The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh

Rachel Fairburn

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You must Tap Off to pay the cheapest adult single City Zone fare, otherwise an Airport Zone fare will be charged.

TRAMCRAWL!

Extending from Edinburgh Airport all the way to the Newhaven waterfront, Edinburgh Trams offer a quick and environmentally friendly way to explore the city from end to end. Tap On, Tap Off payments mean you can use the same contactless card or device for unlimited travel on Trams and Lothian Buses with a £5.70 Adult Day cap within the city zone (excluding the airport).

Families can also benefit from the Day Tripper, offering unlimited tram travel for two adults and up to three children. Tickets can be purchased at edinburghticket.com

EDINBURGH AIRPORT

GYLE CENTRE

EDINBURGH PARK STATION SAUGHTON

BANKHEAD BALGREEN GOGARBURN

INGLISTON PARK & RIDE

EDINBURGH GATEWAY

INGLISTON PARK & RIDE Leave the car and hop on the tram – with 1000 free parking spaces you can avoid the headache of finding a space in a busy city centre. This is also the stop to reach the Royal Highland Centre, which this summer hosts the Summer Sessions featuring Biffy Clyro, The Cure and Lorde.

EDINBURGH GATEWAY Connects with train lines running to the east of Scotland.

GYLE CENTRE Year round it’s an edge of town shopping centre, home to such high street favourites as M&S and Boots. But this summer the Gyle is getting in on the World Cup action, hosting a dedicated Fanzone.

EDINBURGH PARK CENTRAL Jump off to sample some of the city’s finest pastries with a coffee (or something stronger) from restaurant, bar and bakery Patina, a light and airy space with Scandi-influenced design.

BALGREEN Kids will love Edinburgh’s best playpark, Saughton, with a skatepark for the older ones on skates or scooters. Take a walk through the beautiful rose garden.

EDINBURGH PARK CENTRAL

MURRAYFIELD STADIUM Here’s where you’ll find the city’s biggest gigs, this year including Bon Jovi and Luke Combs. It is of course home to Scottish Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, and Edinburgh’s ice hockey rink year round.

HAYMARKET The centre starts here! Hop off and explore the vibrant Dalry Road, home to some of the city’s finest cuisine from around the world.

WEST END Fancy a drink? Head north to picturesque William St and sample the taps of the atmospheric Teuchters. Go south and you’ll come to Lothian Road, home of the Usher Hall, Traverse and Lyceum Theatres, Filmhouse and newly reopened King’s Theatre.

PRINCES ST The heart of the city, and gateway to the Edinburgh Festivals. From here, you can visit the National Galleries, then walk up the Mound to explore the medieval streets of the Old Town. See the street performers on the Royal Mile then venture deeper for Fringe hubs.

MURRAYFIELD STADIUM WEST END

PORT OF LEITH

THE SHORE

FOOT OF THE WALK

BALFOUR STREET

MCDONALD ROAD

PICARDY PLACE

HAYMARKET PRINCES STEET ST ANDREW SQUARE

ST ANDREW SQUARE This stop is surrounded by historic boozers, including the Victorian splendour of Cafe Royal and Guildford Arms, the well-preserved Edwardian environs of The Abbotsford and the cabaret vibes of The Voodoo Rooms, which hosts a programme of evening gigs.

PICARDY PLACE Stop here for familyfriendly dining at Edinburgh Street Food or delve into the city’s galleria shopping centre the St James Quarter.

BALFOUR ST Take a tour of the Leith Walk pubs, grab some pizza from Leith’s very own Neapolitan outpost San Ciro’s then head into Leith Depot for a drink and some live music.

FOOT OF THE WALK Pop into beloved local record store Good Vibes to browse some vinyl, then head next door to The False Widow for a delicious cocktail.

THE SHORE Edinburgh Art Festival have just moved in nearby – find them in August. Walk along the Shore, admiring the colourful

OCEAN

Nyhavn-alike harbour buildings, and pop into Custom Lane for a coffee and a browse of carefully curated Scottish design hub Bard.

PORT OF LEITH Boats, lots of boats.

OCEAN TERMINAL Head to the Port of Leith Distillery for a tour of their vertical whisky distillery. The bar and restaurant on site offers incredible views, excellent food and drinks, immaculate vibes. Head in the other direction and you’ll find local favourites Alby's who serve up extremely big, reasonably hot sandwiches.

NEWHAVEN The final stop! You’ll find some of the city’s finest fish and chips in the Newhaven Fishmarket – take away to eat on the picturesque harbourside watching boats, fishermen and maybe even the sunset. Pop into the Dreadnought for a pint and gaze upon their rainbow-painted Pride bridge before getting back on the tram and doing it all over again.

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You know about the big hitter tourist attractions but what do Edinburgh residents love about living here? We asked the team to share their essential, cannot-be-missed recommendations for the city

ARTHUR’S SEAT

No trip to Edinburgh is complete without a climb up resident not-quite-a-mountain Arthur’s Seat. Follow the main path to the summit for umparalleled views across the city and East Lothian, or get off the beaten track to experience a patch of real wilderness in the middle of the city.

CYCLE TO THE PITT AND ON TO CRAMOND

Hop on one of the city’s electric hire bikes and follow the former railway lines to Wardie then on to Granton and The Pitt. This massive indoor-outdoor street food hub also houses a pottery, parkour gym, festivals, football watch parties and much more besides. Carry on along the waterfront cycle path to reach Cramond, home of beaches, an island accessed via causeway and a very weird pub.

DAYTRIP TO THE SEASIDE

Head east for a day at the beach – take the bus to Portobello for arcades, pizza slices and ice cream. A half hour train takes you to North Berwick or Dunbar for historic coastal towns and East Lothian’s wilder beaches.

FISH AND CHIPS

The Fishmarket is a legendary chippy in Newhaven. Its fish and chips are so good, in fact, that the Edinburgh council built an entire tram network to take Edinburgh residents and hungry tourists directly to its door (well, there may have been other factors, but the Fishmarket was surely one of them).

SKITTLES AT THE SHEEP HEID INN

At the rear of this lovely pub in Duddingston, a tiny historic village hidden behind Arthur’s Seat, you’ll find a room designed for playing skittles, a sort of proto ten-pin bowling game. It’s great fun, especially after some ales. Finish the night with a wander around the surrounding village, which seems frozen in time.

WATCH A MOVIE AT FILMHOUSE

Every city needs a great arthouse cinema, and Edinburgh’s is Filmhouse. They programme contemporary releases (see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey here on 70mm) alongside wonderful rep screenings and strands (in July, they’re showing a mini season dedicated to David Byrne).

Whatever your taste, you’ll find something for you in Filmhouse’s lineup.

CALLUM THE DUG

Forget Titian and Vermeer, the greatest painting at the National is of a terrier named Callum. He was the pet of a philanthropist who wrote the museum a huge cheque in 1919 with one proviso: that Callum’s portrait hang there in perpetuity. As puppy love stories go, it might even top Greyfriars Bobby.

BOAT TRIP TO SEE PUFFINS/GANNETS

Level up your daytrip to the North Berwick seaside by adding a boat trip around the Bass Rock to your itinerary. A 90-minute Sula Boat will voyage to Craigleith to see puffins, the Bass Rock to see gannets, and includes a Tantallon Castle driveby before returning to North Berwick. Lovely stuff.

CRATE DIGGING

You are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to record shopping in Edinburgh. Avoid the mainstream spots and head for the indies found in every neighbourhood of the city where you’ll find beautifully curated racks, specialist selections, rare wax, gorgeous gifts and top-tier recs.

GO ON THE ALPINE COASTER

Over the border in Midlothian, the Alpine Coaster at the Hillend ski centre is the first of its kind in Scotland. It’s 980 metres of twisty turny outdoor fun, and given the traffic in town, its 28mph top speed might be the fastest you move all summer.

GET ON THE ROOF OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

You’re allowed to! The rooftop garden – like the rest of the National Museum of Scotland – is free to enter, and the lift will take you pretty much to the top. You’ll find a panoramic view across (most of) the city centre, and a surprisingly calm space packed with neat architectural details and nice alpine plants.

AL

If the park is the garden of the city, then it can also be a *beer* garden. While Edinburgh isn’t short of pubs with nice outdoor spaces, you can’t beat a can in the Meadows between Fringe shows, or a fancy, fancy picnic in Inverleith Park after a trawl through the Stockbridge delis.

CHECK OUT THE MARKETS

Do you like cheese? Or soap? Or simply being overwhelmed by Nice Things? Set your alarm for the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market at Castle Terrace on Saturday mornings, head to Grassmarket on Saturday afternoon for a host of artisinal stalls, or Stockbridge Market on Sunday for a bit of everything.

BIRD GARDENS SCOTLAND

If you can stomach the bus or have access to a car, Lauder’s Bird Gardens Scotland makes for a wonderful family day out. Their bird cohort includes flamingoes, black swans, emus, peacocks, super friendly Hawaiian geese and bonus wallabies, which admittedly aren’t birds. There’s also a lovely cafe and kid friendly activities.

WHISKY TASTING AT DIGGERS

While there are many places you can go for a delicious nip or dram in the capital, head to Gorgie’s Athletic Arms, aka Diggers, with its impressive backbar of around 500 whiskies. With knowledgable staff, measures here are generous, and prices start at £2.80(!!)

PALESTINE MUSEUM

Edinburgh is privileged to be home to Europe’s first museum of contemporary Palestinian art, which recently celebrated its first birthday. Located on Dundas St, it hosts displays of work in painting, tapestry, drawing exploring themes of resistance and perseverance in the face of brutality.

‘Edinburgh is home to one of the UK’s most exciting food and drink scenes,’ that’s how it goes, right? Yes, Auld Reekie has lots of cool shiny new restaurants to check out, but it’s also home to some great spots that haven’t changed in years

Words: Peter Simpson

↘ Here are just a few of our favourite places across the city: we’ve got a surprising amount of top-notch ice cream, some great lunch options, big places for you and your pals and tiny holes-inwalls for intimate nights out.

BREAKFAST

Ardfern

10-12 Bonnington Rd

When Ardfern turn their pedigree (Eleanore, The Little Chartroom) to the first meal of the day, things heat up. Their venison lorne sausage is genuinely astonishing, their donuts are fantastic.

Edinburgh Larder

15 Blackfriars St

Two great phrases when you’re planning breakfast: ‘high quality’ and ‘all day’. The Larder has them both covered, using great Scottish ingredients in some bumper breakfasts at their cafe just off the Mile.

Hula

103-105 West Bow

Benedicts and French Toasts to work your way through in their bright and breezy spaces at either end of the city centre.

The Pantry

1 North West Circus Pl

Get your day off to a healthy start at Hula, with great veggie and vegan options, excellent juices and smoothies, and a restorative decor that will make you feel at one with nature no matter what happened the night before.

Kvasa

101 Leith Walk

We like big buns, and we cannot lie. They don’t come much bigger or better than at Kvasa on Leith Walk, the only place we can think of with a dedicated cinnamon bun loyalty card.

Loudons

94B Fountainbridge & 2 Sibbald Walk

Do you like *eggs*? If so, you’re in luck – Loudons have an impressive range of

If you’re making the IG pilgrimage to Stockbridge, or you’re just in the market for an extremely well-made breakfast with a bunch of options to suit everyone, The Pantry’s your pick.

Preacher’s Patisserie

24-26 Lady Lawson St

These guys know their way around a breakfast roll. From baking their rolls and making their tattie scones in-house, to their ever-expanding range of customer-inspired specials, these lads know what they’re up to.

Singapore Coffee House 5 Canonmills

Bringing kopitiam classics to Canonmills, Singapore Coffee House offers a real change of pace. Look out

for their kaya (coconut jam) on toast and the sambal chili tomato on their full breakfast.

Snax

118 Buccleuch St & 15-17 W Register St

A true Edinburgh icon, Snax is the place if you want a classic cafe brekkie in whatever configuration or size you desire. These guys have been kings of bacon and egg country for years – long may they reign.

Tani Modi

103 Hanover St

If you’re looking for pancakes, Tani Modi should be near the top of your list. Big, fresh chunky fellas paired with a bunch of exciting toppings, these will fuel whatever you’ve got planned until well past lunchtime.

FOOD ON THE GO

Africano Wrap Place

4 Chapel St

These guys know how to manage a queue; no-one has ever waited for one of these delicious, spicy, flavourpacked wraps for more than a few minutes.

Alby’s

8 Portland Pl & 94 Buccleuch St

Big Hot Sandwiches – fair play to Alby’s, they live up to their slogan. Head here for massive wedges of focaccia loaded up with exciting fillings and updated takes on classics.

Bánh Mì Brothers

141 West Port

A tiny spot turning out great sandwiches inspired by the Vietnamese classics, with regular specials, great veggie options, and a lunch deal that puts the supermarket across the street to shame.

The Fishmarket

23A Pier Pl

Fish and chips don’t get a whole lot

better than at the Fishmarket, on the shoreline at Newhaven. It’s always busy, but the rewards are worth it; ride the tram all the way to the end and hop into the queue.

Greek Artisan Pastries

23 Bread St & 32-34 Portobello High St

These pastries are serious units. You could pave a road with these slabs of bougatsa. Hyperbole? No, the pastries at Greek Artisan Pastries really are that hefty, and delicious with it.

Harkness Pies

30B Raeburn Pl

Pie-lovers, brace for impact; Harkness’s range of pastries is incredible. Whether it’s a Pentlands walk or a day at the Fringe, one of their Scotch Pies will see you through.

Oink

34 Victoria St; 82 Canongate; 38 Hanover St

Vegetarians, skip to the next one. Meat fans, let’s rock. Pulled pork rolls served straight from the pig, and when it’s gone each day, it’s gone. Simple, visually effective, and very tasty – no wonder they’re always busy.

Neighbourwood

294 Leith Walk

Are you really hungry? These guys will sort you out with a fantastic and extremely generous shawarma wrap. One for fans of chicken, pickles, and a touch of ceremony as they press your wrap against various hot surfaces.

Pala

7 Jane St

If you’re on a Leith Walk pub crawl and need to keep yourself going, pop into Pala. The al taglio pizza shop serve up simple but delicious slabs of Roman pizza made with great ingredients. Then back to the pub!

