we started our day to explore Edinburgh city and this was our first stop. we stayed at 'Britannia…read moreHotel Edinburgh' and it was on the way to tram station. St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral sits at the west end of Palmerston Place, a wide attractive Edinburgh New Town thoroughfare named after Viscount Palmerston, a former prime minister, and University of Edinburgh graduate who died in 1865. Building has three tall spires which reach up over the city skyline, meaning that the cathedral can be seen from a variety of viewpoints and outlooks in the city. But the building itself is often overlooked by visitors, perhaps because it's a little further from the traditional tourism area of the Old Town. The central spire of Scott's church is 90m tall, making it the tallest structure in Edinburgh city centre, and the two shorter spires added to the western end of the building later became known locally as Barbara and Mary, after the Walker sisters themselves.

We chanced upon this magnificent cathedral while walking around Edinburgh. It is stunning both on…read morethe inside and outside. Check out the pictures.

St. Giles' Cathedral, also known as Edinburgh's High Kirk or Church, is one of the most remarkable…read morelandmarks in the Royal Mile, a jaw-dropping Gothic temple of great historical importance and, of course, a must-visit if you're in town. You can't really miss St. Giles Cathedral when you are walking on Royal mike, its looming presence in the Old Town of Edinburgh means its visible from all over the city. St Giles' Cathedral is the largest of Edinburgh's Old Town churches, and sits right on the Royal Mile at the heart of the medieval city. One of Scotland's most important medieval buildings the current structure was begun in the 14th century and has been a centre of Scottish historical events ever since. St. Giles' cathedral was always a hub for urban life, both as a place of worship in Edinburgh and as a cultural symbol for Scotland. The church also has a large stained glass window commemorating Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, above the main entrance on the west side of the building The Cathedral is free to enter with donations welcome

Another must-visit location in Old Town Edinburgh - we stopped by after visiting the Castle and had…read morea magical experience. While walking along the aisles and pews and enjoying the stained glass windows, exceptional masonry, gothic architecture and the magnificent vaulted Scottish blue ceiling, the most haunting melodies floated towards us from the far end of the cathedral. It was a choir of young ladies, singing the most beautiful songs. We stayed rooted to where we were, then started making our way towards them. The singing went on for several minutes, and we quietly listened, adding another special memory to our family's trip to Scotland.

Holyrood abbey was a highlight for me, it's mesmerising and beautiful and historical. Once the…read morepreferred place for kings to reside rather than Edinburgh castle due to the peaceful atmosphere, the beautiful garden and the park for hunting. The abbey has not had the best of luck, having been damaged by the English armies, the roof collapsed and ransacked by a mob, leaving it in ruins but it is a stunning structure and fantastic photo opportunities.

These church ruins are part of your tour when you visit Holyrood Palace. I personally thought this…read moresection fo the palace was the most interesting. It has a surreal feel like something from Uncharted or Indiana Jones and you get to the explore it at your leisure. I'm happy they kept the ruins as is instead of restoring them or demolishing them. It adds a memorable aesthetic that sets this apart from other palace tours.

As part of a walking adventure on the morning of Friday 19 July 2019, I stopped by St John's…read moreEpiscopal Church on Lothian Road and Princes Street in Edinburgh to check out what I could. It was my last full day on my July 2019 Scotland heritage travel trip and I had gotten used to seeing big beautiful churches on my explorations that had at least part of their grounds open to the public. I tried the main door and found the main hall and chapel to be open to the public, however a service was in progress in the chapel so a sign was at the entrance asking visitors to enter quietly. The interior of the church was warm in tones and well lit. The wood work was beautifully executed. Outside the main building was a large cemetery area.

