Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Dining

We dined at some interesting pubs during our 7-day stay in Edinburgh, including The Last Drop, which is decorated with nooses in reference to its proximity to public executions in the 17th century, and Sheep’s Heid Inn, which is thought to be the oldest licensed establishment in Edinburgh dating back to 1360.  At these traditional pubs, we ate the typical Scottish pub fare including haggis in many forms, Balmoral Chicken and sticky toffee pudding.  I was initially concerned that we would be eating the same pub food for our entire trip, but happily, we also frequented eclectic and fun eateries that offered different meal choices.

One of our more unique meals was at Makar’s Gourmet Mash Bar which was also one of the hardest places to get into, since it was always packed with huge lineups and long waitlists.  As its name alludes to, Makar’s offers nine different flavours of mashed potato including classic butter, mature cheddar cheese, smoked applewood cheese, mustard, smoked bacon/spring onion, black pudding, chili, horseradish or vegan with olive oil.  After picking your mashed potato base, you then select from a variety of toppings featuring choices of meats (lamb shank, beef shoulder, haggis, wild boar, or chicken), plant-based (carrot/chestnut, lentil/herbs) or mushrooms with home-grown mushrooms from an in-house mushroom farm. Rich and I both decided that we wanted the smoked bacon/spring onion mashed potato as our base. Since mushrooms are my favourite food, I selected the Summerhill Specialty Mushroom consisting of sauteed wild enoki, king trumpets and lion’s mane mushrooms, topped with fresh tarragon, served on a tower of mashed neep, all sitting on top of a tarragon cream sauce.  I was torn between this and the breaded lion’s mane bites in a whiskey cream sauce, but I was happy with my selection.  Rich picked the beef-lamb haggis on a mound of heather honey and turnip puree served with a whiskey cream sauce.  Humorously, a ceiling hatch found above a neighbouring table was labeled “Haggis Escape Hatch”, playing on the myth of the “Wild Haggis”.  A cheeky poster on the wall displays the iconic image of Robbie Burns but wearing dark shades with the caption “I’m Sexy and a Poet”, playing on the song “I’m Sexy And I Know It”.  All this made for a very fun vibe.

Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips is a popular seafood restaurant on Victoria St that specializes in sustainably sourced haddock coated with a classic, light and crispy batter (or breading if desired), twice-cooked fries and tartare sauce, following traditional British chippy standards.  The many side choices include coleslaw, mushy or garden peas, onion rings, mashed potato, gravy or a variety of sauces.   Interesting sounding appetizers included fish pakora in a sweet chili and sour cream/mint dip or haggis spring rolls.  We opted to supplement our fish and chips order by sharing Bertie’s Fritto consisting of cod bites, haddock goujons, sampi and squid rings along with a mixed salad.  Bertie’s had a stylish décor including a neon sign that read “Fry Me To the Moon”, aquatic-themed décor and cartoons by Frank Boyle, formerly of the Edinburgh Evening News.

Oink is a fast-food chain that serves roasted hog (pulled pork) and lamb sandwiches with a variety of sauces and toppings.  You can order a Piglet, Oink or Grunter (Small/Medium/Large) sandwich on a white or wheat roll with sage/onion or haggis stuffing and a choice of apple sauce, mustard mayo, BBQ sauce or various chilli sauces. The location closest to us was also on Victoria Street just a few buildings away from Bertie’s Proper Fish and Chips, but it was always busy with long lineups.  We stopped by several times to watch as the server scooped up pulled pork from an entire roasted hog displayed prominently in the window.  We finally got into the eatery just before closing time one evening and snagged two sandwiches, but unfortunately, by then all the crackling was gone.

Another popular chain that has a store on Victoria Street is Knoops, a chocolate drinks café known for its crafted hot and cold chocolate beverages as well as milk shakes and mochas.  The term “Knoopology” highlights the concept of choosing from a curated chocolate menu ranging from 28% (white) to 100% (extra dark) cocoa content, along with a variety of milks (whole/semi-skimmed/skimmed, lactose-free, oat, almond, soy, coconut, hazelnut), spices (sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppers, chilli, cardamon, anise, turmeric), herbs (orange, lemon, lime, ginger, mint, lavender, rosemary, matcha, vanilla) and extra toppings (marshmallow, whipped cream, pistachio whipped cream).  We tried a hot chocolate with with 43% Venezuela cacao bean which is described as “smooth with notes of hazelnuts and butterscotch” and added orange flavour to it.  For our second cup, we created a mocha using 49% Venezuela cocao bean with notes of molasses, pecan & coffee and added pistachio flavouring.  Both were tasty but the hot chocolate was a bit too sweet.  I wish we had something like this in Toronto since it would have been fun to continue trying different combinations.

Located just off the Royal Mile, the Chocolatarium is a high-end chocolate shop that offers a wide variety of local and international, organic and fair-trade chocolate bars and truffles, as well as hot chocolate and specialty chocolate shapes.  There were so many flavours to choose from that it was hard to decide but we bought a nice selection both to eat while in Edinburgh as well as a few bars to take home to Toronto.  In addition to selling chocolate, the Chocolatarium also holds 90-minute guided tours on the chocolate-making process from bean to bar, allowing tourists to create their own chocolate bars and taste from over 40 varieties of chocolate.  The tour was quite expensive and we didn’t have the time for it anyway, so we settled for selecting three chocolate bars including black forest/cherry, carrot cake and orange flavours as well as a box of truffles. From outside the shop, we had a great view of some of the structures atop Carlton Hill including a circular tower that was once the Governor’s House and part of the old Carlton Jail complex from 1817-1927, and a 90-foot-tall obelisk called The Political Martyr’s Monument, erected in 1844 as a tribute to five political reformers who were transported to a British penal colony in Australia in 1794.

The Scotsman Steps is a historic landmark which connects Market Street (across from Waverley Train Station) to North Bridge.  Built between 1899-1902, it consists of a set of 104 spiral steps enclosed in an octagonal tower that was once part of the building that housed the Scotsman Newspaper.  Today it acts as a pedestrian link between Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town.  The steps were originally made from sandstone but through an artistic project in 2011 by artist Martin Creed, they have been reclad with different types and colours of marble sourced from Belgium, Brazil, India, Italy, Norway, Pakistan and more.  Passing by late one evening after a Fringe show, we came across these steps on Market Street and wondered where they led.  We climbed them to the top where we saw a stunning view of a lit-up Balmoral Hotel.

