Edinburgh, Scotland

Nicknamed ‘Athens of the North’ by the thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment, Edinburgh is a city of philosophy, fine arts and high-brow literature; set against a backdrop of ancient castle battlements, dramatic crags and green hills overlooking the sea, and the ancient Greek acropolis-inspired monuments.

Fresh blood arrives each September, as it has for centuries, to attend the world famous University, injecting the spirit of Botox into the wrinkles of the year. History is not forgotten in text books; it is still being lived, with new chapters being written constantly. No matter how old Edinburgh gets, it will never be fuddy-duddy.

As diverse as it is old: students fill the bars and taverns in hoards, and come summer, the famous Edinburgh festival brings thousands of performers, writers, artists and many others to its cobbled streets, wanting to soak up the buzzing, creative atmosphere. Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy has named Edinburgh her favourite city – as if any further evidence of the cities poetic majesty were needed.