There are many beautiful churches in Edinburgh but this is a personal favourite of mine. The…read moreinterior is stunning and is decorated in a particularly elegant way. With white walls, an incredible ceiling and some of the best stained glass windows in the country, this church is a must see. Right at the west end of Princes Street many people walk by never knowing the beauty inside. Pop in and be one of the few to enjoy this quite and peaceful space. If you've got some extra time make sure you go a walk around the grounds too. They look particularly nice in Spring when the Bluebells and Cherry trees are in flower. Don / www.edinburghphotowalks.com

George IV Bridge, which pretty much stretches between Bristo Square and the Royal Mile, is a very…read moreinteresting street. It contains a whole host of diverse shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library and the Central Library, and that site of bewilderingly constant tourist interest, Greyfriars Bobby. It also allows you to have the novel experience of walking into a building from street level, and then realising you['re actually standing on the 10th floor. The NAtional Library of Scotland is an especially good example of this, as it has floors and floors of bookstacks stretching down to the Cowgate and below. I think this is kind of cool, but sometimes it can give you a headaches and make you feel like you're in an M.C. Escher painting.

From the outside, Augustine United Church looks pretty, small, but rather unexciting. However it's…read morenot the building which makes this church stand out. Describing itself as an "active, inclusive Christian community" Augustine is a United Reformed Church. Though I respect its toleration and respect for other denominations (for example it has some deal with three other different churches to cooperate with public services to assist with school projects and such) it's not even its Church services that appeal to me so much as its greater events and projects. Augustine always seems to be hosting fair trade and environmental events- like meetings, talks and plays- that can appeal to the wider community. It's this that interests me. In fact on their website you can find a list of upcoming events. Augustine Church also runs itself as a very successful venue during the Fringe Festival though "Paradise Green". I went to see a mad, Japanese, dance interpretation of Shakespeare in Augustine's (which wouldn't you know was actually pretty good) and found the whole experience really enjoyable. The hall makes for a sizable yet not overwhelming venue. There are several levels of seats yet at the same time they all feel close to the stage making for a more intimate experience. Overall a great Church offering valuable services to the greater community and providing an excellent Festival venue.

Before you read this review you should know a couple of things. I'm not a church going man. Quite…read morethe opposite. Not that I have a problem with religion, but it's just not for me. So I'm not reviewing this as a place to worship, but as a music venue. During the Fringe Pilrig St. Paul's put gigs on in the intimate 100 seater venue in the church hall, which they call 'Pilrig Studio'. And what a place to watch music. If you've ever been to the Oran Mor in Glasgow you'll know what I'm talking about. Music takes on an ethereal, other-worldly quality in a place like this. They also put various plays on. This year sees the return of the brilliant American High School Theatre Festival, among others. Well worth a visit, even if it's just to take in the surroundings.

If you are on the main strip, walking towards the Castle and you don't stop in here, you are simply…read moremissing out. It's beautiful goth struck may spook you from the outside, but as soon as you walk in you are welcomed by all the colorful stain glass windows. Each window depicts an event from the Bible, all through the church. As you walk around, you notice all the carvings and little details that make this Church so warm and welcoming. Not to mention the innate history it carries within itself.

Stopped by for a contemporary service while visiting Edinburgh. It was a lively contemporary…read moreservice. They have services both Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings. Beautiful church inside and out.

One of the strange things about me is the fact that I'm not religious in the slightest but I…read moretotally adore churches. I think its their calmness. Its good to get away from the shoulder barging public in edinburgh (they must mean it, I'm pretty hard to miss) to enjoy the contrast of the peace available in a church. I've been in here a couple of times and it has always impressed. Like most small churches P's&G's is fairly innocuous from the outside. All grey, square and turrety. But inside is quite stunning. A lot money has clearly been spent refurbishing the place. It has all new pine floors and cushioned(!) seats. It looks very modern whilst it retains its original features. The stained glass windows are beautiful and the pipe organ and altar look very stately. Unlike a lot of churches it is warm and bright, all the walls are white which makes the place look a lot less like a cave than other similarly aged churches. The thing with churches is to appreciate them you have to go inside. The banality of the outside makes you think the inside will be the same. What look like plain grey windows come to life with vibrant colours. Definetly one of my favourite artforms, stained glass is disgracefully underused. They have successfully combined the old and the new in an interesting and tasteful way. Pop in if you're near the Playhouse and feel like some peace away from the edinburgerers.