Exiting the Scotsman Steps onto North Bridge, we also found the Scotsman Hotel which has taken over the old Edwardian newspaper building.  The Scotsman Hotel is a luxury 4-star boutique hotel that retains many of the architectural features of the original building including stained glass windows, wood paneling, ornate plasterwork, marble pillars and a grand marble staircase.  We ducked into the hotel to admire the interior architecture and came across the Grand Café, which is the hotel’s main restaurant set in the former advertising hall of the newspaper offices.  Feeling a bit peckish, we decided to grab a table in the beautiful restaurant where we could have a late-night snack while enjoying the luxurious décor and being serenaded by the piano player performing on a balcony up above.

The Grand Café serves classic brasserie-styled cuisine throughout the day, as well as a luxurious full Scottish breakfast and afternoon tea.  For our after-show snacks, we ordered three appetizers including a truffled macaroni and cheese, a confit chicken and leek terrine with carrot, hazelnut and endive salad topped with crème fraiche, and Scottish crab meat on a crumpet topped with brown crab butter, apple and radish.  These were all delicious and hit the spot for our late-night munchies.  The piano music was also delightful but I just wish that we could see the pianist better.  This was an unplanned and wonderfully unexpected experience that we stumbled upon accidentally but ended up being a nice way to end our evening.

After spending 5 days rushing between museums and the Fringe Festival, we finally had time for a leisurely lunch on our last day in Edinburgh before leaving for Glasgow.  We decided to visit the Caledonian Hotel on Princes Street which was constructed between 1899-1903 as part of the Caledonian Railway’s Princes Street Station.  It has an impressive red sandstone façade designed in Neo-Renaissance style with Flemish influences in its grand arches, steep pitched roof and detailed gables.  Corinthian columns support a decorative pediment while the façade is adorned with allegorical figures representing Art, Commerce, Science and Agriculture.  Many of the interior features remain including the station clock, stained glass windows depicting railway stops and ornate marble finishes.  Lunch was being served in “The Court”, a large, spacious space with high ceilings that felt like an open-air courtyard flanked by walls that imitated the red sandstone of the building’s exterior.  The archways of doors leading in and out of The Court are decorated with wooden carvings of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.  A beautiful Art Deco inspired bar and a piano lounge can be found at the back while the front of the dining area offers plush seating, modern chandeliers and a large skylight from which we watched the rain fall during our lunch.

This was by far our priciest meal befitting the setting of the swanky hotel.  We considered it our one splurge meal after eating relatively frugally during our previous days in Edinburgh, mostly due to time constraints.  Rich started with a Rob Roy cocktail which was invented in the Waldorf Astoria in New York City in 1894 (and was named after an operetta).  Given that the Caledonian had been rebranded as the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh between 2011-2024 before reverting to its original name, this seemed like an apt selection.  My bottle of water cost £5 ($10 CDN!) but I guess it was not socially acceptable to ask for tap water in a place like this.  We started with a potato leek soup and a Scottish smoked salmon with shallots, crème fraiche and croutons.  For mains, we both selected the lobster roll with clarified garlic butter and fries and shared a side of green beans with roasted cashews.

The Court offers a wide range of desserts including a set of pastries and sweets that can be ordered as part of the “Sweets of the World Afternoon Tea”.  Since we already had lunch, we opted for desserts offered a la carte and the restaurant literally had a dessert cart where an eclectic selection of desserts was on display for our inspection.  I chose a chocolate brownie that tasted more like a giant Ferrero Rocher chocolate while Rich’s dessert was an “Invisible Toffee”, which was a playful version of the traditional sticky toffee pudding.  The bowl arrived with a rich, moist pudding hidden by a cloud of cotton candy floss.  Once the sweet, sticky toffee sauce is poured on top, the candy floss dissolves to reveal the pudding topped with creamy whisky ice cream.  The ceremonial pouring of the sauce was part of the event for this dessert. The walls outside of the restrooms were decorated with colourful vintage-styled tiles depicting street vendors and tradespeople from historic British cities from the 19th and 20th centuries.  The tiles were accompanied by playful labels reflecting market cries of the time including “Chairs to Mend” and “Scissors to Grind”.

Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Miscellaneous Cool Streets

In addition to the major museums, royal residences and cemeteries that we visited in Edinburgh, we also came across miscellaneous streets with interesting architecture and shops or funky outdoor street art.

Right around the corner from our rental apartment on Grassmarket, West Bow Street and Victoria Street form a pair of steep curved adjoining streets that lead to George IV Bridge, running parallel to the Royal Mile.  The streets are full of historic charm and are lined on both sides with colourfully painted buildings whose ground floors are home to restaurants, pubs, and boutique shops including old bookstores and stores selling items associated with magic and wizardry.  In fact, West Bow is nicknamed “Diagon Alley” after the fictional wizardry shopping street in the Harry Potter books.  West Bow is also associated with Major Thomas Weir, a 17th century soldier and occultist who was believed to be a witch, and Lord Ruthven, implicated in the murder of Mary Queen of Scot’s secretary David Rizzio.  From Victoria Street, stairs lead up to Victoria Terrace, which is a balcony walkway that runs above parts of West Bow and Victoria Streets.  More restaurants are found on the balcony and the stunning views of the streets below have been the subject of many iconic photographs.

The Bow Well is located at the west end of West Bow Street where it meets Grassmarket.  Erected in 1674, this is Edinburgh’s first piped water supply. Amongst the many eateries on Victoria St., the Elephant House is a popular café that gained fame as one of the places where J.K.Rowling wrote her first two Harry Potter novels.  Shops that deal with Harry Potter, magic or mysticism include Museum Context, the Red Door and John Kay’s book and antique shop.  Other shops sell touristy souvenirs, clothing and more.

