It may only rank third in Scotland when it comes to size, but when it comes to location and architecture, Aberdeen gives Edinburgh and Glasgow a run for their money. Built on the banks of the rivers Dee and Don around a working harbour, Aberdeen is a city, which, hewn from granite, literally sparkles.

Much of the iconic architecture that spawned the ‘Granite City’ moniker dates back to the Victorian era. The heart of Old Aberdeen lies across the Brig O’Balgownie (one of the oldest bridges in Britain), where you will find King’s College and its famous dome-crowned tower.

Oil and tourism
Aberdeen is widely known as the ‘Oil Capital of Europe’, thanks to the discovery of North Sea oil back in the 1970s. This find transformed the city from one of the poorest in the UK to one of the richest. A cosmopolitan vibe, flourishing arts scene and lively café culture accompanied this meteoric transformation.

With North Sea oil production in decline, Aberdeen has turned its attention to tourism, with Donald Trump’s £1 billion golf complex (the ‘world’s greatest golf course’), which will be built on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire, given the green light in November 2008.

When to go
Thanks to its east-coast location, Aberdeen is one of the sunniest places in Scotland. Spring and summer are ideal times to visit the area’s excellent beaches and golf courses. Crisp, clear days lend autumn and winter their own appeal.

The origin of the name ‘Edinburgh' may be uncertain, but whether it is a corruption of Edwin's Burgh or from the Gaelic ‘din Eidyn' (meaning ‘Eidyn's Hill Fort'), what is clear is that these days the Scottish capital is a city on an inexorable rise.

The ‘Festival City' buzzes with life year round, be it the fireworks and concerts of the world famous New Year Hogmanay street party or the flurry of arts extravaganzas that burst through the cobbled streets of the old and new towns during the Edinburgh Festival in August.

Edinburgh is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in northern Europe, and its current renaissance can be traced back as recently as 1999, when the Scottish parliament convened for the first time in 300 years in the city. Throw in the worldwide exposure of the MTV Awards in 2003 and the recognition of UNESCO World Heritage listed Edinburgh as the first UNESCO World City Of Literature in 2005 and it is clear this is indeed a city on the move.

It is easy to see what attracts visitors to Edinburgh with one of Europe's most charming old cores complementing a ‘New Town', much of which itself dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. To the south rise the Pentland Hills and in the north the city is flanked by the Firth of Forth and its sprinkling of uninhabited islands.

The city has over the last couple of decades really established itself as a leading international centre for business, finance and education. After London, it is the most important financial centre in Britain with the opening in 2005 of the impressive new Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in the west of city, a potent symbol of ‘New Edinburgh'.

The city also has four universities. The oldest, the University of Edinburgh, was established in 1583. Although it has traditionally had a more conservative image than other Scottish cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh is still a wildly exciting, forward-looking capital, full of art, culture, history and beauty. It has manifold art galleries and museums, five major performing-arts theatres and a year-round calendar of international festivals.

The busiest season for tourists in Edinburgh is summer (between July and September) and particularly in August, for the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival, when the city is abuzz with cultural activity. There are also the lively Fringe Festival, Military Tattoo and the Book, Film and Jazz Festivals, which run concurrently with the main event.

No matter how busy Edinburgh gets, it is still a remarkably green oasis of parkland with its own botanical garden. Also within the City of Edinburgh's boundaries are the remarkable Forth rail and road bridges, which preside over South Queensferry, a small borough that offers a perfect escape from the increasing big city buzz of Scotland's go-ahead capital.

Glasgow has seen more changes in the past two decades than almost any other British city. From a declining industrial centre with widespread pessimism about its future, Scotland’s biggest city has been transformed into a forward-looking city hailed as one of the hippest spots in Europe.

A large student population has given the city a youthful, progressive character and, with thumping nightlife, one of the strongest live music scenes in the UK, plus first-rate shopping. Glasgow continues to assert itself as one of Britain’s most appealing destinations.

City of Culture
With an outstanding art gallery and several excellent museums as a starting point, Glasgow was chosen as a European City of Culture in 1990. You can see Glasgow’s tradition of great design in the classical architecture of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and the organic, art nouveau style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Today, Glasgow’s School of Art continues to produce world-class talent.

History
Glasgow has a proud history – the long list of inventors, engineers, writers and architects of the 19th and 20th centuries were part of the driving force of industrialisation, tamed by socially progressive values in the ’second city’ of the British Empire.

Glasgow was an important shipbuilding centre and well known for its Clydeside engineering works. Despite the decline of this industry and years of ensuing malaise, Glasgow has bounced back with a definite spring in its step. In 2014, the city will play host to the 20th Commonwealth Games.