Edinburgh

I’ve travelled to some of the most wonderful cities in the world: Paris, Rome, Vienna, yet I still maintain that the most beautiful city you could ever visit is my home town Edinburgh. Despite being known as the least friendly city in Scotland (completely untrue!) part of what makes Edinburgh so amazing is its huge mix of vibrant, interesting people. It’s a very creative city, partly down to its hosting of the world’s biggest arts festival The Fringe each year, which means whilst walking around Edinburgh the eccentric locals are often distracting from the historic buildings. Take a walk up the cities Royal Mile (a mile long stretch between Holyrood Palace and The Castle) to spot Elaine, the world’s most pierced lady or in Spring walk across the Meadows and watch fire eaters prepare for Pagan festival The Beltane. The huge number of visitors that flood the city each year, some who stay for a week, others a life time means the city is extremely multi cultural- with everyone who stays leaving behind a small part of themselves in the atmosphere. However, it can be hard for newcomers to break away from the well beaten tourist track and see the real Edinburgh, still as breath taking but also grittier: a place where junkies reside next to politicians and graffiti masks ancient city walls.
Cheesy as it is the one thing I always recommend to visitors when they arrive is to spend their first day on a tour bus, though make sure they get a live guide rather than a recorded commentary on headphones. It’s the best way to get to know the complex architecture of the city and to get a real feel of the main streets and as the guides are often out of work actors from the city they provide first class entertainment with the funniest of facts.
On sunny days the city just shines, and one of the best places to enjoy a picnic lunch is Princes Street gardens, under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Meadows is the more popular park for locals with free badminton courts and excellent cycle routes.
The Royal Mile is the mile long stretch between Holyrood Palace (where the Queen sleeps when she comes to stay) and Edinburgh Castle. It’s a real hub of activity and although completely over run with tourists no visit to Edinburgh would be complete without walking the mile. Start at the bottom, and if you’re a real history nut a tour of the Palace is worth the money as you can’t even get in to see the outside of the palace and its fairy tale turrets without paying. Next door is the Scottish parliament, an unusual and highly criticised building surrounded by Arthurs Seat, an ancient volcano well worth climbing if you have the time. On your walk up the mile, keep an eye out for Clarindas, a quaint tea shop named after Scottish poet Rabbie Burns’ girlfriend, a far better place to stop for coffee than the generic Starbucks up the road. You’ll then be hit by an onslaught of souvenir shops which are all run by the same family, so save time and only visit one- it’s the same things in each store! Walking up the hill you’ll come across famous buildings such as the Tron Kirk which is free to look around. Watch out for the heart on the ground outside, it’s considered lucky if you spit on it and unlucky if you walk over it (mainly as you get a load of gob on your shoes!) When you reach your final destination: The Castle, I’d recommend not paying the pricey admission fee. The views are the best thing about being there and you can see these without paying.
If you stop for lunch on the Royal Mile you’ll only find the same old food you could get in any British city, and all at horrific prices. It’s a trap I hate to see anyone to fall into, especially when there are so many great places to eat just minutes away.
The City Café is an Edinburgh institution, a great place to drink and eat both day and night. Its interior hasn’t changed in a decade so now has a real retro feel. Eating wise it is best for hangover breakfasts, as they offer a traditional one for meat eaters and a vegetarian option with both including ‘must try’ haggis. Or why not try some haggis in your baked potato? The Vegetarian Baked Potato Shop on Cockburn Street, stocks a huge range of fillings for their even huger potatoes.
Tapas style eating has recently become very popular in the city, and Barioja is the best place for traditional, tasty Spanish tapas. However, you can also enjoy this trend with a twist. Both Mother India and Chop! Chop! offer tapas style menus but with Indian and Chinese food respectively. Chop! Chop! though unassuming with its décor lets the food do all the talking with its range of amazing flavours. Favourites include the glass noodle salad and their range of dumplings.
Whilst wandering around the city, you may notice that Edinburgh is split into two parts: the old town and the new town. You can see this in the architecture and you can see it in the pub/club scene. Grungy yet hip bars crowd the old town populated mainly by the backpackers and bar workers of the city and cool, upmarket cocktail bars line the streets of the new town filled with rich students, office workers and well groomed hairdressers.
If you want to see the real Edinburgh at play I suggest heading to the dark and dingy, yet ever so friendly old town pubs and clubs. Be warned though, the majority of pubs stay open til one or three so most Scots begin their drinking around nine and carry on going til the wee hours. And stay well away from the clubs of the Cowgate which are funded mostly by the hundreds of stag and hen parties which flood the city.
