In One Week

Okay, you have more time and really should see some of the picturesque countryside that surrounds the capital of Scotland.

Day 1: The Royal Mile & Old Town

After checking into a hotel or guest house, head straight to the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town. It stretches from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Along the way you can stop at the historic Gladstone's Land or St. Giles Cathedral, as well as the modern Scottish Parliament building. Take your time and be sure to wander down some of the narrow alleys and passageways that extend down the hill on either side of the Royal Mile, like ribs from a spine. Also, if you have time left over, check out the Grassmarket and take a detour to the Museum of Scotland.

Day 2: New Town & Scotland's National Galleries

Having a grip on Edinburgh's Old Town, it's time to move to the city's New Town, which dates to the late 1700s. Begin with the Princes Street Gardens and then move on to George Street, with its panoply of shops and stylish bars. Climb up to Calton Hill at the eastern end of New Town for the views and from the western side of the district, take in Charlotte Square or wander down to Stockbridge on the Water of Leith. Depending upon your legs, you can follow a path along the Water of Leith to the Dean Gallery, part of the capital National Galleries of Scotland. Catch the shuttle bus to any of the others, including the National Portrait Gallery or the main National Gallery of Scotland back in Princes Street Gardens.

Day 3: To Leith & the Southside

It is your last day, so let's move out of the city center and head to the sea. First stop, however, is the marvelous Royal Botanic Garden, where you might well spend a few hours wandering about the verdant paths. In Leith, you'll find the original port of Edinburgh, once an independent town in its own right. Diehard fans of golf should see Leith Links, one of the sport's historic landmarks or, if you are Royal fancier, go to see the Britannia, the yacht that Queen Elizabeth and family used until 1997. Come back towards central Edinburgh, but detour south to the Meadows and see some of the fine residential neighborhoods of Marchmont or Bruntsfield and get an idea of how Edinburghers live.

Day 4: Fife & Linlithgow

If you're up early, you might scale Arthur's Seat, the ancient volcano that rises up above Edinburgh. From there you can see the Firth of Clyde, and crossing it takes you into the so-called Kingdom of Fife. For a full-day's excursion, first go north to the seaside town of St. Andrews, world famous for its golf but also an important historic site of Christian pilgrimage and home of the first university in Scotland. Come back south along the coast, stopping briefly to see the excellent Scottish art collection in the Kirkcaldy Museum. After this, you'll have just enough time to head back across the Forth and get to Linlithgow and its ancient palace, the birthplace of one of Scotland's most iconic figures: Mary Queen of Scots.

Day 5: East Lothian

In the morning, head east out of the city for the town of North Berwick and its popular Scottish Seabird Centre, where, thanks to a host of video cameras dotting the nearby islands and coastal cliffs, you can see a range of avian and sea-life colonies. Other highlights of the region include two castle ruins, the romantic Dirleton, in the cute village of the same name, as well as the magnificent Tantallon on bluffs above the sea. Golf buffs may want to see Muirfield, although others will settle happily for a stroll around nearby Gullane village and its sandy beaches.

Day 6: South into the Borders

Make another early start and head south towards Melrose. This village has Melrose Abbey, which has inspired many -- including writer Sir Walter Scott. His home, Abbotsford, is next on the agenda. This mansion has a host of historical artifacts collected by Scott, and it is where he wrote many of his most enduring tales. Next up is the oldest continuously inhabited home in Scotland, the alluring Traquair House.

Day 7: Edinburgh's Other Attractions

Take it easy -- you've had a busy week. It's time to see some of the other attractions that Edinburgh has to offer. Take in any museums or galleries not yet hit, such as the Writer's Museum or Fruitmarket Gallery. How about the Edinburgh Zoo or if you really enjoyed Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, then you had better make the pilgrimage to Rosslyn Chapel on the southern fringes of the city. Otherwise, just hang out in Old Town or New Town.