Edinburgh City Guide

The origin of the name 'Edinburgh' may be uncertain, but whether it is a corruption of Edwin's Burgh or from the Gaelic 'din Eidyn' (meaning 'Eidyn's Hill Fort'), what is clear is that these days the Scottish capital is a city on an inexorable rise. The 'Festival City' buzzes with life year round, whether it be the fireworks and stranger hugging frenzy of the world famous New Year 'Hogmanay' street party or the flurry of arts extravaganzas that burst through the cobbled streets of the old and new towns during the 'Edinburgh Festival' in August. Backing up this confident bohemian face is one of Europe's most well-established and dynamic financial centres. Edinburgh is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in northern Europe, and its current renaissance can be traced back as recently as 1999, when the Scottish parliament convened for the first time in 300 years in the city. Throw in the worldwide exposure of the MTV Awards in 2003 and the recognition of UNESCO World Heritage listed Edinburgh as the first UNESCO World City Of Literature in 2005 and it is clear this is indeed a city on the move.

It is easy to see what attracts visitors to Edinburgh with one of Europe's most charming old cores complementing a 'New Town', much of which itself dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. To the south rise the Pentland Hills and in the north the city is flanked by the Firth of Forth and its sprinkling of uninhabited islands, all coming together to create a fittingly dramatic natural amphitheatre.

The city has over the last decade or so really established itself as a leading international centre for business, finance and education. After London, it is the most important financial centre in Britain with the opening in 2005 of the impressive new Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in the west of city, a potent symbol of 'New Edinburgh'. The city also has four universities. The oldest, the University of Edinburgh, was established in 1583. Although it has traditionally had a more conservative image than other Scottish cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh is still a wildly exciting, forward-looking capital, full of art, culture, history and beauty. It has manifold art galleries and museums, five major performing-arts theatres and a year-round calendar of international festivals.

The busiest season for tourists in Edinburgh is summer (between July and September) and particularly in August, for the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival, when the city is abuzz with cultural activity. There are also the lively Fringe Festival, Military Tattoo and the Book, Film and Jazz Festivals, which run concurrently with the main event. No matter how busy Edinburgh gets, it is still a remarkably green oasis of parkland with its own botanical garden. Also within the City of Edinburgh's boundaries are the remarkable Forth rail and road bridges, which preside over South Queensferry, a small borough that offers a perfect escape from the increasing big city buzz of Scotland's go-ahead capital

Sightseeing

The main districts of Edinburgh are the Georgian New Town, the medieval Old Town and the Port of Leith. The castle dominates the urban landscape, marking the centre of the city and overlooking Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main thoroughfare, which has been described as one of the most beautiful streets in the world. The Royal Mile, which Daniel Defoe once declared the most beautiful street he had ever seen, links Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was the main artery of the medieval city. Careful preservation in the 20th century has maintained its distinctive character. To the north, along the Firth of Forth, the Leith docks have recently been regenerated with stylish waterfront hotels, restaurants, pubs and wine bars and this renaissance is gradually expanding east and west along the coastline with a flurry of development. Outside the centre, the islands of the Firth of Forth, the Pentland Hills and the charming coastal town of South Queensferry all await.

Tourist Information

The Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre
3 Princes Street
Tel: (0131) 473 3800 or 0845 2255 121. Fax: (01506) 832222.
E-mail: esic@eltd.org
Website: www.edinburgh.org
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700; Sun 1000-1700 open later in summer.

There are also city centre representatives (roaming tourist officers) who offer advice and assistance. They are found around the Royal Mile, Princes Street and Waverley station.

Passes

The new and excellent value Edinburgh Card (website: www.edinburgh.org/pass/) offers free access to 27 tourist attractions, a guidebook on the city, free transfers to and from the airport and unlimited use of local and regional buses as well as shopping discounts. The card comes in one day (£26), two day (£34) and three day (£40) permutations. The pass is available from the tourist office in Princes Street, at the airport and in advance on-line.

Edinburgh Castle
This is Scotland's most famous tourist attraction, built on the core of an extinct volcano. There has been a stronghold on this site since at least the first century AD. Edinburgh Castle now houses the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, Mons Meg (a massive 15th-century cannon) and the army headquarters of the Scottish Division. The panorama from the battlements provides a splendid view over the city.

