Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It’s a beautiful, historic, and compact city that offers all the advantages of living in a capital city and few of the downsides.
The cultural offerings in Edinburgh, which is the festival capital of the world, are outstanding. Aside from the world-famous Fringe festival, Edinburgh hosts world-class shows of art, music, theatre, and comedy throughout the year. Edinburgh also offers access to stunning green and open spaces, including amazing parks within the city centre as well as national parks and coastline nearby.
Transport links within and in and out of the city are also good, with train stations, trams, buses, and good road links.
Despite this, Edinburgh is relatively affordable for a major city – salaries and employment are high, and property is significantly less expensive than it is in London. A wide range of property types and styles are available, including some excellent specimens of period homes as well as more modern developments.
In 2015, uSwitch ranked Edinburgh the best place to live in the UK.
The Scottish capital is known to be a friendly city. It’s a diverse and cosmopolitan place, with residents hailing from all around the world. There’s a large student population, as part of a big population of young adults.
The Edinburgh Evening News reported that in the year leading up to June 2016, the city’s crime rate fell by about 10%. Housebreaking and robberies fell by about 20% each, too. These figures were better than those of other Scottish cities – the crime rate in Glasgow fell by about8%, and the rates for Aberdeen and Dundee both increased.
In June 2017, the Scottish Sun reported that Edinburgh had 64 crimes per 1000 people in the period from 2015-2016, compared to 62 in Aberdeen and 72 in Glasgow.
Parking in Edinburgh can be difficult, and there is a good deal of traffic congestion in the city centre. A high percentage of Edinburgh residents – about 40% - do not own or have access to their own vehicle, which is above the Scottish average.
Edinburgh is well connected by road: the M8 connects Edinburgh with Glasgow, and the A90 connects the city wit Dundee and Aberdeen. The A1 is a commuter route for East Lothian residents as well as a link to London.
Edinburgh has the full range of nightlife options: from restaurants, pubs, and bars to cinemas, theatres, and clubs, everything is on offer here. There are also a dozen international festivals and major events held in Edinburgh, including the world-famous Fringe Festival.
Edinburgh is a good city in which to look for a family home. There are Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and newer homes of all sizes in Edinburgh and the surroundings. Flats, cottages, terraces, semis, and detached houses can all be found here. Whilst these are not inexpensive, they are affordable for a capital city and relative to local salaries – and especially by comparison to London.
Access to green and open space in Edinburgh is outstanding. Holyrood Park, Princes Street Gardens, The Meadows, and Inverleith Park are among the many options. There is also a wide selection of golf clubs and playing fields in the area. The Pentlands are also easily reached by bus or by car. and the Water of Leith connects the centre with the North Sea.
The city is home to some of the best private and state schools in the country. Edinburgh has the most independent schools per person of any UK city, according to Savills, and among these is Tony Blair’s former boarding school. Edinburgh is also home to the ancient University of Edinburgh and other universities. The population of children aged 5-14 is somewhat low, at about 9%.
Property in Edinburgh varies widely, and includes a wide range of homes that would be suitable for pets.
Access to green and open space in Edinburgh is outstanding. Holyrood Park, Princes Street Gardens, The Meadows, and Inverleith Park are among the many options. The Pentlands are also easily reached by bus or by car. The Water of Leith connects the centre with the North Sea.
Edinburgh is served by Edinburgh Waverly station, which offers trains to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Fort William, and London. Haymarket station also serves the city.
Getting around the compact city is easy with both buses and trams. However, according to Invest Edinburgh, more residents walk to work in Edinburgh than in any other UK city (16%), and more than half commute either on foot, by bike, or by public transport.
The M8 connects Edinburgh with Glasgow, and the A90 connects the city wit Dundee and Aberdeen. The A1 is a commuter route for East Lothian residents as well as a link to London.
Edinburgh Airport is easily reached from the city centre, by road or by public transport, and has international flights.