The Royal College of Surgeons was founded in 1505 to promote the highest standards of surgical…read morepractice, and remains one of the world's leading institutions for the establishment of standards, and the teaching and development of surgical medicine. It has had a long and fascinating history as an institution, but what most people will know it for is its wonderful architecture, and the adjacent museum. First the building: built in the first half of the 19th century, it was designed by William Henry Playfair (1790-1857), the foremost Scottish architect of the period. He delivered them the confident, classical Greek temple design we see today, with a bold Doric pediment forming the main street frontage. The two gates have impressive classical stone arches to the street, flanking the main facade. The complex originally contained a meeting hall, Museum, Lecture Room and Library and, although the complex has since expanded, the original buildings are well preserved and even contain some of the furniture, purpose designed for the College by Playfair himself. The interiors are equally splendid, with the feel of a comfortable Stately Home. The Museum, as others have described, is fascinating both to the student of medicine and to the public: and whilst it covers the development of surgery, from surgical instruments to anaesthesia and antiseptic practice, what most visitors remember is the Museum of Pathology, which contains examples of human anatomy and specimens from the 18th century to the present. The largest such museum in the UK, some may find the specimens a little gruesome (but fascinating). But the section on Burke and Hare, and the development of the character of Sherlock Holmes (based on a real surgeon), are equally fascinating and less chilling. Overall, a great alternative to your average museum. Just don't go before lunch.

If you want artfully presented exquisite food in a marvelous venue this is the place for you. The…read moremuseum here is also phenomenal if you enjoy ancient medical history! It was awesome seeing all the surgical specimens through time and what an operating theatre used to look like. I enjoyed an after hours tour that was lovely. But most of all I attended a private dinner here that was in one of the most beautiful ballrooms with a spectacular ceiling. The food was just sensational and the service was outstanding. I highly recommend the museum tour and also hosting an event here as the food was phenomenal, tasty and beautifully presented.

I adore these folks!…read more I fangirled the first time I found myself standing in Innis & Gunn HQ. Back home in Canada, this is one of THE biggest, most badassest (it's a word!) players in the beer game, so having the HQ here in the city was another tick on the "why Edinburgh is amazing" list. Now, full disclosure: I've done a series of promotional tastings with these folks. Full disclosure, the sequel: I would do a million more. They are some of the most polished and professional folks to work with. Claire M knows her sh*t - she is a wizard with a crowd, knowledgable without seeming snobby and completely comfortable & genuine with what she does. I've worked with her on a beer + cheese and a beer + chocolate tasting and they were brilliant little events (perfect for a corporate gig or holiday party). I now keep my eyes open for other tasting that pop up here, so I can attend without my business cap on. Great beer. Great events. Well worth stalking on social media. Mad love for these folks.

I attended a Yelp event here about 2 months ago (I know, I've been slow) and had such a fantastic…read moretime. The beer goes without saying, and the combination with the chocolates from Edward & Irwin were fab, the hostesses delightful, and the company truly a joy to be around. Innis & Gunn take their neighbourhood address seriously; the décor is well thought out, right down to the company branded wallpaper throughout. It smacks of luxury, which only helps the beer go down all the better. Through the chocolate/beer tasting, I also had the opportunity to try a couple of the offerings that I hadn't before - the wheatbeer with bergamot was a revelation. As they say, I had the most wonderful time and if you ever have the opportunity to go, make sure you do.

I was here for an event recently and was impressed with the amenities and set up of the cookery…read moreschool. There was plenty of prep space for everyone even though we were a bigger group than their usual classes. Everything was clean and very well laid out, meaning I could easily find things I needed having not been there before. All the staff working on the night were friendly and eager to help. We ate our creations in the cooking area and there wasn't enough chairs for everyone, but I am assured by a friend who has been to one of their classes that there is actually a nice dining room in another part that you normally eat in on a course. Though she said they had to do their own dishes on the course. We were lucky that our dishes were taken care of at the event. They also have plenty of containers if you're not able to finish your creations on the day and want to take them home with you. I'd been apprehensive about booking a class having not seen what it's like, but will definitely be looking into what they have on offer! #yelpmision #FTRFebruary

Visit with my sister who lives in Edinburgh. She signed up for a series of cooking classes at the…read moreNew Town Cookery School. The instructor is a professional Chef who did a fantastic job teaching us three beautiful recipes the one evening I attended. The techniques weee simple and it was amazing how the tips she gave us yielded beautiful food that I'm now making in the US. Such a fantastic treat. Thank you!

Lovely little neighborhood, wine bar, quiet atmosphere a great place to have a yummy glass of wine…read moreand conversation

I've taken a few different courses at Dance Base now and loved every one! All of the teachers are…read moreat the top of their craft and in my experience are dedicated to fostering and encouraging supportive and friendly atmosphere both in and beyond their classes. The administrative staff are equally lovely and helpful. As the National Centre for Dance you can truly tell how passionate and dedicated everyone is to championing this art form. I especially appreciate that Dance Base platforms a variety of dance forms which are harder to access, such as Dr Charm's Burlesque class which I have been in for a year now (and have already booked my slot for autumn)!

