Day 01 : EDINBURGH
Upon arrival at Edinburgh, make your own way to the Hotel of your choice. Check-in at the Hotel. Day free at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 02 : EDINBURGH
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast enjoy Grand City Tour of Edinburgh. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 03 : EDINBURGH
Day free for at leisure for shopping & other independent activities. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 04 : EDINBURGH
In the afternoon check out and proceed for your onward journey.
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Edinburgh Attractions

Calton Hill
Calton hill rises dramatically above the eastern end of Princes St, its summit scattered with grandiose memorials. Edinburgh's answer to the acropolis, Calton Hill is one of the city's best viewpoints, with a panorama that takes in the castle, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth, New Town and the entire length of Princes St.

Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle dominates the city centre, sitting astride the core of an extinct volcano, its three sides scoured almost vertical by glacial action. Although the castle looks impregnable, it often changed hands between the Scots and English throughout the centuries.

Visitors enter from the Esplanade, a parade ground where the changing of the guard occurs on the hour. Sites within the castle proper include Mills Mount Battery, where a gun salute takes place on weekdays; St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh; the Palace, built between the 15th and 16th centuries; and the Scottish United Services Museum, which houses displays on the history of Scottish regiments.

Grassmarket
Grassmarket is one of Edinburgh's nightlife centres, with numerous restaurants and pubs. An open area hedged by tall tenements and dominated by the looming castle, it can be approached from George IV Bridge, via Victoria St, an unusual two-tiered street clinging to the ridge below the Royal Mile, with some excellent shops. The site of a market from at least 1477 to the start of the 20th century, Grassmarket was always the focal point for the Old Town. Leading off from the southeast corner, Candlemaker Row climbs back up to the George IV Bridge and Chambers St with the Royal Museum of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh's Old College.

Greyfriars Kirk
At the bottom of a stone canyon made up of tenements, churches, volcanic cliffs and the castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh's most evocative spots - a peaceful oasis dotted with memorials and surrounded by Edinburgh's dramatic skyline. The kirk (church) was built on the site of a Franciscan friary and opened for worship on Christmas Day 1620.

Holyrood Park
In Holyrood Park, Edinburgh is blessed in having a real wilderness on its doorstep. The former hunting grounds of Scottish monarchs, it covers 263 hectares (1 sq mi) of varied landscape, including hills, moorland, lochs and fields. The highest point is Arthur's Seat (251m, 823ft), an eroded stump of lava flow that erupted around 325 million years ago. It forms part of a volcano that includes Calton Hill and Castle Rock. The park can be circumnavigated along Queen's Drive by car or bike and there are several excellent walks.

Museum of Childhood
At 42 High St, the Museum of Childhood attempts to cover the serious issues related to childhood - health, education and so on - but more enjoyable is the enormous collection of toys, dolls, games and books that fascinate children and bring childhood memories back for adults.

Royal Museum of Scotland
The Royal Museum of Scotland, on Chambers St, is a Victorian building whose grey, solid exterior contrasts with its large, bright, galleried entrance hall of slim wrought-iron columns and glass roof. The museum houses an eclectic, comprehensive series of exhibitions. These range from the natural world (evolution, mammals, geology, fossils) to scientific and industrial technological development - with one section featuring the world's oldest steam locomotive, Wylam Dilly (1813) - to the decorative arts of ancient Egypt, Islam, China, Japan, Korea and the west. The adjacent Museum of Scotland, opened in 1998, houses archaeological artefacts from the old Museum of Antiquities. It shows the history of Scotland in chronological order starting with the country's earliest history in the basement.

Royal Observatory
Directly south of the city centre on Blackford Hill, the observatory was moved here from Calton Hill in 1896. In the visitor centre there's a multimedia gallery with computers and CD ROMs on astronomy, and there are terrific views of Edinburgh from the rooftop.

St Giles' Cathedral
On High St just east of the crossroads of Bank St and George IV Bridge lies Parliament Square, which is largely filled by St Giles' Cathedral. Inside the church, near the entrance, is a life-size statue of John Knox, minister from 1559 to 1572; from here he preached his uncompromising Calvinist message and launched the Scottish Reformation.

University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is one of Britain's oldest, biggest and best universities: founded in 1583, it now has around 17,000 undergraduates. The students make a major contribution to the lively atmosphere of Grassmarket, Cowgate, and the nearby restaurants and pubs. The university sprawls for some distance, but the centre is the Old College (also called Old Quad), at the junction of South Bridge and Chambers St, a Robert Adam masterpiece designed in 1789, but not completed until 1834. Inside the Old College is the Talbot Rice Art Gallery, which houses a permanent small collection of old masters, plus regular exhibitions of new work.

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Edinburgh Travel Tips

When to Visit - Arts and Events

Edinburgh is known and loved for many things; history, culture, architecture, seafood, café bars, cobbled streets and enchanting atmospheric weather conditions. However, there are a few things for which the city is not only recognised but celebrated throughout the world. It was the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and is now home to many gatherings of the Sherlock Holmes society and part of any avid fan's pilgrimage.

In the last two weeks of August and the beginning of September, the Edinburgh Festival takes place in a large variety of city venues catering for all interests from comedy to serious theatre, street entertainers to full orchestras. This is the busiest time of year attracting thousands of international visitors.

Edinburgh Dining

There are many culinary masterpieces originating from or associated with Scotland, all of which can be enjoyed in the nation's capital city. Fine Scottish salmon, melt in the mouth Aberdeen Angus beef, fresh sea fish, all-butter shortbread and the great classic, haggis are all at their best in Edinburgh.

A fabulous choice of sophisticated restaurants, cafes, bars and traditional pubs offer an enormous variety of cuisine ranging from the beef-burger to the gourmet meal. The traditional British fast-food supper, 'fish and chips', is probably better here than anywhere else. Firm, sweet cod or haddock fillets, golden, crispy batter and perfectly fried thickly cut chips make the old favourite a triumph of culinary simplicity.

Edinburgh Tipping Advice

Tipping in the United Kingdom is very much at your own discretion. If the service is good, then it is considered good practice to tip. The amount is up to you, but around 10% tends to be standard.

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TOUR COST :

HOTEL Rate ( Per person on TWIN sharing basis )
Herald House ( 2*) EUR 259.00
Holiday Inn Edinburgh North (4*) EUR 266.00
Sheraton Grand Edinburgh (5*) EUR 530.00

PRICE INCLUDES:
1) 03 Nights accommodation at the Hotel of your choice.
2) Daily Breakfast.
3) Half Day Circular City Tour of Edinburgh.
4) All applicable taxes.
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Have a great trip! This itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it may be subject to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the client and AirCruise.

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