Discovering Scotland’s Crowned Jewel – The Majestic Edinburgh City

By Pamela Nandi | Sep 04, 2021

TIME OF STAY: JANUARY to APRIL

There’s no better introduction to Edinburgh – Scotland’s southeastern hilly, vibrant, historical, cultural and political capital, one of the United Kingdom’s most beautiful cities, with its centre near the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. Excited to share my experience during my stay related to work at Livingston, the largest town in West Lothian Scotland which is about 18 miles from Edinburgh. Visited this city multiple times to explore as a tourist.

Nestled with a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town flanked with gardens and neoclassical buildings, crowned with Scotland’s jewel Edinburgh Castle, an imposing peak in Holyrood Park with gorgeous views of Arthur’s Seat, the Calton Hill topped with monuments and memorials, unforgettable skyline and dramatic termination to the vistas.

MY ARRIVAL: Hopped on the train from Livingston to Edinburgh Waverley, of which the journey is approximately half an hour.

TIP: Opted for the hop-on-hop-off bus tour to explore the royal city in my comfort by enjoying the panoramic views.

Here are the insights, history and archaeology of Edinburgh that span thousands of years.

Palace of Holyrood

No trip to Edinburgh would be complete without a visit to the stunning Palace of Holyrood commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace of Holyroodhouse. The principal royal residence of the British monarch i.e. the residence of Her Majesty The Queen when she’s in the Scottish capital – Scotland.

**Holyrood Castle – standing at the foot of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile in the centre of Edinburgh, against the breathtaking backdrop of Arthur’s, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle**

**Originally built by James IV of Scotland between 1501 and 1505, as a Gothic palace adjacent to the 12th-century abbey**

**Full of history and incredible displays of Royalty**

**Holyrood Palace – venue for Queen’s garden party**

Holyrood Abbey

One of the highlights of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Next to the Palace of Holyrood House sits the whispering historic ruins of Holyrood Abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation, the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded further. The abbey’s name refers to King David‘s experience with a charging deer and the shining holy cross that appeared in the forest to save his life.

**The grand Gothic landmarks make Edinburgh a strong contender for the prettiest city in the UK**

Holyrood Park

A royal windswept, hilly 640-acre public park with the largest green space in central Edinburgh, adjacent to Holyrood Palace.

**The park houses an array of dramatic hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs and patches of gorse, providing a wild piece of highland landscape**

Edinburgh Castle

A world-famous icon of Scotland and part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site with a long rich history as a royal residence, military garrison, prison and mighty fortress.

**One of the oldest fortified and most exciting places in Western Europe**

**A historic castle that stands on Castle Rock, which has been occupied by** **humans since at least the Iron Age**

Royal Mile

A succession of connected streets (approx. 1.81 km long) that runs through the heart of the Old Town of Edinburgh between two significant locations in the royal history of Scotland: Edinburgh Castle at the top and Holyrood Palace at the bottom. This delightful cobbled stretch is a historical and cultural playground to explore from castle to the palace.

**The ancient street is iconic worldwide and the greatest street in the entire world**

Calton Hill

If you are someone who loves panoramic views from atop a hill, then you’re just a short walk from magnificent vistas and Scottish monuments. The Calton Hill in central Edinburgh is the principal attraction looking over New Town, situated beyond the east end of Princes Street. Home to the collective contemporary art gallery in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers a sweeping panoramic view of the city.

Robert Burns Monument

Burns Monument was the memorial built constructed in honour of Scotland‘s national bard Robert Burns.

**The Burns monument is on Regent Road at the Southerly foot of Calton Hill**

National Monument Of Scotland

The National Monument of Scotland, on Calton Hill is Scotland‘s national memorial was designed to commemorate Scottish soldiers and sailors who died fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. A failed attempt at building a full-scale copy of the Parthenon.

**Greek styled unfinished monument with amazing views and a stunning backdrop for sunset over the city**

Stewart Monument

The Dugald Stewart Monument is a memorial to the Scottish philosopher Dugald Stewart (1753–1828) situated on Calton Hill was designed by Scottish architect William Henry Playfair.

**One of the most iconic monuments of Edinburgh that offer a perfect postcard view of the city**

Nelson Monument

The iconic Nelson Monument commands some of the finest views over the city. Perched high on Calton Hill in the east end of the city centre, the monument is a commemorative tower built in honour of British naval hero Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson. The monument pays tribute to Admiral Lord Nelson‘s died at the Battle of Trafalgar during the Napoleonic Wars in 1805.

**Looking up the length of Princes Street from the top of Nelson Monument – one of the best places to soak up the beautiful views of the city**

**Climbed the tower to enjoy the stunning city views from Nelson Monument**

Old City Observatory

The City Observatory (also known as Observatory House, the Old Observatory) was an astronomical observatory on Calton Hill. The oldest part is the Gothic Tower in the southwest corner, facing Princes Street and Edinburgh Castle.

City Observatory

The City Observatory (also known as Playfair Observatory), is a fascinating place, where the optimism and excitement of early scientific advances can still be felt.

Arthur’s Seat

The highest point of Holyrood Park forming most of the park sitting 251m above sea level giving an excellent view of the city is Arthur’s Seat, a rich cultural heritage. A large grass-covered hill formed from the remains of an ancient volcano which is the main peak of one of the four hill forts, dating from around 2,000.

Scottish Government

The devolved government of Scotland was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution. The Scottish Government consists of the Scottish Ministers, which is used to describe their collective legal functions.

St Giles’ Cathedral

Edinburgh’s most important church that you can’t miss on a trip to Edinburgh. St Giles’ Cathedral (Scottish Gaelic: Cathair-eaglais Naomh Giles), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of Scotland situated between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse built on an ancient sanctuary.

**The beautiful church building on the Royal Miles filled with Scottish history and pr**ide

Parliament House

Parliament House in the Old Town in central Edinburgh is a complex of several buildings housing the Supreme Courts of Scotland.

**The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site**

Walter Scott Monument

The Scott monument, the second largest monument in the world is a gorgeous Victorian Gothic monument built in honour of the most famous Scottish author Sir Walter Scott which towers over Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens.

**Admire the Carrera marble statue of much-loved Sir Walter himself sitting proudly at the base of the monument**

Princess Street Garden

You can’t miss Princes Street Gardens, an iconic piece of the Edinburgh scenery, the two adjacent huge public park that lies in the centre of Edinburgh, nestled between the Old and New Towns. The concert during Hogmanay (celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner) takes place on the Ross Bandstand, in the garden.

Ross Fountain – a cast-iron structure located in West Princes Street Gardens, sits beneath Edinburgh Castle. A striking landmark with a large French-made water feature plays an important role as the spectacular backdrop for pictures

**Memorial Seats at Princess Street Garden erected in memory of a loved one**

**Skyline from the Princess Street Garden – stunning views of the Old Town**

Dynamic Earth

A five star largest interactive visitor attraction situated at the foot of Edinburgh’s spectacular Salisbury Crags. The Science Centre invites you to take a journey through time to witness the story of the creation of the planet Earth.

National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, housed with diverse collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history that will take you on a journey of discovery of science and art.

**An architectural marvel of the building – one of the UK’s top visitor attractions**

Museum Of Edinburgh

The Museum of Edinburgh, formerly known as Huntly House Museum housing a collection relating to the town’s origins, history and legends.

Usher Hall

Scotland’s five-star concert hall, set in the heart of Edinburgh constructed in 1914 which hosts concerts and events and can hold approximately 2,200 people and is well-loved by performers due to its acoustics.

Waverley Station

The principal station serving Edinburgh and the second busiest station in Scotland sit in a prominent position between the Old and New Town.