This place is amazing. The depth and skill of their teachers , and the range of classes offered…read moremean there is something for everyone. It is truly a place for everyone from professional dancers to schmucks like me. Go here. It will be so much fun.

I went on a sailing course at Port Edgar two years ago. The staff were great; friendly and helpful…read more The sailing school offers a large number of courses, from the weekend small sailing wayfayer courses to navigation exams and powerboat courses. The school has decent facilities, with showers, toilets and changing areas to change into dry clothes after you have fallen in the forth. The school provides you with everything you need ( including lovely fishermen yellow waterproofs - very fetching!) It's great value for money and a place to have some fun.

Have you ever wondered what an art gallery/installation/experience in The Capitol of Panem would be…read morelike? It's Jupiter Artland. If you know Hunger Games, you'll know exactly what I mean. If you're not familiar, think indulgent, a spectacle, disturbing, hedonistic, garish, innovative, creative, thought-provoking... you will feel polarizing things here, you will remember your visit here forever. According to their website, "Jupiter Artland is an award-winning contemporary sculpture garden... set over 120 azores of meadow, woodland and indoor gallery spaces, Jupiter Artland is home to over 30 permanent and unique site-specific sculptures... as well as a seasonal programme of carefully curated exhibitions..." Try to come on a beautiful day since this is an outdoor adventure! While it's mostly very accessible, there's a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! We got the map and made it a point to visit and read about every site. I think Jupiter Artland became famous because of influencers showing off the vibrant Gateway pool (which you can actually occasionally swim in). I loved I Lay Here For You (about women in nature), Rivers (a collection of water from one hundred different rivers in the UK), Animitas (two hundred small Japanese bells that are constantly making different melodies; no two ever the same; it's supposed to be like how no two souls are the same); Rose Walk (the gothic and chinoiserie pavilions); I liked the Weeping Girls (statues in the woods) but my partner felt haunted, vice versa for In Memory (the cemetery with people's names erased); we were both left speechless, creeped out, and concerned after Upside Mimi! which we watched in its entirety. Woof. The Cells are also very iconic and apparently you can wild swim occasionally there too. The VERY LONG point? You SHOULD visit here. Art is supposed to make you feel stuff, and you will very much feel stuff here.

Jupiter Artland is out of this world COOL!!!! On our recent trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, this…read moreplace was one of the highlights of our visit. Definitely the BEST sculpture garden that we have ever visited anywhere in the world. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The exhibits are displayed all over the more than 100 acres property. You can get a lot of exercise walking while searching and exploring the place looking & admiring the exhibits. Personally, my favorite area was the Cells Of Life. Very beautiful landscape work of art!! You cannot miss it because once you enter the property.....there it is!! "Cells of Life consists of eight landforms and a connecting causeway which surround four lakes and a flat parterre." Unfortunately, we only had a couple of hours to spare. So we did not have the opportunity to explore everything that Jupiter Artland had to offer. Still, we did enjoy our time. If you are in the Edinburgh, Scotland area, I recommend dropping by.

Half of my graduating class were self-proclaimed photographers, angstfully capturing the "essence…read morethat is life" with ridiculously expensive cameras, so you can't blame me for being a tad sceptical about photography. I finally made it in to the gallery after walking past it quite a few times, and I wasn't disappointed at all. There's a pretty cool exhibition on show at the moment, which should last throughout the whole festival, called the Pursuit of Fidelity (very deep name ofcourse....). I won't say I'm a convert, but it was definitely a good way to pass time! What's even more interesting about Stills is the opportunity to get quite involved if this is your sort of thing; they have impressive darkrooms we were lucky enough to check out, and actually offer professional training for would-be photographers! I fleetingly considered it... as it would probably be a nice break from university for a while.

If you happen to just be wandering up or down Cockburn Street, trying to avoid all the uber…read moreexpensive shops that seem to just stare you down, in a vigorous attempt to get you to give into purchasing pretty unnecessary items, stop by Stills instead. Why? 1) Because you don't have to pay anything to go in and ogle some hit-or-miss photography and 2) Because checking out someone's photographs beats ogling ridiculously expensive clothes any day. And though the people who work there might seem disaffected and indifferent to your presence, it's probably just because they've been sitting in the same place for a few hours with nothing to do. If you have any questions, though, they tend to perk up and become willing to give you a hand. Stills isn't just a gallery, though. There they have digital labs and darkrooms and all sort of delicious photographic facilities that you can use (at a price, of course). They also hold workshops from time to time. Once you've been to Stills once, it becomes a bit of an addiction. The huge windows that give you a peek of whatever exhibition is in there at the moment, beckon to you with open arms. And they're not even trying to take your money. Who woulda figured!