CITY SPOTLIGHT
Edinburgh, Scotland
COMPILED BY GABE WEBB
Skara Brae
To learn more about Edinburgh, contact
Maggie Anderson, VisitScotland’s
assistant market manager for North
America and Australasia at maggie.
[email protected] or go to
visitscotlandtraveltrade.com.
26
January 2017
1
The Year of History, Heritage and
Archaeology 2017
“Our Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology will celebrate the richness of Scotland’s
tangible and intangible heritage—our buildings, visitor attractions and archaeological sites, as well as our diverse stories, traditions and culture,” says Maggie Anderson
of VisitScotland. Travelers can explore Scotland’s Castle Trail or the Highland Pictish
Trail to learn about the country’s past. They can hear the songs of Scotland’s musical
heritage at the Hebridean Celtic Festival (July 19–22) or Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
(Aug. 3–5). The neolithic village of Skara Brae is a top archaeological site.
2
Military Tattoo
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
is an annual series of performances of
military bands from the U.K. and the
Commonwealth. The 2017 event (Aug. 4–26)
is themed “A Splash of Tartan.”
“It is designed to offer an opportunity to
celebrate the clan network as an enduring
link between those that live abroad and
those that remain at home, and connected
with the Scottish Diaspora,” says Anderson.
Each evening will spotlight a specific clan.
“We are hoping that U.S. visitors with
Scottish ancestry will come to Scotland,
explore their ancestry and visit [the tattoo]
the evening that their clan is highlighted.”
PHOTOS: VISITSCOTLAND
Scotland’s capital city is well
over a thousand years old,
and its long history means
travelers have a plethora
of historical and heritage
sites to visit. The city
today is a place of vibrant,
multicultural festivals and
attractions that have a
heart for the past and an
eye toward the future. Here
are 10 new developments
and updated favorites to
look for in Edinburgh in
2017 and beyond.