8 Top Attractions of Edinburgh ...

By Neecey

8 Top Attractions of Edinburgh ...

The Edinburgh attractions are many; the city has something for everyone and much more on offer than you may realise. Edinburgh is a beautiful city which sits on rocky outcrops and overlooks the sea; ancient monuments and buildings are perched on the jagged crags and the whole city is overseen by the castle. To make the most of your visit, have a look at our list of Edinburgh attractions before you go but make sure that you leave plenty of time to wander around the picturesque old town and neoclassical new town. One of the greatest Edinburgh attractions is its easy accessibility and that it can be explored easily on foot. Here’s my 8 Top Attractions of Edinburgh:

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1

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle The most obvious of sights of Edinburgh is its castle; it would be easy to spend hours looking at the various war exhibitions and memorials as well as Scotland’s Crown Jewels which are housed in the castle. Make sure that you also have time to take in the views from the walls and ramparts which offer visitors a unique perspective of the city. Mons Meg, one of the oldest and largest cannons in existence is fired from the castle every day at 1pm and shouldn’t be missed.

2

Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo An Edinburgh attraction of interest to younger visitors is situated on Corstorphine Hill and is ranked as Edinburgh’s 2nd best tourist attraction. The zoo is also a world renowned scientific centre which specialises in research on animal behaviour and conservation. The zoo is home to jaguars, rhinos, lions, koalas, tigers as well as well as the now famous two giant pandas which the zoo (and its thousands of visitors) hopes will successfully breed.

3

The Museum of Childhood

The Museum of Childhood The museum was first opened in 1955 and is generally considered to be the first in the world to illustrate how children were brought up, educated and dressed in the early years of the last century. The museum also has a huge collection of dolls, train sets and teddy bears which have been collected from all over the globe.

4

The National Library of Scotland

The National Library of Scotland The library is the legal deposit for the whole of Scotland and houses 13 million items in print including 7 million books and more than 1.6 million maps. The collection is spread between several buildings in Edinburgh’s centre and includes the original manuscript of ‘Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, the Gutenberg Bible and some of Shakespeare’s early folios. Don’t be lulled into thinking you’d be bored by books – this is one of the Edinburgh attractions that deserves respect for its current beauty and its historical relevance.

5

Holyrood Palace

Holyrood Palace This very Scottish of Edinburgh attractions was founded originally as a monastery in the late 12th century and the ruins of the very first abbey can still be seen today. There has been a palace at Holyrood since the 15th century; today it is used as one of the Queen’s summer residences. Visitors can look around the royal apartments and selected works of art from the royal collection which are displayed in the Queen’s gallery.

Famous Quotes

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.

Albert Schweitzer
6

Arthur’s Seat

Arthur’s Seat One of the iconic sights of Edinburgh, Arthur's Seat is found on the top of the tallest hill found in Holyrood Park, just outside the city. Many believe that the hill is in some way connected with King Arthur but there is actually no evidence to support this. However, it isn’t a difficult walk to the top and there are few better strolls in the Scottish countryside than this. Whilst you are at Arthur’s Seat, have a look at Salisbury Crags, the nearby cliffs which are ever popular with climbers.

7

Edinburgh Festivals

Edinburgh Festivals One Edinburgh attraction that has to be seen to be believed is the festival which takes place in the city each summer and attracts a huge number of people. Although it is generally referred to as the festival, in fact there are several different festivals which all take place at around the same time and include the Military Tattoo, the Fringe Festival, the International Festival, the Edinburgh Hogmanay, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, the Edinburgh Book Festival, the International Film Festival, the Imaginate Festival and the Edinburgh Mela.

8

Shopping on Princes Street

Shopping on Princes Street Edinburgh offers a first rate shopping experience and Princes Street is the best of the best that the city has to offer. Not only do the shops offer an impressive selection of department stores, high street brands and designer labels, it also has impressive views, wide pavements and grand Victorian buildings.

This is not a full list of Edinburgh attractions and there will be plenty more for you to discover on your own trip. The best way to get around the city is probably on foot, although the public transport system is excellent, the traffic can be slow and other Edinburgh attractions may be missed if driving.

Top Image Source: weheartit.com

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