yz Dessert with a steely Cemetery with its tales of vanishing soft drink corpses → p. 78 The best Irn-Bru, the orange-coloured Scottish pick-me-up and national soft drink, yz Forward looking MARCO POLO is the basis of one of the desserts The large clock on the tower next to served in the Hotel du Vin Bistro Waverley Station is two minutes fast Insider Tips → p. 55 so that passengers won’t miss their train – the only exception is on New Our top 15 Insider Tips yz A gardener’s love Year’s Eve → p. 44 Without the Michelin cherry on top, yet classy and creative, The Garden- yz Breathtaking panorama er’s Cottage serves five-course meals You will get the best photo of the on long tables without veering into castle from St Cuthbert’s Cemetery opulence at the foot of the hill. It is particu- → p. 81 larly beautiful in winter when leaves do not block your view → p. 45 yz Celebrate in Scottish style The people of have story- yz Under your skin telling and music in their blood. The The arrival of fresh corpses – sup- Scottish-Gaelic culture is joyfully plied by grave robbers and murder- celebrated at Easter at the TradFest ers – was once eagerly anticipated yz Let your Celtic hair down yz Pandas and penguins → p. 96 at Surgeons’ Hall. Some would stop At the Beltane Fire Festival held on Besides the daily penguin parade at literally nothing in the service of the last day of April, more than in Edinburgh Zoo (photo above), yz Feel at home science. Today it’s possible to ex- 12,000 people go on a pagan, Celtic there’s one more highlight: giant You can rent a holiday flat behind plore the inside of the body without spree that doesn’t end until May. A pandas the thick walls on Candlemaker Row – a scalpel – using the simple touch really spectacular event on Calton → p. 94 in the midst of the hustle and bustle technology of the converted dissec- Hill (photo right) → p. 96 of the Old Town near Greyfriars’ ting iTable → p. 39 yz Cryptic crypt yz Bird’s eye view Non-stop horror films, pole danc- Fantastic view over Royal Mile from ing, cosy corners and “candlelight the dizzying height of the roof of a burgers” in the gloomy Banshee safe haven: St Giles Cathedral Labyrinth under a bridge in the Old → p. 38 Town → p. 69 yz From bean to bar yz Seaweed brew If you want to find out why choco- You will be able to try a drink you late is healthy, contact The Chocolate have definitely never had before Tree well in advance to attend one at the David Bann vegetarian res- of its events where you can learn taurant: beer made of seaweed everything about the production → p. 55 and enjoyment of chocolate → p. 52 yz A hat for every head yz William Turner likes it Perhaps a Sherlock Holmes-style gloomy deerstalker for his lordship and sure- The National Gallery only exhibits ly nothing but a fascinator will do some of the artist’s watercolours in for her ladyship – a hatter and her the weak January light to prevent universe rule in Fabhatrix in the them from fading → p. 46 heart of Old Town → p. 62 ONLY IN EDINBURGH BEST OF... Unique experiences

rThe castle on the volcano GREAT PLACES FOR FREE Ther most impressive aspect of and the volcanic rock it is built on is the silhouette the Discover new places and save money two merge to form. The crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny in the castle are true gems. The views are breathtaking! → p. 30 rThree-hour declaration of love to the city Yrou will have certainly fallen in love with Edinburgh after this free tour of rMemento mori the metropolis. The enthusiastic guides are devoted to their city and know Ther gloomy Greyfriars Cemetery in the absolutely everything about haunted houses and spitting, inventions and heart of the Old Town is like a history book striving for independence, about music making, etc, etc, etc. … → p. 36 of the city carved in stone. A lot of people come here because they believe the place rSecret Festival favourite is haunted. The corpse thieves Burke and rOriginally, the Festival Fringe was just an offshoot of the Edinburgh Hare dug up bodies buried here for an International Festival. But for some years now, visitors have not only anatomy professor → p. 32 been attracted to the many comedy and theatre performances just because they’re free (photo) → p. 20 rFiddles in the bar Sandyr Bell’s is a pub with a resounding reputation. rFirst the sheep and then the kilt There is nothing more typically Scottish than listening to folk rWould you like to find out how a kilt is made? The Tartan Weaving Mill musicians at a jam session with a glass of beer in your hand → p. 72 & Exhibition will provide you with all the answers → p. 36 rEating in the heart of the city rScotland in session Your will feel like you are in a catacomb in the vaults of The Grain Store

