Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland

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Where history takes a turn. Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland

Technicolour shopfronts, an elegant curve and a double-decker layout—this is Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. This street was built between 1829 and 1834 as part of a plan to modernise the city and improve access to Grassmarket from George IV Bridge. The architect, Thomas Hamilton, took one look at the steep hill and decided to lean into it—literally—designing a graceful curve that follows the natural contour of the land. He even added a terrace of arched shops on the upper level, creating a sort of two-tiered retail sandwich.

Independent shops rule here. Everything from artisan cheese and handmade fudge to tweed jackets and tarot cards can be found here. There's also The Red Door Gallery for local art lovers and Museum Context—a must for fans of a certain boy wizard. Victoria Street is often said to have inspired Diagon Alley from the 'Harry Potter' series, though this connection has never been officially confirmed. Up above, the curve continues with the upper terrace, known as West Bow. Once the site of public executions, Grassmarket is now home to cafés and stores with less grim reputations. The layering of shops above and below gives Victoria Street its unique visual punch. And if you're lucky, you might catch one of the city's talented buskers adding a soundtrack to your stroll. So, just be careful—you might fall head over heels. And not just because it's steep.