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August is the most exciting month to be in the capital of Scotland, as Edinburgh becomes the UK's festival city.
The Edinburgh International Festival was established in 1947 and is still ranked as one of the most important cultural celebrations in the world.
Indeed Edinburgh's festivals are a unique cultural phenomenon and each year they attract over 4 million people to the city.
Alongside the EIF run 10 other festivals including the infamous Edinburgh Festival Fringe - the largest arts festival in the world with live theatre, dance, physical theatre and comedy performances. There's anything up to 50,000 performances of over 3,500 shows staged in several hundred venues throughout the city. Independent researchers estimate that the festival events together generate around over a billion pounds for Scotland's economy. So Edinburgh's festivals will be the highlight of 2024 in Scotland's capital city and we have more about that later, but Edinburgh is somewhere that's good to visit all year round!
SIGHTSFrom medieval Old Town with Castle, Vaults and Royal Mile, to Georgian New Town with its stucco squares, this "Athens of the North" blends historic heritage with living culture and even boasts its very own extinct volcano, called Arthur's Seat. To get an impression of this city, upon arrival, head up Calton Hill, found at the EastEnd of Princes Street. Handy Hint: It is PRINCES STREET not PRINCESS STREET. Locals are very particular about this.It isn't hard to spot seeing as how it has half a pillared building built on top of it. This isn't a ruin, Edinburgh just ran out of money whilst it was being built and since has been known as Edinburgh's folly. The climb isn't a climb as such, more a stroll and then you can look upon the vista of fair Edinburgh. Over on your left, or South, is the Old Town, a fantastic jumble of turreted old houses piled atop each other. When Edinburgh was first built, it had a huge marsh next to it, now Princes Street Gardens and nobody could figure out how to build across it so they had to accommodate the population by building upwards, and what you have today are windy cobbled streets and narrow alleys leading to the nicest selection of shops and cafes. In complete contrast, straight ahead is the New Town, planned and laid out in grand Georgian style with wide streets and imposing, perfectly proportioned buildings. If you're thinking of shopping Princes Street is the main thoroughfare, but really is best avoided. Go a couple of streets parallel and you'll find George Street, calmer and a touch classier. Further over again and you'll hit Stockbridge which has a nice selection of cafes and boutique-esque type things. TOURIST FUNCheck out the world's largest collection of Scotch whisky, at the Old Town Scotch Whisky Experience, near ancient St. Giles' Cathedral, the eye-teasing Camera Obscura and Writers' Museum. For art, visit the Scottish National Gallery, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and Scottish National Portrait Gallery. For history, try the National Museum of Scotland, Museum of Edinburgh, People's Story, Museum of Childhood, quirky well-nigh gory Surgeons' Hall Museum - or any of a host of informative, oft-spooky, walking tours out touting for trade! |
Edinburgh from Calton Hill. Photo courtesy: VisitScotland
| Relax in leafy Princes Street Gardens - seemingly a million miles away from all the shops just up on the road - in which park, if you muster the energy, you can also climb the Scott Monument for fab views. Tour the old Palace of Holyroodhouse and new Scottish Parliament nearby; plus check out the vibrant Dynamic Earth exhibition whilst down that way! |
Edinburgh Castle. Photo courtesy: VisitScotland
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Take a leafy stroll along the banks of the narrow Water of Leith - stopping off at the picturesque Stockbridge district, plus the
splendid Royal Botanic Garden with its mighty trees, hedges and glasshouses - to quaint old Leith itself, home to the majestically moored Royal Yacht Britannia.
For entertainment, you can see a show all year round at one of Edinburgh's main venues - like the Festival Theatre, Playhouse, Traverse, Usher Hall or Royal Lyceum. If you enjoy dance, check out the Scottish Ballet - or maybe even the magnificent Northern Ballet who regular tour Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. SCENEEdinburgh's scene is best described as small and compact, all contained at the top end of Leith Walk, but it is a lot of fun. Most of the gay action happens in the Broughton locale around folly-filled Calton Hill, with its Nelson Monument vantage - up which great views abound, and men oft take airs. | |
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At the foot of Calton Hill are the pubs and bars that keep pumping tunes and booze into the wee small hours.
The excellent LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre can also be found here.
Pride Edinburgh (formally Scotia) organises their annual event each June to celebrate diversity and inclusion in the capital city and beyond. |  Pride Scotia by S. Yu Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0     .