Polentoni

38 Easter Rd

A superb deli amid a clutch of great independent spots on Easter Road, Polentoni is the place to load up for your picnic. Lovely sandwiches, brilliant sweet treats, and more.

CASUAL DINING

Chennai’s Marina

54 Clerk St & 192 Dalry Rd

When Chennai’s Marina say ‘two chillies’, trust and believe them. The Sri Lankan restaurant bring the heat to their curries, along with mountains of flavour.

Chez Jules

109 Hanover St

This French institution in the New Town is the place to get a steak or moules frites and come away with a surprising amount left on the Monzo – their lunch deal is legendary.

Edinburgh Street Food Leith St

ESF has it all – loads of food options, hundreds of seats inside and out, quick service via an order-at-seat system that actually works, and an enormous pink sign you literally can’t miss.

Fava

248 Morrison St

This Greek restaurant is ideal for a big group catch-up – good location, big bright space, and a crowd-pleasing mezze menu that will have you fighting over dips like the good old days.

Kampong Ah Lee

28 Clerk St

A brilliant no-frills Malaysian

Mother India’s Cafe

3-5 Infirmary St

Edinburgh’s original ‘it’s Indian cuisine but in the style of tapas’ restaurant, Mother India offer such a fantastic range of curries, grills and sides that it’s almost impossible to go wrong.

Muna’s Ethiopian Cuisine

8 Gillespie Pl

The eponymous Muna is an absolute whirlwind – catch her flying in and out of the kitchen with trays of delicious Ethiopian stews and curries, all on funky homemade injera.

Noodles Home

14a Nicolson St

A brilliant and surprisingly big noodle restaurant right in the heart of Fringeland, Noodles Home is the place to go for enormous bowls of handmade noodles in incredible broths.

The Original Mosque Kitchen & Cafe

50 Potterrow

A true icon of Edinburgh’s food scene, the outdoor seats behind the Central Mosque have seen thousands of folk pass through for delicious and still-impressively-cheap curries.

The Percy

restaurant, ideal for dinner before a Fringe show or after a hike up Arthur’s Seat. Big flavours, speedy service and some absolutely brilliant roti.

The Khukuri

8 West Maitland St

Get the momos. Obviously, when you visit this great little Nepalese restaurant you’ll have a nice time no matter what you choose, but those dumplings are the star of the show.

Kim’s Mini Meals

5 Buccleuch St

Home-style Korean classics delivered with love in a charming setting. There’s the not-insignificant chance of a seat in a weird corner underneath a staircase, but that’s part of the fun. Pala

394 Easter Rd

If you’ve had a big day, or you have a big night coming, you’ll need to fuel up. Polish restaurant The Percy, with its hearty soups and schnitzel the size of manhole covers, is the place to go for a slap-up meal.

Pho Viet

15 Dalry Rd

POV: you are hungover mid-Fringe. If you can make it to Haymarket, you’ll find a restorative bowl of pho or bún bò huế at the always-excellent Pho Viet and you’ll be back in the game in no time.

The Pitt

20 West Shore Rd

The original Edinburgh street food

market, The Pitt has moved to the Granton waterfront with events, gigs and regular markets to go with a rolling selection of local food vendors.

Sabzi

162 Ferry Rd

This award-winning family-run spot on Ferry Road serves up brilliant and highly shareable Punjabi classics off an ever-changing menu in a bright and cheery former video shop.

San Ciro’s

148 Leith Walk

Top-notch Neapolitan pizza delivered at high speed and with some real touches of flair; exciting flavour combos, energetic staff with a passion for the craft, and it always smells incredible.

Taco Libre

3 Shandwick Pl & 85 Rose St

Chaos reigns at Taco Libre, with its bright lights and loud decor. The tacos are some of the very best around, with simple, authentic fillings and bags of flavour.

Tanjore

6-8 Clerk St

A longstanding, no-frills South Indian restaurant that offers an excellent range of dishes but really it’s all about their dosas. Paper-thin, absolutely enormous, and absolutely delicious.

Ting Thai

55-57 Lothian Rd & 8-9 Teviot Pl

It’s loud, it’s fast, there’s bags of flavour and it’s still impressively affordable. Ting Thai’s street food style was a genuine game-changer when they opened, and it remains one of the city’s go-to options.

Xiangbala Hotpot

63 Dalry Rd

A real neighbourhood mainstay, it isn’t a walk up Dalry Road if you aren’t being blasted with the smell of broth and spices from Xiangbala. Inside, it’s a hotpot free-for-all; chaotic but delicious.

RESTAURANTS

BABA

130 George St

Drawing in flavours from across the Levant and the Middle East, BABA’s pitch is to absolutely load the table with incredible dips, grilled dishes, flatbreads and salads. Bring friends, you’ll have fun.

Cardinal

14 Eyre Pl

The latest one from chef Tomas Gormley, Cardinal is an intimate, moody space celebrating great Scottish produce via ever-evolving tasting menus. Their £25 lunch deal is an absolute steal and we recommend it highly.

Dogstar

17 Portland Pl

A new spot from Nauticus (very good bar) and James Murray (very good chef)

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that’s quickly become a favourite thanks to some great menus showcasing local ingredients in a cool and fun way, as well as a splendid overall vibe.

Noto and Tipo

47a Thistle St & 110 Hanover St

A double header from Edinburgh’s own Stuart Ralston. Tipo is inspired by Italy, so head here for great pasta; Noto has a more varied menu, headlined by some outrageously buttery crab.

The Palmerston

1 Palmerston Pl

Excellent pastries in the morning, inventive and considered cooking in the afternoons and evenings, and a grand but not-too-grand setting whenever you arrive.

Pomelo

27 Sciennes Rd

Firmly established in their new place in Sciennes, Pomelo offer up excellent modern Asian cooking. Their handpulled noodles are the stuff of legend, and the space expertly straddles ‘homely’ and ‘fancy’.

Stockbridge Eating House

7 St Stephen St

Plenty of folk are playing the ‘classic bistro cooking’ card right now, but the Eating House does it particularly well. Head here for great flavours, lovely service and a homely vibe.

Timberyard

10 Lady Lawson St

More than worth its Michelin star, a meal at Timberyard is a real experience. The building is incredible, the staff are great, and the food is excellent without trying to overwhelm or baffle. It’s just very, very, very good.

Whirlybird

36-38 Victoria St

You couldn’t pick a more central location, so Whirlybird smartly offers a bit of everything. The food menu is accessible but varied, the decor is light and trendy, and the huge windows make you feel part of the action.

TREATS

Ciccetta’s

26 Bruntsfield Ave

The latest addition to the surprisingly full ‘high-end Italian-trained gelato shop’ folder, Ciccetta’s is a lovely corner spot in Bruntsfield making small batches of exciting and pleasingly refined ice cream.

Company Bakery

6 Station Rd, Musselburgh

One of Scotland’s very best wholesale bakeries, you’ll find Company’s bread and pastries throughout town, but head to their cafe in Musselburgh for the full experience.

Dune Bakery

35B High St, South Queensferry

For excellent pastries in a lovely waterside location, head down to South Queensferry and check out Dune. You’ll get a lovely croissant, you’ll see some nice bridges, that’s a solid Edinburgh morning.

Gorse

207 Pleasance

This Northern Irish bakery in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat is a really fun one – on the one hand, it’s a lovely, calm, vibey space. On the other, there’s some very inventive and absolutely superb baking going on.

Lannan

29-35 Hamilton Pl

Much has been said about The Queue, but the rewards at Darcie Maher’s bakery are worth it. Brilliantly crisp pastry with mind-blowing lamination, and bags of imagination across the counter.

Mary’s Milk Bar

19 Grassmarket

Mary’s is so good it’s now a legitimate tourist attraction. The ice cream is genuinely brilliant so check it out regardless of the weather, and they’re always trying new things so… go again.

Moo Pie

26 St Mary’s St

Moo Pie’s soft serve ice cream is amazingly smooth, their flavours are brilliant, and if you’re here in the winter their hot chocolate is unmissable.

Tasty Buns

67 Bread Street

The clue's in the name – this cosy cafe has a counter laden with treats galore. Servings are very generous, cakes, buns and sandwiches extremely tasty.

The Pastry Section

86 Raeburn Pl; 143 Great Junction St

Get down early enough and you’ll find a truly impressive array of baked treats, and the outside seats at their Stockbridge branch are idea for a bit of cake-powered people-watching.

Project Canele

150 Dundas St

Head here for one of their eponymous French cakes – beautifully craggly little lads with a soft custardy inner and caramalised outer.

Sicilian Pastry Shop

14-16 Albert St

Whether you want a delicious cannoli, an arancini filled to the brim with ragu, or a full-sized birthday cake with your name on it, the Sicilian Pastry Shop has you covered. Leith legends, and rightly so.

Edinburgh is a great pub city. Across town, you’ll find all kinds of places to drink, from cosy old pubs to classy cocktail joints, and its coffee game is strong too. Here are some of our favourite places to imbibe

Words: Jamie Dunn

COFFEE

Walking around Edinburgh is exhausting. Here are some of The Skinny’s favourite coffee joints, which will fulfil all your caffeine needs this summer

Artisan Roast

72-74 Leith Walk; 100A Raeburn Pl; 57 Broughton St; 138 Bruntsfield Pl

An Edinburgh institution, there are several Artisan Roasts across town, and all serve up tasty coffee. The Leith shop is particularly good: with plenty of space, it hosts regular spoken-word and comedy events.

Beatnik

2 Brougham Pl

A fave of Edinburgh coffee heads, this community-focused cafe in Tollcross offers up expertly brewed coffee, rotating roasters and curated pastries. Not great for working, though: this is a laptop-free zone.

Bedrock

13 West Port

This West Port joint is fairly new on the scene, but its minimalist decor, friendly

service and ace coffee make it a firm local fave. Expect finely brewed espresso drinks, quality beans and fresh baked goods.

Bing Tea

37 W Nicolson St

This tea shop is cute as a button. It serves up the classic milk tea flavours – Thai, Taro, Matcha – alongside fruity numbers and original concoctions like the popular Flaming Tiger and White Rabbit.

Cairngorm Coffee

1 Melville Pl

Self-described as ‘Scotland’s most unlucky cafe/roaster,’ this bright corner cafe in Edinburgh’s West End serves up sweet treats, killer toasties and knockout coffee from their top-notch roastery.

Cult Espresso

104 Buccleuch St

In a converted alleyway, Cult showcases an evolving range of speciality coffee from their own roastery and beyond. Good brunch spot too – we rate the miso baked beans on sourdough toast.

The World’s No.1 Attraction is on your doorstep! Explore fi ve

Fortitude Coffee

4 Abbey Mount, 66 Hamilton Pl Fortitude roasts some of Edinburgh’s very best coffee, their venues are staffed by proper coffee heads, and their sea salt and hazelnut caramel shortbread is one of the very best things you can eat in the city.

Lovecrumbs

155 West Port

If you’re looking for a place to while away an afternoon with a book or a paper, look no further than this gorgeous cafe in Edinburgh’s West Port with great homemade cakes and pastries, and adorably quirky decor.

The Source

4 Spittal St

This tiny coffee bar is all about one thing: exceptional coffee. Your favourite barista’s favourite coffee spot, The Source is the place to go for unusual and exciting single-origin coffees from around the world.

Williams & Johnson

1 Customs Wharf

This coffee shop down by the Shore is all sleek concrete and streamlined furnishings, but there’s nothing simple about the rich and delicious coffee.

PUBS AND BARS

We’re spoiled for choice for pubs in Edinburgh. Whether you’re after an old-school boozer or something more modern and lively, this city has you covered

Athletic Arms

1-3 Angle Park Ter

Better known as ‘the Diggers’, this Gorgie watering hole is much-loved by locals for its lively, welcoming, unpretentious atmosphere. Its whisky section is great and be sure to get a delicious hot pie.

Bennets Bar

8 Leven St

This Tollcross pub is a stunner. It’s gorgeous inside, and has retained many of its Victorian-era features – ornate mirrors, decorative tiles, carved wooden pillars. It also boasts a massive malt lineup.

The Blackbird

37-39 Leven St

This Bruntsfield fave has atmosphere for days. The beers are well-curated, the cocktail list is a mix of classics and more curious concoctions, and out back there’s a hidden beer garden that’s always buzzing.

The Blue Blazer

2 Spittal St

This cosy two-room pub is close to perfection. The selection of beers and malts is great, but even better are the vibes. It’s also the only pub we know to offer drink discounts if you’ve brought your dog.

The Bow Bar

80 West Bow

This Edinburgh institution offers an escape from the hubbub of the Old Town. Expect great pints, so many whisky options (over 300 single malts!), and a humble food menu of warming soups and pies.

Carriers Quarters

42 Bernard St

This cave-like Leith bar has barely changed since opening back in the 18th century. The front bar is always lively, while the back room offers more space and features regular events, from live music to bingo.

Cloisters Bar

26 Brougham St

Situated inside an old church, Cloisters is a bit of Edinburgh history. It’s got an open fire, cosy booths, and arched ceilings, and its rotating, highly curated selection of real ales doesn’t disappoint.

Dagda 93-95 Buccleuch Street

This cosy pub feels more like a rustic living room than a bar. Its craft beer game is strong, but its trump card is its atmosphere. Gather round one of its barrels with pals and you’re guaranteed a good night.

The Devil’s Advocate

9 Advocate’s Cl

A great pub halfway up one of the Old Town’s Escher-esque staircases (see also Halfway House, 24 Fleshmarket Cl), the Devil’s Advocate’s chic decor is paired with an excellent food menu and huge whisky shelf.

The False Widow

159 Constitution St

This cracking wee pub in Leith offers a welcoming mood, with its low lighting, intimate tables and dreamy vibe. It’s also an eco-friendly choice: all its products are sustainable and ethically sourced.

George IV Bar

54 George IV Bridge

This characterful pub in the Old Town offers ample space but still feels intimate. The wide drink options should keep everyone happy, and the food menu, while pretty standard, features out-of-this-world chips.

Leith Depot

138-142 Leith Walk

There are many reasons to love Leith Depot: its busy live music schedule, its tasty pub grub, its buzzy atmosphere, and the fact that it beat the property developers who wanted to tear down the block of shops around it.

Malt & Hops

45 Shore

This wonderful pub down by the Shore feels like being invited into a friend’s front room. There’s a rotating selection of ales and craft beers on tap and friendly bar staff who are always happy to have a natter.

