Transcript for the Edinburgh Inspiring Capital flash
brochure
Instructional copy and introduction;
To view a sample of the e-brochure either use the arrows below
or click and drag the corners of the pages.
The brochure
Page 2
THE INSPIRING CAPITAL
Edinburgh,
Scotland’s capital, has been inspiring citizens and visitors alike
for centuries. Today this beautiful city forms the backdrop to
innovation in business, the arts, science and academia.
Every year around five million people visit the Edinburgh region
to enjoy a wealth of experiences – from nightlife to culture to
outdoor activities. Many fall in love with the city and return to
live or to invest in its future, drawn by the quality of life,
strong economy and unique atmosphere.
Edinburgh is a vibrant city framed by a stunning landscape and
world famous architecture. East, West and Midlothian each add their
distinctive character to the city region – from the stunning
coastline of North Berwick to the striking Pentland Hills.
The World Heritage Site at the heart of the city combines the
medieval Old Town, the Georgian New Town and award winning modern
architecture.
“I had never imagined that any city in these islands could be at
once so beautiful and fantastic”, JB PRIESTLEY.
Page 4
INSPIRED TO VISIT
“The view as you walk out of Edinburgh’s Waverley Station is
probably the finest first impression of any city in the world.”
LONELY PLANET
Edinburgh’s festivals are world famous. Every summer the city’s
population doubles for the International Festival, Fringe and a
host of other festivals celebrating film, literature, television
and jazz. During the summer the city streets buzz with music and
performers from around the world.
In winter, with its bright, crisp days and long, haunting
nights, Edinburgh takes on a magical quality. Christmas is a
special time for shoppers and revellers. The city’s streets sparkle
with the glow from half a million Christmas lights, creating a
truly magical experience. The Edinburgh Wheel, ice rink and
continental street markets add to the festive atmosphere. The
climax of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals is the celebrated Hogmanay
street party in Princes Street, when thousands gather to enjoy
music and fireworks and join in arguably the world’s best New Year
celebrations.
But the Inspiring Capital is about much more than festivals.
Year round the city attracts tourists drawn by its beauty, wealth
of galleries and museums and the warm welcome of its people. The
city centre is both beautiful and compact, and the sights of the
Old and New Towns can easily be covered on foot. The bus service is
excellent and cheap and includes the airport shuttle, which runs 24
hours a day.
Page 5
INSPIRING FACTS:
- Edinburgh has won nine best UK city awards in six years,
including awards from the Guardian/Observer and the
traveller’s bible, Conde Nast magazine
- The Edinburgh International Festival is one of the world’s
greatest arts festivals and attracts two million visitors a
year
Edinburgh Castle is the most visited ancient monument in the
United Kingdom after the Tower of London
The region surrounding Edinburgh is also rich in both culture
and natural beauty. The city is framed in a stunning array of coast
and countryside. Scotland is, of course, famous for its golf and
there are a number of world famous courses within a short distance
of Edinburgh, including Muirfield which hosted the Open
Championship in 2002. The John Muir Way in East Lothian offers a
wealth of natural beauty for walkers and birdwatchers.
Belhaven Bay in Dunbar is a magnet for surfers. The Pentland
Hills attract walkers and climbers.
Page 6
INSPIRED TO INVEST
“Edinburgh is the new ideopolis, a high growth area linked around
universities, a bustling airport and a powerful financial sector
that bridges new business formation.” WILL HUTTON
Edinburgh is a world leader in finance, tourism, scientific
research, education, technology
and professional services. The finance sector in Edinburgh accounts
for over 5% of total
Scottish jobs and is worth over £7 billion a year to the Scottish
economy.
The Edinburgh Science Triangle, to the south of the city, is
home to companies specialising in cutting edge scientific and
technological research, as well as the world famous Roslin and
Moredun institutes.
The new Bio quarter Research Park at Little France has the
potential to house the highest
concentration of scientists in Western Europe. It is the UK’s
second city for banking, and a worldwide conference destination.
Its link with the festivals reinforces its status as a centre for
excellence in the arts.
