black as sin it’s only right that visitors taste the horror of the old graveyards and underground vaults. Black Hart Entertainment’s ‘City of the Dead’ tour is described as ‘weird, wild and wicked’ and concession prices start at £6.50. The vaults have been featured on the British paranormal documentary ‘Most Haunted’ and are said to be awash with ‘off the scale paranormal activities.’ If stories of visitors reporting scratches, bruises and feeling breathing on their necks aren’t enough to quench thirst for thrills then watch out in coming months for a new discovery in the vaults. The company are in a legal battle with the council to excavate further and uncover the secrets of a suspected cut off room.

Edinburgh isn’t just a city; it is a visual celebration of heritage, patriotism and a dark history that is violent, plagued with misery and at times downright disgusting. If history isn’t the appeal then it’s a beautiful modern scene and the high street brands on Princes Street allow hours of quality browsing.