Edinburgh: Scotland's Historic Capital

If you have never visited the city of Edinburgh before it is perhaps now time you thought about it. As Scotland’s capital city it can boast everything from festivals to museums. It also has a long, and often violent, history and all the sights that go with it.

Getting There 

Depending on exactly where you live in the UK there are really three ways of reaching Edinburgh. The first, and most obvious, is driving. Yet if you live in the south then the journey can take around eight hours. But a car will enable you to also explore outside Edinburgh.

Alternatively you could get a train. This can also take a while and often be expensive but if you book advance fares you can save a lot.

Finally you can fly there. Both British Airways and EasyJet offer flights from London to Edinburgh. These take about an hour, cutting travelling time down immensely, however this can be expensive.

Edinburgh’s Sites

Probably the city’s most famous and iconic sight is Edinburgh Castle. Its presence dominates the city where it sits up high on the extinct volcano it was built upon. For how long the Castle Rock has been occupied is a matter historians have debated for years. Yet the first definite reference to a castle built there comes from the eleventh century.

It has been captured and recaptured by the English and Scots for around a century yet most of the medieval structures were destroyed when an English army bombarded the castle with cannons in 1573.

Inside you can see the changing of the guard each hour, much like at Buckingham Palace. There is also a gun salute on weekdays. One of the castle's hidden medieval gems is St. Margaret’s Chapel, which is one of the only structures that survived the bombardment of 1573. It dates to the twelfth century and is dedicated to St. Margaret of Scotland. It is still occasionally used for ceremonies but with a capacity of only around 25 people it can be hard to get a place!

Another place well worth visiting is the area to Edinburgh’s east, called Duddingston. This former village boasts the oldest pub in Scotland, The Sheep Heide Inn, which is said to date from around 1360. Its parish church also has a large amount of historical relics on display. One of these is the ‘Joug’; a metal collar which was used to hold criminals, in a similar manner to the stocks. Also there is a watchtower inside the Church’s gate, which was used as a deterrent against body snatchers in the nineteenth century. Many of the ‘lockfast’ tombs within the churchyard also testify to this grisly practice.

Edinburgh can also boast many museums.  One of the best is the National Museum of Scotland which covers everything from fossils and dinosaurs to the present day. Another impressive one is the National War Museum of Scotland which focuses on Scottish military history over the last 400 years or so. There are many relics and medals on show as well as stories of Scottish heroism and sacrifice.

Finally, to end your time in Edinburgh, why not seek out Holyrood Abbey. This is the burial place of many of Scotland’s Kings – much like Westminster Abbey is for English rulers. Mary Queen of Scots’ husband Lord Darnley is also buried here, after he was murdered in 1567.  The Abbey is now in ruins after coming under the depravations of several English raids but still makes a very interesting day out – just make sure that the weather’s good!
 

Overall Edinburgh can make an excellent destination for a historical break simply because you can do so much there.