Edinburgh is one of the thirty-two council areas of Scotland, also serving as its capital city from as far back as the fifteenth century. Edinburgh is the second-most populated city in Scotland and among the top ten most populated cities of the
United Kingdom. The city also serves as the official seat of the government, parliament, and the supreme courts of Scotland.
After London, Edinburgh is the second-largest financial hub in the United Kingdom, and it is also a vital hub of educational engineering, law, science, literature, medicine, and philosophy. On top of that, it remains a key historical and cultural hub of the United Kingdom, holding millions and millions of tourists every year, from both locally and internationally.
Edinburgh is said to be set upon seven hills that have been alluded to the seven hills of Rome. The city prides in a beautiful location on the southern shores of the Firth of Forth, approximately four kilometers to the southwest of Leith's shoreline.
The rugged landscape of Edinburgh is one of the most attractive features therein, resulting from active volcanic activity in the early years as well as intense glaciation activity over the later years.
The city of Edinburgh enjoys deep preservation of its culture and history, evident in the numerous museums, galleries, and memorial centers around town. It has a beautiful blend of ancient buildings and beautiful modern structures, forming its significant landmarks. Some of the oldest buildings in Edinburgh include those within the Old Town, complete in their stone and dome designs. The Old College building stands firm, centuries later, and forms one of the most significant landmarks of the city. Beautiful views of many castles set upon hills, as seen in Edinburgh Castle, form a substantial part of the tourist culture of the city.
The scenic Calton Hill, the ever-busy Grassmarket, the moderately Blackford Hill, and the ever-attractive Edinburgh Castle are but some of the best sight-seeing spots in Edinburgh, from where magnificent and panoramic views of the entire city and its environs can be enjoyed.
Edinburgh enjoys a temperate maritime climate according to the Köppen climatic classification, which is considered moderately mild, seeing its location in the northern latitude. The main characteristics of the weather are mild and lovely winters and moderately warm and pleasant summers. The climate of the city is often moderated by the prevailing southwestern winds, owing to its proximity to the sea.
The winter temperature rarely drops below the freezing point, often sticking to between 1.9°C (35.4°F) and 8.1°C (46.6°F). Winter is the rainiest season of the year, with some months gathering up to 695mm (27.36") precipitation from across twelve and a half rainy days.
Summer enjoys its temperature in the highs of 20.1°C (68.2°F) and lows of 12.3°C (54.1°F). The days remain moderately dry with up to five and a half sunshine hours on most of the days.
The peak of the travel period in Edinburgh is between
May and
August, during the mild, warm, and pleasant days of summer. It is during this period that most festivals are held, including the internationally famous Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The International Film Festival in
June, the
July Jazz and Blues Festival, and the Art Festival held between July and August are the most commonly attended events in Edinburgh. They attract crowds from far and wide as people gather to enjoy the beauty of art, music shows, theatre performances, and street dance concerts. During winter, Edinburgh holds events like the New Year Eve vigil called Hogmanay and the Burns Night held on the 25th of
January annually.