Districts
The city is basically split into two main districts ? the Old Town and the New Town ? with Princes Street Gardens separating them. The surrounding areas offer a wealth of places to visit. The Old Town: This is the largely medieval heart of Edinburgh in which most of its important historical monuments can be found, including Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse Palace (the Royal Scottish residence) and St Giles' Cathedral. The Royal Mile is the historical artery of the Old Town, linking together Edinburgh's two royal strongholds: Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood. Running the length of four streets ? Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate - it's a vibrant, buzzing location. This is especially so during the Edinburgh Festival, when the Old Town is filled with street performers and people thrusting flyers into the hands of passers-by, all in the hope of drumming up larger audiences for their shows. It's also something of a tourist trap and, as a result, souvenir shops have sprung up in droves. However, the vitality and historical significance of this part of town make it an essential stop on any visitor's checklist. The Cowgate and Grassmarket areas are towards the southern end of the Old Town. This bustling area is filled with clubs, pubs, music venues and second-hand clothes shops. It's a pretty cool place in which to be seen and for the locals it's their first port of call on a night out. When the sun shines the Grassmarket has the feel of a continental town; relaxed al fresco coffee drinking, little traffic and authentic, colourful shop-fronts make this one of Europe's premier haunts. Princes Street Gardens: These gardens fill the valley between Old Town and New Town, with Princes Street itself lining the northern side. During the Christmas and New Year period there is an ice-rink set up here under the gaze of a crystallised Edinburgh Castle. There is a decidedly festive atmosphere in the park at this time with stalls selling Christmas trees and seasonal ornaments. During the summer months the park acts as a Mecca for visitors in search of panoramic views of the city; for tourists who wish to climb the Scott Monument; for workers lunching in the open; for children who want to play a round of mini-golf; and for just about anybody who needs to relax. In Princes Street Park you never escape the atmospheric sound of the bagpipes, though you can escape the hustle and bustle of Princes Street itself. The Mound is bang in the middle of Princes Street Gardens. It is called The Mound because it is, quite literally, the mound of earth that was left over from dredging the Loch at the foot of the castle. It's the site of the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland. In the summer it attracts many festival performers and craft stalls.