A Taste Of History In Enchanting Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a city that welcomes change and innovation, especially when it comes to business and cultural matters. However, despite keeping a crest of the wave of change, Edinburgh still retains much of its old fashioned charms in the very streets of the city it's self. Anyone visiting the Scottish capital is sure to be enchanted by the cobbled streets, hidden alleys and stunning architecture. Not to mention the casual grandeur of the infamous castle that presides over the city.
The winding passageways of the Old Town perhaps show Edinburgh at its most mysterious. Having been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, the Old Town boasts many buildings from the Reformation and its medieval plan has been preserved meaning that visitors can enjoy traversing historical streets as they shop or choose great dining options in the heart of the city.
Most Edinburgh tourists are sure to take a trip down the Royal Mile, which features the castle on one end and the now ruined Holyrood Abbey - by the Holyrood Palace - on the other. On the other hand, Princes Street and its enviable gardens are popular with those searching for high street fashion and a splash of green in the metropolis.
Edinburgh's New Town lies north of Princes Street and offers another slice of the city's history in its stunning neo-classical architecture and mastery of city planning. The name belies the nature of the area, as the New town was actually built between 1765 and 1850.
There are numerous bus and walking tours around Edinburgh that are an ideal way to learn some of the varied history of the city while soaking up some of its most famous sights. There are even several ghost tours, of the Old Town area in particular, which deliver many little known facts about the streets they traverse as well as thrills and chills. Explorations of the city's vaults - a selection of underground rooms under South Bridge that were occupied by slums during the industrial revolution - are a particular favourite with excitement seeking or historically minded tourists and locals.
Visitors can also learn more about Edinburgh's fascinating past at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. On the other hand, the numerous galleries and cultural institutions found scattered around Edinburgh are also wonderfully equipped to tell the tale of Auld Reekie through their artistic acquisitions.
Of course, those who'd like to absorb Edinburgh's history at their own pace will also love traversing the history lined streets and choosing hotels in Edinburgh in some of its most significant areas for themselves.