Castlehill
Tel: (0131) 225 9846. Fax: (0131) 220 4733.
Website: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Transport: Bus 35.
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (Mar-Oct); daily 0930-1700 (Nov-Mar); last entrance 45 minutes before closing time.
Admission: £9.80; concessions available.

Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse sits at the eastern end of the Royal Mile and has been the royal quarter of Edinburgh since 1128, when David I founded an abbey here. Most of the present building dates from the reign of Charles II, who ordered the palace's reconstruction. The palace remains the Queen's official residence in Scotland and may be closed when the royal family is stopping over.

Canongate, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 556 5100. Fax: (020) 7930 9625.
Website: www.royal.gov.uk
Transport: Bus 35 or 64.
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (Apr-Oct); daily 0930-1630 (Nov-Mar); last entrance 45 minutes before closing time.
Admission: £8.50; concessions available.

National Gallery of Scotland
The collection of European paintings and sculpture dating from the Renaissance to the 19th century is Scotland's greatest and includes works by Van Dyck, Tiepolo, Pisarro, Monet, Cézanne, El Greco, Raphael, Titian and Botticelli. The Royal Scottish Academy is now accessed through the award-winning new Weston Link. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is located nearby, at 1 Queen Street.

The Mound
Tel: (0131) 624 6200 or 332 2266 (recorded information). Fax: (0131) 623 7126.
E-mail: enquiries@nationalgalleries.org
Website: www.nationalgalleries.org
Transport: Bus 23, 27, 28 or 41/41A.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700, open till 1900 on Thurs.
Admission: Free.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
This gallery first opened in 1960 and moved to its present location, a William Burn building, west of the city centre, in 1984. Paintings by 20th-century masters such as Lucien Freud, Adrian Wiszniewski and the Scottish colourists are on display indoors, while the garden is dotted with sculptures by Henry Moore (among others). Opposite is the Dean Gallery, a stylish gallery that opened in 1999 to house a large collection of works by sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi. The gallery also contains works by surrealists, such as Dali and Magritte, as well as works by Picasso. A free galleries bus operates hourly 1100-1700 between this gallery and Dean Gallery in the West End and the National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the New Town.

75 Belford Road
Tel: (0131) 624 6200 or 332 2266 (recorded information). Fax: (0131) 623 7126.
E-mail: enquiries@nationalgalleries.org
Website: www.nationalgalleries.org
Transport: Bus 13, westbound from George Street; free galleries bus.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700, open until 1900 on Thurs.
Admission: Free.

Museum of Scotland
This multi-level museum opened in December 1998, in a spectacular new building. The exhibits detail the country's history from its geological formation and earliest inhabitants up to the 20th century. Scotland's regional treasures are also on display. Exhibits include a travelling canteen belonging to Bonnie Prince Charlie. Two days could easily be spent in the museum. However, to enjoy the highlights there are daily guided tours. It is conveniently joined to the Royal Museum of Scotland, which has displays covering everything, from Japanese art to the stuffed remains of 'Dolly the Sheep'. The rooftop terrace offers great views of the city, while the 'Modern Scotland' exhibition on the floor below is currently in the midst of a major renovation that is slated to be completed in 2007.

Chambers Street
Tel: (0131) 225 7534. Fax: (0131) 220 4819.
Website: www.nms.ac.uk
Transport: Bus2, 23, 27, 35, 41, 42.
Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Sat 1000-1700, Tues 1000-2000 and Sun 1200-1700.
Admission: Free.

Our Dynamic Earth
Built to commemorate the coming of the millennium with the aid of Millennium Commission funding,, Our Dynamic Earth tells the story of how the earth was created. Using special effects and advanced technology, visitors can travel back in time (via a 'time machine') to witness the birth of the earth, before journeying to the centre of the planet to experience a volcanic eruption, see polar ice caps and a tropical rainforest. A visit lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Holyrood Road
Tel: (0131) 550 7800. Fax: (0131) 550 7801.
E-mail: enquiries@dynamicearth.co.uk
Website: www.dynamicearth.co.uk
Transport: Bus 35.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700, last entry 1550 (Apr-Oct); open until 1800 (Jul-Aug); closed Mon-Tue (Nov-Mar). Last admission 70 minutes before closing time.
Admission: £8.95; concessions available.

The Georgian House
Part of Charlotte Square, at the heart of Edinburgh's New Town, the Georgian House is furnished with the same kind of china, silver, paintings and furniture that would have been in use around 1796. There are also temporary exhibitions at nearby 28 Charlotte Square, such as a well-received display on St Kilda in summer 2005, as well as a popular café and restaurant.

