The Clock Tower above Balmoral Hotel at the Waverly Station

You can always keep track of time whenever you visit Princes Street owing to the big clock tower standing on the ex- North British Railway Hotel, at the Eastern side of the Street. This hotel was constructed as a section of the Waverly Station which was Edinburgh’s central terminal with links to Glasgow and other cities in England.

The Clock Tower above Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by Michael Coghlan

Scott Monument, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

To come up with the design for this structure, a competition was held in 1837 and it managed to attract a total of 55 entrants. George Meikle Kemp was crowned the winner and he came up with a gigantic Victorian Gothic tower to envelope Sir Walter Scott’s statue. Scott was born in Edinburgh, and was a famous author across English speaking nations, having written novels such as “Rob Roy” and “Ivanhoe.” The construction of this historical monument was complete in 1846.

The Scott Monument, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by Schatir

Nelson Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh

This monument was mounted on top of the Calton Hill, from the period ranging 1807-1815, as a commemoration of Horatio Nelson’s 1805 triumph at the Battle of Trafalgar. Its design resembles the shape of the famous telescope that Nelson once owned. In the year 1853, a time ball was erected at the tip of the monument by the same people who constructed London’s time ball at the Greenwich Observatory.

Bank of Scotland, Head Office

The Bank of Scotland, which towers over the Princes Street Gardens, is an attractive spot, particularly during the night when the floodlights are switched on. Most people believe that the Baroque building was constructed as an integrated plan, but it was actually constructed in phases for the duration of over 60 years, starting with Richard Crichton and Robert Reid’s initial building done in 1806. In the 1860s a copper clad dome, relatively similar to the one in Karlskirche Vienna, was added to both the top and the side wings. The face of the monument, seen in the current time, is a tribute to one of its designers, David Bryce, who is credited for adapting the 60 year old building into an entirely new work of art.

Bank of Scotland, Castle and Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by Matt Riggott

St. John’s Church Tower

This building was constructed for three years (1815-1818) to the designs of William Burn. It is largely inspired by the Early English and Norman Gothic architecture. However, its design does not resemble those of the Perpendicular Revival Gothic churches of the 1800s which are normally characterized by lofty towers with spires piercing into the skies. Instead, the St. John’s Tower resembles the buildings of the University of Cambridge, Oxford or the Magdalene College.

Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse

This facility was also constructed by different architects during its different stages of development. Work on the building began in 1854 by the architectural designer, George Rae, as a one-storey building. It was later expanded in 1866 and 1882 as it was, on both occasions, deemed too small to serve its purpose. The final work was done in 1900, and it is still what we see today.

Rob loves his camper van and he loves to travel – so visit us here at travelersguidetobritain.com for some top tips from this seasoned travel blogger as he writes from the back of the camper and beyond.

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Charles bridge, Prague, Czech Republic / photo by admin

Ease of Access

Europe being one the hottest destination for culture, tradition, arts and modern science has got its connections to the entire world. This continent is connected from the entire globe through the airways. Almost all parts of the globe run its daily flights to this place and there are few travel agencies on the net which offer huge discounts to the tourists and added advantages too.

Fair Accommodation

Europe is one of the wealthiest places on the surface. But, do not be disappointed if you are travelling on budget. This place has got all types of accommodations starting from the most expensive and luxurious villas to the dormitories. You can make your choice depending on the budget and they offer perfect safety. However it is always advisable to make the reservations in advance to have the best of the trip.

Tasty Food

The entire continent of Europe is known for its food. This food has amazing blend of taste, flavor and smell. There are wide variety of range in the dishes which are made of both the veggies and the non vegetarians. If you are diet conscious then make sure you make alternate arrangements for the food and watch out before you load your plate because the European dishes are filled with calories.

Venice, Italy / photo by admin

Endless list of places to visit

Europe has got more than nine thousand places in which every place has got numerous places to visit which have museums, art galleries, science exhibits, historical places, nature spots, adventure locations, amusement parks and wide list of places to know the tradition and culture of Europe.

Advantage to American and Canadian citizens

Visiting Europe has an advantage to American and Canadian citizens. It is not mandatory to have a visa to enter most of the countries in Europe for American and Canadian citizens. It means that they can cross the borders with an ease and that will even save them a lots of money in case of visas.

More perfect to visit during winters

If you are in a plan to pay a visit to Europe in winter, then you can have the complete experience of Europe. The weather here in winders is just simply superb. Most of the shopping areas also have heavy discount sales here during this time of the year. Make sure you carry enough luggage bags, because you can never end your shopping the world’s famous brands here.

The final words

The localities here are very friendly and they just like spending time with the tourists. You will get a chance to know Europe like a localities and have the complete fun of being here.

Raj is Freelance writer and travel blogger. Check more about him on his travel blogs  – Besttravelblogs.info and http://www.usfriendsofchalmers.com

The post 7 Reasons to visit Europe appeared first on Best of European Union.

Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site.

View Rhodes island – one of the best tourist destinations in Europe Greece in a larger map

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