Must See Sights and Landmarks in Crook of Devon Area

"The ‘camera’ is a giant periscope inside a Victorian rooftop tower on the Royal Mile, giving a spectacular 360° perspective on Edinburgh, plus there’s interactive optical fun galore. The building also contains three galleries and lights up at night.Castlehill, 226 3709, camera-obscura.co.uk. Opening hours vary seasonally; core hours of 10am–6pm apply daily throughout the year, with extensions during school holidays and summer."

"Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions Camera Obscura is located one block down the Royal Mile from the Edinburgh Castle. If you are visiting Edinburgh with kids, this is an awesome spot to visit. Six floors are filled with illusions, puzzles, and optical tricks."

"***If you’re a morning person, grab a blanket, a thermos of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee, and enjoy the sunrise from Calton Hill. One of the most enchanting and TOTALLY free things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland. Obviously, if you hate mornings, you can watch the sunset instead, (just make sure you have clear skies, which are something of a rarity) but you’ll just have a bit more company."

"Calton Hill is one of Edinburgh's main hills, set right above the heart of the city. You can walk there easily from the city centre, and in return you’ll get an incredible panoramic view once you’re there. It’s part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage sight, with an Athenian acropolis that  makes photos even more Insta-worthy."

"Edinburgh is built on Calton Hill, like Rome in Italy and Bergen in Norway. The top of Calton Hill is one of the best spots for a spectacular view of Edinburgh, especially at sunset. It is a much easier climb than Arthur’s Seat, taking less than ten minutes to reach the top from Regent Road."

"Address: Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJWebsite: The Royal Yacht Britannia. The Royal Yacht Britannia is the former yacht of the British Royal Family which now takes pride of place at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre at Leith in Edinburgh. Over the course of her working life Britannia sailed over 1 million miles around the world and she’s now open year-round for visitors to follow in the footsteps of world leaders as they walk through her beautifully ornate rooms."

"Step aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh which was used by the Queen for over 40 years as her floating palace!. It’s currently docked in Edinburgh and invites visitors to come follow in the footsteps of royalty as you learn more about royal life on the ship. The ship was actually the first Royal Yacht built that could tame the open ocean and was used to entertain guests from around the world."

"Edinburgh's 18th-century City Chambers were built over the sealed-off remains of Mary King's Close, and the lower levels of this medieval Old Town alley have survived almost unchanged amid the foundations for 250 years. Now open to the public, this spooky, subterranean labyrinth gives a fascinating insight into the everyday life of 17th-century Edinburgh. Costumed characters lead tours through a 16th-century town house and the plague-stricken home of a 17th-century gravedigger. Advance booking recommended."

"Real Mary King’s Close This is the perfect tour to learn about medieval life in Edinburgh. Journey back in time to 1645 Edinburgh, down Mary King’s Close, a real alleyway in the city. This was the year of the Black Death, when one-third of Edinburgh’s population succumbed to this terrible illness."

"The grand seat of local government was built in the 1880s at the high point of Glasgow's wealth. The interior is even more extravagant than the exterior, and the chambers have sometimes been used as a movie location to represent the Kremlin or the Vatican. You can have a look at the opulent ground floor during opening hours. To see more, free guided tours are held at 10.30am and 2.30pm Monday to Friday; it's worth popping in earlier that day to prebook."

"Dominating the east side of George Square, this exuberant expression of Victorian confidence, built by William Young in Italian Renaissance…"

"Calton Hill provides a panoramic view of the city, with Princes Street, the castle, and the Old Town silhouetted against Arthur's Seat. To the east and north you can see the Firth of Forth and the docks at Leith. At the foot of the hill stands the 13th-century Royal High School, where Sir Walter Scott was once a pupil."

"As early as 1816, the Highland Society of Scotland called for the construction of a national monument to commemorate the fallen in the Napoleonic wars. In January 1822, a proposal was put forward to ‘erect a facsimile of the Parthenon’."

"The Nelson Monument is a commemorative tower in honor of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is included in the list of 15 places in Edinburgh because it is situated on top of Calton Hill and provides a dramatic termination to the vista along Princes Street from the west. The Royal Navy’s White Ensign and signal flags spelling out Nelson’s famous message “England expects that every man will do his duty” are flown from the Monument on Trafalgar Day each year."

"Up on the hill you will also find Nelson’s Monument and the Royal Observatory, amongst other things, but the highlight for me, really, is the view up here at sunset. From here you can watch the sun set across the city, with the mountains in the background, which is ample reward for the effort required to climb up."

"Take note of the time ball on the monument which serves the same purpose as the Edinburgh Castle One O’Clock Gun."

"A gem within a gem, Bistro du Vin is a cracker of an eatery tucked inside the first-class boutique Hotel du Vin. With a knowledgeable sommelier, smart menu and chic décor, the set-up is seamless. However, the pièce de résistance is the courtyard, which is suited to intimate alfresco dining in summer months with divine seasonal nosh and innovative cocktails."

"The Water of Leith is a great bistro style cafe which has gained a huge local following and become one of the most popular eateries in the Cannonmills area. The cafe has a relaxed and extremely welcoming ambiance and the French style food is both delectable and reasonably priced. Great Cullen Skink sits happily alongside French classics such as Croque Madame and the specials board is always brimming with tempting treats."

"This Leith restaurant retains its one star, with the guide commenting on how it has become an Edinburgh institution. Photo: Restaurant Martin Wishart"