The Old Chain Pier

32 Trinity Cres

This lovely waterfront pub in Newhaven comes highly recommended, boasting great pub grub (we recommend the Cullen Skink), local beers, and stunning views across the Firth of Forth. The Ideal for a sunset drink.

Paradise Palms

41 Lothian St

Imagine a gay disco on a neon-lit Caribbean island and you’re halfway to the decor of Palms. Its DJ lineup and cabaret nights make it a firm favourite; its venue next door – the People’s Leisure Club – is also ace.

Teuchters Bar & Bunker

26 William St

This laid-back bar, with great beer and traditional Scottish scran, feels like a country pub in the middle of Edinburgh’s West End. For more nautical vibes, check out sister venue Teuchters Landing in Leith.

Salt Horse

57-61 Blackfriars St

This is the pub for fans of boundarypushing beers and craft ales. It’s got a tidy selection of cans and bottles from the UK’s best small breweries, and its eclectic beers on tap are served by the schooner.

Starbar

1 Northumberland Pl

Starbar offers lovely New York dive bar vibes right in the heart of the sleepy New Town. It also offers one of the best foosball tables in Edinburgh – no question – and a smart wee beer garden at the back.

St Vincent

11 St Vincent St

Tucked away between Stockbridge and the New Town, this basement pub, dubbed ‘The Vinnie’, is a hidden gem. The bar is gorgeous and surprisingly

roomy, with a strong selection of real ales, craft beers and wines.

The Ventoux

2 Brougham St

This Tollcross bar takes its name from a Tour de France climb, but you’ll probably guess that from all the bicycle decor. The beer options are smashing, and the outdoor seating area is ideal for people-watching.

WINE AND COCKTAILS BARS

Edinburgh’s bar scene isn’t just about beer, of course. The city has become pretty renowned for its lively cocktail bars, and its selection of wine bars isn’t too shabby either

Bramble

16A Queen St

This low-lit, hugely atmospheric basement bar on Queen Street is an Edinburgh date night favourite. Their drinks menu features wildly inventive cocktails and their terrific DJs keep the vibes on point.

Dragonfly

52 West Port

With opulent gold-edged decor that’s both chic and cosy, Dragonfly is a great option if you’re looking for a date spot or simply to treat yourself. Its cocktails – both classic and contemporary – are excellent.

Hey Palu

49 Bread St

This fantastic Italian cocktail bar has won a plethora of awards and regularly appears on ‘best bars in the country’ lists. Expect a grand time, with expert bartenders, amazing nibbles and a lovely vibe.

Lucky Liquor Co.

39A Queen St

Another tucked-away cocktail joint in Edinburgh’s New Town, Lucky Liquor serves up an ever-changing menu of

libations that push cocktail flavours to the limits. This one’s fun, experimental and intimate.

Nauticus

142 Duke St

This exceptionally good cocktail joint in Leith has a neat twist: its tasty drink concoctions take inspiration from the area’s rich history as a trading hub. Its craft beers and natural wines are great too.

Nótt

13 Crighton Pl

This chic bar in Leith is known for its natural and low-intervention wines, but it also has a great deli counter specialising in cheeses, meats and homemade Turkish delights that’ll pair well with your tipple.

Old Pal

28 West Maitland St

A welcome addition to Edinburgh’s cocktail scene, Old Pal offers a stellar drinks selection, friendly staff and a creative food menu. Their sliders are ace, and their Sunday Roast will knock your socks off.

Smith & Gertrude

26 Hamilton Pl; 254 Portobello High St

This cosy neighbourhood wine bar in Stockbridge serves up delicious cheese plates to accompany your wine while vinyl crackles on the record player. Their big focus is on quality, seasonal produce. Be sure to check out their Portobello spot too.

Spry

1 Haddington Pl

Near the top of Leith Walk, you’ll find the stripped-back, monochrome and minimalist Spry, which offers an extensive menu of natural wines and delicious small plate options. Their cocktails are also on point!

DISTILLERIES, BREWERIES AND TAPROOMS

For a small city, Edinburgh has an impressive bounty of great breweries and distilleries, with many of them selling their wares onsite or nearby. Here’s where to head if you wanna try the city’s great drinks at their source

Bellfield Brewery

46 Stanley Pl

Tucked away in a residential corner of Abbeyhill, you’ll find this ace beer garden and taproom. The beers brewed on-site are first-rate, and there’s a rotating roster of pop-up food vendors to keep you well fed.

Edinburgh Gin

Arch 16, The Arches, E Market St

A great stop for those who love an interactive distillery tour. Watch the experts at work and sample delicious gins made using botanicals that create

flavours inspired by Edinburgh’s history and character.

Holyrood Distillery

19 St Leonard’s Ln

Nestled in the shadow of Arthur’s

Seat, you’ll find this innovative urban distillery producing top-notch whisky, gin and rum. They say their methods prioritise flavour. Decide for yourself on a tasting tour!

Lost in Leith

82 Commercial St

Lost in Leith is both a great pub and a fermentaria. Chief among the many things it has going for it is its array of weird and wonderful beers from the Campervan Brewery. Great for sitting outside on warm days.

Moonwake Taproom

6A Tower St

Another Leith fave, Moonwake features freshly-brewed craft beers; it’s got a

beer garden; it has mezzanine seating overlooking the brewing equipment; the atmosphere is bloody delightful. What’s not to love?

Newbarns

13 Jane St

Newbarns feels like someone decided to build the perfect local pub in the middle of an industrial estate in Leith. It’s got a great atmosphere and lovely ales, lagers and stouts that were brewed next door.

Port of Leith Distillery

11 Whisky Quay

Fancy delicious drinks paired with panoramic views across the Firth of Forth? Then head to this gorgeous bar above a nine-story vertical distillery, which offers a sharp cocktail list and delicious small plates.

The Royal Dick 1 Summerhall

There are two great drinks companies within arts venue Summerhall: Pickering’s Gin and Barney’s Beer. Both provide stock to The Royal Dick pub, Summerhall’s central hub and the place to be during the Fringe.

Vessel

73 Hanover St

Pilot has been brewing great beer down in Leith for over a decade now, and recently opened this swell New Town bar for you to enjoy it in. Alongside their own beverages, the bar serves local spirits and wines.

Wee Vault

7A W Maitland St

From the Vault City crew, this taproom and bottle shop near Haymarket is heaven for craft beer lovers. As the name suggests, it’s small, but with two dozen beers on tap at any one time, the choice is ample.

→ SHOPPING

Retail therapy turns local in our guide to the best design, homeware, gift and foodie shops in the capital

Words: Anahit Behrooz

↘ If you can’t stand to see one more Highland coo wearing a kilt, or whatever it is they sell in souvenir shops, then it’s time to turn to Edinburgh’s plethora of independent shops for all your gift and treat needs. From prints by local artists to foodie treats, this is the kind of stuff it’s worth remembering Edinburgh for – and worth booking an extra suitcase for, too.

DESIGN, HOMEWARES & GIFTS

An Independent Zebra

88-92 Raeburn Pl

A hub of independent designer-makers of homewares, prints, furniture and gifts from across the UK. anindependentzebra.com

Black Moon Botanica

50 Candlemaker Row; 41 Thistle St Witchy shop stocking tarot cards, handmade candles, gemstones and other esoteric goods. blackmoonbotanica.co.uk

Broughton Street Flowers

87 Broughton St

Serving all your flower and plant needs, from fresh cuts to workshops. broughtonstreetflowers.com

Curiouser & Curiouser

93 Broughton St; 106 Bruntsfield Pl

Art, framing and gift shop with two locations in the city. curiouserandcuriouser.com

Flamingosaurus Rex

31 Bruntsfield Pl

A dynamic, multifunctional gallery, shop and art space. flamingosaurusrex.com

Green Meadows

137 Buccleuch St

A modern take on a tropical plant shop with social and environmental sustainability at its core. greenplantshops.co.uk

Grow Urban

8B St Vincent St

A leafy haven for all your plant gifts with hand painted pots, cards by local artists and terrariums for your low maintenance plant gifting. growurban.uk

Handsel

336 Leith Walk

An independent one-stop-shop for art, homewares, jewellery, cards and zero-waste products. handsel.uk

Logan Malloch

13 Leith Walk

Art, books, ceramics, greeting cards, plants, stationery and gifts mostly sourced in Leith, Edinburgh and wider Scotland. loganmalloch.com

Red Door Gallery 42 Victoria St

Long-standing hub for local artists’ prints, artworks, crafts and jewellery in a prime sight-seeing location. edinburghart.com

Rose and Ammi Flowers 81-85 Portland St

Bespoke arrangements and beautiful pots. roseandammiflowers.com

FOOD & DRINK

The Beer Cave

43 Dalry Rd

Well stocked local favourite with a focus on European craft beer. IG: @thebeercavescotland

The Beerhive

24 Rodney St

A carefully-chosen selection of beers, wines and spirits with a local emphasis. thebeerhive.co.uk

Cork and Cask

136 Marchmont Rd

Thoughtfully sourced wine, beer and whisky. corkandcask.co.uk

Cornelius

18 Easter Rd; 128 Leith Walk

An Easter Road institution that’s also branched out to Leith Walk, Cornelius stock the very best wine, beer and spirits. corneliusbeers.com

George Mewes

3 Dean Park St

For all your cheese-related needs. georgemewescheese.co.uk

Great Grog

2 Dalkeith Rd

Specialist in local and international craft beers and wines. greatgrog.co.uk

I.J. Mellis

30 Victoria St; 6 Bakers Pl; 330 Morningside Rd

The OG of Edinburgh cheesemongers, Mellis focus on small scale farmhouse producers alongside a range of wines and artisanal foodstuffs. mellischeese.net

Lupe Pintos

24 Leven St

Specialist deli supplying Scotland with hard to find Mexican, American and

Spanish ingredients, for all your hot sauce, bean and taco needs. lupepintos.com

Salt Horse

57-61 Blackfriars St

Centrally-located craft beer shop and bar with a secret tiny beer garden out back. salthorse.beer

Winekraft

20 William St; 44 Ashley Terrace

Organic, biodynamic and natural wine shop, also stocks the crisps and olives you’ll remember from lockdown Instagram and Palmerston bread. winekraft.co.uk

MAX MACHEN

We meet an illustrator and former Edinburgh resident to reminisce about life in the city

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Max Machen, an Illustrator that creates bright, visually witty prints, scarves, caps and more!

I lived in Edinburgh for a brilliant five years but recently moved to Sheffield and I’m already missing it.

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

It’s been great to get back to lots of drawing and printing making my work again. I’ve got a one-and-a-half-year-old so for a while everything had taken a back seat but now I’m settled in a new city it’s been so fun scribbling down new ideas.

What’s coming up in the future for you?

I’m working on an exciting collaboration with D.C.M Garments, a clothing brand in Glasgow which I’m really excited to get going with, so watch this space – it’s going to be something new and really fun!

Where do you recommend people go in Edinburgh?

A must-do is to climb up Arthur’s Seat and the Crags for the panoramic views of Edinburgh. I’d also head out of the city centre and go for a walk down Leith Walk and check out the Shore. There’s a great coffee spot on the edge

of the water called Custom Lane. A place I really miss already is Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside town. Go get a pizza from Civerinos and eat it on the beach!

Favourite place to eat?

There’s nowhere better than Polentoni on Easter Road. It does the most delicious sandwiches, pizzas, salads and cakes and it’s all made in the shop by the Italian owner. It’s also great value and was dangerously close to my old studio. The only downside is

you can’t sit in but there is a nice park nearby.

Favourite place to drink?

If it’s alcoholic drinks you want Paradise Palms is a fun vegan restaurant/bar/club in the centre of Edinburgh. Down at the Shore the Malt and Hops is a great place that you can get takeaway pints from and sit on the river edge and bask in the sun or watch the sun go down. Or Spry at the top of Leith Walk is a nice boujee wine place.  But I’m more into coffee so

here’s my list of coffee spots to check out: Red Kite Cafe, Leith Allotment Cafe, Söderberg, Tills & Co in Portobello, Burr & Co, Ante, Elm Row Cafe, Fortitude, The Milkman.

Favourite shop?

Edinburgh Mercantile in Stockbridge is a small but beautifully curated shop – everything in there is very nice and I find it very inspiring. But I also have to mention my loyal stockists!

Red Door Gallery, Independent Zebra and Curiouser & Curiouser are all great shops for lovers of art and design.

Why did you like living here?

It was amazing to live somewhere that looks so beautiful, every turn there’s another great view. The people of Edinburgh were also always very friendly and welcoming and I’ll miss the people I met there. I also loved living in a city that has a bit of everything, from busy city life to peaceful hill walking and beach lying.

What annoyed you about living here?

I didn’t know about the Edinburgh haar before I moved there but I definitely won’t miss it. It can be a glorious sunny day and then you see a bank of cool fog rolling off the Forth and into the city, blocking the sun and cooling everything in its path. Also, although this is for the Fringe guide, I have to say the swarms of people that descend on Edinburgh over the summer can get a bit annoying (no offence haha).

Do you have an Edinburgh festivals survival tip?

Don’t try and see too much! Leave time in-between shows to soak up Edinburgh.  Apologies to the west of Edinburgh I feel like I’ve left it out but I always lived in the east so that’s where my main haunts are but I’m sure there’s lots of top places to explore elsewhere too I just don’t know them!

You can find Max Machen’s work including prints and apparel at Red Door Gallery, 42 Victoria Street; Curiouser & Curiouser, 93 Broughton St, 106 Bruntsfield Pl; An Independent Zebra, 88-92 Raeburn Pl

www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com

Book lovers rejoice – Edinburgh has you covered. From museums and libraries to monuments and bookshops, Scotland’s capital well earns its status as the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature

Words: Anahit Behrooz

CITY OF LITERATURE

Back in 2004, Edinburgh became the world’s first official City of Literature, awarded its newly minted bookish status by the United Nations’ UNESCO agency. It came as little surprise: it is difficult to think of a city with as rich a literary heritage as Edinburgh, or as strong an ongoing commitment to supporting and platforming literary culture. This history is writ large across Edinburgh’s geography, from monuments to authors and their works to libraries new and old filling the streets and speaking to a centuries-old tradition that shows no sign of slowing down. For the bookworms

among you, there is no better place to be: we give you the lowdown on how to dig deep into the city’s literary offerings.

