Dunfermline was the capital of Scotland for much of the medieval period, and the royal connections are still very much in evidence — Dunfermline Abbey was the burial place of Scottish kings and queens for five centuries, including Robert the Bruce, whose tomb lies in the nave. Next to the abbey, the ruins of Dunfermline Palace mark the site of a royal residence where Charles I was born in 1600, the last Scottish-born king of Britain. This concentration of history in a tight area of the old town makes Dunfermline an unexpectedly rewarding destination.
The other great story here is Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate and philanthropist who was born in a weaver's cottage in 1835 and went on to give away the equivalent of billions to libraries, universities, and public causes. Carnegie's birthplace is preserved as the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, telling the story of his life from Dunfermline weaver's son to the richest man in the world. The world's first public library funded by Carnegie stands nearby — the Dunfermline Carnegie Library, now expanded into a contemporary galleries complex, was the beginning of a programme that eventually produced nearly 3,000 Carnegie libraries worldwide.
Pittencrieff Park — known locally as "The Glen" — occupies a ravine running through the heart of the city, containing both the palace ruins and a substantial area of wooded parkland that Carnegie himself bought in 1902 and gave to the people of Dunfermline. It is one of the finest urban parks in Scotland. The park includes the ruins of Malcolm Canmore's Tower, where Shakespeare's Duncan is traditionally said to have held court (a historical stretch, but an atmospheric spot).
Dunfermline is a working-class Fife city rather than a tourist town, and it does not dress itself up as one. Accommodation options are limited compared to Edinburgh — 30 minutes east by train — making it an easy and very worthwhile day trip from the capital. The Queensferry Crossing and the Forth Road Bridge are visible from various points around the city, a reminder that Dunfermline sits at the northern approach to one of the great entries into Scotland.