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Each August, the city of Edinburgh transforms into the home of the largest festival in the world. Scotland’s “Athens of the North” hosts no less than 12 major arts and science festivals throughout the calendar year, but a critical mass comes in late summer as the epic Fringe, International, and Book Festivals take over the city streets
From traditional music presentations such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, to world-famous authors in intimate discussion at Charlotte Square Gardens, to edgy, inventive performance like Blast Theory’s Rider Spoke (bicycle-based and part of the British Council’s cutting-edge Edinburgh Showcase), the Edinburgh festivals continue to delight international visitors and offer a vibrant, intense sample of contemporary UK culture.
In addition to the festival season, there is a thriving artistic community in Edinburgh all year round. In the UK, Edinburgh is second only to London when it comes to the number of visual art galleries, including private and national galleries. From architecture and design, to oils and watercolour, the city’s vibrant arts community showcases its work throughout the year. While the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Scotland hold many fine art pieces, Edinburgh is also an up and coming center for contemporary art. The Fruitmarket Gallery, City Art Centre, and Collective Gallery are great venues to check out new Scottish talent and avant-garde art.
• Students make up roughly one fifth of Edinburgh’s population so there are plenty of activities to get involved in with friends and other students.
• Student life in Edinburgh centers around year-round university clubs, groups, and sports teams.
• Sports teams at Edinburgh Napier University, for example, include men and women’s soccer, cricket, Gaelic football, rugby, and the ancient sport of hurling. Clubs, or “societies,” range from Drama club, Indian Culture club, and even a Whiskey Society, which primarily explores the ins and outs of single malt Scotch.
• Student associations provide activities for students, as well as advocacy and support. To learn more about sports teams, clubs, and other activities sponsored by student associations, check out the University of Stirling Students' Association: http://www.susaonline.org.uk/ and Edinburgh Napier Students' Association: http://www.napierstudents.com.
• Edinburgh is surrounded by countryside and coastline, and residents and visitors alike enjoy exploring the outdoors through hiking up the city’s extinct volcanoes, climbing, mountain biking in Glentress, surfing, canoeing, and skiing.
• The name Edinburgh comes from the seventh-century Angle king, Edwin, who built a fortress in the area and named it Edwin’s Burgh.
• The city has grown steadily ever since, expanding its borders and creating a name for itself as a city of arts and sciences. Edinburgh is considered a center of contemporary arts and its innovative expression can be seen during the arts and science festivals in August.
• Edinburgh is the home of the new Scottish Parliament.
• The city has a population of around 468,000.
• David Hume, Robert Louis Stephenson, and Adam Smith are just a few of the great Scottish Enlightenment thinkers and inventors of the 18th and 19th centuries who called Edinburgh home.
• Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and the second largest city in the country after Glasgow.
• Edinburgh Castle, which is built atop a dormant volcano outcrop called Castle Rock, is Scotland's most visited site.
• The city’s Old and New Towns are recognized UNESCO world heritage sites.
• J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is an honorary graduate of the University of Edinburgh.
In keeping with Edinburgh’s rich arts and cultural characteristics, cinema, music, dance, opera, and theatre remain very popular forms of entertainment throughout the year. Top cinemas include Lothian Road, which offers both a Filmhouse for art-house features and the ABC Film Centre for general release, as well as an Odeon Theatre for the multiplex experience.
For music, dance and opera, check out Queens’ Hall. One of the best places to experience classical music, ballet or opera, however, has to be the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Theatrical performances can also be enjoyed throughout the year at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, which offers mainstream and avant-garde performances and the Traverse Theatre remains the place to hear contemporary writing at cheap student prices.
Edinburgh is also home to a number of remarkable museums such as the National Museum of Scotland, which contains ancient and modern exhibits, as well as Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. The Royal Botanic Gardens are also worth exploring a few times whether it is for a peaceful stroll or a visit to Inverleith House, which showcases five temporary exhibitions per year from visual arts to botanical science.
There truly is something for everyone in the city of Edinburgh. Explore Edinburgh’s Old Town by walking along the Royal Mile or going shopping on Princes Street, which is considered the New Town. Georges Street is the place to go for high end retail, top restaurants, and local artist exhibits during the festivals. The city has a large number of pubs, clubs, and restaurants. There is also a wide choice of nightclubs and hang outs for indie fans, rockers, loungers, and house fans.
• Tony Blair – Former British Prime Minister.
• KT Tunstall – Singer-songwriter.
• Sean Connery – Award-winning actor.
• Alexander Graham Bell – Scientist, inventor of the telephone.
• Arthur Conan Doyle – Author, Sherlock Holmes detective stories.
• John Napier – Mathematician, inventor of logarithms. Edinburgh Napier University is named after him.
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