Several interesting sights can be spotted on George Street including sculptures and architectural design.  The statue of James Clerk Maxwell can be found near St. Andrew Square.  Created in 2008, the sculpture depicts the seated Scottish physicist who formulated the theory of electromagnetic radiation in what became known as the Maxwell equations.  A plaque with these equations sits on the ground in front of the statue. Maxwell also pioneered colour theory in optics, demonstrating that any colour can be created by mixing the primary colours of red, green and blue.  At his feet is his Irish Terrier Toby, making this the fourth dog sculpture that we have found in Edinburgh after the two dogs in cemeteries and one in Scott’s Monument.  Also, on George St. is The Dome, a bar, restaurant and nightclub, which occupies the former 1847 headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland (originally Physician’s Hall in late 17th century).  The venue is named for the distinctive glass dome that covers the central lobby.  Finally, the beautiful friezes at the top of the Standard Life Building are titled “Foolish Virgins” and “Wise Virgins”, carved some time between 1897 and 1901.

Perpendicular to George Street and not far away from the Portrait Gallery is the historic garden park St. Andrew Square, named after Scotland’s patron saint.  Constructed starting from 1772, it became the first part of the “New Town” (post Medieval construction).  It was initially surrounded by a wealthy residential area before evolving into a central commercial and financial district where many banks reside including the Royal Bank of Scotland.  At the centre of the square is the Melville Monument, a Doric column with a statue of Henry Dundas, the first Viscount of Melville at the top. While previously honoured for being treasurer to the Navy as well as Lord Advocate and Keeper of the Scottish Signet, Dundas is currently also being called out for delaying abolition of slavery.  A bench facing the monument is adorned with a sculpture of Paddington Bear eating a sandwich that was installed in 2024 to help promote the new movie, “Paddington in Peru”.  Also in the square is a large, 8 foot tall, 17 feet long stone carving known as the “Lion of Scotland” that is a symbol of national pride.

During the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the famous “Spiegeltent” is temporarily installed in St. Andrew Square.  This is a renowned traveling cabaret that has a circus-like feel.  Made of wood, mirrors, stained glass and rich fabrics, it evokes the European cabaret circuses of the 1920s.  Performances are hosted during the festival including music, magic, circus acts and variety shows.  This is also a centerpiece for the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival which is held around the same time.  While approaching St. Andrew Square from George St., we spotted a very unique structure in the far distance that had a distinctive spiral design.  Known locally as the Ribbon Building, this is actually the 12-storied W Edinburgh Hotel with includes a rooftop bar with 360 degree panoramic views.

The façade of the Waverly Bar on St.Mary’s Street features a purple climbing man sculpture that was anonymously installed during the COVID lockdown.  At the corner of Rutland St. and Lothian Rd are a pair of cool sculptures.  A brightly decorated fiberglass Highland cow is part of a 2006 art initiative known as the “Cow Parade” or “Coo Parade”, where a series of over 100 cow sculptures were installed across the city.  A seated laughing child sculpture seems to be part of another initiative since we saw a similar sculpture on the Royal Mile.  After learning about the murderous reign of Burke and Hare during our cemetery tours, we were amused to find a pole-dancing and strip bar named after them in Haymarket.  I really liked Fabhatrix Hat Shop on Cowgatehead, admiring the vintage-styled hats and gloves in the window each time we passed by.  On Candlemaker Road, after thinking about it for several days, I finally succumbed to temptation and purchased a pair or Scottish themed rubber “duckies” including one playing the bagpipes in full tartan and one in the shape of a duckie but designed as a horned Highland coo.

Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Holyrood Park

Built on Castle Rock mainly as a strategic military fortress, the historic Edinburgh Castle was a symbol of Scottish power that was fought over between the Scots and the British for centuries.  First completed as a Medieval castle in 1103 under King Malcolm III, it was continually expanded between the 12th-16th centuries with the additions of St. Margaret’s Chapel (12thC), King David’s Tower and fortifications (14thC), the Crown Square which included the Great Hall and royal apartments (15thC), and artillery platforms to support new technologies including cannons (16th C).  In addition to its military role, Edinburgh Castle served as the Royal Residence until 1633. Once the royalty moved across the Royal Mile to Palace of Holyroodhouse, the military took over and turned the castle into a true fortress and garrison, stripping away much of its decorative features including stained-glass windows.  Today, Edinburgh Castle is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the city and can be viewed prominently from many locations in the Old Town including Grassmarket where we were staying.  Several lengthy flights of stairs brought us from Grassmarket to Castlehill at the top of Castle Rock.  Just outside the castle is the Witches’ Well, created in 1894 by Celtic Revival artist John Duncan to commemorate the people executed for witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries.

We entered the site by walking through the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, a large open area with stadium seating set up on three sides to support the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo held each August. To enter the castle, we walked through the Portcullis Gate which consists of a large archway flanked by bronze sculptures of Scottish hero William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce, installed in 1929 within neo-Gothic niches.

Being on top of a hill, spectacular panoramic views of Edinburgh can be seen from the castle walls including the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, Holyrood Park including Arthur’s Seat and even the North Sea on a clear day.   Some of the best vistas can be found on the battery walls including the Half Moon Battery on the east side which overlooks the castle entrance.  Fun views can be found while peering through the embrasures or holes where the cannons point out of.  Not only do the rectangular openings frame the scenery, but they give you a sense of the defensive areas that these cannons would have supported back when the castle was in use as a military base.

The Scottish National War Memorial is one of the most impressive buildings in Edinburgh Castle. It serves as Scotland’s place of remembrance for those who died from WWI up to current day.  On either side of the entrance are silver-grey granite sculptures of a lion and a horse, holding shields of the Union Jack and the Cross of St.Andrew respectively.  In a recess above entrance is a figure representing “the Survival of the Spirit” with an eagle symbolising strength, vigilance and remembrance at its base.  Fantastical, animal-like gargoyles can be found at the top of the tower and in smaller recesses are allegorical figures representing Courage, Justice and Peace.

Photos are not allowed inside the War Memorial out of respect for the dignity and reverence of the setting but there are photos on the internet of this beautiful interior.  Books of Remembrance or Rolls of Honour are kept within a sealed steel casket located on an altar within the memorial’s shrine, listing the names of the Scottish service men and women who died in each war.  Relief carvings depict military scenes including soldiers marching or in battle, and the wounded being nursed, as well as some religious scenes. A series of brightly coloured stained-glass windows created in 1927 depict relatively modern images including tanks, artillery, zeppelins, bi-planes, and soldiers blowing bugles.  Other windows are religious or historic in nature.  The theme of the décor reflects valour, sacrifice, justice and triumph of peace over war.

