Edinburgh, Scotland, has been the capital city since 1437 and is a delightful place to visit. There are many historical buildings that have been restored as living monuments mainly from the 1800s when the city was known as one of the most architecturally beautiful in the world. The OLD TOWN became a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its buildings, the medieval plan, underground vaults, and other features.
Even older is EDINBURGH CASTLE, which is Scotland’s major attraction to over a million visitors a year. The castle was built on a rock that is 70 million years old and which had Bronze Age men living on that rock as early as 850 BC. In the twelfth century King Malcolm III built this castle, the queen built a small chapel, and the son built an Abbey a mile to the east. These became the main focus of the town. Different invaders captured the castle over the years, and it had to be rebuilt in 1568.
If you would like to see another interesting castle, the medieval CRAIGMILLAR one is from the 14th century and is where Mary, Queen of Scots, recovered after an illness and the birth of her son. Be sure to also see the ST. GILES CATHEDRAL, which was dedicated in 1243 and is named for the patron saint of the town.
Are you a fan of SIR WALTER SCOTT? His marble monument is 60 meters high and is a tribute to the novelist and poet. He is sitting and writing and has his dog by his side. As you climb the 287 steps to the top, you will find 64 statues of his characters as you go along. What a sight!!
A special museum is the MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND, which has Scottish exhibitions representing 2,000 years of history. The free admission also allows you to enjoy Celtic and Viking treasures, inventions including a steam engine, science projects, and a fantastic view of the city from the Level 7 roof terrace.
The largest wildlife attraction in Scotland is the EDINBURGH ZOO. It is devoted to the welfare of its more than 1,000 animals and also is excellent at giving environmental education.
The ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA shows you what royal life was like when it sailed for 44 years with the Queen and the royal family to 600 ports in 135 countries. You are allowed to take pictures even of the private rooms as well as the decks and other sections.
You will no doubt want to take a day trip to northern Scotland to see LOCH NESS. This series of interlinked lochs covers 21 square miles, is almost 800 feet deep, and has underwater caves. Possible sightings of the Loch Ness dinosaur “monster” over the past 100 years makes this a famous attraction.
