Best Holiday Destinations in Europe: Edinburgh

Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the best holiday destinations to visit in the UK and offers a fantastic mix of rich Scottish history, heritage and traditions fused with the latest ground breaking arts, comedy and experiences. Named as a UNESCO world heritage site in the year 1995, the city is famed for its varied architecture and cultural experiences. With attractions and buildings spanning its long and rich history, Edinburgh offers holidaymakers the chance to combine visits to medieval castles, palaces and buildings as well as impressive gothic styled churches which also find spaces standing alongside some truly stunning modern architectural creations.

     Edinburgh is also without a doubt one of the best holiday destinations in the UK to experience some superb and exciting live events that are sure to excite and intrigue the British tourist visiting the city for a weekend, as well as backpackers travelling across Europe and visitors to Scotland taking holidays from overseas. Such is the wide reaching nature of the appeal of events such as Hogmanay (Scottish New Year celebrations) the Edinburgh festival and Fringe, and the pomp and ceremony of its world famous military tattoo that those visiting the city should plan well ahead. Indeed, getting accommodation of any kind in Edinburgh during the festival season around August to September and during the new year is extremely difficult and may need to be booked as long as a year in advance in some circumstances.

     Accessing the city from the UK can be easily achieved by train, with the main station Waverly regularly accepting numerous daily services from across the country. If you are visiting Edinburgh from Europe or further afield it is possible to fly to Edinburgh international airports and then take a Edinburgh airport taxi into the city. The airport is the most popular and frequented in Scotland and takes in flights from around Europe and the rest of the world.

The 3 Best Travel Destinations in Europe

Europe is packed with fantastic places to go travelling, but there are certain places which have so much charm and such a wide range of attractions that you can’t help but go back. Below are my 3 top travel destinations in Europe that i will continue to return to time and time again:

Paris, France

Known as the city of love, but it’s so much more than that. Paris has everything; stunning icons, great food and all the attractions of a capital city. No matter what type of holiday you want to take, Paris will cater to your needs. Those wanting to sightsee and explore some of the most recognised spots in the world will be happy walking the streets from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower to Montmartre. If you fancy a more relaxed break then you can wander through the beautiful parks, checking out the quirky fountains and stop off for coffees and hot chocolates all day long. Paris’ only drawback is the strain it puts on the purse strings, but even if you just head over for a long weekend you can guarantee a rewarding a stay. Sante!

Lake Bled, Slovenia

A stunning getaway for those wanting to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The town of Bled is tucked away not far from Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana and is based around the shores of the beautiful lake. If all you want is some peace and quiet set on a mountain backdrop the Bled is the place for you. For those who are ready to incorporate a bit of activity into their visit then hire a boat and row out to the island at the lake’s heart and explore the beautiful church which stands high on its crest. You can even ring the church bell...

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is a city of two halves which it seems you can never fully explore. Every time you go back you will discover another corner of the city which you didn’t know was there, filled with great bars, noisy restaurants and packed with locals. There’s plenty you’ll find first time around as well mind. Split into Buda and Pest by the Danube, the city boasts beautiful Baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture to satisfy anyone’s needs and enough parks to shake a stick at. The Danube itself is a great way to explore, hopping on and off as you please and cruising down river when you fancy resting tired legs. If you need even more rest and relaxation then the numerous Turkish baths will help on that front. One of the resident burly Hungarian men will even give you a rub down if you ask nicely. Once you’re suitably refreshed it’s time to hit the town and Budapest can match any city for a good night out, hence its popularity for stag and hen dos. No matter what you go for, Budapest will show you a good time.

  

This is a guest post from Tom at Top Backpacking Destinations – you can follow him on Twitter: @BackpackerBoy