Edinburgh on the southern
shores of the Firth of Forth in the south
east of Scotland has a population of about
half a million people and is, according
to writer Robert Louis Stevenson, "what
Paris ought to be".
Towering high above Edinburgh's
magnificent architecture (the tall buildings
of its medieval Old Town on the Royal Mile
and the graceful Georgian New Town) on Castle
Rock is Edinburgh Castle - the most visited
ancient building in Britain after the Tower
of London. Medieval buildings stand alongside
striking modern structures, ancient craftsmanship
next to cutting edge fashion and people
from all around the world gather in the
pubs and restaurants of this dynamic city.
Edinburgh is not just the
capital of Scotland but is also its centre
for business and industry (particularly
coal, iron and whisky), a university city
and cultural mecca and now home to the first
Scottish Parliament for 300 years.
Edinburgh is justly named
Europe's festival capital. All year round,
millions of visitors are drawn to the city
for a series of great social and scientific
events. The famous Edinburgh Festival attracts
thousands of international visitors each
year as well as stars of film and theatre
stars. The Fringe Festival is held at the
same time with hundreds of performers -
none of whom are invited - and is the largest
arts festival in the world according to
the Guinness Book of Records while the Edinburgh
International Science Festival is the world's
largest festival of science and technology