The only other building in Edinburgh Castle that does not allow photography, probably for security reasons, is the “Crown Room”.  This is where the “Honours of Scotland” are kept.  Made of gold, silver and precious metals, these are the oldest surviving Crown jewels in Scotland, consisting of the crown, sceptre, and sword of state that were first used for a monarch’s coronation in 1543.  During the wars of the 17th Century when Oliver Cromwell’s troops were attacking, the honours were hidden in a church in the hamlet of Kinneff, which we happened to stop by later on in our trip.

Built for King James IV between 1509-1511, the Grand Hall served as the 95-foot-long space where royal ceremonies and state banquets were held. It features a vaulted, Norwegian wood hammerbeam roof decorated with stone corbels with motifs including the Royal cipher, the Scottish Thistle, a female bust which is the symbol of love, and a Lion’s Head which is the emblem of Scottish Royalty and Christ.  A famous painting known as “Ensign Ewart capturing the French Eagle at Waterloo” depicts the cavalry charge of Ensign Charles Ewart of the Royal Scots Grey in 1815, symbolizing Britian’s defeat of French Imperial power.  The massive, ornate stone fireplace is adorned with four elegant allegorical figures carved in the Renaissance style.  Set high above the fireplace is “Laird’s Lug”, also known as “Lord’s Ear”.  It is a small iron grate used as a peephole for kings to listen in on the conversations of their guests. Many Medieval weapons are hung on the walls including swords, axes, spiked spears and rifles.  After Oliver Cromwell’s siege in 1650, the hall was transformed into barracks and a military hospital.  Between 1887-1891, it was restored to its original splendor, adding back the roof, paneled walls and stained-glass windows.

There are several military museums within the grounds of Edinburgh Castle.  The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Regimental Museum focuses on the history and campaigns of this calvary regiment that has been existence since early 1700s.  The Royal Scots Regimental Museum displays artifacts from this group that was founded in 1633. The largest museum is the National War Museum of Scotland which contains artifacts from 400 years of Scottish military history.  The museums contain displays of military artifacts including arms and weapons, uniforms, medals, paintings and dioramas of famous battle scenes, recruitment posters, maps, personal items and more.  A highlight found in the Scots Dragoon Museum is an actual gilded bronze eagle and standard (regimental flag) captured from Napoleon’s army at the Battle of Waterloo.  One diorama shows Ensign Kennedy who was mortally wounded while clutching the British Standard.  A Sergeant tried to remove it from his grasp but was unable, so he hoisted the dead solider and carried him back to their home base.  Another interesting exhibit showed examples every day objects being used to hide secret messages including a chess set with compartments that concealed a map, saw, compass and currency to help out a prisoner of war escapee.

In addition to the cannons that we saw pointing out of embrasures, there were also two special guns.  An extra-large 6-ton cannon or “bombard” nicknamed “Mons Meg” was created in Mons, Belgium in 1449 and was gifted to King James II in 1457.  With a barrel diameter of 20 inches, it could fire huge cannonballs weighing up to 385 pounds that could travel over 2 miles.  As per its name, the “One O’Clock Gun” is a daily tradition where a 105mm field gun is fired exactly at 1pm each day, harking back to 1861 when businessman John Hewat introduced the idea as a way to signal the time to ships and locals alike.  Today, it is fired merely for the enjoyment of the tourists. In front of the National War Museum is a bronze sculpture of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig sitting on his horse on top of a rocky terrain. One and a half times larger than life-sized, the sculpture honours the first Earl of Haig’s wartime leadership during World War I and his welfare work for ex-servicemen.  The Prisoners of War Exhibition recreates the conditions that prisoners faced between the 1700s to early 1800s.  On display are wooden doors with graffiti scratched on them, items crafted by prisoners including wood boxes, chess sets, intricate models of ships, prisoners’ rations, and examples of living quarters for ordinary sailors and soldiers as opposed to officers.

While most of Edinburgh Castle is devoted to the military, there are still Royal Apartments above the Crown Room that were the residences of the Stewart monarchs starting with the reign of King James IV in the mid 15th centuries until King Charles I in 1633.  One of the rooms is the birthing chamber where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI.  A large display contained embroideries created by Mary while in exile in England after fleeing Scotland.  The oldest surviving building on the site is St.Margaret’s Chapel, a small Romanesque stone structure built in 1130 by King David I to honour his mother, Queen Margaret.  The chapel fell into disuse and was used as a gunpowder store in the 1500s before being restored in the 19th century.  Nearby is a small, enclosed pet cemetery that was established in the 1840s as the final resting place for regimental officer’s pet dogs and mascots. The oldest visible grave from 1881 is for Jess, a terrier belonging to the military band of the Black Watch 42nd Royal Highlanders.  

Palace of Holyroodhouse (aka Holyrood Palace) has been the official residence of the British monarchy in Scotland since the 16th century and is used for official events and ceremonies.  Built with a blend of Renaissance and Baroque styles, major additions were added in the 16th and 17th centuries. The oldest surviving part of the palace is the King James V Tower, built between 1528-1536.  It was where Mary, Queen of Scots had her chambers and the site of the murder of her secretary David Rizzio, who was killed in front of her by her husband Lord Darnley and his accomplices. The decorative stone fountain outside the palace is topped by a crown hoisted by armed soldiers holding spears. Below are historical figures including Rizzio and Queen Margaret, followed by sculptures of lions and unicorns and then a series of lion heads.  Erected in 1858, it is based on a fountain built by King James V in 1538 at Linlithgow Palace, 24 kilometres west of Edinburgh.  The Quadrangle is a central open courtyard area designed in the 1670s to resemble a monastic cloister.  It has 3 floors plus an attic with the ground floor serving as service areas (kitchen, storage, etc.), the first floor has State Apartments and the Royal Apartments are on the second floor.  The decorations of the façades are progressively more ornate as you get higher up, reflecting the functions of each level.  There are Doric columns on the ground floor, then Ionic on the first floor and finally Corinthian columns on the second for the Royal Apartments.  In the centre of the courtyard is a stone fountain sitting on perfectly a manicured lawn.

