Edinburgh
Edinburgh has been called the Athens of the North and the gateway to central Scotland. Built atop extinct volcanoes on an inlet from the North Sea (the Firth of Forth), and enveloped by rolling hills, lakes, and forests, Edinburgh is a city made for walking.
 
 Its Old Town and New Town sport elegant streets, cobbled alleys, lovely squares, and enough circuses and crescents to rival Bath in England. Hilltops unveil panoramic views, and Edinburgh’s sunsets are spectacularly romantic — Scots call the fading evening light the “gloaming.”
 
Bicycles are more common in Edinburgh than in Glasgow. Nevertheless, biking is probably a good idea only for visitors in good shape, as the city is set on a series of ridges and the streets are often cobbled.
 
You may want a rental car for touring the countryside or for heading onward. Many agencies grant discounts to those who reserve in advance. Most will accept your foreign driver’s license, provided you’ve held it for more than a year and are over 21.
 
Edinburgh is generally thought to be safer than Glasgow — in fact, it’s one of Europe’s safest capitals for a visitor to stroll. But that doesn’t mean crimes, especially muggings, don’t occur.
