I have heard that Edinburgh is very rough and not an ideal place to visit, is this true

Asks mollyprixe

A. Like any capital city, Edinburgh does have a rough underbelly�- it does have problems, namely with drugs, AIDS, poor housing and homelessness�- but it is no worse than other British capital cities i.e. London and Cardiff. It is a beautiful city and well worth visiting if you have the opportunity.

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Q. What are its main attractions

A. It is a grand city full of ancient churches, Victorian and Georgian architecture, a castle, fantastic restaurants and bars - all set atop an inactive volcano. The city can be defined by its two main areas - the Old Town with the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and the Palace of Holyrood and the New Town with Princes Street, the main thoroughfare of the city, as its centre.

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Its main attractions include:

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Holyrood Palace

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Edinburgh Castle: the castle is so big that it dominates the entire city centre. It is always overrun with tourists, so visit early in the morning if you want to avoid the crowds. If you decide to venture into the castle grounds enter from the Esplanade into the Parade Ground, where you can watch the changing of the guard; other points of interest include the Palace and the Scottish United Services Museum.

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Holyrood Park: this wild park covers 263 hectares and unlike most city-centre greenland it is not groomed but instead contains lochs, moors, hills and fields. Its highest point is known as Arthur's Seat (823ft) and is an eroded stump of lava that erupted millions of years ago.

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Grassmarket: this site dates back to the 15th Century and was once the site for public executions. Today it contains lots of bars, pubs and restaurants and is very popular especially in the evening.

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Royal Museum of Scotland: is located on Chambers Street and is a great place to visit as it has a strange and eclectic mix of exhibits on display - these range from Egyptian artefacts and art from China, Japan and Korea to fossils and relics from the natural world.

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Museum of Scotland: this new museum (opened in 1998) is home to many archaeological remnants and follows the chronological history of Scotland

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University of Edinburgh: built in 1583 this is one of the oldest and largest universities in the UK. If you have time visit the Old College it is very impressive and dates back to 1789 and the Talbot Rice Art Gallery which holds regular exhibitions from new and innovative British artists.

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Calton Hill: this is one of the highest sites in the city (333ft) and can be found at the eastern end of Princes Street. It is a great place to take photographs and to take in the whole city.

Royal Observatory: used to be housed on Calton Hill but was moved to its present site on Blackford Hill in 1896. It also boasts great views of the city and today provides a great multimedia experience for its visitors.

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Q. When is the best time to visit

A. The weather is best between May and September. During August the Edinburgh Festival takes place and the city becomes incredibly busy. It is a great time to visit - as tickets for most events are sold on the day of the performance rather than in advance - but book your accommodation very early as it can be impossible to find anywhere to stay. The Edinburgh Festival has become, since its inception in 1947, one of the most important arts festivals in the world. Full details on this years event is available online at www.eif.co.uk/2001 . If you can bear the cold weather, visit at New Year and join in with the Hogmanay festivities.

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Q. Is it easy to reach Edinburgh

A. It is easy to reach the city by train, coach or plane from other major cities in the UK, and it only takes an hour to fly from Heathrow.

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Q. What is the best way to get around the city

A. Although it is very steep, the best way to get around town is on foot as all tourist destinations are within easy walking distance. Alternatively, the local bus service is very good and the bus drivers are incredibly helpful, so much so that you feel you're holding other passengers up as they give you so much information.

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By Karen Anderson

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