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Edinburgh is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, draped across a series of rocky hills overlooking the sea. The city is intimately connected with its landscape, with various buildings and monuments perched atop crags and overshadowed by surrounding cliffs. From the Old Town's picturesque jumble of medieval tenements piled high along the Royal Mile, its turreted skyline strung between the black, bull-nosed Castle Rock and the russet palisade of Salisbury Crags, to the New Town's neat grid of neoclassical respectability, all columns and capitals, porticoes and pediments, the city offers a constantly changing perspective. And what's more, it's all small enough to explore easily on foot.
Sights that are worth considering to explore include Edinburgh Castle (of course!) and Real Mary King's Close which was originally built to serve as the Royal Exchange. The lower levels of this medieval Old Town alley have survived almost unchanged in the foundations of the City Chambers for 250 years. Now open to the public as the Real Mary King's Close, this spooky, subterranean labyrinth gives a fascinating insight into the daily life of 16th- and 17th-century Edinburgh. Costumed characters give tours through a 16th-century town house and the plague-stricken home of a 17th-century gravedigger.
The Norman style St Giles Cathedral, dating from the 15th century dominates High St. The interior lacks grandeur but is rich in history: St Giles was at the heart of the Scottish Reformation, and John Knox served as minister here from 1559 to 1572. One of the most interesting corners of the kirk is the Thistle Chapel, built in 1911 for the Knights of the Most Ancient & Most Noble Order of the Thistle. The elaborately carved Gothic-style stalls have canopies topped with the helms and arms of the 16 knights – look out for the bagpipe-playing angel amid the vaulting.
Broad, elegant Chambers St is dominated by the long facade of the National Museum of Scotland. Its extensive collections are spread between two buildings, one modern, one Victorian. The museum is actually connected to the Victorian Royal Museum which houses an eclectic collection covering natural history, archaeology, scientific and industrial technology, and the decorative arts of ancient Egypt, Islam, China, Japan, Korea and the West.
And finally, if you feel like some quiet time, consider taking a stroll through Princes Street Gardens which are split in the middle by The Mound. At the gate beside The Mound is the Floral Clock, a working clock laid out in flowers; it was first created in 1903 and the design changes every year. Alternatively, take a stroll through what is known as "Meadows" - a mile-long stretch of lush grass crisscrossed with tree-lined walks that was once a shallow lake known as the Borough Loch. Drained in the 1740s and converted into parkland, it’s a great place for a picnic or a quiet walk – in springtime its walks lie ankle-deep in drifts of pink cherry blossom, and there are great views of Arthur’s Seat.
Accommodation: The Point (3*) The Point Hotel (3*) is situated in the heart of Edinburgh, and offers views over Edinburgh Castle as well as having convenient access to Princes Street for shopping and nightlife. This beautiful, iconic building was opened in 1892 as a branch of St. Cuthberts Co-operative Society. Nowadays, the hotel is stylishly appointed with 139 rooms complete with the "Bread Street Brasserie" Restaurant and "Monboddo" bar which serve the very finest in local produce in sleek surroundings.