Forever Edinburgh Press Pack 2021
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1 Forever OFFICIALEd iGUIDEnbu TO EDINBURGHrg h edinburgh.org /Edinburgh @edinburgh thisisedinburgh 2 edinburgh.org 3 ‘The city whispers: come Edinburgh’s beauty is both staggering and Contents inimitable - but the city is far more than Look at me, listen to the beating of my heart just a pretty face. Take a closer look and Advice on travelling to Edinburgh 4 I am the place you have seen in dreams there’s much more to discover. I am a stage for you to play upon Campaign: Our shopping ranges from the world’s best Forever Edinburgh - The Story Never Ends 5 I am Edinburgh” luxury names to local independent talent just waiting to be discovered. Our food, Edinburgh’s heritage 8 be it Michelin-starred or pop-up street- Alexander McCall Smith - Author Key dates in Edinburgh’s history 11 food markets with award-winning chefs, is mouth-wateringly delicious. Culture and events 12 From the rich – sometimes hidden – Edinburgh on film 14 history that surrounds your every step, to Edinburgh Festivals 18 the wealth of lush, green spaces peppered around the city centre, Edinburgh Attractions 22 continually surprises, delights and inspires. Food and drink 26 Join us and find out why there’s nowhere in the world quite like Scotland’s capital. Shopping 30 Hidden gems 33 Stay 34 Outdoor activities 36 Day trip from Edinburgh 38 Awards 40 Fast facts 42 For more information on Edinburgh, or to speak 10 things you didn’t know about Edinburgh 43 with us about visiting our great city, please contact: [email protected] Contact Forever Edinburgh 44 For urgent enquiries, contact [email protected] edinburgh.org Image library: flickr.com/thisisedinburgh Tweet us @Edinburgh facebook.com/Edinburgh instagram.com/ThisisEdinburgh YouTube/ThisisEdinburgh Every effort is made to ensure that information in this document is correct at time of publication. View from Calton Hill 4 edinburgh.org edinburgh.org 5 Advice on travelling New marketing campaign for Scotland’s capital to Edinburgh Forever Edinburgh Before you travel to Edinburgh, please ensure you are aware of the latest health and safety guidance and travel The Story Never Ends restrictions. Further information can be found via the Scottish Government’s website: gov.scot/publications/ coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels/ Each area has a COVID protection level. There are 5 different levels starting from 0 to 4. The lowest level is 0 and the highest level is 4. Covid-19 protection levels (tiers) by area Find out the COVID protection level (tier) for Edinburgh and other local areas in Scotland and get information on what you can and cannot do in Edinburgh at each level. The Guidance includes: • Not travelling if you have COVID-19 symptoms or have been told to self-isolate • Observing physical distancing measures • Regular use of hand sanitiser and regular handwashing • Planning ahead and checking if businesses and attractions are open and welcoming visitors • Being considerate of local communities and their precious resources • Supporting the local tourism industry by eating local, seeing local and buying local. Test and Protect Scotland App The Protect Scotland app from NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect is a free, mobile phone app designed to help us protect each other and reduce the spread of coronavirus. The app will alert you if you have been in close contact with another app user who tests positive for coronavirus. And if you test positive, it can help in determining contacts that you may have otherwise missed while keeping your information private and anonymous. Download the Protect Scotland app from the Apple Store and Google Playstore. Arthur’s Seat 6 edinburgh.org 7 edinburgh.org Step into our past today and make your own stories for tomorrow The Story Never Ends If Edinburgh’s characterful streets, historic buildings surrounding neighbourhoods, #ForeverEdinburgh will and beautiful outdoor spaces could speak what stories take over the existing ‘This Is Edinburgh’ social media would they tell? A question that will be answered accounts and website, changing the name and gaining through the new marketing campaign ‘Forever an audience of almost half a million followers across Edinburgh - The Story Never Ends’. