Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, submerged between rocky hills overlooking the sea and bursting in heritage.

The Old Town is a picturesque jumble of medieval tenements looking down the Royal Mile, while the New Town is neat, ordered and respectable. Housing one of the world’s most complete and unspoilt examples of Georgian architecture, makes this city unique and evermore pleasing to the eye.

It is high on culture but it’s also down to earth, a city of trendy bars, lots of restaurants and classic comedians. There is always something to explore in Edinburgh and it is well worth a visit.

Murrayfield is easily accessible, the atmosphere loud, proud and partisan as the Lions take on Japan ahead of the most anticipated rugby tournament of the year in South Africa.

Top five attractions we recommend in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle dominates the skyline of this magnificent city and is impossible to miss on any visit to Edinburgh and the old town.

This is Scottish history in all its glory. Wander the inner castle walls and see the Scottish Crown Jewels. Most visitors can get lost for hours with so much to see and do while they visit but with a choice of a couple of tea rooms with lovely views, take a break and make the most of your adventures.

Whisky Tasting

The highest quality whisky is synonymous with Scotland. And for any whisky connoisseurs, there’s no better place to join one of their great tasting tours to learn all about how the drink is made as well as being about to try some for yourself.

Edinburgh Zoo

Three miles out of the city centre, you will find the amazing Edinburgh Zoo, which spans over a large 82 acre area. It is home to over 1,000 rare and endangered animals, including chimpanzees, sun bears and Indian Rhinos. It’s in fact, the only place in the UK that you can see Pandas!

There is a great selection of food on offer, with Tours that include a delicious Afternoon Tea, or an exclusive Scotts Supper served in the Mansion House. At the end there is a nice gift shop to take some memorabilia home with you to remember the trip by.

Royal Botanic Garden

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is located just one mile from the city centre, so it is easily accessible for all and with over 100,000 plants spanning a huge 70 acres, it’s not to be missed. The highlight is a tour of the Garden’s 10 magnificent Glasshouses. With 10 different climatic zones, from steamy tropics to arid desert, the Glasshouses are home to over 3,000 exotic plants from around the world.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is located 15 minutes’ walk from Princes Street. It includes two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two. The two galleries aim to engage, inform and inspire visitors through a lively and innovative programme of activities, exhibitions and publications.

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is a must-see venue for modern and contemporary art. Modern One is housed in a neoclassical building, which was designed by William Burn in 1825. The lawn at the front of the building was landscaped to a design by Charles Jencks and is home to a beautiful sculpture park.