National Trust of Scotland, 7 Charlotte Square
Tel: (0131) 225 2160. Fax: (0131) 226 3318.
E-mail: thegeorgianhouse@nts.org.uk
Website: www.nts.org.uk
Transport: Bus 3/3A, 10/10A, 11, 12, 26/26A, 21,69,33,31,40,41.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700, last admission 1630 (Apr-Oct); daily 1100-1500, last admission 1430 (Mar, Nov-Dec); hours liable to change
Admission: Free.

St Giles' Cathedral
A church has stood on the site of St Giles' Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, since the 12th century. The present building, with its distinctive open-crown steeple supported by eight flying buttresses, dates back to the 16th century. John Knox became the first Protestant minister here, after the Reformation. Inside, the stunning Thistle Chapel is noted for its ornate wooden carving. Used also for major Scottish funerals such as the last send off of politician Robin Cook in 2005.

High Street, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 225 9442. Fax: (0131) 225 9576.
E-mail: info@stgiles.net
Website: www.stgiles.net
Transport: A five-minute walk from Waverley station; bus 35, 23, 28, 42 or 27.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1900, Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700 (May-Sep); Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700 (Oct-Apr).
Admission: Free, donations are welcome.

Royal Yacht Britannia
Now that the Royal Yacht Britannia has been decommissioned, it is open to the public as an award-winning floating museum. Visitors can explore its decks and gain an insight into the lives of both the Royal Family and the ship's crew. The Queen's bedroom is top of everyone's 'must see' list. A complementary exhibition outlines the vessel's final year in service as the Royal Yacht.

Ocean Terminal, Leith
Tel: (0131) 555 5566. Fax: (0131) 555 8835.
E-mail: enquiries@tryb.co.uk
Website: www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
Transport: Bus 22, 11, 34, 35, 36.
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (Apr-Sep); daily 1000-1700 (Oct-Mar). Last admissions 90 minutes before closing time.
Admission: £9; concessions available.

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre
Scotland is defined by its fine whiskies – tourists flock from far afield to sample the smooth wares. The one-hour tour of the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre includes talks on the production of single malt whisky, the different whisky-producing regions and how whisky is distilled.

354 Castlehill, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 220 0441. Fax: (0131) 220 6288.
E-mail: info@whisky-heritage.co.uk
Website: www.whisky-heritage.co.uk
Transport: Bus 35.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Oct-Apr); daily 0930-1830 (May-Sep). Last tour departs one hour before closing time.
Admission: £8.50; concessions available.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Regarded as Scotland's premier garden, this is one of the city's most popular visitor attractions. Covering 31 hectares (78 acres), the garden contains a plant collection of unique botanical importance. It is the direct descendant of a physic garden established near the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1670.

20a Inverleith Row
Tel: (0131) 552 7171. Fax: (0131) 248 2901.
E-mail: info@rbge.org.uk
Website: www.rbge.org.uk
Transport: Bus 23 or 27.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1900 (Apr-Sep); daily 1000-1600 (Nov-Feb); daily 1000-1800 (Mar and Oct).
Admission: Free for the garden (donations welcome), £3.50 for glass houses when open.

Writers' Museum
This literary museum is dedicated to the history and artefacts of three of Scotland's most famous men of letters – Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. Exhibits include Walter Scott's chess board and Robert Burns' old writing desk.

Lady Stair's House, Lady Stair's Close, Lawnmarket
Tel: (0131) 529 4901. Fax: (0131) 220 5057.
E-mail: enquiries@writersmuseum.demon.co.uk
Website: www.cac.org.uk
Transport: Bus 36, 23, 41/41A.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700 (plus Sun 1200-1700 during the Edinburgh Festival).
Admission: Free.

Restaurants

Gastronomic

The Atrium

Situated in the same building as the Traverse Theatre, The Atrium offers sophisticated, contemporary and distinctive Scottish cuisine with a French flavour, such as honey roasted quail with Stornoway black pudding or Aberdeen Angus beef topped with pig's trotter in a red wine jus. One of the city's most acclaimed restaurants, it has flickering candelabras, cream-coloured seats and an intimate atmosphere. The short lunch menu is good value at £13.50 for two courses or £17.50 for three.

