Edinburgh and Surrounding Areas

The moment you step off the train at Waverley Station for the first time and emerge blinking into the sunshine of Scotland's capital city is one you will long remember: you stand in a valley, the CASTLE and the medieval OLD TOWN towering over you on one side of the station and PRINCES STREET and the Georgian splendour of the NEW TOWN on the other. Edinburgh is one of the world's great cities, an architectural marvel, and a physically exciting place to inhabit.

It is also one of the world's great financial centres; the Bank of Scotland was established here in 1695 and the decimal point, the cheque book and the overdraft were all developed in Edinburgh. Financial services dominate the city today, making it the UK's largest financial centre outside of London. Particularly strong are the insurance and investment sectors, with Scottish Widows and Standard Life both based here, as well as the Royal Bank of Scotland; which is now the fifth largest bank in the world. Edinburgh is also home to the SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT and, with 34% of the workforce qualified to degree level, is one of the best educated cities in the world. No surprise then that it has the strongest economy of any UK city outside London.

Step outside the city into the lush LOTHIAN countryside and you enter a sweeping green landscape filled with castles, country houses and ancient battlefields, a reminder of Scotland's rich past.

Explore by Region

• Shetland and Orkney Islands
• The Highlands and Western Isles
• North East Scotland
• Central Scotland East
• Central Scotland West
• Glasgow and Surrounding Areas
• Edinburgh and Surrounding Areas
• South East Scotland
• South West Scotland