u bcn txl bud edi gva ncl osl tlv vce vno edinburgh scotland 63,047,162 +44 5°C BRITISH POUND (GBP) daily Andrea Pearson Scotland’s capital is a sophisticated city with a taste for fine dining and culture BROUGHTON STREET Close to the city centre but a world away from the tartan kitsch of the Royal Mile, Broughton Street is an appealing bohemian strip. SLEEP Just off Broughton Street, 20 Albany Street (20 Albany Street, 0131 478 5386, 20albanystreet.co.uk, rooms from €150/£129) is a decidedly superior townhouse B&B with three spacious suites, where guests are welcomed with home-made cakes and a dram of whisky. EAT L’Escargot Bleu (56 Broughton Street, (0)131 557 1600) is a welcoming restaurant with excellent Scottish produce, a French owner and a polished menu (cauliflower velouté, steak with Roquefort sauce). The early-evening blackboard menu is terrific value. SHOP Concrete Wardrobe (50A Broughton Street) and Curiouser and Curiouser (93 Broughton Street) are, conveniently, right opposite one another. They sell exquisitely designed clothes, bags, jewellery, cards and other locally made items. LATER It’s not all about being hopelessly hip on the strip. The Barony Bar (81-85 Broughton Street, (0)131 558 2874) is a classic old Edinburgh pub, and the perfect place for a pint. More cosmopolitan drinkers might try the Treacle Bar and Kitchen (39-41 Broughton Street, (0)131 557 0627), renowned for its killer cocktails. INFO Edinburgh Airport is 13km west of the city. Bus The Airlink 100 Express departs for the city centre (Waverly Bridge) every 10 minutes. The journey takes about 25 minutes, and a single ticket costs €4.30/£3.50; tickets can be bought from the driver. Lothian bus no. 35 calls at local stops so takes about an hour to reach the city centre. A single costs €1.75/£1.40 Taxi A taxi into the city centre takes about 25 minutes and costs around €16.20/£13. Tourist offi ce Edinburgh Tourist information Centre (TIC) is in the city centre, above Waverley Station, at 3 Princes Street, 0845 225 5121, visitscotland.com TOLLCROSS In the southwest of the city, Tollcross – as its name suggests – was where tolls were levied on those entering the city in medieval times. These days, it’s something of a cultural hub. EAT There’s great sushi at Njoi (119 Lothian Road, (0)131 229 1866), but for a more Scottish feel head to the Timberyard (10 Lady Lawson Street, (0)131 221 1222), a laidback restaurant and cocktail bar in a former timber merchants, with a south-facing outdoor space for sunny days. The menu is big on locally produced ingredients, from sea purslane to Shetland lamb. CULTURE Film buffs are irresistibly drawn to the screenings, discussions and lectures held at the Filmhouse (88 Lothian Road) and the Cameo (38 Home Street); the latter has been a cinema since 1914. LEITH SHORE Strictly speaking, Leith is a separate town, largely comprising harbour and warehouse buildings that have been turned into flats, boutique shops and cafés. It’s ubër-cool and a centre for foodies – but whatever you do, don’t say it’s part of Edinburgh. SLEEP The Malmaison (1 Tower Place, (0)84469 30652, malmaison.com, The Michelin-starred Kitchin, presided over by chef Tom Kitchin rooms from €105/£89) is an elegantly modern conversion of a building that once accommodated sailors with whisky and women on their minds. EAT Edinburgh has more Michelin-star restaurants than any other UK city outside London. Two are in Leith, and offer great deals on weekday lunches. The Kitchin (78 Commercial Quay, (0)131 555 1755) serves the city’s most creative cuisine – including chef Tom Kitchin’s ‘rock pool’ of local shellfish served in a seafood consommé, which you’ll find on the à la carte menu. Restaurant Martin Wishart (54 The Shore, (0)131 553 3557) also capitalises on Scotland’s wealth of superb produce, which is treated with consummate skill. Neighbourhood favourite the Shore Bar & Restaurant (3 The Shore, (0)131 553 5080) may not have a mantelpiece of gongs, but is known for its excellent seafood and cosy ambience. CULTURE Browse the work of local artists at Coburg House Studios (15 Coburg Street), or tune into the Scottish music scene at Nobles Bar (44A Constitution Street). The latter has Victorian décor as well as a fine selection of Scottish beers. TIP Escape the hubbub with a stroll along the 20km Water of Leith Walkway. Follow it for a few kilometres towards the city centre to take in the magnificent buildings of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (75 Belford Road). 76 <strong>march</strong> <strong>2013</strong> FLY TO edinbrugh daily. brusselsairlines.com
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