10 Cambridge Street
Tel: (0131) 228 8882. Fax: (0131) 228 8808.
E-mail: eat@atriumrestaurant.co.uk
Website: www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk
Price: £40 (set dinner £25.00). Wine: £17.00.

Le Café St Honoré

There is a really romantic feel to this cosy French restaurant tucked away down a central side street, making it often quite hard to find. With crisp linen cloths, heavy mirrors and black and white marble floors, it is almost like being in Paris itself. Food is traditional French and the 'après-cinq' fixed menu, which is served between 1700 and 1845, is good value. Dishes include venison wild berries and mushrooms or boeuf bourguignon with mash.

34 North West Thistle Street Lane
Tel: (0131) 226 2211. Fax: (0131) 477 2716.
Price: £25. Wine: £13.50.

Restaurant Martin Wishart

This acclaimed Leith restaurant well deserves its Michelin star, awarded in 2001. The decor is simple and cool with plain, cream walls, although the real star here is the food. Popular with business diners and local celebrities, the restaurant serves mouth-watering epicurean creations such as turbot and langoustine with truffle butter with a firm nod across the sea to France. A three-course lunch costs £20.50 while the best option for dinner is to sample Wishart's sparklingly creative and critic impressing tasting menus. A real taste extravaganza costs £55 for five courses or £60 for six. Add in a glass of wine to go with each course and two diners are looking at over £200 for a full tasting dinner.

54 The Shore, Leith
Tel: (0131) 553 3557. Fax: (0131) 467 7091.
E-mail: info@martin-wishart.co.uk
Website: www.martin-wishart.co.uk
Price: £40. Wine: £20.

The Witchery by the Castle

This atmospheric restaurant, situated in a medieval building next to the Castle, is the place to come for a special occasion. The dark opulence and magical charm delights the eye, with heavy furnishings, fanlight windows, textures and plush patterns. Guests can dine by candlelight in this gothic space or follow the candles down the old stone stairs to the atrium section, which is much more open but still romantic and cosy. The modern Scottish cooking on show uses fresh ingredients like Aberdeen Angus beef to conjure up a steak tartare, as well as fresh seafood to put together a crustacean seafood platter that comes with a half lobster. The pre and post theatre menus are perhaps the best fine dining bargain in the city at two courses for £12.50, though many diners do end up tempted by the desserts after the quality of the starters and mains. They also have lavish suites upstairs for those looking to stay longer.

Castlehill, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 225 5613. Fax: (0131) 220 4392.
E-mail: mail@thewitchery.com
Website: www.thewitchery.com
Price: £40. Wine: £13.75.

Business

Britannia Spice

There is not a bit of flock wallpaper in sight at this clean, modern Indian restaurant in Leith, though the maritime theme is played on a bit too much for some. There is plenty of polished wood and splashes of blue, inspired by the presence of the Royal Yacht Britannia nearby. This restaurant has only been open since 2000 but has already won several awards for its food. The menu features a mix of unusual dishes from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Northern India, such as roast aubergine massala or macch torkari (fish marinated in spices and cooked in a medium-hot sauce).

150 Commercial Street, Britannia Way, Leith
Tel: (0131) 555 2255. Fax: (0131) 555 0800.
E-mail: info@britanniaspice.co.uk
Website: www.britanniaspice.co.uk
Price: £20. Wine: £9.

Nargile

This Turkish restaurant right in the city centre has rapidly gained a reputation for great food. It has a cool contemporary interior and is particularly well known for its delicious, set meze dinners, such as the ziyafet sofrasi, which includes chicken, shish and kofte kebabs, and the sultan sofrasi with grilled swordfish and firinda karides (king prawns). Dishes are served with roasted Mediterranean vegetables and rice. Nargile is a good place for a relaxed business lunch.

73 Hanover Street
Tel: (0131) 225 5755.
E-mail: info@nargile.co.uk
Website: www.nargile.co.uk
Price: £15. Wine £10.95.

Stac Polly

Of the two branches, the one on Dublin Street is warmer and more rustic, while Grindlay Street is decked out in more formal tartan. Both are strong on venison and pheasant, though it is the famous starter, filo pastry parcels of haggis with plum sauce, that brings in many devotees. The focus is on Modern Scottish food served up with a minimum of fuss in surrounds that are homely rather than trying to impress too much. The set lunch menus are decent value at £14.95 for two courses and £17.95 for three.