I’d suggest beginning your night at the very bohemian Brass Monkey. Head through to the back room which contains a huge, velvet cushion lined bed with floating wooden tables and is lined ceiling to floor in vintage movie posters. The bar also functions as a theatre in the daytime showing hand selected classic films.
If you fancy something a bit stronger, there’s no better place to go than the secret polish vodka bar. So secret and known only by locals it doesn’t even have a name. To find it go to Cockburn Street and head up the alley way beside The Arcade Bar, a small staircase to your left will lead you to the tiny bar with cow hide seats and a turn table anyone can use. The bar sells only beer and a huge range of vodkas, including a 90% vodka which the bar maid strictly instructs you not to order (and be warned: tastes strongly of sperm).
Many tourists are highly recommended to go to Whistlebinkies, a folk music bar just off the Bridges however I’d suggest popping next door to its darker, more local populated twin: Nicol Edwards. Staying open til three Nicol Edwards gets really busy past one when the pubs around it close. A rabbits maze of corridors and bars, even I find new places inside it to visit. The most popular rooms are the downstairs room with its graffitied tartan walls and Edinburgh talent Acoustic Dave playing everything from classic folk songs to the Home and Away theme tune to the mass of dancing people below him. Upstairs is a bit quieter, with battered velvet chairs and Scottish battle murals to muse at.
Club wise the best old town destination for dancing is Cabaret Voltaire: a club built in ancient underground tunnels. It has a range of nights from Scotland’s most talented burlesque performance evenings to the finest drum n bass DJs. No matter what night you go on the club itself is something to be marvelled at, either head straight down to the basement for sweaty dancing within stone arches or for a quieter time go upstairs to the new speak easy. With videos showing what’s going on downstairs, large round glass tables and the ‘catwalk’ seating area at the back it’s the perfect place to chat before your night begins. Oh, and ladies check out the secret mirror toilets…
If you’re still awake and can foresee yourself staying up all night, why not make like a true Edinburger and hang around til 6 in the morning when the old man’s pubs open. The two most popular are The Scotsman and The Penny Black. Penny Blacks attracts everyone from posties beginning their shifts to ravers winding down their night. You never know what is going to happen!
Like drinking in Edinburgh, shopping is also divided into sections. There are three main shopping streets: Princes Street for main stream high street stores, George Street for designer and The Royal Mile for tatty tartan souvenirs. But for shopping that matches up to real Edinburgh style: eccentric, creative and original, it’s best to head to the shops hidden in the back streets. Cockburn Street, off the Royal Mile, is instantly recognisable with its packs of Goths lining the pavements. Look beyond them and you’ll find shops stocking the strangest but coolest clothes you’ll ever see. Build up enough courage to enter Whiplash Trash and be amazed by the fetish gear, or head next door to Cavanagh: a crowded antique shop. Down the road there’s Cookie, with cute dresses and Fabrick which stocks every t shirt under the sun.
For an artier shopping trip take a walk down Victoria Street, paying special attention to The Red Door gallery stocking a range of unusual and affordable prints and quirky jewellery. For unique gifts check out Demi John, who in store make a range of flavoured wines, vodkas and cooking oils which they decant into weird and wonderful bottles to put pride of place in your kitchen. Victoria Street leads conveniently into the Cowgate, which is any vintage shopper’s paradise with Armstrongs, where Kate Moss has been spotted scouring the musty rails for antique finds. There’s also a Barnardos which specialises in vintage clothing and you’re only a 5 minute walk away from Herman Brown which stocks only the finest in designer, vintage clothing.
Edinburgh draws visitors all year round, but becomes especially buzzing in August where the city plays host to the biggest arts festival in the world: The Edinburgh Festival. During this time Edinburgh’s population doubles and hundreds of new arts venues pop up all over the city. Each venue offers something for everyone be it comedy, theatre or dance and although there’s always something to see the really good shows sell out well in advance. If you choose to visit Edinburgh during August I’d recommend doing your research by checking out edinburghguide.com prior to your visit and purchasing The List magazine to read the reviews. Though don’t be a slave to reviewers and spend at least one day playing risk and going into to see something that would never have caught your eye before: I saw an acoustic gig with KT Tunstall before she got big on my ‘risk day’ one year.
Hopefully with my advice you’ll have managed to break away from a tartan filled, clichéd Edinburgh visit. But with 1.3 million international visitors coming to Edinburgh every year it’s impossible to go anywhere where they won’t be. On your visit you can only do what every Edinburgh local does, embrace it. Smile at the huge packs of Italian men blocking your way up the mile, correct the Spanish when they’re pronouncing ‘Tennents’ like ‘Guinness’ and if you’re really in need of a break hop on a train to Glasgow.