Photos are not allowed inside the palace but we were given audio guides that told us interesting facts about each room along with images of the room. Following our tour, I sat at the outdoor café and took screenshots of some of those images as well as finding more on the internet.  The first area that we encountered was the Grand Staircase, where the walls are lined with tapestries and 16th century Italian frescos while the magnificent 17th Century Baroque ceiling is adorned with plaster angels holding the Honours of Scotland.  The stairs lead to the State Apartments which includes the room that had been used as a Guard’s Chamber, the King’s Drawing Room, and a Dining Room before being converted into a Throne Room in 1871.  Today a pair of thrones are on display which were designed for King George V and Queen Mary. On the next level up is the Royal Apartments where the King’s Bedroom is found, featuring a four-poster bed covered in red damask.  We also saw the suite of Mary Queen of Scots including her bedroom and the outer chamber where the murder occurred.

The Music Room was added in 1670 under Charles II for the purpose of holding private musical performances and intimate receptions.  This elegant room is decorated with gilded cornices, pale wood paneling, ornate plaster designs with musical motifs, giltwood chairs, a candelabra and musical instruments including a piano and a harp.  A curved alcove enhances acoustics for chamber music recitals.  The most interesting room is the 150-foot-long Great Gallery, the largest room in the palace, which serves as the main processional and state gathering place.  The room has two grand, marble fireplaces, a row of windows spanning the entire length of the room, facing a wall containing 96 portraits of Scottish monarchs painted between 1684-1686 by Jacob de Wet the Younger on behalf of King Charles II.  Our audio guide told the amusing story of how King Charles hoped these portraits would support his claim to the throne since he obviously had the genetic trait of the “family nose”.

The Gothic and Romanesque styled Holyrood Abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I after experiencing a miraculous event where he encountered a white stag during a hunting expedition and saw the vision of the Holy Cross (or Rood) between the deer’s antlers. In thanks, he created the abbey for the Catholic priests of the Canons Regular of St.Augustine.  Many historic events occurred at the abbey over the centuries including coronations, weddings, funerals and births.  Various parts of the abbey were destroyed during conflicts over the years and then fell into total ruin in the late 17th century due to religious and political turmoil added to structural damage caused by harsh weather and years of neglect. Today, the surviving ruins of the abbey include the central hall of the nave which features soaring, pointed Gothic arches, ribbed vaults, and large windows with intricate, ornamental stonework including a section that delineates the previous existence of Gothic windows. From the exterior, you can see flying buttresses that remain to support one of the remaining walls.

Although the roof has been destroyed since the 17th century, enough of the abbey remains so you can image its former grandeur. Royal vaults beneath the abbey contain the remains of Scottish monarchs including King David II, James II, James V and Lord Darnley (2nd husband of Mary, Queen of Scots).  Grave slabs of Augustian canons and abbots are embedded in the nave’s floor while tomb markers of noble families and Royal Dragoon guards line the walls.

The gardens in Holyrood Palace cover 10 acres of landscaped terrain with lawns, flower beds, sculptures and fountains.  A multi-surfaced sandstone sundial was created in 1633 and presented by King Charles I to his queen Henrietta Maria to commemorate his Scottish Coronation at the Holyrood Abbey. There are twenty dials with metal surfaces carved as spheres (or gnomons) that allow the sundial to cast a shadow.  Rectangular mounds near Holyrood Palace are the remnants of the foundations and walls of Holyrood Abbey's eastern end and associated monastic buildings. These visible earthworks and stone outlines mark where the choir, transepts, and possibly other abbey structures once stood, extending eastward from the ruined nave you still see today. The mounds correspond to the original footprint of the medieval abbey, built in the 12th century by David I, and evidence suggests they may also include graves, chapels, or the abbey house itself. From the palace grounds, we could see clear views of the hills in Holyrood Park.

Holyrood Park is a 650-acre Royal park just east of Holyrood Palace that is known for its dramatic hills, steep crags, picturesque lochs, grassy meadows, and an extinct volcano called Arthur’s Seat that is the highest point in Edinburgh at almost 825 feet. We had planned to hike around the park and climb to the top of Arthur’s Seat during our 7-day stay in Edinburgh.  Unfortunately, there was a huge bush fire in Arthur’s Seat just a few weeks before our trip and much of the park was closed.

We checked daily on the status of the closures but they did not reopen by the time we had to leave the city.  We had one last chance to visit the park on the last day of our trip (22 days later), when we would return to Edinburgh to fly home the next morning.  Arthur’s seat was still not accessible but we could at least walk around other areas in the park.  We arrived back in Edinburgh around mid afternoon, but when we arrived at the main parking lot at Queen’s Drive at the top of the park, we found the entrance blocked. Feeling defeated, we decided to give up and proceed to Sheep’s Heid Inn for an early meal. Once we parked the car by the restaurant, we realized that we were very close to the bottom of the park and might be able to walk in from there. As we strolled in that direction, we found that access to Duddingston Low Road was also blocked, but there was a long, steep staircase that would allow us to finally access Holyrood Park. Climbing for what felt like for forever while passing through grassy slopes and rocky areas, we arrived up to a plateau.

Luckily, there was a bench at the top of the stairs and we gratefully sat there to rest while taking in the spectacular view of the city below.  As expected, the path leading up to Arthur’s Seat was still blocked, now over 5 weeks after the fire.  Although the flames had been extinguished, there was still danger of falling rocks and crews were still assessing the damage.  Unable to complete our originally planned circuit of the park up to Arthur’s Seat, we instead headed clockwise along Queen’s Drive which runs in a circle around the outer edges of the park.

While making this trek, we saw people heading towards and standing at the top of what was probably Crow Hill.  Had we been able to get here at the beginning of our trip as we first hoped, or even if it wasn’t so late in the day before we could finally get into the park, we might have considered making this climb.  But by now we were exhausted and worried about the prospect of rain and darkness, so we just admired the hill from afar and continued on our way.

We had some nice views as we passed Dunsapie Loch, which is an artificial reservoir created in 1844.  Small waterfowl were swimming in the water and rocky outcrops of volcanic and sedimentary geology including Dunsapie Hill could be seen in the distance.  Continuing along, we reached Margaret’s Loch and from there we spotted the ruins of St.Anthony’s Chapel which was likely built in the early 15th century.  We were debating whether or not we had time to hike up the hill to reach the ruins for a closer look when the skies darkened and it started to rain.

