Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland is situated on Scotland’s East Coast.

It achieved city status in

1889, but there have been people living in that part of the world since way back in 8500 BC.
Home of the Scottish parliament, Edinburgh is enriched with culture, fine architecture and hosts
of one of the most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, The University of Edinburgh.
The most well-known attractions are the Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the Holyrood Palace
and The National Gallery of Scotland. With a population of 435,790 in 2005, Edinburgh is
Scotland’s second largest city after Glasgow.

Tourism is a major industry in Edinburgh. The cities popularity grows each year and is
now the most popular destination of tourists visiting Scotland and second only to
London of tourists visiting the United Kingdom. The city has always been prosperous
but its popularity and status has increased since the Scottish Parliament was established
in the city in 1999. Edinburgh an important commercial center and has improved its
financial status through decentralization, which has increased the number of
government services in the city and attracted businesses to Edinburgh. The main
attractions include:

-the Edinburgh Castle

-the Scottish National Gallery

-the St Giles’ Cathedral

-the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

The city offers numerous fashion stores, antique shops, art galleries and, of course, souvenir
shops. Probably the only downside to shopping in Edinburgh is that some of the city’s shops
close quite early (at 6 pm). Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in the city center, and
the main shopping street in the capital. The street has virtually no buildings on the south side,
allowing panoramic views of the Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and the valley between. Most of the
street is limited to trams, buses and taxis with only the east end open to all traffic. On this street you
can buy everything from souvenirs to high-end designer clothing.

Even if it is quite an old city, Edinburgh is nothing less of a modern and beautiful capital, packed
with cultural wonders and historical sites.