Enchanting Edinburgh – the grandeur of a capital city on display

There’s more to Edinburgh than just the castle and Royal Mile. Apart from the grand structures featured in the previous post Elegant Edinburgh – The Old and New Town of Royal Mile, there’re so many interesting building styles, especially the distinctive Scottish crow-stepped gables.  

Buildings with crow-stepped gables first attracted my attention as we walked from our hotel on Canongate to Waverley Station. These buildings tower over 19 stone arches of the South Bridge, built in the late 18th century to serve as storage and workspaces. Nowadays The Arches are home to Edinburgh Gin, trendy eateries and other independent businesses

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions

Founded in 1835 by Maria Theresa Short, Camera Obscura is located within a short walk from the entrance to the grounds of Edinburgh Castle. Having been to the Camera Obscura in Oxford and Tavira in Portugal, I knew what to expect. 

Unfortunately it was a rather cloudy morning so the images projected by the camera Obscura were rather dim. However from the rooftop terrace, the going-ons on the castle grounds unfolded clearly in front of my eyes. 

I thought the World of Illusions on the lower floors were for kids and youngsters, but we both enjoyed it, especially The Vortex Tunnel. The sensation of walking through it was perhaps not dissimilar to a hamper treading on a running wheel!

W Edinburgh – St James Quarter

This 5* Marriott Bonvoy Hotel in St James quarter has a very distinctive shape. Viewed from afar, It’s like a steel ribbon spiralling upwards. As Marriott Bonvoy members we’re able to go to the rooftop terrace for the amazing 360-degree views of Edinburgh.

National Portrait Gallery 

The gallery is a grand, neo-gothic building in distinctive red sandstone. It is home to Scotland’s national collection of portraits but what interested me most were the magnificent interiors!

Once inside the Main Hall I gasped at the splendid frieze all around the first-floor balustrade! Apparently it depicts many famous Scots.

The portraits and paintings on scenes from Scottish history were very interesting too.  

Calton Hill – monuments & viewpoint

We walked to Calton Hill via the stairs up from Regent Road. The climb was so worth it for the breathtaking views and the monuments! Unfortunately Nelson’s monument was shrouded in scaffolding for maintenance but there’re so much more to see! It’s also a vast area of recreational space for visitors and locals alike.

National Monument of Scotland – it was designed in honour of the soldiers who lost their lives in the Napoleonic War

City Observatory – the astronomical observatory was first built to house Thomas Short’s reflecting telescope. His daughter Maria Theresa Short later created the Camera Obscura.

The Dugald Stewart Monument is a memorial to the Scottish philosopher Dugald Stewart

Old Observatory House dates back to the 18th century and was once home to resident astronomers. Since 2021, it’s been available to rent as a unique retreat

Palace of Holyrood 

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Built in the neoclassical style, it was opened in 1678.

When we got there around 8.45 the gates were shut as the opening time was 9.30. We were about to leave when the gates were opened to let a car in. I cheekily asked the lady guard if I could take a photo. To my surprise, she kindly let me do so from inside the gate!

Scottish Parliament – old and new 

Queensberry House 

This large town house at the end of Canongate was built in the 17th century. It is the oldest part of the Scottish Parliament and is now a Category A listed building incorporated into the Scottish Parliament complex

New Scottish Parliament 

The building of the new Scottish Parliament was completed in 2004 and it has been heralded as a masterpiece of abstract modernism

North Queensferry

North Queensferry is a historic coastal village situated on the Firth of Forth. Apart from the tourist attraction of Deep Sea World, it’s just a quaint quiet village. We travelled for 30 minutes on the train from Edinburgh just to see the historic Forth Bridge, which is the main draw to the area!

Three Bridges Spanning Three Centuries

There’re 3 Forth Bridges over the Firth of Forth. The red Forth Bridge opened in 1890 was the first major structure in Britain to be made of steel. It is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site of unique global significance and interest. 

The other 2 Forth Bridges are The Forth Road Bridge built in 1964 and the Queensferry Crossing built in 2017. Hence the tagline of “Three Bridges Spanning Three Centuries“

Stockbridge Edinburgh 

We were recommended to visit Stockbridge on the Water of Leith. It’s within walking distance from National Portrait Gallery. Stockbridge is a charming area filled with elegant Georgian and Victorian terraced houses, not unlike The Royal Crescent in Bath!

Water of Leith

When we were looking for the recommended riverside walk, we strayed into a garden through an unlocked half open gate. We met a lady walking her dog and she told us that it’s a private garden for people living around the area. However, she kindly took us through the garden down to riverside walk and let us through the gate, using the key that she rented for £350 a year!

As can be seen from the photos we were exceptionally lucky with the weather! After the first rather cloudy day we were blessed with bright sunshine and cloudless blue sky for the rest of our stay in Edinburgh, which made it one of my most memorable trips.