Ther Scottish Parliament looks like an upturned ship but this visionary restaurant. Tuck into the unpretentious food served by candlelight in ONLY IN construction fits perfectly into the tightly-knit Old Town. You can satisfy what was once a warehouse → p. 57 your curiosity about the cryptic architecture on a free tour → p. 37 rJust a department store? rEdinburgh’s famous writers Jennersr , from 1838, does not try to be modern. Here a small escalator, FOR FREE rBurns, Scott and Stevenson are shining stars in the Scottish literature there a narrow, winding staircase. You can never be quite sure which of firmament. The memorabilia in the small Writers’ Museum will give the 100 departments on the six floors you will find yourself in – but you an idea of the time they spent in Edinburgh → p. 39 sells absolutely everything (photo) → p. 61

rModern art from ’s capital rFarmer’s market with a view of the castle rThe Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two (next to Ther best market in the country is quite simply named Farmer’s Market. Gallery One) pays homage to Edinburgh’s greatest art- Sixty farmers and producers offer their exquisite, out of the ordinary ist – Eduardo Paolozzi: sculptor, Surrealist, Pop-Artist produce for sale on Saturday: wild boar, organic beer, ostrich and → p. 48 water-buffalo meat, lobster, honey, chutneys … → p. 64

rJazz for free rRoyal-tea! Ther Jazz Bar swings more than any other club in Your too can extend your little finger while sipping at a cup of tea town. From Tuesday to Sunday evening, free, un- in these hallowed halls. According to King George IV, the famous plugged sessions until 7.30pm at the bar’s “Teatime Signet Library was the finest of Britain’s assembly rooms. Time for high Acoustics” events → p. 72 tea! → p. 51

Dots in guidebook refer to “Best of…” tips 9 r r r r DISCOVERY TOURS

Would you like to explore the places that are unique to this city? Then TOURing EDINBURGH AT A GLANCE the Discovery Tours are just the thing for you – they include terrific A tips for stops worth making, breathtaking places to visit, selected APP START: Valvona & Crolla Caff è Bar 1 day restaurants and fun activities. It’s even easier with the Touring App: END: 1 Royal Oak Walking time download the tour with map and route to your smartphone using 19 (without stops) the QR Code on pages 2/3 or from the website address in the foot- Distance: B 3 hours er below – and you’ll never get lost again even when you’re offline. → p. 2/3 9.6 km/6 miles  COSTS: admission, food and snacks incl. whisky purchase £40–50 WHAT TO PACK: A hip flask to fill up (for those who like whisky) C Start your tour with a cappuccino and an Ital-  ian-style breakfast in the hip Italian café Valvona & Valvona & Crolla IMPORTANT TIPS: The Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar opens at Crolla → p. 52 located in the New Town, surrounded1 by 1  8:30am 1  Georgian and Neo-classical architecture.  G Turn to the south, with → p. 41 on Welcome to Edinburgh’s two “Old Towns” – a World Heritage Site. Explore both your left. Walk along Leith Walk and at York Place, head the mundane and medieval faces of the city on a stroll through the New and Old west to the National Portrait Gallery → p. 46. Behind National Portrait Towns. Go shopping en route and discover what the city has to offer at night. the neo-Gothic2 façade you will see a “who’s who” of his- Gallery2 

82 You can find these tours as an app at: go.marco-polo.com/edi Photo: Calton Hill – view of Monument and Princes Street 83