Edinburgh – Europe's new capital of cool in pictures

The Winter Wonderland attraction in Edinburgh
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell's Portrait of a Lady in Black, which is on show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Photograph: Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

The Scottish parliament, Holyrood
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

The Edinburgh military tattoo Photograph: Callum Bennetts/Rex Features

A visitor at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, which reopened in December following an ambitious expansion project
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

The Old Town of Edinburgh looking across North Bridge to Arthurs Seat in the Queens Park
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

Princess Merida in the much-hyped Disney-Pixar film Brave, will bring stars to the city and introduce a generation of children to the romance of Scotland Photograph: Allstar

The ongoing work on the Edinburgh tram line near Haymarket station Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in One Day, which was filmed in Edinburgh Photograph: Allstar

The Balmoral Hotel and Prince's Street seen from Calton Hill in Edinburgh's Old Town
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

Opera di Nepotist's Into The Woods, at the Edinburgh Fringe Photograph: Murdo Macleod

A member of staff looks at Titian's Diana and Callisto at the National Gallery in London. The National Gallery of Scotland and the National Gallery have announced the joint acquisition of the painting for £45m Photograph: ANDY RAIN/EPA

The newly expanded Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, with a Charles Jencks sculptured landscape and water feature
Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Observer

The newly renovated original wing of the National Museum of Scotland
Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Observer