29-33 Dublin Street
Tel: (0131) 556 2231.

8-10 Grindlay Street
Tel: (0131) 229 5405. Fax: (0131) 228 3299.

E-mail: bookings@stacpolly.com
Website: www.stacpolly.com
Price: £35. Wine: £14.95.

Thai Lemongrass

This award winner is a favourite with those in the know, so booking is advised. As the title suggests, cuisine is Thai and dishes might include monkfish in coconut cream or sea bass in coriander and lemongrass. The decor is fairly relaxed with lots of earthy shades, wooden chairs and slate floors.

40-41 Bruntsfield Place
Tel: (0131) 229 2225. Fax: (0131) 229 8544.
Price: £25. Wine: BYOB

Tower Restaurant

With wonderful views over the city and an open-air terrace for rare sunny days, the Tower is the sort of restaurant that people want to stay in all afternoon. Situated on top of the Museum of Scotland, the restaurant offers contemporary Scottish cuisine in a strikingly modern and stylishly opulent interior, with furnishings incorporating aluminium, velvet, tweed, oak and leather. Oysters are a speciality, while on the main menu sturdy dishes like rolled suckling pig sit alongside lighter touches like sea bream in olive tapenade. A two-course theatre supper, which costs £12.50, is available between 1700 and 1830.

Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street
Tel: (0131) 225 3003. Fax: (0131) 247 4220.
E-mail: mail@tower-restaurant.com
Website: www.tower-restaurant.com
Price: £35. Wine: £13.75.

Trendy

Orocco Pier

This new restaurant/bar/hotel by the water's edge in South Queensferry offers unbeatable views of both the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge. The old inn was totally refurbished in 2003 and now boasts sweeping windows, an outdoor terrace and plenty of stylish hard wood. Waiting staff are friendly and attentive and the menu covers everything from traditional Scottish through to Mexican. In summer 2005 a new outdoor terrace opened, really opening up those stunning views of the bridges and the Firth of Forth.

17 High Street, South Queensferry
Tel: (0131) 331 1298. Fax: (0131) 331 4731.
E-mail: info@oroccopier.co.uk
Website: www.oroccopier.co.uk
Price: £22. Wine: £13.50.

Budget

Bar Roma

In the West End of Edinburgh, Bar Roma is one of the city's most reliable restaurants, not only for its tasty Italian food but also for its lively atmosphere. It always seems to be busy here and the food is fresh and of good quality – pizzas, pasta dishes with rich tomato and cheese sauces and a great tomato, mozzarella and avocado salad. The interior is light and bright with large windows, polished wood and chrome fittings. It does get busy at weekends and diners should book if they want to visit on a Friday or Saturday night.

39A Queensferry Street
Tel: (0131) 226 2977.
Price: £20. Wine: £11.50.

Bell's Diner

Small and popular Stockbridge restaurant where yearnings for burgers and steaks are easily satisfied. The burgers are the real highlights in a buzzy place that is not ideal for cosy couples but is great for no nonsense affordable food that fills people up before another round of sightseeing.

7 Saint Stephen St
Tel: (0131) 225 8116.
Price: £16. Wine: £11.50.

Café Hub

In the heart of the Old Town, Café Hub is housed in the headquarters of Edinburgh's International Festival. This lively café is modern and arty, with lots of bright yellow and blue hues, as well as modern artworks on the wall. While it serves coffee, sandwiches and snacks throughout the day, it also offers more substantial dishes at night. The food is good quality and the menu features dishes such as saffron risotto and the freshest of salads. The atmosphere is generally relaxed – except during the Festival, of course.

Castlehill, Royal Mile
Tel: (0131) 473 2067. Fax: (0131) 473 2016.
E-mail: thehub@eif.co.uk
Website: www.eif.co.uk/thehub
Price: £22. Wine: £10.50.

Personal Recommendations

Kalpna

Situated in the area of Edinburgh dominated by the university, Kalpna is an Indian restaurant that even has Indians queuing to get in. It is small, simply decorated and unpretentious inside, but the food (all of which is vegetarian) is delicious and inspired. Specialities include spicy Kashmiri dishes and lots of pistachios, and the kulfi (Indian ice cream) is especially creamy. Good value set lunches at £4.50.

2-3 St Patrick's Square
Tel: (0131) 667 9890.
Price: £15. Wine: £10.