Pay homage to the authors

Some of Scotland’s most pre-eminent writers were born, wrote or set their works in Edinburgh. Right at the top of Leith on Picardy Place is a statue of the UK’s most famous detective Sherlock Holmes, as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who was born mere yards away from where the statue now stands. Connecting the Grassmarket with Lauriston Place meanwhile are the 150 steps known

as the Miss Jean Brodie Steps, named after the titular school teacher of Muriel Sparks’ most famous novel. The [Walter] Scott Monument towering over Princes Street is both stunning and selfexplanatory, while down by the Shore, Cables Wynd House – lovingly known as the Banana Flats for their curved shape – are the childhood home of Sick Boy from Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting

Festivals

Edinburgh’s most iconic literary festival is the Edinburgh International Book Festival – the world’s largest

book festival that takes place over two weeks every August. This year’s edition runs 15 to 30 August, welcoming over 600 authors from over 40 countries. And it wouldn’t be Edinburgh if a Fringe programme didn’t evolve alongside: Book Fringe, this year organised by bookshops Lighthouse, Argonaut, Wedale, and Greenhouse Books & Records. There are also other festivals throughout the year: Push the Boat Out, the city’s international poetry festival, runs every November; Lighthouse Bookshop put on their Radical Book Fair also in November; Cymera Festival, dedicated to all things sci-fi and fantasy, takes place in late spring; and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, held at the dedicated Scottish Storytelling Centre on the

Royal Mile, puts together a programme of performances, workshops and readings every October.

Libraries and Museums

Edinburgh is home to Scotland’s only legal deposit library: the National Library of Scotland. It’s a beautiful building on George IV Bridge, and features a yearly programme of exhibitions and events, as well as public access to every book published in the UK. Across the road is the also beautiful Central Library, one of 28 public libraries served by the local council across the city. Further into the Old Town is the Scottish Poetry Library, perfect for discovering local poets whether through their collection or events. Also off the Royal Mile is the free-tovisit Writer’s Museum: the

collection celebrates three of Scotland’s most famous writers – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson – as well as hosting exhibitions on other important moments in Scottish literature.

Bookshops

What would a bookish city be without its bookshops. Not only places to fill your shelves, Edinburgh’s independent bookshops serve a crucial community function, platforming local authors, hosting community events and generally offering a soft space to land in the neighbourhood. Over the page, we spotlight the city’s most indispensable offerings – from labyrinthine antiquarian caverns to queer, radical spaces responding to the needs of their neighbours.

PAULO

Eight unique shows: Celebrating the very best in performance from Brazilʼs state of culture. Scan to explore AUGUST 5TH-31ST

BOOKSHOPS

Argonaut Books

15-17 Leith Walk

Leith’s community bookshop, with a diverse stock and programme of in-person events.  argonautbooks.co.uk

Armchair Books

72-74 West Port

Family-run second-hand bookshop

with the city’s finest About page, ‘staffed by Edinburgh’s finest book people who brave the shop’s untraceable noises and unique microclimate.’ armchairbooks.co.uk

Book Lovers Bookshop

6 Melville Ter

The first brick-and-mortar bookshop in the UK dedicated solely to romantic fiction. bookloversbookshop.co.uk

Ginger and Pickles

51 St Stephen St

A thoughtfully selected range of kids books, with beautiful titles ranging from baby to young adult (plus a small

stationery selection). gingerandpicklesbookshop.com

Golden Hare Books

68 St Stephen St

A cosy space filled with a finely chosen selection of writing, art books, and children’s titles. goldenharebooks.com

Lighthouse Bookshop

43-45 W Nicolson St

Edinburgh’s radical queer bookshop, with an incredible array of fiction and non-fiction alike. lighthousebookshop.com

The Portobello Bookshop

46 Portobello High St

A gorgeously designed, gorgeously curated seaside bookshop, complete with fiction, art books, and a stunning magazine collection. theportobellobookshop.com

Rare Birds Book Shop

13 Raeburn Pl

Much-loved independent book shop championing women authors. rarebirdsbooks.com

Tills Bookshop

1 Hope Park Cres

A second-hand bookshop overlooking the Meadows specialising in rare and antiquarian books. tillsbookshop.co.uk

Topping & Company Booksellers

2 Blenheim Pl

A veritable labyrinth of book rooms complete with book ladders and window seats, where you may be offered a complimentary tea. toppingbooks.co.uk

Typewronger Books

22 Bruntsfield Pl

Formally a Leith institution, Typewronger Books and their stock of books, independent publications and zines move to Bruntsfield this summer. typewronger.com

RESIDENT ADVISOR:

TAZMYN-MEI GEBBETT

We chat with a new Edinburgh transplant, about their favourite spots in the city so far

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Tazmyn, an actor and writer who works part-time in publishing marketing because acting and writing do not pay the bills.

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

Moving to Edinburgh! I moved here just under two months ago so am very much a newbie. I’ve visited many, many times over the last five years with the hopes of living here someday. Earlier this year I took a long, hard look at

what I needed in order to be happier, and living in my favourite city was top of the list. So here I am!

What’s coming up in the future for you?

In terms of normal-human day-to-day, I chair author events in bookshops and for book festivals, and I have a few more scheduled already.

Where do you recommend people go in Edinburgh?

My favourite cafes I’ve discovered since moving to Edinburgh are The Nook

(previously Oqo) on Haddington Place and The Whispering Kettle on Albert Place. If you ever find yourself in need of caffeine along Leith Walk, go and visit!

Favourite shop?

I’m a big nerd and avid reader, so I always recommend the following independent bookshops: Book Lovers Bookshop (the UK’s first romance bookshop), Lighthouse Books (socialist bookshop), Topping & Co (it’s huge and has a ginormous range of sections), Argonaut Books (near Leith) and The Portobello Bookshop (along the beach)!

Why do you like living here?

After living in London for nearly a decade, the thing I needed most was a slower pace of living. Edinburgh is so much smaller than London and is a very walkable city; I can often go days without needing to catch a bus. There are many more independent cafes and shops run by people who are deeply passionate about what they do, as opposed to the chains I’ve become so used to. And the people are friendlier! As someone from the south east of England, I feel like the further up north you go, the happier people are.

The Scottish Colourists Revealed

3 APRIL 202626 OCTOBER 2026

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2026

Andrew Frost Paul Foot

Just Let me Have This

Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand)

5—30 Aug, (Not 19), 15:25

The Future

Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Dancer)

5—30 Aug, (Not 19), 19:20

Nish Kumar Harriet Kemsley

Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy (Work-in-Progress)

Monkey Barrel Comedy (MB3)

6—30 Aug, (Not 19), 14:50

Floozy (Work-in-Progress)

Monkey Barrel Comedy (MB4) 19—26 Aug, 12:45

James AcasterCrybabies

Monkey Barrel Comedy (MB3)

4 Aug, 11:00, 15:00, 19:00, 22:00

The Scaring

Pleasance Two (Pleasance Courtyard)

5—30 Aug (Not 15 & 18), 20:00 57.49 mm

Edinburgh is a small city with lots of cinemas and one of the longest-running film festivals in the world. We look ahead to Edinburgh International Film Festival and run down all your cinema options

Words: Jamie Dunn

Edinburgh in August is an invigorating and life-affirming place to be, what with some of the best theatre, comedy, dance, opera and literature squeezed into every nook and cranny of this modest-sized city. You might have missed, though, that cinema is also part of this melee. Edinburgh International Film Festival moved back to August in 2022 – it previously took place in June – and it’ll once again be offering up a snapshot of contemporary world cinema along with a smattering of classics to tempt audiences away from the chaos of the Fringe and into the relative calm of the cinema screen.   The film festival takes place across six days this year, running 13 to 19 August. As ever, its programme is one of the last to be announced among Edinburgh festivals, so we won’t know the full lineup until 1 July, but the gala screenings that will open and close the festival have been announced. Events kick off in a whimsical fashion with the Scottish comedy The Incomer, the debut feature from Edinburgh-born director Louis Paxton. Set on a remote island off the Scottish coast, it follows

30-something siblings Isla and Sandy, played by Gayle Rankin and Grant O’Rourke, who live an isolated life as the only two residents on their windswept isle, where they have created their own strange mythology. Their way of life comes under threat when Daniel, an awkward council worker played by Domhnall Gleeson, arrives on shore. Closing the festival, meanwhile, is the sure-to-be-moving Bel, a new documentary telling the story of Beldina Odenyo, the awardwinning Scottish-Kenyan musician, singer, songwriter and playwright who performed under the stage name Heir of the Cursed, and who died in 2021, aged just 31.

In between these bookends, expect ten new films to be competing in the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, the festival’s annual competition. Audiences should also expect plenty of eye-opening on-stage discussions from the world of cinema. Last year Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold and Nia DaCosta were among the filmmakers taking part in EIFF’s In Conversation events. Expect a similar calibre this year.

A QUICK GUIDE TO EDINBURGH CINEMAS

Filmhouse

88 Lothian Rd

Edinburgh’s premier arthouse cinema, Filmhouse boasts an expertly curated programme of contemporary and classic films from all over the world, with its four cinemas screening an enviable lineup of retrospectives and themed seasons each month. It’s also a venue for EIFF.

Cameo

38 Home St

Edinburgh’s most iconic cinema, Cameo offers a fine selection of arthouse-leaning films, but in recent year’s it has really leant into its tradition of screening classics, offering up a pleasing eclectic lineup of repertory screenings each month. The bar is also lovely and well-stocked, and it’s another key EIFF venue.

Dominion

18 Newbattle Ter

Edinburgh’s prettiest cinema, this gorgeous family-run art-deco theatre offers the comfiest viewing experience in town, with lush sofas, ushers who escort you to your seat, and complimentary drinks.

Everyman

St James Quarter

Edinburgh’s bougiest cinema, the Everyman screens a mix of mainstream and indie titles, but the main draw is its classy bar and restaurant. For added luxury, there’s table service from the comfort of your cinema seat.

The Scotsman Picturehouse

20 North Bridge

Edinburgh’s fanciest (and priciest) cinema, The Scotsman, a cute single-screener situated at the base of the Scotsman Hotel, really leans into luxury and exclusivity, with

date-night packages, Flick & Fizz brunches and private hire on offer.

Vue

Omni Centre & Ocean Terminal

Edinburgh’s cheapest cinema, Vue is a no-nonsense multiplex chain that screens a wide selection of mainstream and family fare at affordable prices, with tickets from around £7.99.

Cineworld

Fountain Park

Edinburgh’s biggest cinema, not just in terms of the number of screens, but size of screens too – it’s home to Edinburgh’s only IMAX.

EIFF takes place 13-19 Aug, with the full programme announced 1 Jul

edfilmfest.org.uk

LAURA CARREIRA

We talk to the Portuguese film writer and director about what she's learned from 14 years living in Edinburgh

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

In November, my debut feature film, On Falling, won two BAFTA Scotland Awards, which was an incredibly special moment. Then, this year, we won Best European Debut at the European Film Awards in Berlin! So, the last 12 months have been quite a nice period of celebration for our film.

Where do you recommend people do in Edinburgh?  I’ve recently bought a bicycle and have been loving cycling along the old railway paths. It’s just so nice to cross the city without ever seeing a car and surrounded by trees. And for food, people need to try Cullen Skink; it’s Scotland’s best-kept secret. If we had that in Portugal, we wouldn’t stop bragging about it.

Favourite place to drink in Edinburgh?

Drinking by the Water of Leith at The Shore on a sunny day. Grab a book, pick up some drinks and snacks, text a few friends, and before long, everyone starts to arrive. If it rains, you just go into Malt & Hops!

What do you like best about living here?

I love that Edinburgh feels small. There’s something almost village-like about it.

People are friendly and you bump into familiar faces wherever you go. It’s also incredibly beautiful. I’ve lived here for over a decade, and I still find myself taking photos of the Castle every time I walk down Princes Street.

What annoys you about living here?

I don’t like that Edinburgh feels small. I’d love a bit more of the August chaos throughout the rest of the year. Sorry to all other locals, I might be in the minority here, but I’d like more to be happening culturally in the city yearround. Also, can we please have some coffee shops that stay open past 5pm? And I’d

love for good bread not to be a luxury item.

Do you have an Edinburgh Festival survival tip?

Just watch clowns. Ignore the ‘Best of the Fringe’ recommendations and all that, and go to as many clown shows as you can possibly go to. You can thank me later. For the introverts, go to the Edinburgh International Film Festival – the only safe place in August where you can sit back and relax, knowing no one will ask you to share your deepest secrets with a room full of strangers.

→ KIDS

Take a tour through Edinburgh’s Old Town to learn some facts about Scotland’s weird and wonderful history

Start: Edinburgh Castle Esplanade

End: National Museum of Scotland

Distance covered: < 1km

Standing on Castle Rock, a 350 million-year-old volcanic plug, the site of Edinburgh Castle has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. The oldest part of the fortress that stands there now is St Margaret’s Chapel, which was built in the 12th Century. It’s been a royal residence, an arsenal, a military garrison and now a visitor attraction and home to the Crown Jewels of Scotland.

