Edinburgh, United Kingdom

DAILY TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Edinburgh

The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, one of the most beautiful cities in the UK. With both the Old Town and New Town listed as World Heritage Sites for their architecture and street planning, almost every turn holds a carefully planned viewpoint or a hidden treasure to discover.

The heart of the Old Town is Edinburgh Castle. Perched on an extinct volcano, the castle overlooks the whole city. Get up there for lunchtime to see the daily 1 o’clock gun fire, which originally meant to help ships in the port set their clocks to the correct time. Then follow the Royal Mile across the city centre to the Palace of Holyrood. While many parts of the building are open to the public, it is still a working Palace where the Queen stays when visiting Edinburgh. Behind the palace is Arthur’s Seat, another extinct volcano that dominates the city skyline.

The New Town is notable as being one of the first centrally planned districts in the world. The streets are laid out in grids, squares and even circles, with key buildings arranged at the end of streets to create impressive skylines and views. Head to the well-heeled neighbourhood of Stockbridge for independent cafes, cute boutiques and the tranquility of the Botanic Gardens. Alternatively head to Leith in the north of the city. Formerly a dock area, Leith has undergone much regeneration and is now home to hip bars, waterfront cafes and some of the best restaurants in the city.

Read more on Edinburgh below with flight options, current weather, maps, and activities to try while you are there.

Edinburgh is just one of many featured destinations part of our Daily Travel Inspiration series. Discover more at Daily Travel Inspiration or add it as part of your flash briefings on your Amazon Alexa device. Search 'Daily Travel Inspiration' on your alexa app or check out our Alexa page for more information.