Edinburgh is built on three extinct volcanoes, giving it a vertical drama that few cities of half a million inhabitants can match. The Old Town and New Town together form a UNESCO-protected site since 1995, but the difference between their two characters is enormous — Gothic towers and narrow alleyways give way to elegant Georgian boulevards the moment you cross Princes Street. August brings the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, three weeks of the world's largest arts festival during which the city is physically unrecognizable from the crowds. Outside the festival season, Edinburgh operates at slower, more accessible rhythms — and off-season the city is considerably calmer and easier to explore than its reputation suggests.
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