Edinburgh ~ EH1

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is situated on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth on the east coast of Scotland. Being on the coast, there are lots of wonderful beaches in easy reach, including Gullane, Aberlade, Cramond, and North Berwick.

Edinburgh's development into the centre of business, education, finance, government, shopping and nightlife that it is today, began in the 16th century with the establishment of the university. This was followed a century later by the founding of the Bank of Scotland. Until the late 18th century, most development was in the Old Town, but then a competition was launched to design a New Town. The winner was James Craig, who designed a grid system of streets. George IV made a historic visit in 1822, by which time Edinburgh was the UK's most important financial city aside from London. It was known as the 'Athens of the North', due to its neo-classical architecture.

Places of Interest

Edinburgh is a very historic city, and there is lots to see, including:

• Edinburgh Castle -on a rock overlooking the city. Home to the Scottish Crown Jewels, and the Stone of Destiny on which Scottish Monarchs were crowned.
• Palace of Holyroodhouse - the Queen's official Scottish residence.
• Royal Botanic Gardens - over 70 acres of beautiful plants, including 6% of all known plants, with Palm House, Orchid House and Tropical Aquatic House.
• Royal Yacht Britannia - this belonged to the Queen, who used it for private holidays and official state occasions.
• Scottish National Gallery
• Dynamic Earth - exhibition of the extremes of our planet.
• Museum of Scotland
• Edinburgh Zoo - home to over 1000 animals, and one of the world's leading zoos, with an emphasis on conservation and animal welfare
• Museum of Childhood - featuring toys from history

Living in Edinburgh - Education, Shopping and Travel Links

Edinburgh is easily reached, with good road and motorway access and an efficient airport with frequent flights to many UK and international airports. There are also two train stations with good services to the rest of Britain.

The city is renowned as a place of excellent education facilities. There are many primary and secondary schools, both state-funded and private, including the famous Fettes School. Edinburgh University is one of the UK's leading universities, with an excellent reputation in many disciplines, particularly medicine.

Shopping in the city is a delight. Princes Street is the most famous area, with many chain stores. For more upmarket shopping, nearby George Street has some wonderful shops. And there are lots of other areas to explore, such as Morningside, the Grassmarket and The Royal Mile.

Nightlife is great, with many excellent restaurants, bars, nightclubs, theatres and cinemas. And there are various festivals throughout the year, including a 4-day celebration at New Year, and the famous Fringe Festival throughout August.

Edinburgh is also a place of sporting importance, with Murrayfield rugby ground, and St Andrew's Golf Course.

Estate and Letting Agents for Edinburgh EH1