Suruchi

Opposite the Festival Theatre, Suruchi serves exceptionally good northern Indian vegetarian cuisine but also features mouth-watering dishes from across the Indian subcontinent. The menu is bilingual: it gives the Indian name of the dish and a description in Scots, the language that many Scottish people speak, a language which is recognised as more than a dialect but does not feature on many menus around town.

14-A Nicolson Street
Tel: (0131) 556 6583. Fax: (0131) 622 7227.
Website: www.suruchirestaurant.co.uk
Price: £22. Wine: £10.


Shopping

When it comes to shopping, Edinburgh has it all – department stores, friendly little boutiques, the traditional, the new, the expected and the unexpected. The main shopping area in Edinburgh is Princes Street, an architectural jumble of chain stores, department stores and bustling crowds. It's not always the most pleasant experience, even if it does give a splendid view of Edinburgh Castle, and most shoppers seem to regard it as a necessary evil to be ploughed through on a Saturday afternoon. George Street, which runs parallel to Princes Street, is calmer, more exclusive and correspondingly pricier.

Princes Street is the location for Scotland's most famous shop, Jenners, which has a fabulous food hall. Nearby, in South St Andrew Street, is the city's most chic shop, Harvey Nichols, which opened in August 2002. Much like its London counterpart, the shop sells the hottest designer labels, as well as beauty products and food. The Royal Mile, on the other hand, is scattered with off-beat stores and souvenir sellers. Nearby Grassmarket (a trading place since 1477) and Victoria Street are packed with arts and crafts shops, bookshops and specialist food stores. Some of the city's smartest designer stores, such as Escada, are along George Street in the New Town. The main modern shopping centres are Cameron Toll Centre, 6 Lady Road, and Princes Mall (formerly the Waverley Shopping Centre) on Princes Street. There is also a new shopping complex in Leith, called Ocean Terminal.

Be sure to break away from the crowds and the generic shops to investigate some of the stores in places like Causewayside (a Mecca for antique-hunters), Broughton Street and Stockbridge. For souvenirs, quality knitwear and traditional Scottish items, the Royal Mile is the place to shop, although stores selling genuinely attractive goods are outnumbered by those that peddle the cheap and tacky. Visitors to Edinburgh who want to take home a little piece of Scotland may be tempted by tartan fabrics, Celtic-inspired jewellery, shortbread and, of course, whisky. All these items are available from numerous boutiques and specialist shops in and around the city.

Ingliston Market (tel: (0131) 333 3801) takes place every Sunday 1000-1600 at the Royal Highland Show ground, near the airport. Anything and everything is sold here, from clothes to furniture, but catch it soon as there are strong rumours it will soon close to make way for the expansion of the airport.

In general, shops are open 0900-1730, with late-night shopping on Thursday until 1930 or 2000. Sunday opening is increasingly popular, particularly among the larger stores. Many shops (especially those frequented by tourists) are part of the Tax-Free scheme. Visitors must keep their receipts and fill out a claim form to have the 17.5% VAT refunded. See www.globalrefund.com for further information on tax free shopping.

Cambridge City Guide

Situated by the River Cam in the East of England, Cambridge can trace its ancestry back to the first century BC when an Iron Age Belgic tribe built a settlement in the area. The Romans took over around 40AD, and later the Saxons and Normans occupied the site.

It was early in the 13th century that the first scholars arrived in Cambridge and the foundations were established for what would become the University of Cambridge, one of the oldest and most successful universities in the world. In 1284 Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely, founded Peterhouse, the first college, and several more colleges were established in the next centuries. Today the university has 31 colleges, three of which are for women only.

The university has more Nobel Prize winners than any other institution. As many as 81 affiliates - academics, former students - of the university have won the Nobel Prize since 1904, and they have won in every category, with 29 Nobel prizes in physics, 22 in medicine, 19 in chemistry, seven in economics, two in literature and two in peace.

Yet the city by the Cam is not only about colleges and academics. It has long been a bustling market town with plenty of cultural and social activities going on. The medieval city centre is beautiful, with narrow, winding streets, the market square, little parks and gardens and many charming old buildings, and it is surrounded by green open spaces and the river. In addition, Cambridge has a wide variety of excellent pubs, bars and restaurants, and the nightlife is good fun too. It is hard not to be taken in by the city's charms, which no doubt helps to explain the fact that some 4.5 million people visit Cambridge every year.

