Historic Sites in Arthur's Seat

"Since September 2004, the official home of the Scottish Parliament has been a new Scottish Parliament Building, in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh. Some of the principal features of the complex include leaf-shaped buildings, a grass-roofed branch merging into adjacent parkland and gabion walls formed from the stones of previous buildings. Throughout the building, there are many repeated motifs, such as shapes based on Raeburn’s Skating Minister."

"Edinburgh’s Old Town is home to Scotland’s thoroughly modern Parliament building. Open to visitors Monday-Saturday, why not take advantage of a free tour and learn about its history, work and contemporary architecture?. You can even visit a debating chamber and if Parliament is in session, view proceedings from the public gallery."

"However, if you visit when they’re not debating, you’re welcome to photograph the debating chamber. As you would expect, this is a popular selfie spot in Edinburgh!. Visit the official Scottish Parliament website for more information and the debating times."

"Speaking of villages, if you make it to Circus Lane, you should definitely head a little further out of the city centre to Dean Village. This is a wonderfully picturesque oasis that sits in a valley formed by the “Water of Leith”, Edinburgh’s main river. There’s plenty to photograph down here, but certainly the highlights include the colourful houses and the river, as well as the huge 19th century bridge that spans the valley above, transporting traffic across and away, and leaving Dean Village as a place that time seems to have almost forgotten."

"Located north-west of the city centre in the Crewe Toll district, the Village Edinburgh offers all the modern conveniences visitors could expect. With an indoor pool, spa, and wellness centre, guests can enjoy some me-time: a relaxing swim, invigorating workout, or calming treatment session. Each bedroom is stylishly decorated, with a modern bathroom, air conditioning, flat-screen television, and free WiFi."

"Beautiful Dean Village After lunch, spend the afternoon at Dean Village. Dean Village is a small, residential area in Edinburgh. It’s quiet, it’s beautiful, and it’s off the beaten path."

"A stylish contemporary building appended to the 15th-century home of Protestant reformer John Knox, housing materials relating to Scotland’s rich oral culture.43–45 High Street, 556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm (also Sun noon–6pm during Aug only). Free entry to SSC; John Knox House £4.25 (£3.75; children £1; under 7s free)."

"The John Knox House dates back to 1470 and it is associated with the Scottish Reformation. Even though the name-giver John Knox only lived in the house for a brief period in the 16th century, his association with the house stuck throughout the…"

"After all, the picturesque streets and quintessentially Scottish pubs located in the Grassmarket make it a must-see attraction on any Scottish adventure. There, you’ll find vibrant streets matched only by an ever-lively nightlife. This is where locals come to hang out, and where you’ll want to grab dinner, or simply head for some after exploring drinks. Nearby, you’ll also find plenty of historical buildings, including the once famous Magdalen Chapel."

"Located close to the castle and featuring a vast cobbled square surrounded by pubs, restaurants and shops, it’s the perfect place for dinner and/or to have a drink in a relaxed atmosphere. In the past, in addition to being a market place, Grassmarket square was also the place where public execution took place. Hopefully nowadays, the atmosphere is a lot more joyful!"

"A great place for unusual finds such as vintage clothes, contemporary jewellery and rare books. Distance from Hotel:500 m6 mins6 mins4 mins"

"The Royal Mile ends at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This palace is the official residence in Scotland of Queen Elizabeth. She resides here about one week every year. When the Queen is not here, the Palace is open for visit."

"Onetime haunt of Mary, Queen of Scots, with a long history of gruesome murder, destructive fire, and power-hungry personalities, the…"

"Edinburgh's 18th-century City Chambers were built over the sealed-off remains of Mary King's Close, and the lower levels of this medieval Old Town alley have survived almost unchanged amid the foundations for 250 years. Now open to the public, this spooky, subterranean labyrinth gives a fascinating insight into the everyday life of 17th-century Edinburgh. Costumed characters lead tours through a 16th-century town house and the plague-stricken home of a 17th-century gravedigger. Advance booking recommended."

"Real Mary King’s Close This is the perfect tour to learn about medieval life in Edinburgh. Journey back in time to 1645 Edinburgh, down Mary King’s Close, a real alleyway in the city. This was the year of the Black Death, when one-third of Edinburgh’s population succumbed to this terrible illness."

"In the city centre, seek out the Heart of Midlothian for a uniquely Scottish piece of history. The Heart of Midlothian is set in the pavement on the Royal Mile, constructed from coloured granite blocks that form the shape of a heart and cross. This landmark records the position of the 15th century ‘heart’ of the town, the Old Tolbooth."

"There are a number of buffet style Chinese restaurants in Edinburgh, but China Red is arguably the best. With an absolutely massive range of dishes, even the pickiest diner will find something to their taste, and their high tech buffet tables ensure the hot dishes remain hot and the chilled dishes nice and cool. The range includes all of the classics you would expect with numerous seafood and vegetarian offerings as well."

"China Red is a buffet restaurant, so slightly different to the other options featured on this list. And you don't have to spend too much time scrolling through reviews before finding one very satisfied customer who described the place as the "best Chinese buffet I've ever been to". They add: "I usually find buffet food all tastes quite bland and samey, but the chicken curry was so tasty and the noodles were amazing."

