One of the most beautifully sited cities, Edinburgh rises from the wide Firth of Forth to a high, rocky pinnacle crowned by the stone walls and towers of Edinburgh Castle. The Scottish capital is a center of culture and the arts and is especially known for its festivals, from the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which welcomes more than 1,000 authors, to the sparkling Christmas Markets and the Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest festival of the arts. Between these and internationally known events such as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, there are always plenty of things to do here.

Edinburgh may seem at times to be two separate cities, so different are the 18th-century New Town’s elegant Georgian neighborhoods of stately terraces from the Old Town’s narrow winding lanes, steep staircases, and hidden passageways. While many of the most popular tourist attractions are along the Royal Mile, which follows the crest of the hill between the castle and Holyrood Palace and Princes Street, be sure to explore the other side of the hill, where you’ll find the picturesque Grassmarket. One of Edinburgh’s most important market squares since the Middle Ages, it rings with history. In this pedestrian-friendly area of shops and cafés look for the White Hart Inn, where Robbie Burns once wrote poetry. Edinburgh is a city that begs to be discovered, filled with quirky, come-hither nooks that tempt you to explore just that little bit further.