Romantic Edinburgh - Scotland's capital

Norfolkline provide day and overnight sailings from both Belfast to Liverpool and Dublin to Liverpool.

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is an ideal destination for a long weekend away, or the start of a Scottish adventure.

It’s not Scotland’s biggest city, that honour belongs to Glasgow. But that does not stop Edinburgh being the house of government and the country’s cultural centre.

A symbol of this standing is the castle which dominates the city, perched on an old volcanic rock.

Sometimes dubbed Athens of the North, her castle and the old city, classed as UNESCO world heritage sites, bear a resemblance to the Acropolis site.

Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Parliament, re-established in 1999. It also houses one of Europe’s most famous universities, pioneers in information technology and management, and from which a certain Adam Smith, whose 1776 Wealth of Nations is the bible of capitalism, taught in the 18th Century.

Another talismanic figure later prowled the corridors of Edinburgh’s famed national library - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, father of Sherlock Holmes. Closer to us, Edinburgh is also the home of JK Rowlings who wrote her first Harry Potter novel in the old capital.

The theatre helps sustain Edinburgh’s cultural status. The Edinburgh Festival, founded in 1947, rivals the Avignon Festival, and brings the city and its pubs to sparkling life in August.

But above all, Edinburgh is a centre of the British economy. Business revolves around finance, services and tourism. The Scottish capital can rightly boast of its ranking behind London in the UK’s financial world.

Getting to Edinburgh by Norfolkline ferry

Norfolkline provide day and overnight sailings from both Belfast to Liverpool and Dublin to Liverpool. Getting to Edinburgh from our terminal in Liverpool (Birkenhead) is a 4.5 hour drive (M53, M56, M6 North, A74(M), A700).

If you are looking for accommodation in the Edinburgh area Norfolkline has teamed up with Active Hotels to provide you with a vast selection of hotel options across Europe, but early booking is advised.