-Museums. On holiday in Edinburgh and the Lothians you could visit the Museum of Scotland and connected Royal Museum, which feature collections relating to Scotland’s history, with a wealth of archaeological artefacts, but also galleries devoted to natural history and geology. Art lovers should head for the high-profile National Gallery of Scotland and Scotland National Gallery of Modern Art.

-Landmarks. Edinburgh’s Old Town and its New Town are both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with immense historical interest. The Royal Mile can be found here, with the world-famous Edinburgh Castle, St Giles’ Cathedral, as well as the Abbey and Palace of Holyroodhouse, which holds the Queen’s extensive collection of art.

-Events. The Edinburgh Festival is the umbrella name for a variety of different festivals and events that take place in the city during the summer months. These include the sophisticated Edinburgh International Festival, as well as the Fringe Festival, which tends to be more off-beat and feature comedy performances.

-Golf. Since Golf originated not far from Edinburgh, it makes sense to enjoy a round at one of the numerous nearby courses. Some offer spectacular views of city landmarks like Edinburgh Castle. Two of the country’s most prestigious – Muirfield and Musselburgh are set here, while Gullane in East Lothian is home to three links courses of its own.

-Nightlife. Edinburgh with its cosmopolitan population offers some excellent dining, from Michelin-starred restaurants to traditional pubs, some of the best of which can be found in the Rose Street area. There are also plenty of lively nightspots, with nightclubs, music venues and all kinds of bars around Cowgate and Lothian Road.

Visiting a holiday home in Edinburgh and Lothians you can expect a temperate maritime climate, without any real extremes in summer or winter. The period from November to March brings highs that tend not to get above 10 degrees during the day, with lows just above freezing at night. There’s also a little more wet weather at this time of year. From April to August there’s much more sunshine, and maximum temperatures rise gradually from just above ten degrees in April to the high-teens in July and August.

Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is the busiest in Scotland and one of the busiest in the UK, with connections to cities throughout the UK and Europe, including Scandiavia, Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Once here, there’s an extensive road network, although congestion can be an issue during peak times. Public transport is provided by buses, which serve the centre, suburbs and Lothians, while there’s also a commuter rail line, the Edinburgh Crossrail. Edinburgh Waverley is the main station for inter-city rail travel – it’s on the East Coast line, from London to Aberdeen.

If you are looking to secure accommodation for two or three months, HomeAway offers a diverse range of short term rentals in Edinburgh located all across the city and its suburbs.