Cambridge is not a very big city, but thanks to its university it has exerted a considerable influence on the world through the people who have had formative experiences there, from Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin to John Cleese and Eric Idle.

Sightseeing

Cambridge has one of the oldest and most successful universities in the world and one of the largest in the UK, so it is little wonder that the university and its many colleges are central to the city, both culturally and architecturally. Many of the college buildings are worth seeing, particularly the stunning King's College Chapel from 1547. Several of the college bridges crossing the river are also gems, and they can best be seen from the river itself, so there's a good excuse for a punting trip. The university also runs many of the fascinating museums in the city, including the zoology museum, where material collected by Charles Darwin on his Beagle voyage can be seen. For art lovers, the Fitzwilliam Museum and Kettle's Yard house impressive art collections. Those more interested in nature are also catered for. Apart from the many pretty gardens and green open spaces, there is an excellent botanic garden containing more than 10,000 plant species.

Tourist Information

Cambridge Visitor Information Centre
The Old Library, Wheeler Street
Tel: 0871 226 8006 or 1223 464732 (from overseas).
Website: www.visitcambridge.org

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1730, Sat 1000-1700 (Oct-Mar); Mon-Fri 1000-1730, Sat 1000-1700, Sun & Bank Holidays 1100-1500 (Apr-Sep).

Passes

The Cambridge Visitor Card entitles visitors to special offers and discounts on a wide variety of services and products around the city. It can be used on official city walking tours and chauffeured punts along the Cambridge 'Backs' as well as for reduced entry into museums, churches and the King's College Chapel. The card gives discounts at restaurants, coffee houses and shops. It lasts for a maximum of three weeks. The card can be bought from the tourist office.

Cambridge University colleges
The university colleges, with their long history and wonderful architecture, are an essential part of the identity of Cambridge. See the chapel at Pembroke College, Sir Christopher Wren's first completed work, or the finest surviving medieval court in Cambridge, which can be found at Corpus Christi College. Or take in the wonderful panoramic views from the tower of Great St Mary's, the university church that overlooks the market square. Most impressive of all is King's College Chapel, which took over a century to build, was completed in 1547 and is the largest and most spectacular of the college chapels in Cambridge. The chapel choir sings daily services in the chapel during term time, and it is also famous for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is broadcast live across the world on Christmas Eve.

King's College
King's Parade
Tel: (01223) 331 100.
Website: www.kings.cam.ac.uk

The Fitzwilliam Museum
Housing a world-class art collection, the Fitzwilliam Museum has been described as the finest small museum in Europe and is known as the university's art museum. Its world-class collections of works of art and antiquities span both centuries and civilisations. Among the highlights are paintings from the 14th century to the present day, drawings and prints, sculpture, oriental art, illuminated manuscripts and coins and medals and antiquities from Egypt, the Ancient Near East, Greece, Rome and Cyprus.

Trumpington Street
Tel: (01223) 332 900.
Website: www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge University Botanic Garden
The university's botanic garden is a beautifully landscaped 40-acre (16-hectare) garden located about 1.6km (1 mile) to the south of the city centre. The collection numbers more than 10,000 labelled plant species, and there are many different kinds of landscapes, from the alpine to woodlands, as well as several glasshouses, a lake, a winter garden and a rock garden. Guided tours can be pre-booked.

Cory Lodge, Bateman Street
Tel: (01223) 336 265.
Website: www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge University Museums
The university has several museums, and they are all available for free. They include the Zoology Museum, where visitors can have a close look at materials collected by Charles Darwin during his voyage with the Beagle; the Archaeology and Anthropology Museum, which has exhibits from traditional cultures all over the world; the Classical Archaeology Museum, with the finest collection of plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture in the world; and the Whipple Museum of the History of Science, with its renowned collection of early scientific instruments dating from the 14th century. In addition there is the Scott Polar Research Institute, where visitors can learn about Captain Scott's and other polar explorers' expeditions, and the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, which houses a spectacular collection of fossil animals and plants of all geological ages from all over the world.

University Museum of Zoology
Downing Street
Tel: (01223) 336 650.
Website: www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/museum

University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology
Downing Street
Tel: (01223) 333 516.

