Overview of the city
Edinburgh has a millennial cultural history, like the set of a medieval play, and many places of interest have been well preserved.
Numerous ancient churches, as well as Victorian-style buildings throughout the city, attract visitors from all over the world. There's a poem in the local museum: "No matter how beautiful the stars are in the sky, it's hard to beat the glow of Edinburgh's street lamps.
Geography, Administration
Nestled on the southern shore of Forth Bay in central Scotland, Edinburgh is the gateway to the east coast and a gateway to beautiful romance.
Edinburgh is divided into the Old Town and the New Town, the whole city is not large, and most of the famous attractions are concentrated in the Old Town.
Humanities and Arts
Visitors to Edinburgh can't miss the city's vibrant arts and cultural scene. It has the largest number of libraries per capita in the world, and is dotted with museums, galleries, theatres, independent galleries and more, symbolizing the rich spiritual world of Edinburgh.
The University of Edinburgh was one of the centres of the European Enlightenment in the 18th century. Marshall Avenue is home to the Elephant Café where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book; If you're a fan of the poetry of literary giant Robert Burns, check out the original manuscripts at the Writers' Museum; the Scott Monument in the heart of the Princes Street Gardens, where the Scottish passion for literature is located; On the stone pavement of the old town, you can find a scene from a famous movie at the corner......
Every summer, Edinburgh hosts a grand art festival, which is rich in content, splendid, and free-spirited, and is a national art carnival.
Dating back to the 15th century, this ancient city is traditional, but also vibrant. Its strong cultural history, economy and politics have the strength to sustain the whole of Scotland.
Directions
How to get to Edinburgh
Airplane
Edinburgh Airport is the only airport in the region and is the hub and base airport for several European low-cost airlines.
There are direct flights to Edinburgh Airport within the UK or most cities in Europe, such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, etc.; If you are departing directly from China, major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen all have routes to Edinburgh Airport, which basically require a connecting flight, and the flight time is also longer, and it takes about 20 hours to arrive in Edinburgh from Beijing.
Once you arrive at the airport, you can take a limousine, tram or taxi to the city centre, and the airport also offers a car rental service. Edinburgh Airport is not far from the city centre, and the above transport options take about 30-40 minutes by car.
Train
Edinburgh has two train stations, one is Waverley station, which is conveniently located on Princes Street in the heart of the city. Waverley Station is Edinburgh's main transport hub with the outside world, with direct trains running from the UK and major European cities.
Among them, London's Kings Cross to Waverley railway station, which passes through beautiful coastlines and spectacular sea cliffs, is known as the most beautiful train line in the UK, and the train journey takes about 4.5 hours.
The other is Haymarket Station, located in Edinburgh's West End, about 3km from the city centre, and can be used by visitors to Glasgow, Stirling or north-west cities such as the Scottish Highlands.
Tips：
It takes only 4 minutes to reach Waverley directly from Hay City train station.
Long-distance bus
Coach buses in the UK are the most affordable way to travel, with a long bus ride from London to Edinburgh taking around 9 hours, and overnight buses can save you a night's sleep. Compared to the frequent strikes of British trains, buses are more like a plan B prepared for anything. Most buses have toilets and charging ports are available at the seats. But you need to be wary of thieves and take good care of your valuables.
The main bus operators are National Express, Megabus, Scottish City etc. The most recommended way to get to Edinburgh from other cities in the UK is National Express, the largest long-distance bus company in the UK, with a full range of routes, wide coverage and comfortable seats. If you're on a tight budget, you can also opt for the cheap Megabus, which offers a £1 one-way ticket from London to Edinburgh for a £1 ticket in advance.
Buy a bus ticket
You can download the "National Express" app or purchase tickets at the "Trainline" mentioned above. The bus fare is a variable price just like the train ticket, so the earlier you buy it, the better it is.
Transport in and around Edinburgh
Public transport
Edinburgh has a well-developed public transport system, including buses and trams. Buses are the most common mode of transport, with many routes running from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. If you want to travel a little further from the city centre, such as the East Coast Seaside, Licorice City train station, Edinburgh Airport, etc., you can take the bus.
Trams is divided into two zones, the City zone and the Airport zone, with the City zone encompassing all the stops outside the airport. From June 2023, it stretches from Edinburgh Airport to Nowhaven, passing Edinburgh's top attractions such as St Andrew Square in the heart of the city, as well as the pier where the Britannia is moored. A tram tour of Edinburgh is a romantic and comfortable way to blend in with the locals.
How to purchase tickets: You can download the app "M-ticket" to purchase tickets, and Bus&Tram tickets are interoperable
Ticket prices: £2 per visit, £3.8 per day return, 5 lbs per day.
Taxi
Taxis can be hailed by waving on the street, or booked with Uber for up to 5 passengers. If you want to go to the seaside of Edinburgh, or from the airport to the hotel, you can also choose to take a taxi, but the traffic jam in the old city is more serious, so you need to avoid the route in advance to avoid delaying the trip.
Reference price: Starting at £2.8, £1.24/km
Walking
Edinburgh as a whole is not large, the old town attractions are adjacent to each other, and the walking time is basically less than half an hour, which is a very suitable city for walking and roaming, and walking is also the "best way to transport" to enjoy the beauty and history of Edinburgh. Hiking may be tiring, but it's a great way to be romantic and full of surprises, making it perfect for the adventurous spirit.
Other ways
In Edinburgh, you can also choose to travel by bike or by car.
Edinburgh has a lot of steep slopes, low temperatures and strong winds in winter, so it is not recommended to ride in winter. If you want to travel by bike, try to choose to do it in the summer; If you want to travel by car, it is recommended to choose the New Town or around Edinburgh, where there are many one-way streets, narrow roads, serious traffic jams, and parking lots.
Epilogue
Edinburgh isn't big, so hopefully you'll find a transport option that suits you.