The National Gallery of Scotland is a bit hard to miss, the twinned neo-classical structures of the National Gallery and Royal Scottish Academy sitting hunched right in the middle of the tacit division between Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns.

The National Gallery sports a modest collection compared to the larger galleries in London and the various European capitals. It is certainly friendlier than many of these though, its small size allowing the casual visitor to see most of what it has to offer in a couple of hours before going for coffee at one of the great cafes in the nearby Old Town.

Highlights include some fantastic works by the Dutch and Italian masters - including a Raphael - as well as the small but gem-filled Impressionist collection, which includes works by Cezanne, Monet, Degas and Pizarro. The section that makes the gallery unique though is definitely the Scottish Collection which really deserves a review all its own. Great place to spend a quiet afternoon.

Unlike the accompanying Royal Scottish Academy, which hosts changing exhibitions (and charges entrance fees), the National Gallery is free, and although it does feature changing exhibitions (such as the excellent recent William Blake exhibition) it's main attraction is the permanent collection, covering several centuries (for example in one visit you can enjoy the works both of Raphael and Gaugin) and countries of origin. However, alongside the international works you might also be particularly interested in the extensive collection of Scottish art. Another plus-point is the managable size of the gallery, which can probably be appreciated in its entirety in about two hours. In addition the complex has great facilities, such as the cafe looking out over the Princes Street Gardens, and the computer system where you can search the collection online.