A fifteen minute walk south of the city centre and Royal Mile, formerly rural Newington was separate from Edinburgh until the building of the South Bridge in 1788. Nowadays, its proximity to Edinburgh University makes this suburb vibrant and popular with students.  
 

During the Edinburgh Festival many of the University buildings double up as venues, thus making Newington an ideal spot for festival-goers. The venues around the Royal Mile and Old Town are also minutes away. For the eleven months of the year that the Festival is not in town head to the Festival Theatre to catch a musical, a play or a dance show.
 

If nature if more your thing, then The Meadows - home to a children's play park, municipal tennis courts, croquet, picnic tables and designated barbeque area - is right on the doorstep of Newington. Holyrood Park is a stone's throw away where you can climb Arthur's Seat or Salisbury Crags and enjoy unparalleled views across the city.
 

Newington is also home to the Royal Commonwealth Pool, commissioned in 1966 to bring the Commonwealth Games to Edinburgh. The "Commie" is home to a 50m swimming pool as well as diving and teaching pools.
 

Part of the old Edinburgh to Dalkeith railway line has been converted to a cycle path and can be entered at Newington. It is fondly known as the Innocent Railway due to its having being horse drawn in an age of steam trains.