Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
普通话
Português
日本の
Edinburgh's New Town and its open grid structure stands in contrast to the organic, winding streets and closes of the Old Town. Together, they comprise the city's UNESCO World Heritage site. The area's wide and elegant streets, lined with stunning neo-classical architecture are one of the world's finest examples of Georgian-era town planning,and a wander through the New Town will help you understand why Edinburgh was nicknamed the Athens of the North.
The New Town is also where you'll find some of Edinburgh's trendiest and most exciting retailers, cocktail bars, restaurants and cafes. Spacious streets and pavements coupled with leafy and green public spaces effortlessly mix of the natural with the cosmopolitan, making for an area with a unique beauty.
The beautiful Princes Street Gardens, a public park running the length of the city's principal shopping street, is overlooked by Edinburgh Castle, and this is where you'll find some of the city's best views of its most iconic landmarks.
From High Street to high-end, the shopping continues throughout the New Town. The wide variety of household names, luxury retailers and local independent boutiques interspersed with some of the best food and drink options around, breath-taking views and amazing ambience, make it a must for both locals and visitors. From high fashion to hiking boots, paintings to perfumes, health food to hosiery, diamonds to denim and handbags to haircuts, the city centre really has something for everyone.
You can’t go into Edinburgh city centre without visiting the beautiful and tranquil St Andrew Square Garden. Whether you stop and linger with a coffee to gather your thoughts, or just quietly stroll through enjoying the plants and flowers, you’ll find this to be a little haven in the middle of this bustling city centre. The Square is also host to a number of events throughout the year such as Film Fest in the City.
Getting There
You'll find three public transport hubs within walking distance of the city centre: Edinburgh Bus Station, Edinburgh Waverley Train Station and Edinburgh Trams Terminus.
Princes Street and George Street are well served by Lothian Buses, with services from across the city stopping here.
If you want to get a real flavour of Edinburgh, why not try a City Sightseeing Tour. Their Hop-on Hop-off tickets start from £16.00 per person and have 24hr unlimited use. Taking in numerous stops around the city, including all main sights and attractions, and with audio commentaries in 9 languages plus 'Horrible Histories' Kid's Commentary, they're a great way of exploring the city on 4 wheels.
A Brief History of New Town
Edinburgh's New Town is a stunning example of Georgian architecture and town planning, and it's hard to imagine the city without it. However, it wasn't always there - in fact, the New Town was only built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in response to Edinburgh's rapid population growth and the need for more housing.
The New Town was designed by James Craig, a young architect who won a competition to design the layout of the new area. The construction of New Town was a huge success, attracting wealthy residents and businesses and transforming the city's image from that of a cramped and dirty mediaeval town to a grand and fashionable European capital. Today, the New Town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Edinburgh.