Edinburgh

Rising up in medieval splendour from its base atop an ancient, extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle stands at the head of the Royal Mile in Old Town, the original city centre with winding lanes and dark alleys. Opposite, the Georgian New Town provides a contrast with its ordered grid of elegant 18th-century architecture. While Edinburgh has a rich, cultural heritage and is home to many of Scotland's museums and galleries, it is perhaps most famous for the Edinburgh International Festival, which runs for three weeks during August. During the festival the town comes alive with street performers advertising their shows, and visitors are sure to be entertained by comedians, and may even see one or two of their favourite actors sampling a barrel at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre.