Most Popular Reasons to Visit Edinburgh
For a magical city full of culture and history in Scotland visit Ediburgh. Although not Scotland’s largest city it is packed full of attractions and places to visit. Each year attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Mile, and the Royal Botanic Garden draw visitors in their thousands to the city.
Edinburgh’s most famous attraction and best known landmark is Edinburgh Castle. The castle is built on the site of a long extinct volcano and dominates the skyline. Edinburgh Castle is one of the most visited historic buildings in the whole of the United Kingdom. It is still manned today by serving soliders and inside visitors can find a number of exhibitions showing some of Scotland’s history. A castle is believed to have stood on the location since 800 BC.
The Royal Botanic Garden is another of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions. The garden features a wide variety of plants from around the world and is located close to the city centre. The glasshouses show warmer plant species from around the world and visitors can explore over 70 acres.
Edinburgh Zoo is located on the outskirts of the city and is home to over 1000 rare and beautiful animals. The zoo is open throughout the year even including Christmas Day. Regular bus services from Edinburgh city centre make it easy for visitors to reach the zoo.
Edinburgh is a city full of museums. Located on the Royal Mile is the Museum of Edinburgh is which has exhibits featuring many of Edinburgh’s most famous citizens. If modern art is to your taste then why not pay a visit to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art with over 5000 items in its collection or the City Art Centre located on Market Street features a wide range of Scottish art from across the centuries.
August is a great time to visit the city as it plays host to the Edinburgh Festival. Finding accommodation at this time is difficult so book early to avoid disappointment. A number of other festivals happen at the same time including the Edinburgh Fringe which is full of comedy performances amongst others.
Edinburgh has strong connections to the Royal families of the United Kingdom. Edinburgh Castle has exhibitions on the Scottish Royal family and is also the home of the Scottish Crown Jewels. The Palace of Holyrood which is located on the Royal Mile is also well worth a visit and is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland.