The city of Edinburgh has a lot of sights and festivals of Scottish culture. Most of the sights are concentrated in the relatively small, central part of the city. Here are the most beautiful sights in Edinburgh for short visitors and holidaymakers.

 

Edinburgh Castle

The city's landmark is the castle (Edinburgh Castle). The castle has been the scene of military action, a royal residence and a prison over the centuries. The main hall was built in 1511, but almost everything you see there dates from the great restoration that began at the end of the 19th century. The oldest surviving building is Saint Margaret's Chapel, which was built in the 12th century.

Arthur's seat
Arthur's Seat is the top of a ridge that starts outside Holyrood Park. From here it is only about a mile to the castle. The hill rises to 250 metres and offers a fantastic view of the city. The hills are relatively easy to climb and are popular for hill walking.

Scottish National Museum
The Scottish Modern Art Collection is housed in the neoclassical building, which was originally built in the 1920s by Wilhelm Burn as an institution for fatherless children. Different levels lead through the epochs of Scottish history.

The Scottish Parliament Building
In the centre of Edinburgh is the controversial building that houses the Scottish Parliament. Construction began in June 1999 and the first debate was held on 7 September 2004. The official opening of the building took place on 9 October 2004 by Queen Elizabeth, almost three years later than planned.
The building was designed by the Catalan architect Enric Miralles, who did not live to see its completion.
From the outset, there were conflicting views about the building due to its modern design and the use of imported materials such as granite from China. The cost totalled £414 million, much higher than originally estimated.

Dean Village
The picturesque village is just a few minutes from the city centre and consists of a series of converted mills on the River Leith. An interesting walk leads from the Gallery of Modern Art to Stockbridge.

Tartan loom
Right next to the castle at the beginning of the Royal Mile is the Tartan Weaving and Mill Exhibition, a traditional weaving mill of the famous tartan pattern. Here you can watch tartan skirts being woven, have your photo taken in traditional Scottish costume and buy traditional clothing and accessories. The weaving mill provides a worthwhile insight into Scottish culture.

Scottish specialities

If you want to take a break from sightseeing, you should go to one of the traditional tea rooms, where freshly baked Scottish specialities are on offer. 

Edinburgh Festival
The festival takes place every year in August, when the whole city turns upside down for a few weeks. Although it is generally known as "the festival", the celebrations are made up of many separately organised events. Films, literature, jazz and politics have their own festivals. There are dance and opera events at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, and the castle is lit up at night by spectacular fireworks displays. The Military Tattoo Festival on the castle grounds is not to be missed.