Car Hire Edinburgh

Driving in Edinburgh can be a real pleasure. In the city, broad streets sweep past majestic buildings. Beyond the city walls, the bucolic pleasures of Scotland’s glorious countryside await.

Most of the driving rules will be familiar – you’ll be driving on the same side of the road as at home, and seat belts are compulsory for the driver and all passengers. It’s also illegal to use your mobile phone while driving.

Some roads can be busy during peak times – the commuter hours of early morning and early evening. To make the most of your visit to Edinburgh, try to time your driving outside of these rush hours.

On-street parking isn’t always plentiful but there are numerous multi-storey car parks in and around the centre Look for NCP car parks near Edinburgh Castle and on Holyrood Road.

You can avoid the centre of town by using the A720 bypass, which loops around the south of Edinburgh linking up with the A1, A199, A902 and A90 to form a ring road of sorts. In the centre, the town is split into Old and New parts, the former having characterful roads that speak of its medieval past, the latter having a more modern grid system.

Connections to the rest of Scotland are superb. The M90 crosses the Forth to take you on to Perth and the north of the country, while Glasgow lies to the west along the M8. Take the A1 east and you’ll skirt the coast as you pass Berwick-upon-Tweed and on to Northumberland.

Edinburgh really does have it all. Grand buildings sprinkled with history, a remarkable castle, mazy streets full of charming nooks and a warm welcome to boot. It’s also a place of pilgrimage for Harry Potter fans, given this is where JK Rowling wrote some of her famous books.

The royal rock

Proudly gazing down on the city below, Edinburgh Castle is perched on Castle Rock, a dormant volcano that’s hundreds of millions of years old. The castle is more recent, of course, but can still tell a story 1,000 years in the making. Take a tour and you’ll be diving deep into Scottish royal history, with dozens of battles and sieges to learn about.

The city’s famed Royal Mile runs from here to Holyrood Palace, where Mary Queen of Scots once dwelled. Marriage, murder and intrigue have made the Palace famous, and an audio tour brings the centuries of colourful history to life. Look back towards the castle at night – it’s illuminated once darkness falls.

The famous festival

Many visitors time their arrival for Edinburgh’s slew of festivals. The original International Festival still rolls on, although the Edinburgh Fringe, which also started in 1947, eclipses it in size as the largest arts festival in the world.

Book well in advance for the hot tickets in comedy, music and theatre, although part of the joy is taking a punt on something on the day. There are so many events during a given day – from the mainstream to the obscure – that you could be the only person in the audience. Tom Stoppard once premiered a play here to an audience of a mere seven people - a year later it was at the National Theatre.

That’s not the full story of a city that has festival fever. There are also brilliant annual events in the worlds of jazz, film, science, children, art and books. And if you can’t get a ticket, it doesn’t matter – the city is still awash with street entertainment and an unrivalled atmosphere.

Wizards and other wonders

JK Rowling may have started her first Harry Potter book elsewhere, but the series has indelible links with Edinburgh. Various cafes stake their claim on hosting the then unknown writer as she crafted the world of Hogwarts, but the Elephant House is perhaps the most famous. She ended the story here in Edinburgh too, finishing Deathly Hallows in room 552 of the Balmoral Hotel, and leaving a souvenir signature there.

The city is also home to a number of culinary wizards. For destination dining, head to Michelin-starred delights Restaurant Martin Wishart, The Kitchen or 21212. But don’t overlook the city’s many casual dining options, including some brilliant Indian restaurants, numerous hot new tickets and an abundance of child-friendly places to eat out.

A city of charm and good looks, with Edinburgh car hire you can really delve deep into Scotland’s magical capital.