Edinburgh City Guide

Thoughts of Edinburgh immediately bring to mind the famous Edinburgh Castle, the tatoo, the Edinburgh Festival, Princes Street shopping, Murrayfield and the rugby and that wonderfully sophisticated accent. With streets steeped in history and a thriving cultural scene, Edinburgh offers not only the perfect balance of traditional and contemporary but also a host of great places to stay including many fantastic serviced apartments.

The heart of the city of Edinburgh combines the medieval Old Town with the Georgian New Town as well as striking modern architecture. Why not explore Edinburgh from the superbly central serviced apartments available at Staycity Apartments or Fraser Suites and see perfect picture postcard views, mysterious winding streets, elegant terraces and a plethora of shops, bars and restaurants in famous Prince's Street. Or perhaps you'd like to try something a little more obscure, and visit the unusually original Camera Obscura in Castlehill! From the Old Town's picturesque jumble of medieval tenements piled high along the Royal Mile, to the New Town's neat grid of neoclassical respectability, the city offers a constantly changing perspective!

One of Britain's most beautiful cities, Edinburgh is draped across a series of rocky hills overlooking the sea. It's a town entwined within its landscape, with buildings and monuments perched atop crags and overshadowed by cliffs. Edinburgh is a city of high culture, of art and literature, philosophy and science. And it is here, beneath the Greek temples of Calton Hill - that the Scottish Parliament sits. Explore this wonderful area from either of the convenient locations at Holyrood Aparthotel or Dreamhouse Holyrood, which between them offer serviced studios as well as one bed and two bed serviced apartments in the heart of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is the gateway to the Lothians...and so an ideal place from which to begin exploring the Scottish countryside, why not try one of the range of serviced properties available at Ocean Apartments. Serviced properties available include corporate serviced apartments and double/twin apartments as well as serviced apartments for groups and families. Ocean Apartments is close to the mooring of the Royal Yacht Brittania and from there the world...well, Scotland anyway...is your oyster!

What to do in Edinburgh

Listed below are some of the great places to visit in Edinburgh. Click one to find out more.

Camera Obscura Edinburgh

Located at the top of the Royal Mile the Camera Obscura show is a fascinating and highly amusing way to see the city and learn about its history. This unique experience has delighted and intrigued people for over 150 years. It is a 'must' on any visit to Edinburgh.

From inside this mysterious Victorian rooftop chamber, you see live moving images of Edinburgh projected onto a viewing table through a giant periscope. Pick people up on your hands, squash them to a pulp and even make the traffic climb over paper bridges.

Also three galleries, World of Illusions, Light Fantastic and the Magic Gallery, are packed full of an amazing range of optical experiences to delight any age group.

For more information visit: www.camera-obscura.co.uk
Scotch Whiskey Experience Edinburgh

Located on the Royal Mile is the new Scotch Whisky Experience which will take you on a sensational journey! Take a swirling, bubbling barrel ride through a replica distillery as you become part of the whisky making process. Along the way you'll hear the stories behind this magical craft, with expert tour guides and whisky advisors with you every sip of the way.

They'll help you discover the aromas and flavours that appeal to your palate and lead you to your perfect Single Malt Whisky. Visit The Scotch Whisky Experience - a truly breathtaking experience for everyone.

For more information visit: www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk
Murrayfield Stadium tour

Located in the west of the city, Murrayfield is the home of Scottish rugby. A behind the scenes tour of Murrayfield Stadium allows you to follow in the footsteps of legends as you visit the dressing rooms, players tunnel, Royal Box, hospitality suites and the world famous pitch.

Tours are conducted Monday to Friday. Weekends and Bank Holidays are by arrangement only and the group must consist of a minimum of 10 people. Tours last approximately an hour and a quarter.There are no stadium tours on the days when Edinburgh Rugby has a home game at Murrayfield. In addition, tours are not run the week before or two days after a home International. This is primarily for safety reasons as there is a lot going on in the Stadium at these times involving additional personnel, equipment and machinery.

For more information visit: www.scottishrugby.org
Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat

Holyrood Park is a windswept, hilly public park, but a few minutes walk from Edinburgh Old Town. The park encompasses a five-mile radius of land and has probably been a Royal Park since the 12th century. Holyrood Palace, the royal residence in Scotland, is situated on the edge of the Royal Park.

With its volcanic cliff faces, steep pathways, mini lochs, and hillside ruin (St. Anthony's Chapel, which dates back to the 15th century), Holyrood reflects the rugged, natural landscape that can be found across Scotland on a grander scale.

The centre of the park, and visible from around the city, is the hill shaped like a reclining lion called Arthur's Seat. It takes about half-an-hour from the Queen's Drive, an inner ring road around the park, at the base of Arthur's Seat, to mount the 251 metre summit. The top offers excellent views of Edinburgh, Leith, and a distant views across the Firth of Forth to Fife.

For more information visit:http://bit.ly/mvhdJ4