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Edinburgh is one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan cities in Europe, and is regularly voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the world. What's more, with four universities and numerous colleges, it's also one of the most student friendly cities you could hope to find. Located throughout the centre of the city, the Universities are an integral, buzzing part of everything that's going on.
Edinburgh is a real 24 hour city, with a night out for every mood. Pubs and wine bars can offer you a quiet drink or a full on party. If you're after music or dancing, you've come to the right place, with dance, hip hop, R&B, indie, jazz and traditional Scottish sounds all on offer, almost any night of the week. In the last year, Edinburgh has been host to all kinds of acts, including Justin Timberlake, Kyle, The Black Eye Peas, The White Stripes, DJ Shadow, Badly Drawn Boy, The Divine Comedy, Courtney Pine, Nancy Sinatra and Primal Scream and the MTV Awards.
To keep a smile on your face, the city's comedy clubs also have top acts appearing all year round. Last year alone, Dylan Moran, Daniel Kitson, Mark Thomas, Rhona Cameron and Peter Kay, to name just a few performed here
Comedy is very much associated with the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, which takes place in August every year. But there's a lot more to Edinburgh's reputation as the Festival City than that. Other annual events include the Edinburgh International Festival, the Film Festival, the International Book Festival, the Science Festival, Capital Christmas and the Edinburgh Mela. Not forgetting, of course, the city's incredible Hogmanay festivities a four day New Year party with spectacular entertainment, voted one of best in the world.
For eating out, the choice of restaurants is amazing, with literally hundreds of different options to try, with a range of prices: South American, Caribbean, Moroccan, Sudanese, North African, plus all the European and Asian options you'd expect, and of course, a generous helping of the finest Scottish cuisine.
If all this social life sounds a bit exhausting, and you're looking for more cultural pursuits, Edinburgh has plenty to offer there too. Museums, galleries, libraries, theatres, cinemas, they're all here, and more, including the National Library of Scotland, the National Gallery of Scotland and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the Royal Botanic Garden and, of course, Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the skyline.
Edinburgh is a beautiful, historic city, with stunning Georgian architecture, and winding medieval streets. Around 50 percent of the city is open space too, with a large number of public parks right in the busy city centre.
As Scotland's capital, Edinburgh is steeped in centuries of history and tradition, and is the home of the Scottish Parliament.
It's a great place to shop, with unique specialist shops jostling for position with the big names, giving you plenty of choice.
Edinburgh also has some of the finest international sporting venues in the UK, tennis courts, golf cources, swimming pools, sports centres, and one of Europe's largest dry ski slopes, all with in easy reach of No. 53 Frederick Street.
Edinburgh's coast and countryside offer a beautiful backdrop to the city itself. Some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery is just a short trip away, a great antidote to the pace of life in the capital.
Travel & Weather
Edinburgh is easily accessible from within the UK and Europe and beyond. Flights from London and most main European airports are just over an hour, with lots of low cost airlines flying to and from the city. There are excellent rail and road links to the main cities of the UK (London is around 4 hours away by train), while public transport within Edinburgh itself is mainly by bus, with good provision for cyclists.
Many visitors to Edinburgh are pleasantly surprised by the weather! The city's average annual rainfall is almost the same as London, in the south east, and is considerably less than either Glasgow or Manchester.
Edinburgh is a truly international city with over two million people visiting every year, making it the most popular UK tourist destination after London.
So why not come and stay for a weekend or take a weeks break and see what you are missing!
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