Edinburgh
Very few capitals are as beautiful as Edinburgh. The city is surrounded by several high volcanic rocks. On one of the cliffs, Edinburgh Castle majestically overlooks the Old Town, with vertical falls on three sides, and the famous Royal Mile stretch which takes you to Holyrood Castle in Edinburgh city.
Edinburgh is the UK’s second most visited city after London, and most people find the Scots to be far more jovial, talkative and hospitable than the somewhat more distant Englishmen.
Norwegians have finally begun to open their eyes to the Scottish capital, and with direct flights you are only two hours away from this most charming town. You have more than enough of the cultural and sights of Edinburgh to keep you busy for a long weekend.
Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since 1437, but with its 450,000 inhabitants is not the largest city in Scotland. Scotland’s largest city is Glasgow. The Scottish climate is notorious for being totally unpredictable all year, so be prepared for a rain shower no matter when you go.
Both old and young, families with children and couples will surely enjoy themselves in Scotland’s heart.
Get to know Edinburgh
Many Norwegians are a little confused about the concepts of Scotland, England and the United Kingdom, and mix the cards here.
Until 1707 Scotland was an independent kingdom, but after its union with England, Scotland is one of four nations that make up the United Kingdom. Scotland has its own flag, national anthem, parliament, judicial system and national day, but is not an independent state. Still, a Scotsman will be more offended if you call him English than a Norwegian will be if he is called Swedish.
The Edinburgh area has been inhabited for at least two thousand years, and the first edition of St. Giles Cathedral was begun in the year 854. The village of Edinburgh gained its status as a trading town in 1329, becoming the capital of Scotland a century later. This led to the construction of solid city walls around what is now Old Town. Built in the 1530s for King James V, Holyrood Palace became the residence of the country’s kings, which it still is.
As a tourist for a weekend, you will probably spend all your time in Edinburgh’s historic center, which is divided into two of the large green park Princes Street Gardens. This was formerly a swamp marsh and part of Edinburgh Castle’s defense works. The area was filled and made into a park in the early 19th century. The Gardens, as it is called, is a popular meeting place, with many fountains, statues and monuments. Here is also the Scottish National Gallery.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: EDI
- Country: United Kingdom
Old Town of Edinburgh
South of Princes Street Gardens is Old Town, Edinburgh’s Old Town, with an original medieval street level. The entire area is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with around 4,500 worthy buildings. Edinburgh’s city center is sprinkled with several high volcanic rocks, and on one of these Edinburgh Castle majestically overlooks the Old Town.
The main thoroughfare in the old town is the so-called Royal Mile, which extends from Edinburgh Castle and down to the old royal residence Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Abbey. The Royal Mile is actually four streets; High Street, Canongate, Lawnmarket and Castle Hill. The Royal Mile is the tourists’ favorite, thanks to its many shops, eateries, pubs and historic buildings. Here is also the Supreme Court of Scotland and the eye-catching St. Giles Cathedral, named after Edinburgh’s patron saint.
South of the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the large Holyrood Park, which extends to the city’s highest point, Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano, 251 meters above sea level. Here you have a magnificent view of the area.
Holyrood is also home to the magnificent Scottish Parliament Building, which was completed in 2004. The building was highly controversial, not only because of its appearance, but equally because the architect was from Spain and not a Scotsman. In addition, the construction cost was blown beyond the budget. According to the plan, the parliament building would cost £ 40 million, the final bill being doubled. Who said the Scots were stingy?
Also, take with you Grassmarket, an area just south of Edinburgh Castle, named after the old marketplace. This was the old court, but today the square is surrounded by pubs filled with students. At Grassmarket you can also see parts of the 16th century city walls.
New Town in Edinburgh
North of Princes Street Gardens is New Town. Not so new is Nybyen, it was built in the late 1700s to solve the problem of overcrowding in the Old Town. Edinburgh’s premier shopping street is on the north side of Princes Street Gardens and is naturally called Princes Street. It is one and a half kilometers long and has no buildings on the south side, but nice views of the park, the old town and the castle. The parallel street above Princes Street is George Street, a street constructed to be New Town’s main street. At each end of the street is an elegant square, Charlotte Square to the west and St Andrews Square to the east.
Leith
We also mention the district of Leith northeast of the city center, which is the same for Edinburgh as Aker Brygge is for Oslo. Here are the restaurants in a row. Leith was previously a separate trading town, but was merged with Edinburgh in 1920, following a referendum in which most of Leith’s residents voted against. This is where the Hibernians football team belongs, one of Edinburgh’s two major football teams.
Every August, Edinburgh Festival is organized, which is really a series of different festivals. Among these we find Military Tattoo, rock festival, literature festival and film festival. During these weeks, the population is doubled, with constant crowds and activities in the city streets, and it is almost impossible to find a vacant hotel room. You must book a long time in advance if you are going to visit Edinburgh in August.
Facts about Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and the second largest city (after Glasgow). Edinburgh is considered by many to be one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals and the city is rightly a tourist favorite!
| Population | Around 450,000 |
| Official languages | English and Gaelic |
| Control Form | monarchy |
| Religion | Protestant (43%) and Catholic (17%) |
| Time Difference | Scotland is one hour after Norwegian time |
| Currency | British pounds, equivalent to around £ 12. ATMs can be found almost everywhere, and the use of credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and Diners is very widespread. |
| Tips | Some places include tips. If not, give 10-15%. The same goes for taxis. At the pub you don’t have to give tips. |
| Embassy | The Norwegian Embassy is located at 86 George Street, Edinburgh. Tel: +44 131 226 5701. |
| Tourist | 3 Princes Street, and at the airport |
| Telephone | 44 |
| Emergency | 999 |
| Electricity | 240v 50Hz. You need an adapter for a UK 3-pin outlet to use your own electrical items. These are normally available in stores. |
| Holidays and Holidays | January 1, January 2, first Monday in May, first Monday in August, November 30 (National Day) |
| Visa | Not required for Norwegian citizens. Passports must be brought. |
| Vaccinations | No vaccines are required. |
| Water | Do not drink from the tap. |
| Nearest major cities | Glasgow, Perth, Stirling. |
| Safety | The level of preparedness in the UK has been raised following several terrorist attacks and bomb threats in recent years. Some fills and violence in the center on weekends. Also pay attention to pickpockets in crowds. |
List of Edinburgh Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Edinburgh is EDI which stands for Edinburgh. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Edinburgh, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
