Bellevue is on the northern edge of the New Town, between Broughton, Canonmills and Stockbridge, and is only a few minutes’ walk from Princes Street and George Street, with their museums, galleries, shops and eating and drinking places. In the immediate neighbourhood, there is an array of small independent shops and bars, cafés and restaurants. The apartment is well placed for the main galleries and museums and is a 10-minute walk from the airport tram terminus. It’s a short walk to the Royal Mile and the Castle via the New Town and North Bridge and the Mound. Beyond the shops and eating and drinking places of Canonmills lies the Royal Botanic Garden.
The
New Town was laid out in the early eighteenth century and encompasses the geometric streets between Great King Street to the north and Princes Street to the south and Broughton Street to the east and Charlotte Square to the west; it is a complete contrast to the medieval irregularity of the Old Town. The New Town is mainly residential but there are lots of independent shops, galleries, bars and restaurants to discover, especially around Broughton Street, Dundas Street and Thistle Street.
On Queen Street, at the top of Broughton Street, the
Scottish National Portrait Gallery tells the story of Scotland and her people through a wealth of imagery including portraits of famous historical figures through to more recent pioneers in science, sport and the arts. The
Scottish National Gallery on Princes Street holds the national collection of fine art from the early Renaissance to the end of the nineteenth century. The
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is a short bus ride away and houses the outstanding national collection of modern and contemporary art. You can also walk to the Gallery of Modern Art via the Water of
Leith walkway. The
Water of Leith is Edinburgh’s hidden natural asset. Flowing for 24 miles from its source in the
Pentland Hills, the river winds its way through the heart of the city to its outflow in
Leith. The river can be explored on foot or bike along the Water of
Leith Walkway. At the top of Rodney Street on Mansfield Place,
Mansfield Traquair Centre, a former church, earns its nickname of Edinburgh's Sistine Chapel from its murals by Phoebe Anna
Traquair.
Edinburgh's East Village is the area centred on Broughton Street, one of the city’s most characterful streets, which is a continuation of Rodney Street. Broughton Street is home to lots of pubs, from the traditional Barony Bar (which hosts regular music nights), Mather’s and the Cask and Barrel, to more trendy options like Treacle and The Street. There is a great selection of independent shops, including Moleta Munro, Life Story, Curiouser and Curiouser for design; Coco for handmade chocolate. If you want to eat out you can chose from cafés like the Broughton Deli and restaurants like L’Escargot Bleu and the Olive Branch. If you want to do your own cooking, Broughton Street has some of the city’s best specialist food shops, including Real Foods (whole food and health shop), Something Fishy (fishmonger), and Crombie’s (butcher).
Turn left at the top of Broughton Street and you’re on colourful Leith Walk, the long avenue that links Edinburgh and the port of Leith: foodie delicatessens rub shoulders with greasy-spoon cafés and you can go from Italy to China in the space of a few blocks. Leith Walk is the umbrella name for a series of differently named streets and terraces. On Elm Row at the top of Leith Walk is Valvona & Crolla, one of Britain's top Italian foodshops. The shopfront boasts 'Founded in 1934, Origins in 1860s', and those years of tradition are evident the minute you step inside: hams hang from the ceiling, floor-to-ceiling shelves strain with Mediterranean delicacies and you can often hear Italian being spoken. The shop is still owned and run by descendants of the Crollas and Valvonas who set it up in the 1930s. The shop also has a café, where you can sample the cuisine of Mary Contini, one of Britain's premiere food writers and chefs. The shop plays a role in the Edinburgh Festival each August, when it becomes a venue for Italian music and drama. The Shore, Leith's waterfront area, once decaying, is now enjoying a renaissance. Many of the old industrial buildings have been converted in to apartments and offices to house a new generation of residents and businesses. There are lots of great places to eat and drink, which come in to their own in the summer, when they spill out in to the streets; you can even eat and drink al fresco.
4 Star
Sleeps up to 6
Free Wi-fi
Second floor (no lift)
Gas central heating
Freeview
Hairdryer
Iron
Private parking
Shops within 50 metres
Linen/towels provided
Non-smoking
Children welcome
Cot/Highchair on request
No pets allowed
Dishwasher
Tumble dryer
Shaver point
Fridge
Freezer
Shower
Microwave
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