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Set to deliver a huge awareness boost amongst This is good news for followers – along with new domestic visitors, the campaign will bring to life the and updated branding, they can expect to see more Capital’s dynamic stories and the unique experiences updated and refreshed content on social media as to be had around every corner of the city. #ForeverEdinburgh’s new channels become the go-tos for community news and events, promotional offers Alongside showcasing all the city has to offer in its city and useful information about Edinburgh, including centre and eclectic neighbourhoods, the campaign will how to explore and rediscover the city centre and local also shine a light on its abundance of outdoor spaces, communities safely. The channels will also highlight a including coastal and waterway locations, as it looks vast range of Edinburgh’s incredible local businesses to demonstrate the versatility of the city for a holistic and attractions. visitor experience throughout the year. Residents and visitors are being encouraged to join The campaign will launch with a new hero film, in the conversation and share their stories of their inspiring imagery and dedicated story-themed content experiences in and around this beautiful location by and itineraries on edinburgh.org using #ForeverEdinburgh edinburgh.org v Designed to support local businesses in their recovery Fore er from the pandemic and encourage footfall from both locals and tourists back into the city centre and its Royal Mile Edinburgh 8 edinburgh.org edinburgh.org 9 Edinburgh’s Heritage Royal Mile The Royal Mile is at the centre of Edinburgh’s Old Queen Margaret and Mary Queen of Scots. The Castle Edinburgh has been inhabited since the Bronze Age; its first Town and is one Scots Mile long (around 225 yards is still a functioning barracks, as well as the focal point settlement can be traced to a hillfort established in the area, longer than a ‘standard’ mile). With Edinburgh Castle of spectacular fireworks displays at Hogmanay and most likely on the castle rock. Here are just a few areas that at its head and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at its during August’s festivals. With its rich history and form part of Edinburgh’s rich heritage… foot, The Royal Mile features many historic buildings; stunning views across Edinburgh and beyond from Gladstone’s Land, The Real Mary King’s Close and within the city centre, it’s a must-see when in the John Knox House to name but a few. It is also home capital. The one o’clock gun is fired at exactly 1pm six to St Giles’ Cathedral, established during the reign of days a week, drawing large crowds to watch. The Castle King David in the 1120’s. As the epicentre for tourists welcomes around 2.1 million visitors each year. in Edinburgh, the Royal Mile has also seen prestigious new additions in recent history, most notably the Calton Hill Scottish Parliament. ‘Of all places for a view, this Calton Hill is perhaps the best’ Robert Louis Stevenson, 1889. New Town Home to some of Edinburgh’s most iconic monuments Designed in 1767, the New Town’s mixture of classical and one of the city’s most picturesque locations, architecture, squares and terraces, gardens and Calton Hill helped the city earn the nickname ‘Athens lanes are a prime example of town planning from of the North’. The twelve columns of the National the Georgian period. Charlotte Square, designed Monument, built to commemorate Scottish service by architect Robert Adam in 1791, is where you can men who died during Napoleonic Wars but never visit the Georgian House and experience the high finished, towers majestically over the city. Calton Hill society lifestyle from over 200 years ago. Princes Street is also home to the Nelson Monument, built in 1816. Gardens, once the location of the Nor’Loch, is now a The Time Ball on the Monument, added in 1853 to serene garden space dividing the Old and New Towns. enable ships anchored in the Firth or Forth to set their time-pieces accurately, still drops at one o’clock, six Dean Village days a week. This is also where the Collective Gallery is situated – a new contemporary art gallery based in the In the past, Dean Village was known as the ‘Water of City Observatory which dates back to 1818. Leith Village’; a successful grain milling hamlet for more than 800 years. At one time there were no fewer than eleven working mills there, and the remnants of Arthur’s Seat the industry can still be seen today. Tucked away, this Set within Holyrood Park, a short walk from is an area that feels – and looks – very different to the Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in the heart of the city, Arthur’s city centre but is only moments away. Seat is an extinct volcano, which sits 251m above sea level and gives excellent views of the city. Within the Charlotte Square to Stockbridge park you’ll also find St Anthony’s Chapel – a 15th century medieval chapel, Salisbury Crags – a series of A walk from Charlotte Square to Stockbridge 150 foot cliff faces dominating Edinburgh’s skyline, as incorporates some of the most impressive parts of well as Duddingston Loch – a fresh water loch rich in the Georgian New Town and streets which haven’t birdlife. changed much since the early 1800s. The Earl of Moray owned the area and in 1833 appointed James Gillespie Graham to design an extension of the New Town which Grassmarket can be seen when walking between destinations.