Question 1: Stand in front of the entrance to Edinburgh Castle and look above the main gate. What do you see on a yellow shield?

a) A pink swan

b) A red lion

c) A blue unicorn

Question 2: Walk away from the castle towards the Royal Mile. When you leave the gates there’s a restaurant on the right – and there’s something buried in the wall nearest to the castle, above the window in the middle. What is it?

a) A cannonball

b) A spear

c) A rose bush

Question 3: Keep walking down the Royal Mile until you reach George IV Bridge. Cross the road, and you’ll find a massive statue of the philosopher David Hume. He lived in the mid-18th century and was a key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, a period of radical development in philosophy and science whose ideas influenced modern societies around the world. Look at his toe – it’s very shiny. Why do people rub it?

a) For luck

b) Because their tour guide told them it was a real local custom

c) To release the genie

Question 4: Across the road is St Giles’ Cathedral, the 900-year-old High Kirk of Edinburgh. On the cobbles outside you’ll find the Heart of Midlothian, marking the site of the Old Tolbooth, which was demolished in 1817. The building used to house the city’s main jail, where prisoners would experience gruesome torture and even execution. What do locals do to the Heart of Midlothian for luck?

a) Jump on it

b) Stroke it

c) Spit on it

Question 6: Continue along George IV Bridge until you reach a statue of Edinburgh’s most famous wee dug and very good boy, Greyfriars Bobby. This Skye terrier lived more than 150 years ago and has been celebrated ever since for his incredible loyalty. He guarded the grave of his owner John Gray for 14 years until his death in 1872 – you can find his grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard over the road. It's the one with a pile of sticks in front of it. It’s become a custom for tourists to rub part of Greyfriars Bobby for luck, but which part is it?

a) His paw

b) Under his chin

c) His nose

Question 5: Head back to George IV Bridge, cross the road, turn left and walk along the weird tunnel that's replaced the pavement for years, no one knows why. Cross over Victoria Street, and you'll find Edinburgh Central Library on the other side. The first entrance is the children's library, which has a craft room and a chill space at the back if you need a break. Built in 1890, this was the first public library in the city. There are some carvings above the main entrance – what do they say?

a) I Love Reading

b) Let There Be Light

c) City of CouncilEdinburgh Rules OK

Question 7: Cross the road, where you will find the National Museum of Scotland. Entrance is free – grab a map and make your way to the Science and Technology area of Level 1. Here you’ll find Dolly the Sheep. She’s very famous, but why?

a) She’s a clone

b) She’s the star of The Sheep Detectives

c) She’s the first of a new breed of sheep

ANSWERS

1 b) A red lion, also known as the Lion Rampant of Scotland – apparently the king can arrest you if you use it without his permission. Which is surprising, but did you know he also owns all the swans? The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland due to its proud, untameable, fiercely independent nature.

2 a) A cannonball. Some say it was shot towards Holyrood Palace and Bonnie Prince Charlie when he was laying siege to the Castle during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. Others say it was placed there as part of engineering works, which is much less exciting.

3 a) and b) The statue isn’t as old as it looks – it was made in 1995. So rubbing the toe isn’t an ancient custom, although some locals might do it for luck on their way into the High Court next door. David Hume likely would have hated becoming a good luck charm as he famously rejected religion and superstition in favour of rationality and reason. That was kind of his whole thing.

4 c) Spit on it – historically to ward off the chance of ending up in the cells or maybe to express disdain for the people imprisoned there. Now it might also have something to do with individual feelings towards local football team Heart of Midlothian F.C.

5 b) Let There Be Light – the man who paid for the building, Andrew Carnegie, insisted this was written over the door of every library he funded. And he funded a lot of libraries – thousands in fact, in the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, Belgium, France, the Caribbean, Mauritius, Malaysia and Fiji.

6 c) His nose. No one knows why it started, it drives locals insane.

7 a) She’s not just a clone, she’s the first clone! Dolly the Sheep was created by Edinburgh scientists in a test tube from an adult sheep cell, and born on 5 July 1996.

→ Attractions and Green Spaces

A big part of Edinburgh’s appeal is its aesthetic; where else will you find a hole-inthe-wall takeaway in the middle of a medieval alley? To save you the effort of trying to snap an Instagrammable pic of some poor punter’s front door, we’ve put together the capital’s most eye-catching sights, its most memorable museums and its most bewitching ruins

Words: Ellie Robertson

OUTDOORS AND UPHILL

Edinburgh Castle, situated on the summit of an extinct volcano, has been an iconic part of the city’s skyline and Scotland’s national identity for hundreds of years. Today, the castle is open to the public, offering historical tours and sweeping overlooks. If you’d rather admire it from below in Princes Street Gardens, brace yourself for the daily firing of the One O’Clock Gun from the castle battlements. The gardens, just across the road from the shopping promenade of Princes Street, are also home to the turquoise Ross Fountain, the ancient St Cuthbert’s Kirkyard, and the statue of ursine war veteran Wojtek – the wild bear was conscripted into WWII, before retiring to Edinburgh Zoo. Though there are no

retired army animals there anymore, the Zoo has recently celebrated the birth of baby Capybara Bru.  If there’s an overlook you want to reach more easily, you can access the top of Calton Hill via the stairs on Regent Road. Up there, you’ll find other architectural poster boys of the city such as The Dugald Stewart Monument and the National Monument of Scotland, an unfinished replica of the Parthenon that has been affectionately nicknamed 'Edinburgh's Folly' and 'Edinburgh's Disgrace'. If you’re up for a heftier hike, head to Holyrood Park and up Arthur’s Seat. The peak is one of the most popular photo ops in the city, and the beginner’s route from Queen’s Drive is beloved by locals and tourists alike. If you want a view from the very centre of

it all, climb the viewing platforms on the Scott Monument, the imposing gothic spire on Princes Street, and for those who really want to test your stamina, travel by foot or by bike via the 12-mile Water of Leith walkway, which takes you to such scenic spots as Dean Village, the Colinton Tunnel, and areas like Craiglockhart Hill and Saughton Gardens.

But there’s no need to go so far afield; if you prefer to stop and smell the flowers, the Royal Botanic Garden (Inverleith Row) has acres of plantlife available to the public, and a historic herbarium that contains over three million flora samples, and The Meadows, the unofficial commons of the nearby University of Edinburgh George Square campus, is worth a trip for its cherry blossom-covered walks.

INDOORS AND UNDERGROUND

The National Museum of Scotland, which is accessible via Chambers St, houses hundreds of antiquities from around the world and contains a multi-storey wing detailing the history of Scotland. Its most notable attractions include the taxidermied remains of Dolly the Sheep, the first ever cloned animal, and the gargoyle-covered Millenium Clock which comes alive in a macabre dance several times a day.

Edinburgh is a centuries-old city, and buried beneath the Old Town are some bone-chilling histories; the excavated alleyway of Mary King’s Close (2 Warriston’s Cl) is often distinguished as Britain’s most haunted location. Whether or not you’re a believer in the supernatural, there’s a ton of history hidden in Edinburgh’s underground vaults, and Auld Reekie Tours (45 Niddry St) and Mercat Tours (28 Blair St) offer experiences that take you down below.

The gates of the Gothic Greyfriars Kirkyard (Greyfriars Pl) are guarded by the statue of Greyfriars Bobby, a terrier

who spent 14 years loyally defending his late master’s grave. The memorial to the dog has become a celebrity in its own right, and every day crowds of tourists flock to the statue to rub his bronze nose in exchange for luck. If you have a taste for something much more morbid, Surgeon’s Hall (Nicholson St) is a medical museum stocked with body parts and animal specimens preserved in formaldehyde jars, which also tells the story of Edinburgh’s status as an Enlightenment city – and the grisly amount of graverobbing and dissection that our historical figures owe their scientific advancements to.

Not all of our attractions are buried underground or floating in jars. Something that is appreciated by all ages is a trip to Dynamic Earth (Holyrood Rd), an interactive science centre laid out with immersive, environmental displays. There, you can experience the simulated conditions of

an earthquake, or behold the complete night sky in their planetarium. There’s even a real-life glacier, which you’re encouraged to touch and feel the ice crystalise around your handprint. Camera Obscura & World of Illusions (549 Castlehill) is a museum dedicated to visual effects, such as mirror mazes and tunnels of light.

OUTWITH EDINBURGH

If you’ve got more time to kill and want to get some fresh Scottish air, jump on a bus to the Pentland Hills, a hikeable wildland just an hour north of Edinburgh, where you can see some Highland cows up close in the fur. The open-air art park Jupiter Artland, known for its surrealist landscaping and otherworldly sculpture, is a similar distance from the city, and on Scotland’s sunniest days – it’s been known to happen – Portobello Beach is the best place to be.

There are art galleries all across the city of Edinburgh, ranging from avant-garde DIY spaces to grand neoclassical buildings. In the summer, they’re home to the Edinburgh Art Festival programme, with participating exhibitions extending before and after EAF’s intense twoweek August run

Words: Rosamund West

Fruitmarket

45 Market St

London-based Irish artist Eva Rothschild’s The Void Presses the Wall will be taking over the closest gallery to Waverley station this summer (10 Jul-11 Oct). Her sculptural pieces, in bronze, plaster, steel, cast or constructed, play with the relationship between audience and artwork.

City Art Centre

2 Market St

Across the road, Start from the Level (27 Jun-27 Sep) celebrates the life and legacy of Edinburgh photographer Sandra George, who spent 30 years working with communities in the city.

Stills

23 Cockburn St

Edinburgh’s original photography gallery and education space hosts a major survey of internationally renowned South African documentary and portrait photographer Jillian Edelstein (31 Jul-24 Oct) as its Edinburgh Art Festival show.

Talbot Rice Gallery

University of Edinburgh, South Bridge British sculptor Anne Hardy presents an immersive installation transforming the Georgian galleries in the heart of the University’s Old College. (27 Jun-27 Sep).

Dovecot

10 Infirmary St

The home of weaving in Scotland presents Elizabeth Blackadder: A Life in Colour (until 14 Nov), marking the five-decade relationship between the celebrated artist and the textile studio.

Collective

City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill

The hilltop Collective gallery offers unparalleled views. This summer they’re hosting Katie Paterson’s Afterlife (until 6 Sep) a collection of nearly 200 amulets created with materials sourced from endangered landscapes and fragile ecosystems. They also present There is no beginning, as there is no end, a new solo commission by Richard Maguire (10 Jul-14 Sep).

Edinburgh Printmakers

Castle Mills, 1 Dundee St

A series of new prints and printed sculptures form Memorials to Sausage Politics (24 Jul-25 Oct), a new exhibition by Jamie Fitzpatrick exploring debates around post-colonial public statuary.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

21 Hawthornvale

The summer exhibition in this buzzing Newhaven workshop complex is Esther Castle: Abundant Parts, a newly

commissioned installation that evokes an otherworldly garden.

Royal Botanic Garden

Inverleith Row

Around A Tree, an evolving installation from Colombian foundation Más Arte Más Acción, is a site for gathering, dialogue and exchange.

Bard

1 Customs Wharf

The summer Bard, a magical Leith space celebrating Scottish design, present Laura Lees’ Wish You Were Here (until 18 Jul), and intricate embroidery works of monuments and tropes of Edinburgh life.

Embassy

7 Ferry Rd

Artist-run space, check their Instagram for up-to-date exhibition info.

Agitate

20 Castle Ter

An artist-run photography collective, hosting workshops, exhibitions and in-conversation events.

Ingleby Gallery

33 Barony St

Songs of Innocence & Experience Part II celebrates the Caribbean artist

Frank Walter (until 12 Sep) in the airy surrounds of this former Glasite meeting house.

Jupiter Artland

Bonnington House, Wilkieston

On the outskirts of the city, this magical sculpture park is home to a treasure trove of site-specific artworks by an array of international artists. Their summer show Sgàire Wood: In Pride, In Piety, In Vigilance has origins in drag, fashion photography and multi-artform nightlife scenes. They also host JUPITER RISING x EAF, a one-night-only experimental music and performance party in the woods (Sat 22 Aug).

National Galleries of Scotland

The Mound

Taking a break from their usual summer programme of Impressionist exhibitions, NGS present Catherine Opie: To Be Seen (8 Aug-1 Nov). The celebration of portraiture includes nearly 80 works featuring the American artist’s mentors and collaborators, queer communities, children, surfers, high school footballers and political crowds.

Edinburgh Art Festival runs 14-30 Aug

MATTHEW WILSON

One Edinburgh artist shares his favourite places to go

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Matthew Wilson, an Edinburgh-based artist and educator.

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

My solo exhibition, I thought you were real. I am real, at Custom House Gallery in Leith.

What’s coming up in the future for you?

Chaos and Control:

Printmaking in Scotland Now, a group exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy, 27 Jun-26 Jul. I’ll be showing a print-based sculpture, Real Marble Dust I-V. The work was made during my time as an artist in residence at Dundee Contemporary Arts, where I focused on the use of more utilitarian materials and industrial techniques to retell the narratives shown in a series of mass-produced reproductions of classical Western art imagery.

Where do you recommend people go in Edinburgh?

A walk in the Pentland Hills: a quieter, larger, and less crowded Arthur’s Seat.

Favourite place to eat?

Polentoni, an amazing little takeaway cafe/deli on Easter Road run by good eggs, Franco and Sarah. Make sure

you get any of the topped focaccia, a custard-filled croissant, or a bag of their almond biscuits.

Favourite place to drink?

The Lioness of Leith. Hardly a hot take, but loads of people say it’s the best pub in Leith and they’re right. Good local pints, friendly staff, fun decor... feels like a distinct outlier that encapsulates the area.

Favourite shop?

I’d be lying if I said anything other than the Screwfix on Bonnington Road.

Why do you like living here?

It feels less like a city and more like a bunch of

small, disparate towns glued together.

What annoys you about living here?

Everything that makes me think the city has a vendetta against cyclists... especially all the cobblestones.

Do you have an Edinburgh festivals survival tip?

If you’re visiting, seek refuge at Summerhall Courtyard. A haven compared to every other Fringe venue hub. If you’re local, embrace the idea of a fallow year.

I: @matthewwilsonart matthewwilsonart.com

From communityfocused and record label-hosted events to massive outdoor gigs and everything inbetween, Edinburgh’s music

pretty

scene is actually

damn good

Words: Tallah Brash

Edinburgh has a surprising amount going for it in terms of its music scene, despite what our pals in Glasgow might tell you. Look beyond its massive NYE Hogmanay Street Party celebrations and in the spring and you’ll find Edinburgh TradFest and Wide Days, Scotland’s leading music convention. In peak summer hit up the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (17-26 Jul) ahead of the many festivals that take over every nook and cranny of the city in August.

Speaking of which, at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe you’ll find a curated programme under the Made In Scotland banner, with music offerings including Flowercore (The Gilded Saloon, 17-22 Aug, 3pm), from Edinburgh multihyphenate Siobhan Wilson, and Tùs / Origin (The Jazz Bar, 18-20 Aug, 5:30pm) from the Brian Molley Quartet as they explore the Celtic roots of jazz. There’ll also be a gig showcase (17 Aug) hosted by the aforementioned Wide Days featuring an exciting cross-section of rising Scottish talent – expect neo-soul and jazz from Azamiah and Cathal Murphy, enigmatic dance-punk from Bikini Body, folk and harp from Dara Dubh, cinematic indie-rock from Fright Years, heartfelt indie from Haiver, fronted by Frightened Rabbit’s Billy Kennedy, and much more!

