Churches and Cathedrals in Drylaw

"I suggest a late lunch after you explore the charming, cobbled streets of this historic area and experience some street performers, Canongate Kirkyard (Adam Smith is buried here), Dunbar Close, St. Giles Cathedral, and eventually Edinburgh Castle itself, all the way at the top of the Royal Mile (Be sure to book your Edinburgh Castle skip the line tickets in advance). The charm and beauty of Edinburgh, Scotland never cease to amaze me."

"The Canongate Kirk is a relatively simple building at the bottom of the Royal Mile. The church has many royal connections: in 1952, recently crowned Queen Elizabeth II was the first reigning monarch to visit while her granddaughter, Zara Philips, married here in 2011. Take a look at the coats of arms on the front two pews - these are the Royal Pew and the Castle Pew, reserved for visitors from the Royal family or Edinburgh Castle."

"The modest Canongate Kirk was built in 1688 and completed three years later. It was founded for the residents of Canongate that had previously worshipped in the Abbey Church, until King James II converted the Church into a Chapel for the Order of the Thistle. Since the church is very bare, with practically no statues or paintings, the most eye-catching aspect of the temple is its blue benches on a maroon coloured carpet."

"Address: Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EP, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 229 1142 St. Cuthbert's stands alongside the West Princes Street Gardens and just up from the Royal Lyceum Theatre, where it was built on the remains of six previous historic churches. Visitors will be able to admire a stunning marble pulpit, colourful stained-glass windows, war memorials and an Italian Renaissance-style interior."

"St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, located at the west end of Princes Street, has several theories surrounding its origins. One is that St Cuthbert sheltered in a hollow below Castle Rock while journeying from Melrose. Whatever the true origin, this is the most ancient religious site in Edinburgh, although the present church building dates back to 1892-4."

"Roslin: Best known for being the home of Rosslyn Chapel, the church featured in Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ Roslin is a pretty village with plenty to see. Of course, there’s the ancient and ornate Chapel to visit, but there’s also castle ruins and a delightful tea room to enjoy a hot brew in."

"On Day 2, venture outside of the capital to see some of Scotland’s other historic sites, such as Rosslyn Chapel (a fifteenth-century chapel that is also one of the settings in The Da Vinci Code). Overnight in Edinburgh."

"Address: 28 Manor Place / Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 225 6293 Designed by George Gilbert Scott, the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin is located on the western side of the city centre. Construction of the cathedral began in 1874 and whilst the nave was opened just five years later, the twin spires on its western side were not actually completed until 1917. Highlights include impressive neo-Gothic architecture, well-preserved stained-glass windows, murals and an outstanding art collection, as well as daily choral services."

"St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral is a short walk from Princes Street towards Haymarket. Its spires are visible from most places in Edinburgh, especially looking west from Princes Street. Not only does this cathedral offer a place of stillness in the bustling Scottish capital, there are also opportunities such as learning to be a stonemason in the Cathedral Workshop or a Cathedral Chorister at St Mary’s Music School."

"The neo-Gothic St. Mary's Cathedral is a striking building set in large grounds. Designed by George Gilbert Scott, it was consecrated in 1879. St. Mary's is the largest ecclesiastical building to be built in Scotland since the Reformation."

"Address: 61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 556 1798 This popular Roman Catholic church dates back to 1814, being designed by James Gillespie Graham. Each month on the third Tuesday, look out for the organ and choir recitals. The adjacent Cafe Camino provides a rather tempting menu, offering bacon sandwiches, freshly made soup, lunchboxes for children, a choice of beverages (including coffee, tea, wine, beer and cider) and tubs of locally produced ice cream."

"St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, originally called the Chapel of St Mary’s, held its first masses in August 1814. The Cathedral houses the National Shrine of St Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint, and even has an underground passage leading to a priest’s house in York Place. It wasn’t until the 1970s that passers by could see the Cathedral in its full splendor when tenements in front of the building were demolished."

"Also dating back to the 1800s, Old St Paul’s has since been renovated multiple times – the nave extended and the chancel floor raised with marble. Nearly all of the many panes of stained glass, ornaments and vestments were made possible by fundraising or donations. Unusually, the gargoyles at Old St Paul’s are located inside, not on the exterior of the church as is common on buildings of this period."

"Address: East London Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4BL, Scotland, UK Mansfield Place Church is to be found within the New Town area, standing close to the bus depot and the King George V Park. Built in 1872 by Robert Rowand Anderson, this old church has had many uses over the years and once even functioned as a nightclub. Today, it is owned by the Mansfield Traquair Trust, a conservation group who have actively restored the building over a number of years."

"They are centrally located near bus and tram stops and have ample parking for self-driving guests. They do recommend reservations but it does not look like walk-ins will be turned away automatically. The website says they have ample facilities for families and handi-guests, such as Baby Changing Facilities, Disabled Access and Free WiFi for everyone."

"One of my favourite lunch spot in Edinburgh is The City Restaurant on Nicolson Street. I visited this place several times when I lived in Edinburgh, mainly because they serve some of the best seafood dishes in the city, including fish and chips, scampi and tempura prawns. The City Restaurant has a very sleek and colourful interior, with comfortable seats and large windows overlooking the bustling street."

"A classical yet contemporary chocolaterie on Bruntsfield Place, in the boutique shopping district and much loved residential area of Bruntsfield. Their aim is to provide a unique and comfortable atmosphere for you to explore the delights of fine flavour chocolate. Sample hand crafted chocolates, organic bars, hot chocolate, French macarons or Italian gelato in the uniquely enchanting surrounds of their cafe."

"Their menu is filled to the brim with crepes, waffles, pancakes and chocolate fondue, all with what seems like an endless choice of toppings and combinations. From warm pancakes to fresh fruit, they pour chocolate on everything. And if that’s just not enough, you can wash it all down with a uniquely flavoured hot chocolate, like black pepper dark or mint white."

"There’s gooey, melted chocolate written all over this place and with desserts such as ‘death by chocolate cake’ (in the photo) and ‘peanut and salted caramel fudge cheesecake’ on the menu you will satisfy even your wildest chocolate cravings."

"Avalanche Gapinski was born from a friendship between Avalanche Records owner Kevin Buckle and artist Gerry Gapinski, whose punk, dark, reimagined images of Edinburgh fitted perfectly with Kevin’s new vision for Avalanche. The shop also has prints and t-shirts from the Brazilian artist ‘Butcher Billy’ famous for his post-punk superheroes and photos with matching quotes from the award winning "Dark Edinburgh". Add in a fantastic range of vintage clothing from Armstrongs and upcycled clothing from Psychomoda, and their Waverley Mall store is a treasure trove of unique and interesting finds, spanning music, fashion, art and so much more."

"Waverley Mall is a shopping centre located at the east end of Princes Street in the heart of the city centre, next to Edinburgh Waverley railway station. Its prime location on the corner of Princes Street and Waverley Bridge means that it is ideal to escape the cold: you can browse in a variety of great clothing shops, pick up a souvenir or three before catching your train, or to grab a bite to eat in the food hall before catching the train. Waverley Mall, 3 Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ"