Tuesday 07 April 2009

SEVENS CITY

Sevens City - Hop aboard for a quick tour of all things Edinburgh

Population – 457,510 (city) and 783,600 (metropolitan area)

Land area – 100 square miles.

Average May temperature – 13ºC

Average May rainfall – 50mm

Nickname – Windy City – due to its position between the sea and mountains, with a prevailing south-westerly wind

Major industries – Financial services, biotechnology, microelectronics

Country dialling code – 44

City area code – 0131

Origins –

The name of Edinburgh has a couple of possible origins including Dun Eadain (the Fortress on the Slope) and from one of its first rulers, King Edwin (Edwin’s Burgh). It’s also affectionately known as 'Auld Reekie' due to the smoke that was once generated by the city's many chimneys. The town began to develop beyond the Castle in the 11th century, with the Royal Mile forming a backbone that travels a Scottish mile down to Holyrood Palace.

Sevens CityAttractions –

The Edinburgh International Festival has been running since 1947

Edinburgh's Old and New Towns were announced as World Heritage Sites in 1995 and the city became the first ever UNESCO City of Literature in 2004.

Edinburgh Castle, built on a dormant volcano, is Scotland's most visited site. Its One o'Clock Gun fires every day at exactly that, except on Sundays.

Holyrood is the site of the new Scottish Parliament building that holds 129 MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament). The First Minister is Alex Salmond MSP

Did You Know? –

* The world-famous Mound linking the Old Town and New Town is an artificial hill containing 1,501,000 cartloads of earth from the foundations of Princes Street.

* With 34% of the workforce qualified to degree level, Edinburgh is one of the best-educated cities in the world. The legendary Encyclopedia Britannica was devised by three Edinburgh men.

* One of the world’s greatest financial centres, Edinburgh is also where the decimal point, the chequebook and the overdraft were developed.



Out and About

Edinburgh is not short of fantastic places to eat and drink, from fast food outlets to Michelin-starred cuisine. There are plenty of popular bars and cafes in George Street and the city centre, around the Grassmarket area beneath the castle, the Cowgate and down the length of the famous Royal Mile. The Three Sisters in the Cowgate, with its open courtyard and big screens, has been the official party venue for the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens since the event's inception. Further afield, Leith boasts three Michelin-starred restaurants within a ten-minute walk, along with a wealth of fish restaurants and bars around the dockside area. For contact details of these and other suggested spots, see our contacts page.