Edinburgh

Of course, Edinburgh is famous for organising the world’s largest arts festival: the Fringe, featuring thousands of shows every day in August. However, there are also lots of other festivals throughout the rest of the year, including the International Book Festival in June and Hogmanay celebrations at New Year.

Scotland is the land of mystical beasts, like the Loch Ness Monster, and of ghosts, which lurk in its many haunted castles.  And Edinburgh is no exception to this rule. One spooky attraction is the terrifying Edinburgh Dungeon, which blends 18th century myths with real stories of murder, plagues and torture…

While the Scottish National Gallery is one of the largest museums in Edinburgh, The Writers’ Museum is one of the smallest, but no less significant. It’s dedicated to three giants of Scottish literature: Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. The museum provides a unique way of absorbing the culture of outstanding, local literary works.

Edinburgh is known for its great pubs, and each one has a unique atmosphere. Deacon Brodie’s Tavern, for example, combines two of the city’s greatest passions: literature (its name pays homage to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Stevenson), and rugby, as many fans of the oval ball go there to watch matches.

Just a few minutes from Princes Street and its abundance of shops, you’ll find Dean Village. This attractive little settlement is nestled into a small valley and rests on the banks of the Water of Leith. It makes you feel as though you’re in the country when the capital is right in front of you. It has a small market where you can pick up a few bargains.

It would be a travesty to go to Edinburgh without visiting its incredible castle. Tickets are quite pricey, but the castle is worth its weight in pounds sterling. You’ll see the crown jewels of Scotland, St. Margaret’s Chapel, the castle’s stunning grounds and the cavernous stone vaults of the Prisons of War.

In Edinburgh as throughout Scotland, people eat a lot of Aberdeen Angus Beef, a breed of cow that’s known for its tenderness and unique flavour. This meat alone gives Scotland a good name, and especially Aberdeen.   

In Scotland, fish is prepared and cooked in a different way to in France.  Herrings are smoked to make kippers  and seafood is used to make a soup called partan bree. Partan bree is different to cullen skink, which is a soup made from smoked fish, potatoes and onions. And of course, there are lots of different dishes made from haddock.