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| The Street in Picardy Place is a good starting point. It's a sleek contemporary bar hosting quizzes and DJ sessions in the downstairs nightclub space. Nearby is the stylish Planet Bar & Kitchen in Baxter's Place which also has DJ sessions and is a bit of an institution that goes head-to-head with buzzing-to-the-rafters Habana a few doors down. It's a lively LGBT hangout turning out cocktails in a contemporary, bi-level setting with plenty of disco balls. Away from the main bustle, try The Regent for comfortable sofas, quirky decor and relaxed ambiance in a gay bar serving guest ales and pub food. | |
| So, you've had a few and so at last it seems a good idea to head up to CC Blooms on Greenside Place. You'll end up there no matter how convinced you are that you won't! It will be packed and very mixed, both in gender and age, which is a good thing. Latecomers on their way from the old town, have to dodge around the castle, then across Princes St, onto Queen St and York Place and you're there. |  Edinburgh Castle View - Photo: OutUK |
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Upstairs it is slightly quieter, but as this is only in comparison to the packedness of downstairs, don't be envisioning anything too quiet! The drinks are cheap, the music is cheesy and everyone seems to know everyone else. Give yourself a couple of nights and you'll look like a seasoned local too. Finally, nip down stairs. Now, I was there during the Edinburgh Festival and I appreciate that it is a bit busier in those days but really, how many people can you cram into that tiny space? You sweat like you have never sweated before but you have a brilliant laugh. And that really is what CC's is about in essence. It is not a 'credible' club but it is a place to go and get wasted and have a big smile on your face whilst doing so. And some of the boys are rather tasty too. To work up a sweat, Steamworks Sauna Edinburgh offers cabins for hire with your own double locker, TV, USB charging sockets and lockable door. Their darkroom is fully dark and they have a video room with two large screens, a play area, dark area and glory holes. They have special themed days through the week, including a naked day on Wednesday. Still restless? We doubt if any of the world's great cruising grounds can boast a classier name than the Royal Terrace Gardens - a long stretch of landscaped slope, brimming with lolling men. And few can claim the 360-degree panoramic, aforementioned manly vantage just behind it, up Calton Hill, with stars above and the Scottish capital's own twinkling lamps flickering away beneath. FESTIVAL FROLICS | |
 Assembly's George Square Gardens Photo: OutUK | The best time to go to the Scottish capital is definitely during the Edinburgh Festival in August. In fact the month sees 12 festivals going on all at the same time including, International, Book, Film, Science and Art but most famously the Festival Fringe. You should plan well ahead because there are around two million tickets sold for this event and accomodation can be tricky to find and very expensive. |
| With so many shows to choose from, where do you start? Assembly puts on the very best selection of shows and you'd do worse to start with their fine selection of comedy, theatre and music. They will be staging shows for 27 days from Wednesday 31st July to the Bank Holiday Monday the 26th. | |
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Amongst the gay offerings this year is the Edinburgh Fringe debut of actress, comedian and content-creator Dylan Mulvaney in Dylan Mulvaney: F*G HAG. As a
trans rights activist, Mulvaney has documented her journey on her social media upsetting many conservatives.
The Edinburgh Fringe favourite Reuben Kaye, returns with his variety show The Kaye Hole, as well the UK debut of his show Reuben Kaye: Live and Intimidating in the Palais du Variété in Assembly George Square Gardens. |
 Reuben Kaye Photo: Assembly Festival |
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The legendary drag Ghost-Whisperer will return with Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung!, Ricky Sim will return with his stand-up storytelling show An Asian
Queer Story: Coming Out to Dead People, and Andrew White will be Young, Gay and a Third Thing in his new hour of stand-up material that tackles
identity, authenticity, and Musical Theatre themed weddings.
Queen of the Fringe - Camille O'Sullivan is back for her 20th Fringe season, paying tribute to dearly departed artists that have influenced her, including Shane McGowan, Sinead O'Connor, Leonard Cohen, and David Bowie. There's also a new KC & the Sunshine Band musical, Who Do Ya Love?, and a solo musical called The Imitator. There's lots for you to enjoy and the key to getting the most from the festival is to plan your timetable in advance. Leave yourself plenty of time between shows to navigate your way from one venue to another and make sure you enjoy something to eat or drink on the way. STAYTo find information about great accommodation offers, booking your city break to Edinburgh, or things to see and do in the city, visit www.visitscotland.comYou can reach Edinburgh from London in less than 5 hours by LNER. There are some deals to be had online if you catch less popular trains.
Revised June 2024. | |