"Always fresh, delicious food with a variety so much bigger than any other Chinese buffet I've been to. Polite staff, funky entrance and good availability of seating space." 30 Grindlay Street, EH3 9AP"

"For a tasty ‘create your own’ lunch, try Red-Box Noodle Bar and have your pick of whichever meat, vegetables, noodles, sauce and garnishes you like. Regardless of what you go for, the price per noodle box is always £5.80, and it’s more than enough to fuel you up for the rest of the day. If you’re more peckish in the evening, you can order a meal deal for one, adding any starter and any soft drink to your customised noodle box for a total price of £8.80."

"This noodle bar invites you to tailor your order based on a selection of ho fun, ramen, udon, egg or rice noodles, then add duck, vegetables, tofu, pork, chicken or beef. Throw in three bits of colour and roughage, customise things with options of chilli, spring onion or coriander, and finally pick from one of ten sauces. One of these paper Chinese takeaway boxes filled to the brim will set you back an overdraft-friendly £5.60."

"Build-your-own meal is the order of the day at this popular noodle bar. You choose everything from the kind of noodle (egg, rice, ramen etc) to the meat, vegetables and sauce in the mix – which, even if you’re picky, makes it rather hard to go wrong!"

"You'll find an interesting and eclectic menu on at Treacle on Broughton Street. Sandwiches, burgers, pies, and noodles, alongside sharing platters and small snacks, ensure that there's always something on offer to satisfy your craving. There are some irresistible desserts to finish off and the drinks menu includes a stunning array of delectable cocktails."

"Treacle sits handily located on Broughton Street, close to the Playhouse Theatre, Vue Cinema and Princes Street shopping. It is a relaxed, quirky bar offering Asian inspired pub food. So, it’s a bit different from your average Scottish pub fare."

"Papii may not seem like much from outside but this little café has a reputation as one of the best on Hanover Street. Their speciality is ''eggs Papii'': a toasted English muffin, poached free-range eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce (they also do more traditional options like eggs benedict, eggs florentine and eggs royale). If you don't fancy eggs, then don't miss their famous buttermilk waffles, which come with a number of different toppings including crispy bacon, fresh strawberries or honey and cream."

"What: Small and with no fuss, Papii is a very popular spot in the city, so you’ll have to make sure you get their early to secure a table. Although there’s no fried breakfast to be found here, there are plenty of other options to satisfy you, including the likes of filled breakfast rolls, paninis and bagels, as well as eggs any way you like. The main attractions though, are Papii’s indulgent buttermilk vanilla waffles and the smoothies which are made from fresh fruit."

"Finally, somewhat of a hidden gem on the brunch scene, Papii Café is a small, Mediterranean inspired café with a real neighbourhood feel to it. Their menu is varied, but the two dishes that get people talking are the waffles and the eggs benedict. Despite being a classic brunch food, waffles don’t seem to crop up on too many breakfast menus in Edinburgh."

"There are three different private dining rooms at Otro, which can be hired separately or together to create plenty of space for family and friends. The team here have event managers too, which means there’s a handily helpful process in place already to see you through your planning. Dishes on the set menus can be tailored to your preference and/ or budget but as an idea of style dishes that are menu mainstays are chicken liver parfait with chutney and toasted sourdough, and roasted sea bass with chickpea and chorizo stew and salsa verde."

"Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is the second-oldest institution of its kind in Britain (after Oxford), and one of the most respected in the world. Founded near Holyrood in 1670 and moved to its present location in 1823, its 70 beautifully landscaped acres include splendid Victorian glasshouses (admission £6.50), colourful swaths of rhododendrons and azaleas, and a world-famous rock garden. There's a second entrance to the gardens at 20a Inverleith Row."

"If you love gardening, you will love the Archivists’ Garden located in between the General Register House and the New Register House. Home to 57 different plant species, the Garden is not only beautiful, but all the plants are connected to Scotland’s history, be it through folklore, heraldry or association with famous Scots. Child friendly: yes Address: HM Register House, 2 Princess Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY Opening hours: Mon to Fri: 9am – 5pm More information on this green space"

"Also known as Edinburgh’s Secret Garden and on the other side of Holyrood Park from Edinburgh city centre, Dr Neil’s Garden is a heaven of tranquillity and a font of inspiration for artists, musicians and writers. It was originally created by Drs Nancy and Andrew Neil, who had a keen interest in horticulture and medicine. Child friendly: yes Address: Dr Neil’s Garden, Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village, Edinburgh EH15 3PX Opening hours: Mon to Sun: 10am – 5pm More information on visiting this garden"

"Dr Neil’s Garden is a wonderfully quaint place to wile away an afternoon or as a pit-stop on your way up to Arthur’s Seat. Tip: If you're lucky you may catch deer cooling off in the nearby Loch. *Guide-dog friendly!"

"Edinburgh’s quintessential secret garden, in the shadow of a 12th-century kirk, is one of the most peaceful green spaces in Scotland. Cultivated in the 1960s by doctors Andrew and Nancy Neil from a scrappy piece..."