This made our decision easier and we counted our blessings to have made it this far in our quest to visit Holyrood Park since it was looking hopeless just a few hours ago.  We turned around and retraced our steps, continuing to enjoy the vistas.  Descending back down the stairs was much easier although the big wide steps still were a challenge for my short legs.  We were gratified to pass a much younger man as he made the climb that we had completed earlier and noted that even he was huffing and puffing.  It is too bad that we were not able to explore more of Holyrood Park including access to Arthur's seat (which finally reopened on October 19) but I'm glad that we were able to get a taste of the beauty of the surroundings.

We rewarded ourselves with dinner at Sheep’s Heid Inn, which is the reputed to be the oldest licensed eatery in Edinburgh, dating back to 1360.  The inn had many royal visitors in the past including Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Queen Elizabeth II as well as famous literary figures such as Robbie Burns and Sir Walter Scott.  Theories about the etymology of name of the inn include its history of serving a sheep’s head dish (no longer on the menu!) or the story that King James VI presented the owner with a ram’s head snuff box.  Today, the place is decorated with the heads of rams mounted on the wall and there is a plaque commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s last visit.  From the gastropub menu, we started with pan-fried scallops served with crispy prosciutto, roast butternut, wild garlic salsa verde, and crispy sage, as well as beef croquettes with a horseradish sauce.  For our main course, I had the signature dish of slow-cooked pork belly, pork fillet wrapped in prosciutto, roasted apple ketchup, dauphinoise potato, broccoli, and a rich gravy.  Rich went for the Scottish favorite of Chicken Balmoral, which is a chicken breast stuffed with haggis, then wrapped in bacon and served with a whisky or peppercorn sauce, all on top of a bed of mashed potato and broccolini on the side.  He ordered the same dish at Last Drop Inn on our first day in Edinburgh and liked it so much that he wanted to have it again.  We ended the meal by sharing a sticky toffee pudding. 

Then Rich had a surprise for me.  He asked the waitress whether we could take a peek at Skittles Alley, Scotland’s oldest surviving bowling alley dating back to 1880, which was found at the back of the restaurant.  Skittles is a traditional pub game similar to bowling where players knock down skittles pins by rolling a wooden ball down an alley.  Skittles consists of 9 wooden pins arranged in a diamond shape with a smaller, lighter ball that has no holes.  The lane is shorter and narrower than a contemporary bowling alley.  The Skittle’s Alley at Sheep’s Heid can be rented for private functions.

Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Royal Mile, St. Giles Cathedral

Dating back to the 12th century, the “Royal Mile” is an important 1.81km stretch of road aptly named because it spans the distance between Edinburgh Castle (the military fortress on Castle Rock) to the west and Palace of Holyroodhouse (the royal residence at the foot of Holyrood Park) to the east, with many historic sites in between.  Interestingly, that distance of 1.81km, known as a “Scots mile”, is based on an obsolete Medieval unit of measure which is longer than the “statute mile” of 1.609km that became the standard of measurement worldwide in the 19th century.

The Royal Mile is made of multiple streets including Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate and Abbey Strand leading up to Palace of HolyroodHouse and Queen’s Drive leading to Holyrood Park.  Even today, it is an important thoroughfare traversing through Edinburgh’s Old Town with shops and restaurants interspersed amongst notable landmarks including St.Giles Cathedral, John Knox House, Museum of Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament Building.  It remains a hub for major cultural events including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo is an internationally renowned annual event held for 23 days in August during the same weeks as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh International Festival (music, opera, dance, theatre), as well as Art, Book, and Film festivals, resulting in over 4 million tourists descending on the city at the same time.  Dating back to 1950, the Tattoo is a huge nightly spectacle of military precision and pageantry consisting of about 1000 performers including military bands with bagpipers, drummers, dancers and cultural troupes from around the world.  The performances are held in in front of Edinburgh Castle in a grand Esplanade which is about half the size of a football field with grandstand seating on three sides. The performances start at 9pm and run until around 11pm with a grand finale involving fireworks and a drone show which we caught sight of in front of our Grassmarket apartment one night.

To conclude the show, the “Tattoo March End” involves a grand exit of the military bands as they parade out of Edinburgh Castle onto the Royal Mile, along Castlehill, up to the start of Lawnmarket and then circling down Johnston Terrace before dispersing.  Crowds start to gather around 10pm and wait for up to an hour for the chance to watch this final march.  We happened to exit from our Fringe Festival show one evening around that time and scored a prime viewing spot near Ensign Ewart Pub.  Although it was a long, chilly wait, this was a great way to experience this revered Scottish tradition for free, as opposed to up to £450 for a ticket to the show!!  Even better, the 5-minute parade and 2 minutes of bagpipe music was more than sufficient for my taste.  No offense to the Scots, but this is not my favourite musical genre.  We did feel sorry for the apartment dwellers along the route who experienced this loud serenade each night for 23 evenings.

Located on High St., St Giles Cathedral was originally founded in 1124 as a parish church and dedicated to Saint Giles, the patron saint of beggars, lepers and the disabled.  In the 14th-15th centuries, it was turned into a grand, Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral, adding naves, chapels, a choir and the iconic crown-shaped spire.  When Reformist leader John Knox became the first Protestant minister of St. Giles in 1559 during the Scottish Reformation, he stripped the cathedral of its Roman Catholic decorations, removing stained glass windows, altars, statues and the organ.  In the 19th and 20th centuries, the interior was restored to its former glory, adding back the removed elements and installing Victorian-styled stained-glass windows.  We took an extended guided tour of the cathedral to learn about the significant role that it played in Scottish history. A temporary exhibit was on display titled “First Burghers: Revealing the Lives and Hidden Faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval Citizens”.  Large plaques showcased the results of scientific research on skeletons excavated from the Cathedral grounds including facial reconstructions and DNA analysis.

