Witchery

Located in a historic 16th Century building by the gates of Edinburgh Castle, the Witchery restaurant on the Royal Mile looks very festive and inviting.  It takes its name from the hundreds of women who were burned at the stake on Castle Hill for being witches during the 18th & 17th Centuries.  More witches were put to death here than anywhere else in Scotland.  Inside, there are heraldic painted and gilded ceilings, like those in the Palace of Holyrood.  Tapestries hang on the panelled oak walls (the oak was salvaged from a fire at nearby St. Giles Cathedral and some came from a chateau in Burgundy).  The Baronial style is finished with gilded leather screens, tapestries, red upholstery and antique church candlesticks.  The Witchery has been a destination for many celebrities on visits to Edinburgh such as Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Ewan MacGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Vivienne Westwood, Jacques Villeneuve to name but a few.  Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has described this as 'the prettiest restaurant ever'.  The restaurant also has 9 luxurious theatrical-themed suites which feature in magazines as one of the worlds most romantic destinations.  Once the festive season is over I might treat myself to dinner sometime to see what all the fuss is about.