Also in August, head to the North Berwick coast for Fringe by the Sea (31 Jul-9 Aug). A festival with community at its heart, there you’ll find a glut of Scottish talent like Belle and Sebastian, Tinderbox Collective, Kathryn Joseph, Sarah/Shaun, Brian d’Souza/Auntie Flo, Drexler and Rianne Downey. At the Edinburgh International Festival, two contemporary shows that should be high up your 2026 hit list are Mercury

Prize-nominated Glasgow jazz artist corto.alto (The Hub, 18 Aug) and the pairing of Isle of Skye smallpipes wizard Brìghde Chaimbeul and Scottish Ensemble (The Queen’s Hall, 23 Aug). Meanwhile, out at the Royal Highland Centre you’ll find some of the biggest shows of the year thanks to Edinburgh Summer Sessions with Biffy Clyro (21 Aug), The Cure (23 Aug), Florence + The Machine (24 Aug), Lorde (25 Aug), Deftones (27 Aug) and The Prodigy (29 Aug) all set to play.

In the heart of the city, the Cowgate is alive with exciting new music and mini-festivals all-year round. On Saturday 18 July, the third instalment of the Cowgate Block Party all-dayer takes place at worldrenowned host venue Sneaky Pete’s

and the multiple rooms of The Mash House. Sneaky Pete’s have a packed programme all-year round, so it’s always worth checking what’s on while you’re in town. Jump back to August, and promoters 432 Presents are pulling out all the stops for a run of shows at La Belle Angele that includes Mary Lattimore (7 Aug), Bel Cobain (16 Aug), Pigs x7 (20 Aug), Just Mustard (24 Aug), This Is the Kit (25 Aug) and Getdown Services (30 & 31 Aug).

With their official mainland outpost in Leith record shop Good Vibes, Isle of Eigg record label Lost Map Records bring a slice of island life to the Leith FAB Cricket Club (run by neighbouring indie venue Leith Depot) this August in the form of three Howlin’ Fringe shows: Suckle + Sulka (12 Aug), Pictish Trail (19 Aug) and Free Love (26 Aug). For more indie and grassroots happenings, keep an eye on (and listen to) community radio station EHFM, Leith-based micro-label New Teeth, and Paradise Palms Records, the latter of which runs out of their namesake

cocktail bar/restaurant/pre-club and performance space Paradise Palms. With unwavering support for local artists and a stacked year-round programme, be sure to pop into their cosy corner of the city, which just so happens to be right in the heart of the Fringe district – very handy in August.

Just outside the Fringe, you’ll find Edinburgh Psych Fest (6 Sep), with this year’s festival welcoming international talent like Stereolab, Ty Segal, and the much lauded Angine de Poitrine alongside SHAME, Mandy, Indiana, and local talents Jill Lorean, Isabella Strange, Acolyte, Roller Disco Death Party, Water Machine and more. Cast your gaze to later in the year and you’ll find the Soundhouse Winter Festival (26-30 Nov), a showcase of some of Scotland’s most exciting talent that runs in tandem with St Andrew’s Day. Of course, if none of that sounds any good, well, Glasgow’s only 40 minutes away by train. But maybe the problem isn’t Edinburgh, maybe it’s you x

RESIDENT ADVISOR:

THORNE RECORDS

We meet local record shop owner and community-supporter Mark Thorne to find out what he loves about living in Edinburgh

Who are you and what do you do?

Hi, I’m Mark Thorne and I am the manager and owner of Thorne Records in leafy Bruntsfield.

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

Being named one of the best record shops in the world by The Financial Times

What’s coming up in the future for you?

All a bit top secret at the moment but we are hoping to release a 7” single by a Scottish artist towards the end of the summer.

Where do you recommend people go in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh is built on seven hills, my favourite being Blackford Hill which has a fairly easy stroll to the top with the city’s best views of Arthur’s Seat, The Royal Mile and the Castle. Go for a pint or three in Morningside’s Canny Man’s afterwards.

Favourite place to eat?

Mother India’s Cafe on Infirmary Street. Their Chilli Garlic Chicken is my death row meal.

Favourite place to drink?

Home Bar (formally the legendary party bar, Cuckoo’s Nest) in Tollcross.

Favourite shop?

Ah ha ha Jokes and Novelties on Victoria Street (I’m partial to a fake jobbie). It is actually currently closed but surely someone will rescue this bespectacled institution?

Why do you like living here?

Edinburgh hosts the world’s largest arts festival all August AND it does a bloody good Christmas all December (and we have the Hogmanay street party too of course). That means that at least one day in every six it is full-on partytime and I like those odds!

What annoys you about living here?

When locals say, “I hate the festival.”

Do you have an Edinburgh festivals survival tip?

Don’t worry about the weather, tell yourself it is only money and spend as much time as possible drinking in the outside bars at George Square.

Go cosmic this summer with Scotland’s national youth orchestra

Sun 12 July, 3:00pm Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Holst

The Planets

Free tickets for under 18s and discounts for students

National Youth Orchestras

| www.nyos.co.uk

RECORDS

↘ From A to V, here are ten of Edinburgh’s independent record shops worth visiting while you’re in town

Assai Records

1 Grindlay St, EH3 9AT

With shops across Scotland, you’ll find all the best new releases here, plus regular in-store and out-store gigs, featuring some massive names. assai.co.uk

Avalanche Records

Waverley Mall, EH1 1BQ

A constant in the city since the early 80s, at Avalanche Records you’ll find a massive selection of band tees, new and second-hand vinyl and CDs. avalancherecords.co.uk

Backbeat Records

31 E Crosscauseway, EH8 9HE

Backbeat Records opened in 1981 and is packed to the rafters with secondhand vinyl and CDs. Not advised for the casual music consumer.

Beat Generation Records

5 Lochrin Pl, EH3 9QJ

Since opening in March, Beat Generation have kept busy selling new and second-hand vinyl while hosting numerous in-store events. IG @beat.generation.records

Good Vibes Neighbourhood

Store & Studios

151-153 Constitution St, EH6 7AD

A beautifully curated shop featuring the entire Lost Map Records catalogue,

you’ll also find the Good Vibes’ trademark genre caps here. good-vibes.space

Slow Progress

53 Blackfriars St, EH1 1NB

More than just a record shop, Slow Progress is also a lovely spot for a cup of coffee, and in August they double up as a PBH Free Fringe venue. slowprogress.co.uk

Thorne Records

125 Bruntsfield Pl, EH10 4EQ

Thorne Records believe that records make your life better, and the same can be said for this shop with its strong community and customer focus. thornerecords.com

Underground Solution

9 Cockburn St, EH1 1BP

With great underground records sitting alongside more mainstream offerings, this shop can also help you out with DJ, HiFi and music equipment. undergroundsolution.com

Umbrella Vinyl

20 Valleyfield St, EH3 9LR

With a huge selection of second-hand vinyl spanning a plethora of global subgenres, you’ll also find new records from local artist and labels. umbrellavinyl.com

VoxBox Music

21 St Stephen St, EH3 5AN

A dinky spot for new and used vinyl in Stockbridge, VoxBox also host regular in-stores; in April don’t miss their Record Store Day party. voxboxmusic.co.uk

GIG VENUES

From 100 capacity sweatboxes and grassroots spaces to concert halls and stadiums – big and small, Edinburgh’s got it all

Words: Tallah Brash

Aboisterous and vibrant yet grubby street, The Cowgate forms the low level backbone of Edinburgh’s Old Town. At the heart of this is the world renowned, award-winning Sneaky Pete’s; a 100-capacity sweatbox where you can find future household names sat alongside already world-famous DJs. Across the street is the multi-level Bongo Club, with others tucked away on side streets like the more accessible La Belle Angele (Hastie’s Close), or its sister venue The Mash House spread across three floors (Guthrie Street). Around the corner on Chambers Street, regular gigs and a late night music programme can be found at The Jazz Bar.

Back in the Cowgate, at the bottom of Blair Street, Cabaret Voltaire hosts regular gigs and clubs in its subterranean space under South Bridge. You’ll find similar underground vibes at The Caves (Niddry St S), while on the opposite street is The Banshee Labyrinth, an easy to get lost in, haunted dive bar with a regular gig programme, film screenings, club nights and free Fringe shows worth taking a punt on in August.

Head halfway up the highly instagrammable Victoria Street to The Liquid Room for regular gigs and clubs across two spaces, while a short walk away you’ll find Paradise Palms and the People’s Leisure Club, a pair of technicolour venues hosting gigs, clubs and more; swing by their sister venue West Port Oracle too, just off the Grassmarket. At the nearby ECA you’ll find the Wee Red Bar, or head to Princes Street – just behind the Apple

shop is The Voodoo Rooms, a cocktail bar and restaurant with gigs throughout the year and Fringe shows galore in August. Down in Leith you’ll find more grassroots and indie offerings at both Leith Depot and the Leith FAB Cricket Club, while occasional happenings take place in the basement of The Safari Lounge Venture south or west and venues start to get bigger with The Queen’s Hall, a 900-capacity former chapel, or The Usher Hall, a 2200-capacity concert hall on Lothian Road. Head further west and you’ll find the Corn Exchange, a 3000-capacity venue run by the O2. And in the summer, check listings for Edinburgh Castle, Murrayfield Stadium and The Royal Highland Centre

An important note: while a lot of these venues run as normal in August, venues like The Caves and The Bongo Club are taken over by the Fringe, so it’s always worth double checking before you visit

LARA SINCLAIR

We get the lowdown on Edinburgh highlights from a local DJ, promoter and actual Resident Advisor employee

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Lara, I work in marketing and A&R at Paradise Palms Records. I DJ and run my own club night, Chromatic, at The Bongo Club and I am the City Manager for Edinburgh for Resident Advisor.

What’s been a highlight of the last 12 months for you?

Definitely beginning my role at RA, it’s made me feel so much closer to the scene in Edinburgh and it’s been a privilege to represent my city.

More recently working on the new Bonnie Tropical Compilation with Palms records. I’ve discovered so much incredible homegrown talent.

What’s coming up in the future for you?

In the near future, I am playing on The Saloon Bar at Kelburn Garden Party with my best friend, I cannot wait! Further ahead, who knows?

I’m always ready for a challenge though!

Where do you recommend people go in Edinburgh?

The Water of Leith is one of my favourite walks on a sunny day, or a stroll around the Botanics. Cowgate of course is my favourite for a night out but my top three venues would be Sneaky Pete’s, Bongo and Cab Vol Cafe!

Favourite place to eat?

Ka Pao, Lucky Yu and PIGGS – I’m a sucker for a small plates menu.

Favourite place to drink?

The Tourmalet in Leith, Victoria Leith and The Gilded Saloon.

Favourite shop?

Underground Solution and Vinyl Villains. You have to pry me out of Space NK as well.

Why do you like living here?

The community! I’ve made so many amazing friends. I also love that Edinburgh has that big city feel but you can still get from A to B with ease.

What annoys you about living here?

The unpredictability of the weather makes planning a day out a bit more tricky!

Do you have an Edinburgh festivals survival tip? Electrolytes.

↘ Much of Edinburgh’s nightlife dwells in the warren-like vaults, basements and backrooms of the medieval strip, known as the Cowgate. Home to outstanding venues, DJs and promoters, here are The Skinny’s top club night picks

Words: Myrtle Boot Tracks

Subway, Mondays

Wigs, lashes and stilettos at the ready – divas take to the biggest stage in Scottish drag every Monday night at 9pm.

RARE Edinburgh

Sneaky Pete’s, Tuesdays

Scottish party professionals, RARE, welcome DJs local and global each Tuesday night. Previous guests include Dr Dubplate, Arthi and SHEE.

Cookie Wednesday

Hive, Wednesdays

Free entry, free cookies and £1 shots?

Cookie Wednesdays are the most affordable (and most ridiculous) nights out in the capital. Bonus points for getting a photo with the poor sod in the Cookie Monster costume.

import

Sneaky Pete’s, Thursdays

A celebration of global bass music and FLINTA+ artists, import takes over the city’s favourite living room-sized club for an intimate affair.

Palidrone

Sneaky Pete’s, Fridays

With eight years of parties under their belt, Palidrone are experts in throwing high-energy, genre-bending and unpredictable club nights. Previous guests include Teki Latex, Tim Reaper and Joy Orbison.

Club Nocturne

Cabaret Voltaire, Saturdays

A guaranteed belter of a Saturday

night, Club Nocturne promises real DJs, no phones and no egos. Previous guests include Horse Meat Disco, Jasper James and LWS.

Chromatic

The Bongo Club, Saturdays

For fans of subwoofers and facemelters, Chromatic consistently brings UK bass royalty to The Bongo Club. Previous guests include Saint Ludo, Plastician and Neffa-T.

EPiKA

The Bongo Club, Saturdays

The heart of Edinburgh’s techno community, EPiKA put on stellar club

nights, femme-focused DJ workshops and pre-party socials – don’t be surprised if the entire dancefloor already knows one another. Previous guests include Livid, Lindsey Herbert and Selene.

Like This

People’s Leisure Club, Saturdays

Holding it down in Edinburgh’s newest venue, People’s Leisure Club, Like This keeps the candle burning for formative electronic sounds – expect Detroit techno, Chicago house and New York garage delivered to a hungry crowd.

Tierhaus

Summerhall, Saturdays

Tierhaus transforms Summerhall’s Dissection Room into a homage to the Haçienda, with euphoric tunes, immersive installations and a community-minded ethos.

Free Time

Sneaky Pete’s, Sundays

Sneaky Pete’s answer to clawing back the last few hours of the weekend, Free Time is proof that the Sunday Scaries can’t reach you in the club. Hosting friends of the club from 6-10pm, why not stick around for Postal to take you into the wee hours of Monday. Previous guests include Mount Kimbie, Goldie and DJ EZ.

Headset

Whether you’re after drag queen-hosted garage nights, UK-wide 140 parties, branded umbrellas or your new favourite record label – Headset has something for everyone. An Edinburgh mainstay for the last ten years, previous guests have included El-B, Batu and Cooly G.

Faeriesteria

Weird and wonderful things happen when faerie circle and Microsteria put on their joint club nights. Known and loved individually, the two parties unite to stage beguiling, performance-led events in the witching hours.

