Air
Edinburgh International Airport which is located a 8 miles west of the city.  From here you can catch a bus into the city centre for under £5 and this will stop at all the main train stations and the main shopping area of Princes Street.

Taxi
To get a taxi from the airport into the city will cost around £15-£20, just follow the signs inside the airport to the taxi rank.

Train
If you are arriving by train you will either come into Haymarket or Waverly station.  Haymarket is a little bit outside the city centre but it is ideally located if you are planning a visit to the Zoo or Murryfield Rugby stadium.  Waverley is located in the centre of town just a couple minutes south of Princes Street.

Bus
The main bus station in Edinburgh is just a couple of minutes walk from Princes Street; it is located on St Andrews Square.

Like most of Scotland’s cities, Edinburgh is compact and you will find most things are within walking distance.  The city is really best appreciated by walking it as the architecture and structure of the city are what makes Edinburgh unique.

There is also a fairly good bus service run by Lothian buses, you can buy a ticket for a day which will allow you hop on and off at anytime and these usually cost around £2-3.  Alternatively if you are planning on spending a lot of time in the city a week ticket may be better value at £12.

Edinburgh castle
As the capitol city of Scotland there is, as you would expect many places of interest within the city.  The most visible would definitely be Edinburgh Castle which sits overlooking the city.  This is also the venue for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo which runs in August.

Scottish Parliament
Your next stop should be to the Scottish Parliament, the home of the devolved Scottish Government since 1999.  The building is modern and has been praised and critiqued in equal amounts, you either love it or hate it.  The tours are free but must be organised in advance, call 0131 348 5200 for details.

Scotch Heritage Centre
No trip to Scotland would be complete without some whisky tasting and in Edinburgh the Scotch Heritage Centre offers you this chance.  Here you can find out the history of Whisky, also how its made and discover the regional differences in Malts distilled in different parts of Scotland.

Edinburgh Zoo
Finally you may want to the largest wildlife attraction in Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo.  Here you can view over 1,000 animals which include the world’s biggest Penguin pool.  It is not located in the city centre but you can easily get a bus out to it.

Every type of accommodation is available in Edinburgh so from the low cost backpacker to high class business you will find what you are looking for in the city.

Budget/Backpackers
For those on a budget you cant go wrong at Smart City Hostel, which is in the city centre and has beds from £13.50 a night.  If you want your own room and still want cheap accommodation in the city centre then you should try Averon Guest House which offers a room for only £50 a night.

Intermediate
If you are looking for higher quality accommodation at a reasonable price then the Inverleith Hotel is good value.  It is rated as a 3 star accommodation and is only a 15 min walk from Prices Street.  Rooms here start at £69 per night.

Luxury
There is no shortage of Luxury hotels in Edinburgh, all the top hotel chains from Hilton to Sheraton are here.  Edinburgh’s most famous hotel has to be The Balmoral Hotel, it is a high quality establishment from the iconic building to its Michelin Star Restaurant all reflected in the price at £345 a night.  If that is too pricey then why not try the Scotsman which sits on the other side of Waverley station from The Balmoral.  Here you will find 5 star accommodation from £159 per night.

Scottish
For some good Scottish produce such as Haggis, Highland Venison and Scottish Salmon try Wee Windaes which is situated on the Royal Mile in the heart of the city.  A 2 course meal here will cost around £20.

Fine Dining
The Number One is a Michelin starred multi award winning restaurant and is definitely one of the top places to eat in Edinburgh.  It is part of the Balmoral Hotel and here you will find a number of creative dishes with fresh Scottish produce.  It will cost you around £57 for a 3 course meal here.

Unique
For a more unique dining experience why not take a visit to The Witchery which is located next to the castle.  Here you dine in a unique environment within an historic building with stunning décor and excellent food.  Price for a 3 course meal starts from around £30.

The main shopping area in Edinburgh is the always busy Princess Street which runs through the heart of the city centre.  Here you will find everything from budget music stores to high class designer outlets.

A couple of independent department stores that you may what to check out are Jenners, one of the oldest department stores in Britain and Harvey Nichols.  Both stores are in the city centre, with Jenners on Princess Street and Harvey Nichols at St Andrews square.

If its raining you may want to check out the St James centre which is has a small selection of stores including the John Lewis store which has 5 levels and sells a large selection of goods.

Pubs
If you want to sample some of the finest malts while in Edinburgh then you cant go wrong with Robertson’s 37 bar, its an old classic that offers a selection of over 100 single malts. If you want something intimate and classy then check out the Opal Lounge which is well know for there extensive cocktail list.

Clubs
The liquid room is the place to be if you are looking for live music, it’s a compact place but it has an electric atmosphere with a live band playing.  It is one of Edinburgh’s most popular live music venues, if there is a big act playing Edinburgh you will probably find them here.

About a 10 minute walk from Princes Street past Waverly station you will find the Honeycomb club.  There are several popular themed nights throughout the week and some good drinks promotions.