Fodor's Expert Review Duddingston Village

Tucked behind Arthur's Seat, and about a 45-minute walk through Holyrood Park, lies this small community, which still has the feel of a country village. The Duddingston Kirk has a Norman doorway and a watchtower that was built to keep body snatchers out of the graveyard; it overlooks Duddingston Loch, popular with bird-watchers. Pathways meander down to the lochside Dr Neil’s Garden, complete with the striking octagonal Thomson's Tower. Nearby, Edinburgh's oldest hostelry, the Sheep Heid Inn, serves a wide selection of beers and hearty food. It also has the oldest surviving skittle (bowling) alley in Scotland—once frequented (it's said) by Mary, Queen of Scots.