This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

Now home to a drinking establishment, this building has a macabre history.

A statue in the heart of Edinburgh honors a bear that served in the Polish military during World War II.

A sweet symbol marks the place where torturous executions were once carried out.

A secret garden in a picturesque Edinburgh village has inspired artists for centuries.

This 16th-century house tells the city's history through old artifacts and quirky tales.

A scattered trail of street art adds a pop of color to the city's stark structures.

A verdant 17th-century-style garden hidden along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

A labyrinthine network of chambers with a storied past hides below Edinburgh's South Bridge.

A familiar otherworldly creature guards this 12th-century Scottish abbey.

A beautiful Greco-Roman structure houses a well once believed to have healing powers.

An American ghost town hides along a side street in Scotland's capital.

This obscure walkway links Edinburgh’s Old Town with one of the city's prime vantage points.

Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.

The heads of two giant mythological water horses honor Scotland's horselord past.

Come for the oysters, stay for the priceless art honoring inventors across history and Scotland's favorite outdoor sports.

Large-scale contemporary artworks tower over fields and lurk in forests around a Jacobean manor house.

At high tide this strange footbridge appears to have no purpose whatsoever.

A church that bred legends, and served as an inspiration for the Da Vinci Code.

There are plenty of wonderful panoramic vistas in Edinburgh, but not many are hidden smack in the middle of the Old Town.

A book bound in the skin of an infamous criminal, along with countless other specimens.

Ancient cliffs resembling a kilt on Scotland's second largest island emit an entrancing sound.

Accessible only at low tide, the deserted island is dotted with World War II ruins.

A 18th century graveyard and its astonishing cortege of macabre iconography.