Edinburgh’s universities attract high calibre students. Many
choose to stay in the city, making it easier to recruit top level
staff, whether in business, science or the creative industries.
Page7
INSPIRING FACTS:
- Around one third of Edinburgh’s population hold degree level
qualifications, making the city’s workforce one of the most highly
qualified in the UK
- The Edinburgh city region has won the European Commission’s
prestigious accolade of Region of Excellence for Innovation. It
joins an elite group of 22 European regions which have been
honoured and are working together to further develop knowledge,
best practice and excellence
- Edinburgh was made UNESCO’s first City of Literature in 2004.
Renowned authors like Ian Rankin, JK Rowling and Irvine Welsh all
found inspiration to write in the city
Page 8
INSPIRED TO LIVE
More and more people are choosing to live in Edinburgh and the
Lothians because of the region’s high quality of life.
Edinburgh offers residents all the facilities of a major
international capital in a compact and friendly city. Residents
enjoy national galleries and museums, shops ranging from major
chains to exclusive boutiques and a range of world cuisine in the
city’s restaurants and bars.
Edinburgh’s waterfront is being regenerated to offer a new
vision of city living. This innovative development will offer a
high quality site for housing, business, education and leisure,
combining the buzz of urban living with a stunning waterside and
parkland setting.
Many people choose to live in or near the centre, in traditional
stone ‘tenements’ (apartment
blocks) or Georgian townhouses. The surrounding areas offer
something for every taste, from studio flats to family homes with
gardens. Edinburgh is rich in green space. It has the volcanic
wildscape of Holyrood Park at its heart, as well as beautiful
parks at The Meadows, Princes Street Gardens and
Inverleith
The combination of nightlife, employment, green space and good
schools makes it appealing to students, young professionals and
families.
Page 9
INSPIRING FACTS:
- In Edinburgh, commute times are considerably shorter than for
most other European cities. One in four people walk to work
- Edinburgh has some of Scotland’s best state and private
schools
- Edinburgh’s bus service has won a number of awards and the city
has a comprehensive cycle network
- Edinburgh has more restaurants per head of population than any
other British city
Page 10
GATEWAY TO SCOTLAND
Edinburgh, Scotland’s Inspiring Capital, is well served by its
international airport, railway stations and road network. It offers
access to the cities of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands and the
Borders.
INSPIRING FACTS:
- Edinburgh’s airport, situated just 8 miles from the centre of
the city, serves over 80
destinations worldwide
- Glasgow is only 50 minutes by train from the centre of
Edinburgh
- The historic cities of Stirling, Perth and St Andrews are
within an hour’s travel time
- 2.5 million people – or half the population of Scotland – live
within two hours of the capital
- There are over 150 golf courses within 90 minutes drive of
Edinburgh
The thriving city of Glasgow, on Scotland’s west coast, is famed
for its shopping, night life and links to the worlds of art and
fashion. The legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh lives on in its
distinctive art deco architecture.
The Highlands and Islands offer spectacular, unspoilt mountains,
lochs and beaches.They are home to iconic sights like the Isle of
Skye, Loch Ness and Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest peak.
The south of Scotland – the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway –
is a land of ancient abbeys, castles and historic houses. The
region boasts connections with Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott
and has a strong tradition of rugby.
Page 11
For further information on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, please
contact us on +44 (0) 131 529 4446 or contact the brand team via
the feedback form.
This brochure was produced by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital in
association with
- BAA Edinburgh
- The City of Edinburgh Council
- Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
- Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian
- VisitScotland Edinburgh and Lothians
Page 12
Photo Credits:
Front Cover:
- Edinburgh Skyline – VisitScotland
Edinburgh Airport – BAA Edinburgh
Page 2/3:
- Full image: courtesy of VisitScotland
Page 4/5:
- Image 6: courtesy of Jason Baxter
Page 6/7:
- Image 7: courtesy of RBS
- Image 8: courtesy of Jason Baxter
Page 10:
- Full image: courtesy of VisitScotland
All other images courtesy of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital.
