At the base of the Mound, next to the Royal Scottish Academy, you'll find Edinburgh's two traditional Christmas Markets. One's a genuine import from Germany; the other's from the Highlands here at home, and both offer a mix of unusual gifts and truly irresistible food. The German market, in particular, is a great place to gather for mulled wine and tasty hot treats on a chilly winter night.

German Christmas Market

Tight-packed, bustling and homely, the timeless German Market is the very definition of good Christmas cheer. Whether gift-hunting, house-dressing or just in search of a snack, the market's pretty wooden stalls always turn up the goods. And the whole thing's authentically Deutsch - it closes early on Christmas Eve so the traders can fly home to their families.

Be warned, though: you're unlikely to leave with your wallet untouched. For your home, there are quaint wooden decorations and gorgeous ceramic candle houses. For those hard-to-buy-for relatives, try the quirky, lovable metal figurines. Bored of the same old Christmas cake? Pick up some genuine German Stollen. With each of 20-odd stalls selling a different type of goods, you can while away a happy hour or more in shameless seasonal browsing.

Eating and drinking: Alongside the Christmas trinkets, the German market thrives on its wide range of food stalls. There are, it goes without saying, many types of sausage; the more adventurous could try Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes and bacon, served with a herby sauce) or, of course, Sauerkraut.  On the liquid side there's a small bar selling German beer, but the most popular stall of all is the one with the Gluhwein: mulled wine with schnapps, the perfect way to unwind with friends on a crisp winter's day.

The Highland Village Market

Go through the gate into the gardens, towards the Christmas wheel, to find the city's second Christmas market - this time a slightly-tenuous recreation of a Scottish Highland village, arranged around a spacious central "square".

Perhaps understandably, the newer zone hasn't yet achieved the atmosphere or coherence of its German neighbour. Still, it's a chilled-out place to mooch around: the emphasis is on local crafts, with knitwear, jewellery and glassware among the treats on offer. 

Eating and Drinking: In the heart of the market, the Highland theme continues with "stag" (venison) burgers from local favourites Well Hung and Tender - or for a lighter snack, you could do a lot worse than visit the cheese toastie stall.  Hunt out the hot mead for an unusual departure from the usual mulled wine.