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Edinburgh may be at least a thousand years old but it has only just come of age. Visit the city today and you’ll find flourishing theatres, hip clubs, innovative museums, chic cafés and buzzy restaurants serving everything from tikka to tagine. Yet for years Edinburgh seemed as dormant as the volcanoes on which it was built. This was a city that was so beautiful, so full of history, that it didn’t need to do anything to attract visitors: people came here anyway. It was a sedate place: a white collar city with a business life dominated by the legal and financial sectors. The only time of year it woke up was during the Festival – and it would quickly go back into hibernation as soon as the performers had packed up and gone home. The city had a reputation for being aloof and rather dull – and it really didn't care. The reasons for this are partly historical, partly geographical. Although it had been the capital since the 12th century, Edinburgh had not necessarily been at the heart of Scottish life. Scotland's kings were always crowned at Scone Palace near Perth and, after the Union of the Crowns in 1603, preferred to spend their time in London anyway. Added to that was the fact that the city did not have a long tradition as the established seat of government. The old Scottish Parliament used to meet at locations throughout Scotland and did not make Edinburgh its permanent home until the 17th century. Only 70-odd years later, Scotland was united with England and government moved to Westminster. The city's location was also a factor. Unlike most capital cities in the world, Edinburgh does not have a river running through its heart – and rivers do not just bring trade but energy and a cosmo- politan bustle. Encircled by the Pentland Hills and the chilly waters of the Firth of Forth, and dominated by its lofty Castle, the city seemed somehow trapped in splendid isolation – an impression heightened by its proximity to Glasgow, a warm, lively, industrial city that knew how to enjoy itself. In fact for many years Edinburgh appeared to have been eclipsed by its great rival. Glasgow had worked hard to improve its image and by the late 1980s had gained a reputation for innovative arts and great shops and restaurants. It was a youthful city and Edinburgh seemed tired and middle aged in comparison. But Edinburgh fought back and during the 1990s a more vibrant culture began to emerge. Cappuc- cino and croissants replaced weak tea and scones as continental- style cafés and bistros opened, their tables spilling on to once-empty pavements in friendly gaggles. New attractions opened, such as the techno- tastic Museum of Scotland and Dynamic Earth. The former Royal Yacht Britannia found a permanent home in Leith docks and now attracts thousands of visitors each year. And venerable George Street, formerly the heart of the city's prudent financial sector, began to fill with fashionable bars and restaurants and designer stores. Then, in 1997, Scotland voted for devolution and Edinburgh was chosen as the home for the new parliament. The city seemed to blossom overnight. It became a proper capital, a city at the very centre of Scottish life. There was a new confidence in the air and a fresh sense of purpose. Opposite Holyrood Palace work began on a bold new parliament building and, though the construction has been plagued by delay and controversy, with costs spiralling to well over £300 mn, it is hoped that the new MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) voted in after the May elections won’t have to wait too long before they move into their new home. Today Edinburgh is rated the most desirable city in Britain in which to live and its population is growing fast. The restaurants and bars are busy; the clubs full of cool young things. Bold new buildings, like the award-winning Dancebase in the Grassmarket, have appeared, providing a refreshing change from all that gloomy medieval granite, and while there are still shops selling sensible skirts and twin sets, they have been joined by fashionista favourites such as Escada and Harvey Nichols. The Festival is still the main event in the city's calendar. In August everyone who is anyone in the arts world heads north to Edinburgh. But the city no longer goes to sleep as soon as it is over. Then in December it's party time again, when Edinburgh hosts the biggest Hogmanay party in the world. A glittering giant wheel rotates next to the gothic splendour of the Scott Monument; Princes Street Gardens is transformed into an outdoor ice rink, and thousands of people sing and dance in Princes Street. Edinburgh is now more confident, more fun, than ever before, and tries much harder to please. But it will always be a conserv- ative city at heart – where people don’t like to draw attention to themselves. It is still a city where flash is frowned upon, and where elderly ladies in hats think decadence is having two slices of short- bread with their afternoon tea. And while new buildings may be springing up everywhere, the alleyways of the Old Town are as atmospheric as ever, the broad streets of the New Town as elegant. Edinburgh may have changed – but not too much. It is still the most beautiful city in Britain – and it knows it.
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