Flybe’s new scheduled services between Manston and Edinburgh have opened up exciting new travel opportunities. Trevor Sturgess took off to the Scottish capital to find out why

To be strolling along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to the sound of bagpipes barely two hours after leaving Kent would once have seemed incredible.

But the splendid Flybe daily service between Kent International Airport and the elegant Scottish capital has made it all possible.

There is hardly enough time to finish an on-board New York Deli Bloomer created by TV chef James Martin before your Bombardier Q400 is banking over the Firth of Forth, giving you great views of the Forth Bridge, so evocative of John Buchan’s thriller The 39 Steps, before touching down at the bustling Edinburgh airport.

No more dicing with motorway queues en route to Gatwick, Heathrow or Stansted. And no more changing stations in London and the long railway journey north.

If you drive to Manston, the car park is just 100 yards from the terminal. In just a minute, you are at check-in - Bliss.

Edinburgh is so crammed with attractions that you need at least two days to scratch the surface. Spend longer there if you can, but it is still well worthwhile if you can’t.

Passengers visit Scotland for many reasons. On our flight, one was off to see a relative, a couple off to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews. Business people will value the new service. Others, like us, just wanted a weekend away.

But I’m sure that Edinburgh will also soon begin to rival Prague or Portugal for stag and hen parties.

This tourist honeypot is full of surprises, from the 19th century monuments on Calton Hill – a volcano 340 million years ago and Britain’s first public park in the 18th century - to the native Italian official and Polish lady manning desks in the tourist information office.

Edinburgh is a proud, high-profile city. It has entered our bloodstream through the annual Tattoo, the International Festival and Fringe, and rugby from Murrayfield.

Be sure to go up the 287 steps of the Scott Monument, its blackened stone dominating Princes Street. Sir Walter’s literary work put Edinburgh on the international map, with the magnificent Waverley Bridge - named after one of his most famous novels - underlining his importance to the development of this fine city.

For shopaholics, Princes Street teems with big-name retailers. Jenners, the so-called Harrods of the North and now part of House of Fraser, retains its Victorian splendour.

For designer shops like Karen Millen, go to George Street, parallel with Princes Street but less crowded. It is at the heart of New Town, the most complete example of Georgian architecture and planning in Europe and dubbed Edinburgh’s Bond Street.

Pause a moment from shopping and look up at the imposing castle that dominates the Edinburgh skyline. If you have the energy, climb the steps and streets to the castle, built high on volcanic rock and giving panoramic views across the city to the mountains beyond.

Edinburgh boasts a library of literary heroes, including Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ian Rankin, J K Rowling, Irving Walsh, Alexander McCall Smith and Ian Banks. Take a literary tour to find out more. Edinburgh is the first UNESCO city of literature, as well as a world heritage site.

A prime example of public spending excess is the Scottish Parliament – estimate £50m, actual cost £414m - but admire the result. It’s a handsome building with a bright airy debating chamber. It gives a warm welcome to visitors, with little of the Westminster security hassle. Close by is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.

A short break is over all too quickly but thankfully Flybe has made it so easy to repeat the exercise.

FACTFILE

Airlink shuttle buses leave every 10 minutes for the city centre. £3.50 single, £6 return (child £2 and £3.50) A £3 ticket gives you freedom for a day on Lothian Buses.

The Edinburgh Pass gives free entry to more than 30 attractions and costs £26.50 for a day (child £17).

Edinburgh Tattoo is from August 6 to 28.

Edinburgh International Festival runs from August 13 to September 5

Nelson’s Monment, in Calton Hill has a £3 entry fee.

For the Witchery Tours, call 0131 225 6745.

Edinburgh Zoo covers 800 acres and has 127 kinds of animals, with the daily penguin parade a family favourite.

A good, reasonably priced seafood restaurant is the Mussel Inn in Rose Street.

Trevor Sturgess stayed at The George Hotel, George Street. (telephone: 0131 225 1251 or go to www.principal-hayley.com/thegeorge

Flybe flights leave Manston at 12.45pm (16.45pm Saturday) and Edinburgh at 10.50pm (14.50pm Saturday). Book flights atflybe.com