Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, is a magical, intriguing and romantic city that never ceases to fascinate artists and writers. It is so easy to fall in love with it, for a visit or for a lifetime. It must be said that there is something for everyone here. Edinburgh has a thousand faces: the one of the young night owls and the old bards in kilt, the one of the history engraved in marble and the permanent innovation, the one of the defended traditions and the opening on the world..
Edinburgh, an effervescent capital
Edinburgh is a bit like a good whisky. The Scottish city can be appreciated by taking your time, according to your desires, sometimes with a drop of water, but always in good company. Intoxicatingly beautiful, it is a magical and endearing destination. Its clever mix of styles has earned it a double Unesco listing: as a World Heritage Site and as a City of Literature. And if its inhabitants are so in love with it, it must be said that they are lucky to have a medieval castle as a neighbor, a volcano in their garden and 22 pubs per square kilometer on the corner
Sometimes it feels like a cozy little village, often like a bustling capital city and always more or less at home. Fans of architecture will enjoy the contrast between New Town and Old Town, culture buffs will love the art museums and gourmets will enjoy the abundance of local produce. As for the party, it is not an empty word here. It's at home in traditional pubs, music bars, wild nightclubs, and at popular events like the Fringe and the International Festival in August. She's a bit of an old lady punk, who wears her age gracefully and is still driven by the spirit of youth. She is an artist, a novelist, an actress, an architect, a virtuoso and even a philosopher. In fact, as Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, "in a word and above all: she is a curiosity. And, at the end of the stay, nobody will really want to leave...
An exceptional heritage
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Edinburgh offers a fabulous heritage, a fascinating history and a wealth of attractions. You can discover the eventful past at the medieval castle. Standing on an ancient extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is the heart of Scotland's capital. As with any medieval city, it was at its feet that the city grew. But a visit to the Palace of Holyrood, the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen when she is in Scotland, should not be missed either. At the exact opposite of the castle, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, she spends a week at the beginning of each summer to conduct receptions and ceremonies in the capital. The Museum of Scotland is also a must-see. It is a real Scottish Louvre, with 16 galleries, 8,000 objects and a complex whose architecture is both Victorian and ultra-modern.
Art is also present in the Scottish National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Modern Art. The Scottish capital is quite avant-garde in terms of modern and contemporary art. There are countless museums and galleries and many of today's artists find it a welcoming place to exhibit their work. It is an ideal opportunity to learn about movements not always understood and to explore the full spectrum of complexity and different media. The National Gallery of Modern Art is a must-see. In two vast buildings and their gardens, you will meet Matisse, Braque, Picasso, Salvador Dalhi, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, but also the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois, Anthony Gromley, Barbara Hepworth or Henry Moore.
For more focused and original visits, one can go to the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Real Mary King's Close, the Scotch Whisky Experience and the charming Dean Village. But if it's nature that interests you, head to Holyrood Park, the Royal Botanic Garden and the famous Edinburgh Zoo. In any case, don't miss Calton Hill, to which the city owes its title of Athens of the North, and where the view is breathtaking
A true gastronomic destination
Forget all your clichés about the British, Edinburgh is a paradise for lovers of good food at table time. Small cafés, trendy canteens, gastro-pubs, traditional and foreign restaurants have been springing up everywhere in recent years. There are countless Michelin stars, many of which are concentrated in the Leith district, the home of great gourmets. Influences come from all over the world, but also a lot from here. This may disappoint at first, but the number of French addresses in the capital is impressive. Their success is commensurate with their quality and it would be misleading not to salute them, as many of them are among the top names in local gastronomy. And for good reason, they have put themselves on Scottish time and have largely revisited their repertory, thanks to an abundant soil. The city enjoys the considerable wealth of its hinterland: Angus beef, deer and sheep from the Highlands, fish from the Shetlands, cheese from Mull, vegetables from the Lowlands... So many delights that are often found on the plates and on the market stalls. There's plenty to enjoy before a long evening of partying.
In Edinburgh, it's time to party!
The Scots have no shortage of energy when it comes to going out and their capital city reflects this phenomenon. The pubs come alive in the late afternoon and only empty when they close, between 11 pm and 1 am. To start the evening, you can also choose a cocktail bar for a warm up, intended to quietly take the pulse of the evening before joining the clubs.
As for the music, the repertoire is wide. You can enjoy excellent traditional concerts in the pubs, as well as cutting-edge DJ performances in the clubs. Some music bars also have a rock and pop oriented program; an opportunity to listen to good bands for free or almost free. Folk lovers can also try their hand at ceilidh, the national collective dance that attracts visitors and enthusiasts alike.
The places to go out are mainly concentrated between Old Town and New Town. The former is younger, more popular and more international, in a word: a bit crazier. Its addresses are mostly gathered in Cowgate and its surroundings, in the small alleys and underground. The second one is a bit more sophisticated and chic, with a more classy public that gathers around George Street, behind the Georgian facades.
Smart info
When to go? Edinburgh is a year-round destination, and the arrival of the warm weather in spring is very pleasant.
How to get there. France is very well connected to Edinburgh by plane, from Paris as well as from other cities in the country
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