Edinburgh iPhone

The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, an ancient city with stone buildings, ancient buildings and a castle on a rock in the center, is the most popular tourist destination in Scotland. The city's population is 430,000, but the figure rises dramatically in high season, especially in mid-August when the Edinburgh Arts Festival, Europe's largest cultural event, takes place. The city center consists of two parts. The Castle on the Rock is the center of the medieval city, where the nobility and their servants have lived for centuries.

The cramped Old Town has always smelled foul, with filth spilling out of the windows into the streets and disease being commonplace. Until recently the area had been a slum. A new town began to be built in the late 1770s north of the castle. Wealthy citizens speculated on the sale of this land and used the best architects in construction. The result is a marvelous Georgian town, mostly preserved to this day.

Edinburgh Airport is 11 kilometers west of the center and there are 24-hour buses to and from the city. Trains arrive at Waverley station in the center and go to New Town and Princes street in the north, Old Town and the castle in the south. The bus station is in Saint Andrew Square, north of Princes street. The best way to get around the center is on foot. There are many buses where you can buy daycards (£2.50 in peak season, £1.80 at other times).

The main tour bureau is located at 3 Princes Street, on the upper level of Princes Mall. The tour bureau has a full list of hotels where you can book a hotel room for £3. During peak season, central hotels fill up quickly (guesthouses are easier to get into). You can also stay in student hostels in the summer, though they are not cheap: try your luck at Napier University or Pollock Hall, University of Edinburgh. The campsites are on the outskirts. If you want to be here during the festival (early August to early September) you should book well in advance.