A small section in the cathedral dubbed “Writer’s Corner” is dedicated to notable Scottish writers with plaques memorializing them.  Robert Fergusson (1750-1774) was a Scottish poet who helped revive the use of vernacular (ordinary speaking) language in Scottish writing.  He was a great influence for Robbie Burns, who commissioned and paid for Fergusson’s tombstone in Canongate Kirkyard.  Dr John Brown (1810-1882) was a physician and writer known for essays on art, medicine and famous lives. John Stuart Blackie (1809-1895) wrote extensively on a variety of topics including politics, religion, Greek Literature and Scottish heritage. Prolific novelist Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897) is the only female represented in Writer’s Corner after publishing more than 100 books and biographical works, continuing her writing until close to her death.  Perhaps the most famous writer honoured in writer’s corner is Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) who wrote classics including Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.  He has the largest and most elaborate bronze frieze depicting his full body reclined on a chaise lounge.  Our tour guide thought it was debatable whether he holds a pen or cigarette in his right hand.

Surprisingly, there is not a plaque honouring Robbie Burns (1752-1796) in the Writer’s Corner.  Instead, a beautiful stained-glass window by Icelandic artist Leifur Breidfjörd was installed in 1985 as a tribute to Scotland’s national poet.  The window reflects major themes in Burn’s poetry including greenery from the natural world in the lower section, depictions of people of different races in the middle representing humanity, and love at the top with the imagery of a sunburst that also resembles a red flower.  A blue, flowery decorative screen at the base of the Robbie Burns window is by the same artist.

Other stained-glass windows in the cathedral depict historical events or religious scenes but were mostly created in the 19th and 20th centuries since John Knox had ordered all stained-glass windows to be removed, deeming them to be frivolous and distracting.  The Regent Moray window was created in 1881 by James Ballantine & Son.  It portrays scenes from the 1570 assassination of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray and regent of King James VI, as well as scenes of his funeral presided by John Knox.  In the north transept, a vividly hued and relatively modern window by Douglas Strachan (1922) depicts Christ Calming the Sea of Galilee, bringing peace to his disciples during a violent storm.  The style and composition of this window contain more dynamic movement and emotion than the older windows from the previous century.  The 1886 window by Edward Burne-Jones depicts Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and female figures from the Old Testament while the 19th century Saints Window (again by Ballantine & Sons) depicts important saints including St. Andrew, St. Cuthbert, St. Margaret and St. Giles.

During our guided tour of St. Giles Cathedral, we learned much about the history of Scotland as we viewed the various elaborate tombs and sculptures.  This included the tombs of the Marquis of Argyll and Marquis of Montrose who were on opposite sides of the Covenanters’ War.  Argyll supported the Covenanters, Presbyterianism and the Scottish Parliament while Montrose was a royalist who supported the monarchy.  Montrose was hanged and dismembered in 1650 by the Scottish Parliament while Argyll was beheaded in 1661 after the Restoration of the monarchy under King Charles II.  A six-foot tall bronze sculpture commemorates John Knox who had such an influence on St. Giles Cathedral.  In addition to banning stained-glass windows, he also got rid of the organ and other church musical instruments from Scottish churches because he said there was no mention of them in the bible.  Organs did not return until the 19th century. The current organ was built in 1992 by Austrian firm Rieger Orgelbau and resembles a ship’s prow.  The cathedral had a pair of bells on display including one that was on the battleship HMS Howe until 1957.  A musical bell that hung from the St. Giles belfry dates back to 1699 and was rumoured to come from one of the ships of the Spanish Armada.

The highlight of St.Giles Cathedral is the ornate, Gothic Revival styled Thistle Chapel.  It was built in 1911 as the private chapel for the Order of Thistle, the most ancient and noble chivalric order in Scotland dating back to 1687.   The space is small at 18 feet wide by 37 feet long, but its height soars up to 42.5 feet with exquisite decorative wood carvings and intricate stone and metal work that reflect the craftsmanship of the Arts and Crafts movement. Stained-glass windows are designed with heraldic arms and an image of Saint Andrew as a fisherman flanked by angels.  The vaulted sandstone ceiling features floral-like decorative knobs or bosses, and carvings of symbolic and religious imagery including the Royal arms of Scotland, a pelican which is the Christian symbol of Sacrifice, and St. Giles the patron saint of the chapel, as well as angels holding shields that display the coats of arms of the original knights from the Order of Thistle.

At the East end of the chapel is a wooden altar with the emblem of the Paschal Lamb, representing Christ, holding a flag emblazed with St. Andrew’s cross.  At the other end is the Sovereign’s stall which is reserved for the reigning monarch (currently King Charles III) during ceremonies of the Order of the Thistle. It is decorated with an elaborate canopy with a 33-foot spire featuring carvings of coats of arms, swords, statues, heraldic motifs, thistles and Scottish symbolism. The base displays heraldic shields and ornamentation linked to the Sovereign and the Order.  There are eight oak stalls lining either side of the Sovereign’s stall, one for each of the 16 knights and ladies that are currently part of the Order of the Thistle.  The arms of each stall have wooden animals carved on them, representing the coats of arms of the original knights.  Above each current knight’s stall is an ornate canopy crowned by more modest spires holding the coronet, helm and crest of that knight, representing his coat of arms.  Other members of the royal family are members of the order, including Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William. Non-royal members include Scottish judge Lord Hope of Craighead, who has a crest displaying two fists, a globe and rainbow symbolizing hope and global perspective, and an anchor signifying hope, stability and steadfastness.  Baron Wood of Anfield is a Scottish businessman with interests in oil and shipping industries.  Hist crest features a ship and nautical motifs. Wood and stone carvings of angels playing bagpipes are found throughout the chapel.

The area surrounding St.Giles Cathedral is full of historic significance.  The Heart of Midlothian Mosaic is a stone mosaic shaped like a heart that marks the former location of the Old Tolbooth and jail where executions took place.  Today, locals spit on the heart for good luck.  The original Mercat Cross was created in 1365 and acted as a central point for commerce, civic gatherings, royal processions and public proclamations.  It was demolished in 1756 to make way for traffic on High Street. A new cross was built in its current location in Parliament Square in 1885 where it continues to stand today. The current Victorian era cross includes a tall column topped by a unicorn holding a Scottish flag, representing the Scottish monarch.  At its base is an octagonal pedestal decorated with royal arms of Britain, Scotland, England and Ireland.  Several monumental sculptures can be found near the Cathedral including ones honouring philosopher and historian David Hume, economist Adam Smith who authored The Wealth of Nations, and Sir Walter Scott.

