Edinburgh, Scotland

Location

Edinburgh is to London as poetry is to prose, as Charlotte Brontë once wrote. One of the world's stateliest cities and proudest capitals, it's built—like Rome—on seven hills, making it a striking backdrop for the ancient pageant of history. In a skyline of sheer drama, Edinburgh Castle watches over the capital city, frowning down on Princes Street’s glamour and glitz. But despite its rich past, the city’s famous festivals, excellent museums and galleries, as well as the modern Scottish Parliament, are reminders that Edinburgh has its feet firmly in the 21st century.Nearly everywhere in Edinburgh (the burgh is always pronounced burra in Scotland) there are spectacular buildings, whose Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian pillars add touches of neoclassical grandeur to the largely Presbyterian backdrop. Large gardens are a strong feature of central Edinburgh, where the city council is one of the most stridently conservationist in Europe. Arthur's Seat, a mountain of bright green and yellow furze, rears up behind the spires of the Old Town. This child-size mountain jutting 822 feet above its surroundings has steep slopes and little crags, like a miniature Highlands set down in the middle of the busy city. Appropriately, these theatrical elements match Edinburgh's character—after all, the city has been a stage that has seen its fair share of romance, violence, tragedy, and triumph.Modern Edinburgh has become a cultural capital, staging the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe Festival in every possible venue each August. The stunning Museum of Scotland complements the city’s wealth of galleries and artsy hangouts. Add Edinburgh’s growing reputation for food and nightlife and you have one of the world’s most beguiling cities.Today the city is the second most important financial center in the United Kingdom, and the fifth most important in Europe. The city regularly is ranked near the top in quality-of-life surveys. Accordingly, New Town apartments on fashionable streets sell for considerable sums. In some senses the city is showy and materialistic, but Edinburgh still supports learned societies, some of which have their roots in the Scottish Enlightenment. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, for example, established in 1783 "for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge," remains an important forum for interdisciplinary activities.Even as Edinburgh moves through the 21st century, its tall guardian castle remains the focal point of the city and its venerable history. Take time to explore the streets—peopled by the spirits of Mary, Queen of Scots; Sir Walter Scott; and Robert Louis Stevenson—and pay your respects to the world's best-loved terrier, Greyfriars Bobby. In the evenings you can enjoy candlelit restaurants or a folk ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee, a traditional Scottish dance with music), though you should remember that you haven't earned your porridge until you've climbed Arthur's Seat. Should you wander around a corner, say, on George Street, you might see not an endless cityscape, but blue sea and a patchwork of fields. This is the county of Fife, beyond the inlet of the North Sea called the Firth of Forth—a reminder, like the mountains to the northwest that can be glimpsed from Edinburgh's highest points, that the rest of Scotland lies within easy reach.

Edinburgh, Scotland Itineraries

33 Nights

Jewels of Europe with Majestic Britain & Ireland

Departure Date
02 May 25
Cruise Line Scenic River Cruises
Cruise Type River
Ship Scenic Jade
Region Danube
Departure Port Dublin
Destination Port Budapest
Itinerary
Dublin, Dublin, Dublin, Killarney, Killarney, Galway, Galway, Belfast, Belfast, Belfast, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Inverness, Inverness, Inverness, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, York, York, York, Bath, Bath, Bath, London (Greenwich), London (Greenwich), London (Greenwich), Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Wertheim, Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Schlögen, Dürnstein, Krems, Vienna, Vienna, Budapest and Budapest

From Please Call

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

23 Nights

22-Day Scottish Isles, Iceland & Svalbard

Departure Date
08 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Dublin
Destination Port Edinburgh
Itinerary
Dublin, Calf of Man, Douglas, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Isle of Eigg, Shiant Isles, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, St. Kilda Archipelago, Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Isle of Noss, Heimaey Island, Reykjavík, Flatey Island, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Akureyri, Jan Mayen Island, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Edinburgh and Edinburgh

