You can arrive by aeroplane in the west of the City, by train or by coach into the Centre. Shank's Pony is evident by the younger (possibly fitter) visitors, equiped with rucksacks and trusty maps!
If you are entrusting your stay to a map, a guide in the City centre is Castle Street should you 'lose your bearings'
- it is the only road which faces the actual Castle -
chances are, if you're struggling with a map, you'll find a friendly face asking if they can help:
Take the offer at 'face' value and you'll usually find that those in Edinburgh
- either from here or visitors like yourself -
are really genuinely nice folk.
Willing to help and maybe even add to your enjoyment.
You might "want to touch base" and the Costa at the West End of Princes Street could help.
Edinburgh isn't a hugely-populated Capital, but it is still busy.
Parking is at a premium, and you really would be best to take the bus to get into town.
Just tell the driver where you are wanting to go - most are friendly and helpful, and will 'give you a shout' when its your stop.
You'll find that Princes Street is busy most times the shops are open
- usually seven days' a week, but not in the evenings unless its a bookshop or a Thursday.
Opening is often extended during the various Festivals.
There's three main shopping centres, apart from the road opposite The Castle:
The Gyle is the newest and largest and is between the City and the airport, west of Edinburgh.
The range of shops here is quite good and the no-smoking policy is as welcome as the covered shopping!
In addition to the one-level of shops, a lift or escalator can take you to the eating area.
South of Princes Street, near the NB hotel, is Princes Mall
formally known as the "Waverley Market".
This offers various styles of shop including "Scottish" fare - the whisky shop is a 'must' of course,
at the bottom of the west escalator.
There's a busy area with many types of food and soft drinks on offer.
And there's a bar offering food, in addition to a seperate restaurant.
Off Princes Street - also at the east end - there's the St.James. This is one-level shopping, like the Gyle
- it too has an eating area above the shops. The main shop in here is John Lewis's [department store].
One shop on Princes Street which shouldn't be missed is opposite The [Walter] Scott Monument:
Jenners.
Shots of this unique department store, inside and out, can be found in the "More Pictures" section.
This stunning building is a marvellous piece of architecture - and the counters inside offer almost anything for sale.
In addition to Princes Street
the streets at right-angles have something to offer as you walk to Rose Street and then George Street
- both north and parallel to the Capital's main street.
The jewelry stores in George Street to me, are very expensive -
but this doesn't stop me looking at the wonderful chronographs!
Away from the City Centre, there's shops on or off The Royal Mile in Cockburn [pronounced Coh-burn] Street.
In "the bridges" the shops used to be teriffic but now most - in South Bridge - are very shoddy. North Bridge has no shops.
And there are some in The New Town area in Stockbridge in addition to a host in Leith Walk
found through the toy department of Lewis's, at the back of the St.James.
Before joining this busy - and lengthy street - you might want to stop along The Metropolitan Cathedral: You'd turn left after leaving the shop and there's a few steps to climb. Its very nice inside.
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