Edinburgh Dub Club

Ragga and roots, dancehall and dub – Edinburgh Dub Club pays homage to Jamaican sound system culture, uniting Scotland’s selectors, systems and dancers. Previous guests include Messenger Sound System, Mungo’s Hi Fi and Hometown Sound System.

Please note, some venue’s regular programming changes during August to accomodate the Fringe

The month of many festivals – Edinburgh is transformed into the performing arts hub of the world as the Fringe and International Festival arrive alongside the International Book Festival, Art Festival and International Film Festival. It’s a time of endless possibility, of burning the candle at both ends, of experiencing the best and the worst of the arts, often in the course of a single day

Words: Rosamund West

The population explodes, it’s impossible to get anywhere, everyone is relentlessly overstimulated as every available space becomes a performance venue or pop-up bar. Edinburgh locals have a love-hate relationship with the August festivals – sure, it’s a privilege to have unfettered access to work by the world’s greatest artists, musicians, comedians on your (often actual) doorstep. But what about the traffic? And all the annoying people from London?

If it’s your first time, it’s going to be an unforgettable experience. Don’t overthink it, go with the flow – plan some bits, take a chance on others. Accept that alongside some of the greatest audience experiences of your life you will undoubtedly come across some duds if you really immerse yourself in the Edinburgh Festivals.

Here’s a quick primer of what’s what. It all started back in 1947 with the Edinburgh International Festival, set up in the aftermath of the Second

World War to promote culture, exchange and the ‘flowering of the human spirit.’ This year they’re running 7 to 30 August – this is where you will find your opera, classical music, ballet and large production theatre.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe also began in 1947, coining the term ‘fringe theatre’ in the process with an open access approach to programming. This is where you will find your comedy, theatre, musicals, cabaret, circus and kids shows. It’s the biggest performing arts festival in the world with a programme rivaling the Bible for pagination. This year it’s running 7 to 31 August, and the major venues are Pleasance, Gilded Balloon, Underbelly, Assembly and Summerhall.

The Fringe has a bunch of its own fringes, because in Scotland we encourage dissent and the starting of many festivals. The Free Fringe was set up in opposition to the high costs of venue hire and ticketing, with an alternative model where venue are

free, tickets are free, and audiences pay what they want at the end of the show into a donation bucket.

Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and currently occupies the Futures Institute of the University of Edinburgh, close to various Fringe hubs. This year they’ve got a packed programme of more than 600 events for adults and children running 15 to 30 August.

Edinburgh International Film Festival also began in 1947 but has not always run in August. It brings a touch of glamour to proceedings with a short but sweet run of 13 to 19 August, showcasing the best of Scottish cinematic talent alongside international work.

Finally, the newest addition to the August lineup is Edinburgh Art Festival, which started back in 2004. Running 14 to 30 August it presents a programme of specially commissioned events, performances and exhibitions

across the city in year-round galleries and pop-up venues.

What to bring

A raincoat, sunscreen, warm layers: Be prepared for any and all seasons to occur on any given day.

A water bottle: Scottish water is famously better than the water wherever you live. Fill it up at filling stations around town. Or just from the tap.

What not to bring

An umbrella: It will be immediately destroyed in the wind, also very annoying for squeezing through crowds of festival-goers.

Find a guide

We recommend The Skinny’s August edition and the Edinburgh festivalsdedicated Fest magazine.

For-top tier recs, look out for our awards, The Besties, announced weekly in the Fringe.

Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the Fringe programme? Looking for some recommendations tailor-made to fit your tastes? We’re here to help, with this extremely accurate and scientific personality test

It’s 10am on your first day at the Fringe. What are you doing?

You start to queue at a yurt that holds eight people to watch the midday show featuring the Latvian sketch troupe you got drunk with on the Cowgate last night.

You head to Snax for a hearty breakfast and to consult your laminated schedule of acts you’ve booked, all of whom you’ve seen recently in WIP shows.

You’re still in bed because the one person you’re going to see tonight doesn’t start until 8.30pm and you literally don’t recognise anyone else’s name in the Fringe programme.

You’re running late to today’s meet-the-media brunch because you left your business cards back at your Airbnb.

You’re still in bed because you only got to sleep three hours ago. You’re still wearing your cowboy hat and feather boa.

It’s 2pm. You’re stopped on the street by a 21-year-old performer whose one-woman show blends standup, vaudeville, circus acrobatics, feminist theory and close-up magic. Do you… ?

Take a flyer and promise to come to her show at 5pm, with every intention of going. This sounds fucking great.

Take a flyer with no intention of going, but you need a bookmark for the Alexei Sayle biography you’re rereading.

Take a flyer with no intention of going and ask her, is there a Wetherspoons around here?

You barge past her as if she doesn’t exist because you’re on your way to a working lunch with that annoying PR who always has good coke. Luckily, the performer is a gymnast, so she lands on her feet.

Take a flyer and throw it in the bin next to the entrance of the Underbelly Beer Garden, before entering.

FIND YOUR

Words: Jamie Dunn

It’s 6pm. You see a horde of grown-ass adults wearing headphones, singing Sweet Caroline off-key, dancing badly and generally getting in everyone’s way. Do you…?

Roll your eyes before queuing up for a secret show that you were told about from a lovely drag queen you met while grabbing a swift pint between shows.

You jot down in your ‘joke ideas’ Moleskine, “write a routine about how terrible silent discos are – no one’s ever thought of that!”

You convince your pals to sign up for the next silent disco because you need something to do before your show at 8.30pm.

You barge through the happy silent discoers on your way to Pleasance Courtyard, where you’re going to linger next to Phill Jupitus and Josie Long’s table, hoping to eavesdrop on the location of some cool afterparty.

You’re already part of the silent disco but you get kicked out halfway through because you’re sick down someone’s leg in Bristo Square.

PERSONALITY QUIZ!

It’s 9pm. What are you up to?

You’re wolfing down a falafel wrap in the queue for your fifth show of the day – a quartet of students with a raunchy comedy show inspired by the Teletubbies.

You’re watching your favourite comedian and laughing a bit too hard at a joke referencing the Chilcot Inquiry.

You’re getting roasted by the comedian you’ve paid £74 to see because you’ve arrived 25 minutes late and made your whole row get up while you take your seat.

You’re in the Teviot toilets with your DJ friend, rubbing coke into your gums because all the surfaces are filthy.

You have no idea, but you’ve got an urge to karaoke.

It’s midnight. Where are you headed?

To queue up to see a usually quite boring stand-up who’s appearing as their experimental alter-ego at Banshee Labyrinth.

To queue up to see your favourite standup who’s appearing as their experimental alter ego at Banshee Labyrinth. You don’t like this change of direction; you prefer when they make jokes about the Chilcot Inquiry.

You’re home, watching reruns of Mock the Week, not realising there’s a new series of Mock the Week.

You’re trying to sneak into that afterparty you overheard Josie Long talking about, but the bouncer isn’t having it, and he doesn’t care if you know Gyles Brandreth.

You’re getting kicked out of a Dionysus-themed cabaret show for being too debauched.

RESULTS

Mostly As: Fringe chaos monster: You’re drawn to the wild shows that involve lots of audience interaction. Ideally, the comedians are trained by Philippe Gaulier, their shows involve gratuitous levels of nudity and take place after midnight.

Mostly Bs: Fringe comedy pseud: You prefer comedy that makes you think rather than makes you laugh. If it’s described as influenced by Stewart Lee in the brochure, you’re there.

Mostly Cs: Fringe goer who likes to watch folk off the telly: If you’ve not seen them on 8 Out of 10 Cats or Live at the Apollo, you’re not interested.

Mostly Ds: Fringe lanyard class: You feel a smug sense of superiority that you have a card around your neck that gets you into the ‘secret members’ club’, i.e. the back room of the student union.

Mostly Es: Fringe party animals: You’re mostly here to drink £8 pints in beer gardens and belt out Whitney songs at the midnight cabaret.

19:15 05 - 30 AUG

ASSEMBLY GEORGE SQUARE: PICCOLO

FIND YOUR SHOW

Now that you know your true Fringe character, we can tell you exactly what you should be going to see this August!

Mostly As: Fringe chaos monster: You’re drawn to the wild shows that involve lots of audience interaction. Ideally, the comedians are trained by Philippe Gaulier, their shows involve gratuitous levels of nudity and take place after midnight.

Phil O’Shea: Something About Dogs, Monkey Barrel Studio, 17-20 Aug

Underground Monk Show, Assembly George Sq Gardens, 5-30 Aug

Mostly Bs: Fringe comedy pseud: You prefer comedy that makes you think rather than makes you laugh. If it’s described as influenced by Stewart Lee in the brochure, you’re there.

Nate Kitch Replica, Gilded Balloon Patter House, 5-30 Aug

Aug

Daniel Kitson: Thrum, Queen’s

17-21 Aug

Jordan Brookes: The Part of You That’s Always Screaming, Pleasance Dome, 5-30 Aug

Mostly Cs: Fringe goer who likes to watch folk off the telly: If you’ve not seen them on 8 Out of 10 Cats or Live at the Apollo, you’re not interested.

Larry Dean: Hellbent, Pleasance Courtyard, 5-30 Aug

Rosie Jones: I Can’t Tell What She’s Saying, Pleasance Courtyard, 5-30 Aug

Nish Kumar: Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy (WiP), Monkey Barrel, 6-30 Aug

Sara Pascoe: For One Night Only, McEwan Hall, 5 Aug

Sophie Duker: Hot Beef Injection, Pleasance Courtyard, 5-30 Aug (not Wednesdays)

Mostly Ds: Fringe lanyard class: You feel a smug sense of superiority that you have a card around your neck that gets you into the ‘secret members’ club’, i.e. the back room of the student union. Brook’s Bar, Pleasance Dome (named after a dog)

Abattoir Bar, Underbelly

Library Bar, Teviot Gilded Balloon

So You Think You’re Funny? Final, 27 Aug

Fest Launch Party, People’s Leisure Club & Gilded Saloon, 4 Aug

Mostly Es: Fringe party animals: You’re mostly here to drink £8 pints in beer gardens and belt out Whitney songs at the midnight cabaret

Late’n’Live, Gilded Balloon, 7-31 Aug

Aug

Not Another Quiz Night, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 5-30 Aug (not Mon)

24-26)

TICKETS

FROM £11.25

(inc £1.25 fees)

A WORLD PREMIERE

FORMER WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM

6TH - 31ST AUG (NOT 17TH, 24TH)

11.30am (50 mins)

Scotland's oldest Italian Delicatessen and Wine Merchant, and one of Europe's original Specialist Food Shops, founded in 1934.

Our Fringe Venue 67 is the only continuously running theatre in a delicatessen… anywhere! From Swing to Jazz, Italian serenades to Theatre, we have it all.

Enjoy a meal in our Caffè Bar before or after the show, bookings 9am to 8pm from 8th to 31st August.

Shop, Caffè Bar & Venue 67 Box Office Valvona & Crolla, 19 Elm Row, Edinburgh, EH7 4AA 0131 556 6066

valvonacrolla.com

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

This year’s Edinburgh International Festival will feature 147 performances by over 2000 artists from 44 different countries. Here are some of the highlights

Words: Jamie Dunn

Scotland’s most prestigious celebration of arts and culture, the Edinburgh International Festival, returns this summer, running 7 to 30 August. This year’s festival theme is All Rise. Not a reference to Blue’s 2001 banger, but rather ‘a rallying cry encompassing collaboration, resilience and ascendance.’ The festival’s Artistic Director, Nicola Benedetti, has called the theme an invitation for this year’s artists and audience members to “stand with us in our firm belief that the patient and mutual observation of artistic creations can help us see each other more truthfully.”

THEATRE

Theatre fans will be chuffed to see the King’s Theatre back as an International Festival venue after it reopens following a major refurbishment, but they’ll also have plenty to celebrate in this year’s strong-looking theatre programme. Oscar-nominee Wagner Moura will lead A Trial – After an Enemy of the People The celebrated Brazilian director Christiane Jatahy is directing this new production and says it will explore the modern battles with fascism.

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam is back at the Festival with a radical reworking of Angels in America, Tony Kushner’s two-part, seven-hour play set during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Directed by Ivo van Hove, both parts of the play (Millennium

Approaches and Perestroika) will be staged as one epic work and David Bowie will be on the soundtrack. Hang Time, Zora Howard’s play exploring racialised violence, masculinity and brotherhood, looks incredibly powerful and harrowing. We’re intrigued by Haribo Kimchi, which sees Jaha Koo cooking in his late-night Korean snack cart as he serves up food and chats to the audience about his experience of living in Europe miles away from his home in Korea. There’s also a new version of Chekhov’s The Seagull – titled [Seagull] – told using Flemish Sign Language performed by a cast that mixes Deaf and hearing actors.

OPERA

One of the hottest tickets this year will likely be the world premiere of The Galloping Cure from Missy Mazzoli, one of the most exciting composers in contemporary opera. This new work delves into the opioid crisis, and is described as ‘a darkly funny fable of a crumbling society.’ For something more classic, there’s Verdi’s tragicomic opera A Masked Ball, with director Adele Thomas transporting events to the American Gilded Age.

DANCE

We’re excited to see (and hear) Floating Points, aka Sam Shepherd, providing an original score that will be

performed live for Mere Mortals, a new ballet reimagining the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box as a cautionary tale about artificial intelligence. Aussie dancer and choreographer Dan Daw returns with EXXY, a bold new dance-theatre work where Daw, who’s disabled, asks, ‘How do we value ourselves when society does not?’ Scottish ensemble Groupwork present When Prophecy Fails, a physical theatre piece inspired by the world’s first UFO cult. And there’s Ihsane, a new dance work about grief, destruction and rebirth from Olivier-winning choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

MUSIC

There is a smattering of contemporary music performers giving intimate shows at The Hub. Take, for example, Glaswegian jazz artist corto.alto, who’s bringing his blistering live show to Edinburgh. Another jazz fave is Camilla George; she and her band will be offering up a night of jazz, hip-hop and Afrofuturism. Also look out for Irish folk composer Róis, Grammywinning couple Mark and Maggie O’Connor, Scottish folk band Gnoss and trailblazing Scottish smallpipes player Brìghde Chaimbeul. The most richly programmed section of the International Festival is its classical music lineup. The Berlin Philharmoniker, possibly the best orchestra in the world, returns to EIF for the first time in 20 years for a residency. In the jazz world, it doesn’t get more prestigious than the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, which will be EIF’s first-ever jazz ensemble residency. Their four concerts will include the Festival’s opening show All Rise, which will see 200 performers take to the stage to perform Wynton Marsalis’s 12-movement symphony of the same name.

