Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city, and is situated on the east coast of Scotland's central lowlands on the south shore of the Firth of Forth on the North sea.  

The city is well-known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, a collection of independent festivals held annually over about three weeks from early August, when the population of the city doubles. The most famous of these events are the Edinburgh Fringe (the largest performing arts festival in the world), the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Another famous event is the Hogmanay street party, held on New Year's Eve every year.

The city is one of Europe's major tourist destinations, attracting approximately 13 million visitors a year, and is the second most visited tourist destination in the United Kingdom, after London.

Some have called Edinburgh the 'Athens of the North', with the earliest comparison between the two cities showing that they the old town of Edinburgh having a similar role to the Athenian Acropolis. Both of them had flatter, fertile agricultural land sloping down to a port several miles away ~ respectively Leith and Piraeus, an uncommon arrangement in Northern Europe.

The historic centre of Edinburgh is divided in two by Princes Street Gardens. To the south the view is dominated by Edinburgh Castle, perched on top of the extinct volcanic crag, and the long sweep of the Old Town trailing after it along the ridge. To the north lies Princes Street and the New Town. To the immediate west of the castle lies the financial district, housing insurance and banking buildings. Probably the most noticeable building is the circular sandstone building that is the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

• The Palace of Holyroodhouse ~ HM The Queen's official residence in Scotland. Located at the end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur's Seat.  The Royal Apartments, where The Queen hosts State ceremonies and other official occasions.  The Palace is perhaps best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots and as the setting for the most dramatic episodes in her reign, culminating in the murder of her secretary Rizzio.
• Edinburgh Quay ~ An exciting new regeneration development in Fountainbridge is home to the terminus of the historic Forth & Clyde and Union Canals. Visitors to Edinburgh to explore the Millenium Link, the biggest canal restoration to have taken place, which reunites the historic link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
• Camera Obscura and World of Illusions - Edinburgh's oldest visitor attraction, where seeing is not believing! Five great attractions in one visit, built beside Edinburgh Castle in 1853.   Including Rooftop Views, offering 360° panoramas of the city; Magic Gallery, with optical illusions, giant kaleidoscopes and the world's biggest plasmadome;  Light Fantastic, the U.K.'s only permanent gallery dedicated to the science and art of holography; and Edinburgh Illusion, where you can see Edinburgh in 3D from the 1850s to the present day, as well as live city viewcams.
• Royal Yacht Britannia ~ The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world. A fine royal servant and a familiar sight in ports all over the world on her forty year voyage covering a million miles and more. Today, she is one of the country's most popular visitor attractions and she can be found in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith.  This is a fascinating, and award-winning floating museum.