The capital of Scotland— Edinburgh is located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth, in the Central Belt region of the country.

Edinburgh, popularly known as the Athens of the North, grew up around a castle built in the 11th century by King Malcolm III, successor to Macbeth.

Edinburgh became the capital of Scotland in 1437. The city developed into an important literary and cultural center and venue of an annual international festival of the arts.

Affectionately known as “Auld Reekie”, Lowland Scots for “Old Smoky” and “Embra,” the city of Edinburgh is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United Kingdom. The city is known for its rare scenic beauty.

Edinburgh is home to several gorgeous architectures, beautiful mansions, ancient churches and castles. The city known for its vibrant nightlife, is also home to numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants that have made it a popular destination for stag weekends, stag nights or stag hen parties.

The city of Edinburgh offers the exquisite combination of the nightlife of highlands and lowlands exhibiting the operas and theatre of the Edinburgh culture.

The Old Town, the New Town and Leith are major destinations in Edinburgh. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1995.

Edinburgh becomes extremely crowded during the main festival periods of high summer (August to early September) and Hogmanay (around New Year's Day / 1 January). It becomes tough to find accommodation during these times.

Facts about Edinburgh—

• Area: 260 sq km (100 sq miles)
• Population: 453,000
• Currency: Pound Sterling (£)
• Languages: English is the official language of Scotland. The other languages spoken in Scotland include Gaelic and Lallans. Gaelic was spoken in all of Scotland until the 12th or 13th century. Lallans is the English dialect with French and Scandinavian influences, which has been spoken in the Lowlands for centuries. Presently about 66,000 people speak Gaelic, mainly in the Hebrides and northwest Scotland. There are numerous Gaelic words used in everyday speech that make Scottish English too tough for the foreigners to understand.
• Religion: The Presbyterian Church of Scotland (47%), the Roman Catholic Church (16%), those claiming no religious affiliation at all (28%) and Non-Christian religions including Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Jews compose (2%) of the population.

Climate—

Sun and rain are typical traits of Scottish climate. The city enjoys the best climate from May to September. The daylight hours are long in summer, but short and extremely chilly in winter. The winter can be bitterly cold, with short daylight hours, but that doesn’t chill the spirit of travelers because the city has an abundance of indoor attractions and activities.

Traveling To Edinburgh—

Edinburgh Airport, 8mi (13km) west of the city center, receives flights frequently from Europe, Ireland and other parts of the UK. The city has limited number of services from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North America. The best option is flying to London, then taking the train or bus north.

Glasgow International Airport, 55 miles west of Edinburgh, also has air connections with Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver and Dubai.

The Lothian Buses Airlink runs frequently from Waverley Bridge, just outside the train station, to Haymarket and the airport, taking half an hour. The taxis are considerably expensive options. The buses are the cheapest, but may be little exhausting. The Ferries are other interesting options to travel to Edinburgh.