Scott Polar Research Institute
Lensfield Road
Tel: (01223) 336 540.
Website: www.spri.cam.ac.uk

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
Free School Lane
Tel: (01223) 330 906.
Website: www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
Downing Street
Tel: (01223) 333 456.
Website: www.sedgwickmuseum.org

Museum of Classical Archaeology
Sidgwick Avenue
Tel: (01223) 335 153.
Website: www.classics.cam.ac.uk/ark.html

Kettle's Yard
This is both a collection of art in a stunning domestic setting and a gallery with regular exhibitions. For 16 years, Kettle's Yard was the home of Jim Ede, a former curator at the Tate Gallery in London, and his wife Helen, and it houses Ede's collection of art, including paintings by Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood, David Jones and Joan Miró as well as sculpture by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Constantin Brancusi, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.

Castle Street
Tel: (01223) 352 124.
Website: www.kettlesyard.co.uk

The River Cam
Going on a punting trip on the river Cam is an essential part of the Cambridge experience. Several of the university colleges stand on the banks of the river, and there are some things such as the Mathematical Bridge at Queen's College and the Bridge of Sighs at St John's College, that you can only see (or at least get the best view of) from a punt on the river. Cambridge Chauffeur Punts offers chauffeured punting as sell as self-hire.

Silver Street
Tel: (01223) 354 164.
Website: www.punting-in-cambridge.co.uk

Shopping

Cambridge is great for shopping. There's a market every day of the week at the bustling city centre market square, and there are several department stores, shopping centres, designer shops, wonderful first- and second-hand bookshops and delicatessen. The biggest shopping centre is The Grafton (website: www.graftoncentre.co.uk) on Burleigh Street, which boasts a selection of over 70 shops, eating and entertainment venues just a short walk to the east of the city centre. Just as central is the indoor Lion Yard centre with more than 40 stores situated between the Petty Cury, the market and the bus station.
Jesus Lane Shopping Forum (website: www.shoppingforum.info) is a maze of small, independent stores in Jesus Lane near the Park Street car park and the Bridge Street Park & Ride stop. It's a great place to look for individual gift items. Bradwell's Court connects St Andrews Street with the bus station on Drummer Street and includes several high street stores. Art and craft items are on offer at the market on St John's Street.

Restaurants

Midsummer House
Set in a pretty Victorian villa by the River Cam near the centre of Cambridge, Midsummer House boasts two Michelin stars and offers classic French Mediterranean cuisine with plenty of modern twists. This is the place to go to experience top-notch gourmet cuisine in Cambridge.

Midsummer Common, Cambridge
Tel: (01223) 369 299.
Website: www.midsummerhouse.co.uk
Price: $$$$

Loch Fyne
This seafood restaurant is located in a historic building near the Fitzwilliam Museum, and it is an excellent place to go for lovers of oysters, mussels and traditionally smoked salmon. The atmosphere is relaxed and cosy, and the menu is plentiful.

37 Trumpington Street
Tel: (01223) 362 433.
Website: www.loch-fyne.com
Price: $$$

Galleria
A large, airy brasserie-style restaurant located by Magdalene Bridge on the banks of the river Cam and with two spacious riverside balconies, Galleria is one of the busiest establishments in Cambridge. This is not only down to the location, though - the food is really good as well.

33 Bridge Street
Tel: (01223) 362 054.
Website: www.galleriacambridge.co.uk
Price: $$

Browns Restaurant
Something of a Cambridge institution since its establishment in 1987, Browns is a spacious colonial-style eatery offering mostly English food and a bustling atmosphere. Located a 5-minute walk from the city centre, it is popular with students, tourists and the local population alike.

23 Trumpington Street
Tel: (01223) 461 655.
Website: www.browns-restaurants.com
Price: $$

Prezzo
Housed in an attractive 18th-century building in the city centre, Prezzo serves a range of Italian dishes. The interior is sleek and modern, and the food run the gammut from pizzas and pastas to grilled meats and salads. It's mainstream quality fare made from seasonal, fresh ingredients.

21-24 Northampton Road
Tel: (01223) 353 110.
Website: www.prezzoplc.co.uk
Price: $-$$

DoJo Noodle Bar
This is a popular and very busy noodle bar that combines Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Taiwanese, Singaporean, Vietnamese and Thai influences to create a range of delicious noodle or rice dishes. Not only is the food truly excellent, but it comes in generous portions and at very moderate prices.

1-2 Millers Yard, Mill Lane
Tel: (01223) 363 471.
Website: www.dojonoodlebar.co.uk
Price: $