From £19,197pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

28 Nights

28-Day Iberian Coast & Jewels Of The British Isles

Departure Date
17 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Sojourn
Region Northern Europe
Departure Port Barcelona
Destination Port Dover
Itinerary
Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, Lisbon, Porto, Ferrol, Bordeaux, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Saint Hélier, Portsmouth, Dover, Isle of Portland, Cork, Fishguard, Douglas, Belfast, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Oban, Ullapool, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Yarmouth and Dover

From £11,898pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

13 Nights

12-Day Spectacular Svalbard & Greenland

Departure Date
18 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Reykjavík
Destination Port Edinburgh
Itinerary
Reykjavík, Flatey Island, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Akureyri, Jan Mayen Island, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Edinburgh and Edinburgh

From £11,097pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

21 Nights

20-Day Iceland, Greenland & Thhe Complete Svalbard Experienc

Departure Date
18 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Reykjavík
Destination Port Edinburgh
Itinerary
Reykjavík, Flatey Island, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Akureyri, Jan Mayen Island, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Edinburgh and Edinburgh

From £21,097pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

21 Nights

20-Day Iceland, Greenland & Thhe Complete Svalbard Experienc

Departure Date
29 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Edinburgh
Destination Port Reykjavík
Itinerary
Edinburgh, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Jan Mayen Island, Akureyri, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Flatey Island and Reykjavík

From £22,097pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

10 Nights

8-Day Scenic Svalbard

Departure Date
29 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Edinburgh
Destination Port Edinburgh
Itinerary
Edinburgh, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Longyearbyen, Edinburgh and Edinburgh

From £13,097pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

14 Nights

14-Day Jewels Of The British Isles

Departure Date
31 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Sojourn
Region Northern Europe
Departure Port Dover
Destination Port Dover
Itinerary
Dover, Isle of Portland, Cork, Fishguard, Douglas, Belfast, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Oban, Ullapool, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Yarmouth and Dover

From £7,198pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

28 Nights

28-Day British Isles, North Cape & Norwegian Fjords

Departure Date
31 May 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Sojourn
Region Northern Europe
Departure Port Dover
Destination Port Dover
Itinerary
Dover, Isle of Portland, Cork, Fishguard, Douglas, Belfast, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Oban, Ullapool, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Yarmouth, Dover, Trondheim, Brønnøysund, Svolvær, Tromsø, Honningsvåg, Olden, Bergen, Amsterdam and Dover

From £13,698pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

33 Nights

Jewels of Europe with Majestic Britain & Ireland

Departure Date
04 Jun 25
Cruise Line Scenic River Cruises
Cruise Type River
Ship Scenic Jasper
Region Danube
Departure Port Dublin
Destination Port Budapest
Itinerary
Dublin, Dublin, Dublin, Killarney, Killarney, Galway, Galway, Belfast, Belfast, Belfast, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Inverness, Inverness, Inverness, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, York, York, York, Bath, Bath, Bath, London (Greenwich), London (Greenwich), London (Greenwich), Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Wertheim, Würzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Schlögen, Dürnstein, Krems, Vienna, Vienna, Budapest and Budapest

From Please Call

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

13 Nights

12-Day Spectacular Svalbard & Greenland

Departure Date
06 Jun 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Edinburgh
Destination Port Reykjavík
Itinerary
Edinburgh, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Jan Mayen Island, Akureyri, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Flatey Island and Reykjavík

From £12,992pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

27 Nights

26-Day Spectacular Svalbard, North Iceland & Scottish Isles

Departure Date
06 Jun 25
Cruise Line Seabourn
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Seabourn Venture
Region Arctic
Departure Port Edinburgh
Destination Port London (Greenwich)
Itinerary
Edinburgh, Longyearbyen, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Svalbard Archipelago, Jan Mayen Island, Akureyri, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Flatey Island, Reykjavík, Grundarfjørdur, Flatey Island, Dynjandi Waterfalls, Siglufjørdur - høfn, Grímsey Island, Husavik, Papey Island, Tórshavn, Suduroy, Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Isle of Noss, Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Mousa Island, Dunrossness and Fair Isle, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Copinsay Island and London (Greenwich)

From £21,397pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises