Insider Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Daniel Allen
Although he now lives in the south of England, actor Gregor McGregor regularly returns to his hometown of Edinburgh in Scotland. "Ever since I was a wee lad, Edinburgh has been my favorite Scottish city," he explains. "It's a beautiful, dramatic place, filled with great architecture and fascinating history. It doesn't live on its past though, with a vibrant, cosmopolitan feel that you just don't get in other Scottish cities."
Favorite Spot
THE GEORGIAN HOUSE (7 Charlotte Square - www.nts.org.uk/Property/Georgian-House). The Georgian House is a beautifully renovated example of a typical Edinburgh New Town House of the late 18th-early 19th century, boasting a fine collection of period furniture, porcelain, silver and glass. "The New Town of Edinburgh, of which this house was supposed to be a showcase example, was for the rich of the city to escape the overcrowded conditions in the Old Town," explains Gregor. "Fans of architecture and design like myself will appreciate the unique style."
Food & Drink
DEACON BRODIE'S TAVERN (435 Lawnmarket, Tel: +44 (0 )131 225 6531). Deacon Brodie's sits in a great location on the corner of Lawnmarket (part of the Royal Mile) and Bank Street. "This traditional pub and restaurant is named after Deacon William Brodie, the man on whom Robert Louis Stevenson based his world famous book "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", explains Gregor. "You won't find any monsters in there today, just a bunch of friendly locals and some really great haggis and neeps (swede).
Hidden Treasure
CAMERA OBSCURA (Castlehill - www.camera-obscura.co.uk). Located on top of the Outlook Tower close to Edinburgh Castle, the Camera Obscura offers an intriguing and unusual way of viewing Edinburgh. Visitors sit inside a darkened chamber where they can view live images from around the tower focused onto a circular viewing dish via a multi-directional persicope. "The Camera Obscura is actually Edinburgh's oldest purpose built attraction", explains Gregor. "It dates back to the 1850's, and is actually a really fun way of learning more about the city's past and present."
Listen To Music
THE QUEEN'S HALL (85-89 Clerk Street – www.thequeenshall.net). A beautiful auditorium with great acoustics that hosts everything from jazz and blues to rock gigs and stand up comedy. It's also home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. "I love visiting the hall in the summer when it features events from the International Festival, Festival Fringe, and the Jazz & Blues Festival," says Gregor. "Grab a beer from the bar and check out some really top performances."
Place With A View
JOHNSTON TERRACE at sunrise. Johnston Terraceruns below Edinburgh Castle and comes out at Castlehill, which is part of the Royal Mile. "In the early morning, when the sky is turning from deep purple to salmon pink, this a great place to see Edinburgh waking up," says Gregor. "With the castle in silhouette behind you, you can look out over the nearby spires and battlements and really appreciate this city's fine range of architecture."
Quintessential Edinburgh Experience
EDINBURGH CASTLE (www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk). If you only see one thing in Edinburgh, let it be the castle. Sitting on a volcanic outcrop of rock (Castle Rock) that rises spectacularly above the city, Edinburgh Castle dates back to the 12th century, and today its squat granite battlements still dominate the skyline. "Make sure to witness the One O'clock Gun," says Gregor. "Starting in 1861, this gun is fired every day (except Sunday) from the battlements as a time signal for ships in the nearby Firth of Forth." Gun fans should also check out Mons Meg, a massive fifteenth-century siege cannon on display outside St. Margaret's Chapel inside the castle.
Comfortable Alone
HOLYROOD ABBEY (historicenvironment.scot). Built in 1128 at the order of King David I of Scotland, this ruined Augustinian abbey stands in the grounds of the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland (parts of which are now open to the public). "Legend has it that in 1127 the king was rescued by two brothers from a large deer while he was hunting," explains Gregor. "In return he knighted the brothers and founded Holyrood Abbey the following year. Whether the legend is true or not, it's still a beautiful place to sit quietly, soak up the tranquil atmosphere, and imagine life how it was back then."
Place To Shop
THE ROYAL MILE (www.edinburgh-royalmile.com). Edinburgh's most famous street runs for approximately one Scottish mile (1.1 English miles) on the top of Castle Rock between the Palace of Holyrood House and Edinburgh Castle. Packed with history, the Royal Mile today is a diverse mix of shops, eateries, pubs and cultural attractions. "From tartan to shortbread, whiskey to haggis, the Royal Mile is the place for some real Scottish retail therapy," says Gregor.
Best Market
EDINBURGH FARMERS' MARKET (Saturdays, Castle Terrace, www.edinburghfarmersmarket.co.uk). Taking place every Saturday from 9 am till 2 pm, this award-winning market boasts over 70 stalls selling the best in fresh Scottish produce. Carnivores will certainly appreciate the whole hog roast, while vegetarians can choose from a fantastic range of fruit conserves and wild honey. "This is one of my favorite markets," says Gregor. "Don't bother with breakfast, just head down there and fill up on top quality Scottish street food such as piping hot porridge and venison hoagies.
Quiet Place
ST. GILES' CATHEDRAL (The Royal Mile). One of Scotland's most important and beautiful churches, this working cathedral has been one of the city's religious focal points for nearly 1000 years. The recently restored crown-shaped spire is particularly attractive, with various pinnacles and ornaments. "This is a nice retreat from the hustle and bustle of the street outside," says Gregor. "Once you're inside look out for the stunning stained glass windows and the monument to Robert Louis Stevenson."
The National
Formerly the Scottish National Gallery, The National is located on The Mound in central Edinburgh. The museum is housed in a 19th century building and displays Scotland's national collection of fine art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. The gallery was founded in 1850 when the Scottish Academy, led by Sir George Harvey, began collecting artworks with the goal of creating a national collection.
Dundas House
Historic Dundas House in New Town is now the registered office of the Royal Bank of Scotland and its parent company, the NatWest Group. The beautiful Neoclassical building is a category A listed building. Constructed between 1771 and 1774, the residence was originally designed by the renowned Scottish architect Sir William Chambers (1723-1796) for Sir Lawrence Dundas (1712-1781), a wealthy landowner, merchant and politician. Chambers' other well-known commissions in the UK include Somerset House, and the pagoda at Kew Gardens. Chambers was also a founder member of the Royal Academy in London.
Access
Edinburgh Waverley Station is Edinburgh's major railway station. Edinburgh Waverley Station has intercity services to London King's Cross with East Coast via Newcastle and York Station in York, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport (TransPennine Express), Birmingham New Street and Glasgow Central.
Local and mainline services from Edinburgh Waverley Station include trains to Aberdeen, Dunblane, Dundee, Falkirk, Inverness, the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, Perth and Fort William with ScotRail. There is a CrossCountry service to Plymouth via Leeds and Birmingham.
Haymarket is the next busiest station in the Scottish capital. There are trains from Haymarket to Glasgow, Bridge Of Allan, Dundee, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Kingussie, Kirkcaldy, Linlithgow and Perth.
Map
Book Hotels in Edinburgh - Booking.com
Find Hotels in Glasgow - Booking.com
Search Hotels in Orkney - Booking.com
Hotels in The Shetlands - Booking.com
Search & Book Hotels in Scotland - Booking.com
Hotels in Edinburgh - Agoda.com