Edinburgh: climb Arthur's Seat, and avoid August unless you want the Fringe

Arthur's Seat, the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, is a 45-minute climb from the Royal Mile with a view over the whole city and the Firth of Forth; go at sunrise or in the long summer evenings. In August the Fringe festival takes over, which is wonderful if you're there for it and expensive if you aren't: hotel prices triple. For the Old Town's atmosphere without crowds, walk Victoria Street and the closes off the Royal Mile early in the morning.