Edinburgh is the administrative and cultural capital of Scotland. The Golden Age included such literature figures as Robert Burns and Walter Scott.
Old town is of great historic interest. The Castle-Fortress/1076/ dominates the city from atop Castle Rock. Inside are the the Crown Room with the Honours of Scotland, older than the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
New Town is characterised by Georgian architecture. Princess Street marks the division between the old and new.
A particularly enjoyable time to visit the city is during the Edinburgh International Festival. The festival take place the last two weeks in August. The Military Tatoo, opera, ballet, movies are included into the program.
City Art center is the home of Edinburgh’s fine art collection. National Gallery of Scotland contains paintings by Scottish and European masters from the 14th to 19th centuries.
The city attracts 1 million visitors a year, making the second most visited tourist destination in the UK, after London.