Pictures of Edinburgh: Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle, Salisbury Crags

Also known as the "Athens of the North", Edinburgh can be rightfully called one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. Its distinctive and unique skyline follows closely that of Venice. The beauty of this historic City lies in the fact that it preserved over the years its own atmosphere, a medieval one you might say. The buildings, the castle, the statues breathe with history It's as if every corner of the city has its own story which awaits to be uncovered.

Its beauty also lies in the variety that is specific to Edinburgh: cathedrals, old kirks and buildings, a castle situated right in the middle of the city, beautiful gardens at the bottom of the Castle Rock, haunting kirkyards. One can go shopping in luxurious stores such as Jenners and Harvey Nichols or relax in the Docks area (Leith) and last but by no means least the Edinburgh Festival is the event of the year which lasts throughout the month of August. The Edinburgh Festival attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year who enjoy the Festival shows as well as the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Going into the city from the East End by bus, one has the opportunity to admire the everyday activity in Edinburgh. When you reach North Bridge you realise that Edinburgh is indeed unique Looking to the right you see Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags with St Anthony's chapel and the Firth of Forth. The view is fairly wide. You can see the new Scottish Parliament and the docks and on a clear day you can see all the way to the Bass Rock and Berwick Law. On the left you have an incredible view of the Old Town, the Scottish Parliament and Ramsay Garden followed by Edinburgh Castle, standing tall and proud on the Castle Rock. The eye picks up on Scott Monument, Calton Hill and the Balmoral hotel right at the end of the bridge.

Although it is no where near as big as Glasgow, nor does it have its economic strength, Edinburgh is, in my opinion, capital of Scotland through what it has to offer: a mix of Scottish flavours It gives you the opportunity to experience Scotland as it really is.

When Queen Victoria first came to the City of Edinburgh she found it "quite beautiful, totally unlike anything else I have seen; and what is even more, Albert, who has seen so much, says it is unlike anything he ever saw; it is so regular, everything built of massive stone, there is not a brick to be seen anywhere. The High Street, which is pretty steep, is very fine. Then the castle, situated on that grand rock in the middle of the town, is most striking. On the other side the Calton Hill, with the National Monument, a building in the Grecian style; Nelson's Monument, Burns' Monument; the Gaol, the National School, etc. All magnificent buildings".

This is how Edinburgh looks coming in from the East End The picture is taken from the Liberton Road bus stop coming from Penicuik on the A701 towards Edinburgh. What you see are the Salisbury Crags and the pointed tower is Nelson's Monument. On the right of the Crags you should be able to see Arthur's Seat.

From the same location, how Edinburgh Castle looks from outside the city It is amazing how you can see Edinburgh's landmarks (Edinburgh Castle, Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat) from this distance.

From the North Bridge you have a wide view of the Old Town. When the sun is shining or at sunset it's the loveliest sight you' ever see. It is a delight for those who like old buildings. However, in the past certain areas of the Old Town were home to the poor, who suffered greatly from deprivation and the effects of insanitary conditions. Fortunately these times are long gone and the area is now under the care of the "Old Town Renewal Trust". In the summer and especially in August the Royal Mile has many Festival wonders to present. In the foreground of the picture you can see the railway station, Edinburgh Waverley.

Looking to the right, from the North Bridge you can see the Salisbury Crags and the top of Arthur's Seat If you look closely you'll see lots of tourists up there.

The Crags, as you can very well see are impressive in their unique shape. The closer you get to them the more you realise that they are incredibly high.

Again on the right you can see Calton Hill with Nelson's Monument. The picture is taken at sunset on August 31st, the night of the Fireworks Concert. The Balmoral Hotel greets you on arrival in the City Center. Formerly known as the North British Hotel, it was completed in 1902 for the renowned railway company, the "North British". The design was inspired from that of Europe's finest hotels. The Balmoral is now one of Edinburgh's landmarks and one of its "spires". The Scottish Parliament from outside. Currently the Parliament is located in the Church of Scotland's Assembly Hall. The Assembly Hall was designed in the 19th century by William Playfair, who also designed many of Edinburgh's classical buildings, including the National Gallery of Scotland. The church you can see behind is the Highland Tolbooth It is an impressive Victorian Gothic church situated at the foot of the Castle Rock and has been turned fairly recently into the Edinburgh Festival headquarters, called the "Hub". It continues to be one of Edinburgh's most prominent and enduring landmarks, the Highland Tolbooth is part of the City's distinctive skyline along with the Tron, St Giles' Cathedral and the Castle. The inner court of the Assembly Hall, temporary location of the Scottish Parliament. The statue on the left is of John Knox, the man who still haunts Scotland today.

Pictures of Lothians: North Berwick, Glencorse reservoir, Linlithgow

The Lothians is a region of Scotland divided in three smaller regions: Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian They represent the heart of Scotland because the Capital City, Edinburgh is technically located in Midlothian while East Lothian is said to be the granary of Scotland.

In Edinburgh, on the Royal Mile there is what is called "The Heart of Midlothian" It is emblem in the form of a heart which is formed using cobblestones and set in a section of pavement near St Giles Cathedral which you can see on the left.