Our Georgian Edinburgh Bed and Breakfast is located at 11 Moray Place

Edinburgh Bed and Breakfast

An Edinburgh City Guide

Edinburgh is one of Scotland's most exciting, vibrant cities offering many things to see and do. From its tiny, winding streets to its dramatic volcanic scenery, Edinburgh really captures the best of what a city has to offer. Throughout the year Edinburgh is a hive of activity; however the city's busiest times are undoubtedly August, when people flood in for the Festivals, and the New Year period, when both residents and visitors alike hit the streets for the Hogmanay celebrations.

The Old Town and New Town were designated a World Heritage Site in 1995. The Old Town includes the Castle, the Royal Palace of Holyrood House, St. Giles Cathedral and the old and new Scottish Parliaments. The New Town was constructed to a single architectural plan between 1750 and 1820.

The Scottish capital has come a long way from the days of "Auld Reekie", as it was affectionately known, to be one of the world's most influential cities. Split between Old Town, New Town and the port of Leith, Edinburgh is well worth a visit.

Getting to and from Edinburgh

By Air

Edinburgh Airport is located 8 miles (13km) west of the city centre.
To and from Edinburgh Airport:

• Located in Edinburgh's City Centre and close to all the attractions
• By Airport Express Bus Service (no. 100)
• Departs from UK arrival doors to Waverley Bridge, near the main train station.
• Operates every 10 minutes during peak times and every 30 minutes at night.
• Cost: Adult single £3.00, Adult return £5.00.
• Journey time: 15 minutes off peak.
• By Taxi
• Cost: £12.00-£15.00
• Journey time: 15 minutes off peak

By Train - 2 main train stations:

* Waverley: Lies in the centre of Edinburgh between the Old and New Town. This is Edinburgh's Main Station and closest to No 53 Frederick Street, Edinburgh B&B.

* Haymarket: Located approximately 1 mile west of the centre and ideal for travelling to places in the west of the city e.g. Murrayfield Rugby Stadium.

By Coach

The main coach station is St Andrew's located on St Andrew Square and is within walking distance of George Street, Princes Street and Waverley train station. No 53 is a 5 minute walk from the main bus stop.

Getting Around Walking

* Edinburgh's centre is fairly compact making it very easy to move between tourist attractions on foot.

* There are numerous walking tours available to explore the different sides of Edinburgh's heritage e.g. Check our Attractions Web Page for a full listing

* Walking is a great way to appreciate the best of Edinburgh.

Getting Around by Bus

Main provider is Lothian Buses. There are a wide range of tickets available: * A single ticket never costs more than £1.00. * 1 day ticket cost: £2.30. * 1 week Ridacard: £12.00 (bought from one of the Lothian travel shops or their web-site). There are also numerous bus tours available: * Majority of tours depart from Waverley Bridge. * Cost: around £9.00. * Many of the operators provide discounts for certain tourist attractions so this can be cost effective.

Edinburgh's Top Attractions

Edinburgh is full of many exciting and interesting tourist attractions that are not to be missed. Edinburgh Castle, The Palace of Holyrood,The Royal Yacht Britannia, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, The Real Mary King's Close, Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh Zoo, Royal Botanic Gardens and much much more. For a full list please read our Edinburgh Attractions Page.

Where to Eat

To help you organise your time in Edinburgh, be it a long weekend or just one night, before you arrive, check out which restaurants are available and book a table. Whether you fancy Italian, Indian or vegetarian cuisine, you can search and book a table here. For a full restaurant list please read The List

Nightlife

Edinburgh has a lively pub, club and bar scene. This stretches right across the city centre. The range of venues is extensive from underground vaults and old Victorian buildings to purpose built bars and clubs.

Pubs & Bars

If you are attracted to the bar culture then George Street or the Grassmarket are the places to head for.

Clubs

If you are looking for a certain type of music style or a specific "night" you may want to invest in The List or the Gig Guide which are available from local newsagents or online.

Theatre & Entertainment

When it comes to thought provoking theatre or cutting edge comedy, Edinburgh is the place to be and be seen. Please read our Attractions Web Page for up to date Theatre and Cinema listings. Much of Edinburgh's theatre, music and comedy scenes are concentrated around the Edinburgh Festival which dominates the city throughout August.

Edinburgh Festival

The name "Edinburgh Festival" is an encompassing term for a collection of different festivals which take place from the end of July to the beginning of September. For up to date timetables and event diaries please check the websites below:-

Edinburgh International Festival 12 August to 6 September 2011
Edinburgh Fringe 5 August to 29 August 2011
Edinburgh International Film Festival 15 June to 26 June
Children's International Theatre Festival
Edinburgh Art Festival
Edinburgh Tattoo 5 August to 27 August 2011
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 30 July to 8 August 2011
Edinburgh International Book Festival 13 August to 29 August 2011

For the Kids

Edinburgh is an exciting city to visit with children as there is much for them to see and do. Most of the museums and attractions do incorporate a kids sections. For ideas please read our Attractions Web Page.

Shopping

Edinburgh is a shopper's paradise, with many high street stores, huge department stores and little boutiques to be found. Princes Street is Home to most of the major high street stores e.g. Gap, H&M, Marks & Spencer, HMV, Boots, Waterstones, Disney Store and many more.

Department Stores

• Located in Edinburgh's City Centre and close to all the attractions
• Jenners: the famous Edinburgh department store, which is one of Britain's oldest and is located on Princes Street
• Harvey Nichols: the first of the chain's Scottish stores located in Saint Andrew Square and contains many designer brands.
• House of Fraser: part of the major chain, containing many designer products and household names. Located at 145 Princes Street.

It is also worth perusing streets around Princes Street e.g. George Street, Thistle Street, Hanover Street and Frederick Street. These streets tend to contain more boutique style shops e.g.

• Jane Davidson, Thistle Street (women's clothes)
• Pam Jenkins, Thistle Street (women's shoes)
• Joseph H Bonnar, Thistle Street (jewellery)

If you have time to spend, it is also worth meandering round the streets of the Old Town as there are many hidden gems to be discovered. It is worth mentioning that the Royal Mile is home to many of the tourist orientated shops.

Gay & Lesbian

Edinburgh has a thriving gay and lesbian scene which is predominantly concentrated around the East Side of the City and commonly referred to as the "Pink Triangle". There is a wide range of nightlife in and around Broughton Street. Edinburgh also hosts the Scotia Pride Festival bi-annually, usually in the month of June and alternates its host status with Glasgow.

A Georgian Edinburgh Guest House
11 Moray Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6DT