During our stay in Edinburgh, we learned the difference between a “Wynd”, which was an ungated thoroughfare open to the public, versus a “Close”, which historically was a narrow, gated, private passageway leading to residential tenements, courtyards or markets, providing access routes between living quarters and commercial areas. There are still many closes throughout the Old Town in Edinburgh with plaques identifying their original names.  Some of the closes still have their locked gates leading to residential buildings or private courtyards.  But most of the gates are gone (or left open) so that the passageways are now open for the public to use as access paths to other streets, markets or parks.

The steep alleyway of Advocate’s Close’s consists of a long set of steps that connects the Royal Mile down to Market Street near Cockburn St.  From the Royal Mile entrance, you get a stunning view of Scott’s Monument.  Dunbar’s Close was originally named for writer David Dunbar who owned the 18th century tenement buildings that eventually fell into disrepair.  In the 1970s, it was decided to turn the land behind this close into a peaceful 17th-century styled garden with a series of knot gardens separated by yew hedges and walking paths.  Some of the closes have beautiful decorative designs on the grates above their entrances.  The Panmure Close is adorned with pretty red metal flowers while the Old Fishmarket Close, which leads to Cowgate pass the location of a former fish market, is aptly decorated with metal fish. The decoration above Paisley Close has a tragic backstory.  It once led to a series of residential tenements including a seven-story building that collapsed in 1861 killing half of the 77 residents and injuring most of the others.  A 12-year-old boy named Joseph McIvor miraculously survived beneath the rubble and a sculpture of his face sits at the top of the archway of the close.

The most famous close in Edinburgh is Mary King’s Close which has been turned into a tourist attraction accessible only via guided tours.  Formerly Alexander King’s Close, named after a prominent lawyer who owned the series of residential tenements in the late 1500s, the close was renamed for Mary King (no relation) after her death in 1644.  Mary King moved into the tenements as a widow in 1629 and made a name for herself as a respected resident, businesswoman and fabric merchant.  In 1753, the area was taken over by the new Royal Exchange, which was partially built on top of the tenements. While the more affluent residents such as merchants, lawyers and tradesmen moved out, the poor could not afford to leave and continued to live and work underground until the passageways were permanently closed and sealed up in 1902.  The close was excavated and restored in the early 2000s and opened as “The Real Mary King’s Close” in 2003.  The attraction offers guided tours of the underground network of streets and alleys in the close, led by costumed interpreters who play the roles of former residents to convey the history of life in the close.

Our guide led us down a long flight of stairs to get to the remnants of the old tenements.  We learned more about the life of Mary King and her business as a fabric merchant as well as other representative residents through the use of costumed holograms that told their stories.  The various guides mimicked the process of human waste disposal which was tossed out onto narrow alleyways with a shout of “garde de loo”.  We learned about the plague doctor who wore masks with long beaks that were meant to protect them from the germs believed to be in the air, then went into a room where there were mannequins representing a family of plague victims with lances and boils and overrun with rats.  Another room was said to be haunted by Annie, a little girl who had died of the plague.  Visitors have taken to leaving her toys and coins in a shrine that is piled against a wall. Towards the end of the tour, we were allowed to peek into a room that still had the original green wallpaper but were not allowed inside because the wallpaper contained arsenic.  While the Mary King’s Close tour was quite touristy and gimmicky, it did give us the opportunity to see the alleyways and tenement ruins of a 16th-century close.

Tron Kirk was commissioned by King Charles I and built in 1647, serving as a place of worship until 1952. After being unused for the decades that followed, in 2022 it was turned into the Tron Kirk Market where vendors could sell a curated selection of Scottish-made goods and local crafts.  It was a fun experience to shop underneath massive stained-glass windows.  The house known as “John Knox House” was built in 1470 and is one of the oldest surviving Medieval buildings in Edinburgh.  Despite its name, John Knox only stayed there for a few months during the siege of Edinburgh Castle between 1559-1560 but is rumoured to have died there. The house was actually owned by Mariota Arres and her husband John Mossman, as reflected by the Mossman family coat of arms above the entrance.  A sundial depicts Moses receiving the light of God on Mount Sinai.  Today, part of the building is used for the Scottish Storytelling Centre whose purpose is to preserve and share Scotland’s oral storytelling tradition and cultural heritage.  In front of John Knox House is the Fountain Well, built in 1675 and one of the last surviving public cisterns or street wells that supplied drinking water to locals.

On Canongate, which is the last long stretch of the Royal Mile before reaching Holyrood Park, we came across several interesting sights.  The Museum of Edinburgh holds artifacts of local history tracing the story of the city from its origins to present day.  Some of the highlights include the original copy of the National Covenant of 1638 and models of the old town around Canongate at the end of the 16th century.  I was intrigued by the set of porcelain Toby mugs depicting Allied World War I leaders including David Lloyd George, Douglas Haig, and King George V. Of course, the infamous dog Grey Friars Bobby was represented with descriptive writeups, a sculpture, etching and his bowl and collar. There is a life-sized sculpture of poet Robert Fergusson outside of Canongate Church, honouring his library contributions.  We had also seen a memorial plaque dedicated to him in the Writer’s Corner of St. Giles Cathedral.

Tolbooth Tavern is a traditional Scottish pub established in 1820.  It resides in part of a historic 1591 building that was the Canongate Tolbooth where tolls were collected from travelers entering the burgh of Canongate.  It was also used as a courthouse, jail, the old town hall and a meeting place for the town council.  The building features a notable clock added in 1884.  In another part of the historic building resides the “People’s Story Museum” which is dedicated to the lives of the working class from 18th to late 20th century.  Just at the base of the hills of Holyrood Park is the Scottish Parliament building, with contemporary architecture that is a stark contrast to all the older buildings that we passed by on the Royal Mile. Completed in 2004, it is a campus of interconnected buildings designed to reflect Scottish landscape.  Made from granite, Scottish oak, sandstone, concrete, glass and steel, it features undulating roofs inspired by local hills, angular windows and interesting facades including the “Canongate Wall” which is imbedded with stones from across Scotland, each engraved with important quotes from Scottish writers and parliament, as well as a map-like depiction of all the Parliament buildings. The “Crags Wall” is designed to evoke the volcanic cliffs of Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park.  This complex is open for public tours and it is too bad that we didn’t have enough time to take one or explore more on our own.