Edinburgh the Capital of Scotland
Lovely and exciting Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and attracts
tourists from all around the globe. You’ll find the most tourist attractions
and historical building which are worth seeing on the Royal Mile. The Royal
Mile is actually a succession of streets that stretch through the Old Town
between Edinburgh Castle and the ruined Holyrood Abbey. This is the location
for the annual artistic and cultural Edinburgh International Festival in August
and September. There are many tourist attractions and sites which are visited
by many people every year.
One popular tourist site is Edinburgh Castle which today is home to Mons
Meg, a giant cannon and the Scottish crown jewels. Here you can also see the
Stone of Scotland which is a red sandstone block that has been used during the
coronation of Scottish and British monarchs and is a symbol of Scottish
nationalism.
Tourists can take the Scotch Whisky Experience. This is an attraction which
is dedicated to the history and manufacture of Scotch whisky. You can find it
at the top of the Royal Mile right next to Edinburgh Castle. The tour includes
a ride in a whisky barrel through a replica distillery where tourists can get a
taste of different whiskeys.
There is the lovely Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden which was established in
1670. It has the largest collection of wild-origin Chinese plants outside of
China. There is a rock garden with 5,000 species and tropical plants grown in
19th century glasshouses. Admission to the garden is free and
there’s a fee to see the glasshouses.
At the end of the Royal Mile is the queen’s official residence in Scotland. Holyroodhouse is a Baroque style palace which was founded as a monastery in 1128. Tourists can have a tour of the royal apartments and the Queen’s gallery exhibit works which come from the Royal Collection.
Edinburgh Zoo is the largest
in Scotland and there are over 1,000 animals. Every year 600,000 visitors come
to the zoo. Here visitors can see exhibits of sun bears, Amur leopards, Asiatic
lions, jaguars and Indian rhinoceroses. The zoo has a popular event the Penguin
Parade which occurs every afternoon when its penguins take a voluntary walk
around in front of visitors.
Another great place to visit which is located
three miles from the city centre is Portobello a seaside suburb which has
golden sand beach and a promenade. Visitors can walk along the promenade or
visit one of the last Turkish baths in Scotland.
When sightseeing is done for the day there are some economical places to stay in for the night. One of them is Travelodge Edinburgh Central which is conveniently located and you can walk on foot to the major tourist destinations. Among the amenities here are a café and bar, Wi-Fi, a parking garage and a no-smoking environment. Room options include double and family rooms.
Another cheap place to stay is the Premier Inn Edinburgh City which is also within walking distance to major attractions. The room rates are very reasonable and facilities include family rooms, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, parking and a restaurant.
Four blocks from tourist attractions is also the Claremont Hotel. It is located in a converted house and offer spacious rooms for reasonable rates. There are private baths, in the mornings you can get a full Scottish breakfast, and TV and Wi-Fi access.
See more UK accommodation I recommend below : )
Cardiff bed and breakfasts
hostels in Cardiff