This is just a taste of what’s on offer at this year’s Festival. The full programme is available to peruse at eif.co.uk

Zara Gladman, creator of Glasgow’s very own West End mum Aileen, takes us on a perfect day out in the city

What’s your ideal morning activity?

I’m not a morning person, so probably doomscrolling in bed. But if I’m leaving the flat, something relaxing and non-verbal. I did an outdoor pilates class in the rose garden at the Botanic Gardens once and felt equal parts smug and West End wanker. It was dreamy.

Coffee is essential. 1841 on Vinicombe Street is my current fave but there’s dozens of roasters* (ha ha!) in Glasgow. Eusebi use actual flakes of chocolate on their cappuccinos, which is always a rush.

What’s the weather like on your perfect day?

Glorious sunshine. Glasgow transforms into some kind of utopia when the sun is out. Everyone’s in a good mood. You’ll find a whole cross section of society sunbathing in the park, taps aff**, peacefully coexisting.

You’re going out for breakfast – where do you go and what are you eating?

The best brunches are in the Southside. Bramble, Cafe Strangebrew or Sunny Acre. I’ll order anything with avocado because I’m a millennial cliché. If I’m hungover then it’s a vegan morning roll from Meadow Road in Thornwood.

What would you say are the unmissable sights in Glasgow?

The Necropolis is one of my favourite places: a cemetery on a hill with great views. I had my first date with my boyfriend there (my suggestion). I’m not even a goth. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is a must. For something a bit different, check out Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre in Trongate – I won’t spoil it, just go! For some wholesome outdoor time, hop on a bike to Pollok Park to visit the Highland cows.

Are there any activities that are unique to the city?

A ride on the Subway (the third-oldest metro system in the world, says every Glaswegian you never asked).

Where are you going for lunch and what are you having?

Greggs, for a sausage roll ‘with a wee bit of heat in it.’

It’s late afternoon, time for a drink. Where are you heading?

If the sun is shining, you’ll find me with a spritz outside Naked Soup or in the West Side Tavern beer garden. If I’m in the mood for a quiet pint then The Doublet, upstairs. If I’m in the mood for a less quiet pint, The Allison Arms.

What does your evening look like – dinner? Out to see a show? Gig?

It’s all about food for me. Beirut Star is my favourite Lebanese. If I’m feeling fancy, Ka Pao or Sebbs. Suissi is an amazing vegan Malaysian restaurant, they do the crunchiest salt and chilli chips in Glasgow. I’ll burn off dinner by dancing at a gig at The Barrowlands, one of the best venues in the world.

And then afterwards, how does the night end on your perfect Glasgow day?

If alcohol has been consumed, then chips and cheese with salt and vinegar. And don’t scrimp on the vinegar.

*A Roaster [noun]: In Glasgow slang, a roaster is a derogatory term for a foolish, obnoxious, or annoying person

**Taps aff [adjective]: A Scottish slang term that literally translates to ‘tops off.’ It is a cultural phenomenon used to describe the mass removal of tops when the temperature exceeds 14 degrees celsius

Zara Gladman is... Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser, Monkey Barrel (Cabaret Voltaire 1), 12 Aug, 9.30pm

linktr.ee/zanyzaz

Becca and Su from Dundee Radio Club talk us through their perfect day in Dundee

How do you start your day in Dundee?

Becca: Slowly! Hydrating! A walk to the river, or a cycle!

Su: A walk to the water to say good morning to the seals.

Becca: If it’s a Sunday – popping Jam Radio on!

What’s the weather like on your perfect day?

Su: It’s always perfect sunny weather in Dundee.

Becca: Big blue skies – with interesting clouds, that don’t obscure the sun!

You’re going out for breakfast – where do you go and what are you eating?

Becca: Eastfield brunch, please. That blackboard is filled with goodies. Start with eggs, finish with pancakes!

Su: Followed by a Noch coffee.

What would you say are the unmissable sights in Dundee?

Becca: Fisher and Donaldson’s fudge doughnut counter. The ultimate (ephemeral) souvenir. Additional

souvenirs can be picked up from Volk Gallery, newly relocated to Central Library.

Su: Going up the Law is always a wonderful way to see the city. We recently held a listening session there with Dundee Feminist Bird Club for Sound Camp’s REVEIL.

Where are you going for lunch and what are you having?

Becca: There are some great sandwich spots in Dundee. The new place Loom, EH9’s Betsy bagel and Höfn’s crisp sando! But, my favourite lunch treat is a soup from the University of Dundee Chaplaincy Centre – a chat with longstanding Linda and a catch up with friends from Cooper Gallery.

Su: Heather Street Food is also a super bagel spot, across from the urban beach (you read that right).

Are there any activities that are unique to the city?

Su: Being able to walk everywhere.

Becca: Doing a Dundee Design Trails tour – an audio-based guide to

explore the city, put together by the wonderful UNESCO Dundee, with Yalla Riso’s Luke Greer and Dundeebased illustrator Rhianne Connelly – which we did the audio bits for! Maps are available at Central Library and V&A Dundee!

Su: There are also some great murals, including a new collaborative one by Dundee wonder Rhona Jack and Lebanese artist Romy Matar.

Where do you always take visitors?

Su: I usually get very excited when someone visits and become an over-enthusiastic tour guide.

Becca: We recently took a friend to the Tay Bridge Bar as a bit of a Michael Marra homage! And also signpost to favourite spots; Le Freak Records, Generator Projects, and Sharing Not Hoarding billboard gallery.

Su: The McManus! RRS Discovery! And a wander around the V&A.

It’s late afternoon, time for a drink. Where are you heading?

Su: Rum and ginger beer, with scampi fries at The Phoenix.

Becca: A little beer garden beero at Art Bar.

What does your evening look like?

Becca: Maybe a little folk music at Mennies, or something from Canvas’s very eclectic programme. Maybe its Bizarro Video Club night?! Or sometimes an exhibition opening at Generator or DCA!

And afterwards, how does the night end on your perfect Dundee day?

Becca: Listening to Funky Gunners DJing somewhere, or dancing big shapes to Dom’s selections at a Peace n Jam night!

Su: A walk up to Mills Observatory and then back to the river (to say goodnight to the seals).

Follow Dundee Radio Club on Instagram @dundeeradio.club

Follow Becca @little_oddities and Su @shhemusic

Drinks

The Abbotsford �� 3-5 Rose St 5

Ante

1b Haddington Pl 39

Artisan Roast

57 Broughton St |

138 Bruntsfield Pl |

72-74 Leith Walk |

100A Raeburn Pl 25

Athletic Arms

1-3 Angle Park Ter 11, 27

Beatnik

2 Brougham Pl 25

Bedrock

13 West Port 25

Bellfield Brewery

46 Stanley Pl 31

Bennets Bar

8 Leven St 27

Bing Tea

37 W Nicolson St 25

The Blackbird

37-39 Leven St 27

The Blue Blazer

2 Spittal St 27

The Bow Bar

80 W Bow 28

Bramble

16A Queen St 29

Burr & Co.

20 George St 39

Cafe Royal ��

19 W Register St 5

Cairngorm Coffee 1 Melville Pl 25

Campervan Taproom 112 Jane St 32

Canny Man's 237 Morningside Rd 78

Carriers Quarters

42 Bernard St 28

Cloisters

26 Brougham St 28

Cult Espresso

104 Buccleuch St 25

Dagda 93-95 Buccleuch St 28

The Devil's Advocate

9 Advocate's Cl 28

Dragonfly

52 West Port 29

Dreadnought ��

72 N Fort St 5

Edinburgh Gin

Arch 16, The Arches, E Market St 31

Elm Row Cafe

3 Elm Row 39

The False Widow ��

159 Constitution St 5, 28

Fortitude

4 Abbey Mount | 66 Hamilton Pl 27

George IV Bar

54 George IV Bridge 28

Gilded Saloon

47 Lothian St 83

Guildford Arms ��

1 W Register St 5

Halfway House

24 Fleshmarket Cl 28

Hey Palu

49 Bread St 29

Holyrood Distillery

19 St Leonard's Ln 32

Home Bar

69 Home St 78

Leith Depot

138-142 Leith Walk 28

The Lioness of Leith

21-25 Duke St 73

Lost in Leith

82 Commercial St 32

Lovecrumbs

155 West Port 27

Lucky Liquor Co.

39A Queen St 29

Malt & Hops

45 Shore 28

The Milkman 7 Cockburn St 39

Moonwake Taproom

6A Tower St 32

Nauticus

142 Duke St 31

Newbarns

13 Jane St 32

The Nook

19 Haddington Pl 48

Nótt

13 Crighton Pl 31

The Old Chain Pier

32 Trinity Cres 29

Old Pal

28 West Maitland St 31

Paradise Palms

41 Lothian St 29

Port of Leith Distillery ��

11 Whisky Quay 5, 32

Red Kite Cafe

7-8 Cadzow Pl 39

The Royal Dick

1 Summerhall 32

Salt Horse

57-61 Blackfriars St 29

Sheep Heid Inn

43-45 The Causeway 9

Smith & Gertrude

26 Hamilton Pl | 254

Portobello High St 31

Söderberg

3 Deanhaugh St |

27 Simpson Loan |

310 Morningside Rd |

1 Lister Sq 39

The Source

4 Spittal St 27

Spry

1 Haddington Pl 31

Starbar 1 Northumberland Pl 29

St Vincent 11 St Vincent St 29

Teuchters Bar & Bunker �� 26 William St 4, 29

Teuchter's Landing 1c Dock Pl 29

Tills & Co

167-171 Portobello High St 39

The Tourmalet 25 Buchanan St 83

The Ventoux 2 Brougham St 29

Vessel 73 Hanover St 32

Victoria Bar 265 Leith Walk 83

Voodoo Rooms �� 19a West

Register St 5, 82

Wee Vault 7A W Maitland St 32

The Whispering Kettle

26 Albert Pl 48

Williams & Johnson �� 1 Customs Wharf 5, 27

Food

Africano Wrap Place 4 Chapel St 14

Alby’s ��

94 Buccleuch St |

8 Portland Pl 5, 14

Ardfern 10-12 Bonnington Rd 13

BABA

130 George St 18

Bánh Mì Brothers 141 West Port 14

Cardinal 14 Eyre Pl 18

Chennai’s Marina 54 Clerk St | 192 Dalry Rd 16

Chez Jules 109 Hanover St 16

Ciccetta's 26 Bruntsfield Ave 21

Civerinos Portobello 47-49 Figgate Ln 39

Company Bakery 6 Station Rd, Musselburgh 21

Dogstar

17 Portland Pl 18

Dune Bakery

35B High St, South Queensferry 22

Edinburgh Farmers' Market

NCP Castle Terrace

Car Park 11

Edinburgh Larder 15 Blackfriars St 13

Edinburgh Street Food �� Leith St 5, 16

Eleanore 30-31 Albert Pl 13

Fava

248 Morrison St 16

The Fishmarket Newhaven �� 23A Pier Pl 5, 8, 14

Gorse

207 Pleasance 22

Greek Artisan Pastries

23 Bread St | 32-34 Portobello High St 14

Harkness Pies

30B Raeburn Pl 14

Hula

103-105 West Bow 13

Kampong Ah Lee

28 Clerk St 16

Ka Pao ��

St James Quarter 5, 83

The Khukuri

8 West Maitland St 17

Kim’s Mini Meals

5 Buccleuch St 17

Kvasa

101 Leith Walk 13

Lannan

29-35 Hamilton Pl 22

The Little Chartroom

14 Bonnington Rd 13

Loudons

94B Fountainbridge | 2

Sibbald Walk 13

Lucky Yu

53-55 Broughton St 83

Mary’s Milk Bar

19 Grassmarket 22

Moo Pie Gelato

26 St Mary's St 22

Mother India's Cafe

3-5 Infirmary St 17

Muna's Ethiopian Cuisine

8 Gillespie Pl 17

Neigbourwood

294 Leith Walk 16

Noodles Home

14a Nicolson St 17

Noto

47a Thistle St 21

Oink

34 Victoria St | 82 Canongate | 38 Hanover St 16

The Original Mosque

Kitchen & Cafe

50 Potterrow 17

Pala

7 Jane St 16

The Palmerston

1 Palmerston Pl 21

The Pantry

1 North West Circus Pl 13

The Pastry Section

143 Great Junction St | 86

Raeburn Pl 22

Patina ��

1 New Park Sq,

3 Airborne Pl 4

The Percy

394 Easter Rd 17

Pho Viet

15 Dalry Rd 17

PIGGS

276 Canongate | 171

Bruntsfield Pl 83

The Pitt

20 W Shore Rd 8, 17

Polentoni

38 Easter Rd 16, 73

Pomelo

27 Sciennes Rd 21

Preacher's Patisserie

24-26 Lady Lawson St 13

Project Canelé

150 Dundas St 22

Sabzi

162 Ferry Rd 18

San Ciro’s ��

148 Leith Walk 5, 18

Sicilian Pastry Shop

14-16 Albert St 22

Singapore Coffee House

5 Canonmills 13

Snax

118 Buccleuch St | 15-17

West Register St 14

Stockbridge Eating House

7 St Stephen St 21

Stockbridge Market

Saunders St 11

Taco Libre

3 Shandwick Pl | 85 Rose

St 18

Tani Modi

103 Hanover St 14

Tanjore 6-8 Clerk St 18

Tasty Buns

67 Bread St 22

Timberyard

10 Lady Lawson St 21

Ting Thai

55-57 Lothian Rd | 8-9

Teviot Pl 18

Tipo

110 Hanover St 21

Whirlybird

36-38 Victoria St 21

Xiangbala Hotpot

63 Dalry Rd 18

Galleries

Agitate

20 Castle Ter 72

Bard

1 Customs Wharf 72

City Art Centre

2 Market St 71

Collective

City Observatory, 38

Calton Hill 71

Dovecot

10 Infirmary St 71

Edinburgh Printmakers

Castle Mills, 1 Dundee St

71

Edinburgh Sculpture

Workshop

21 Hawthornvale 72

Embassy 10B Broughton St Ln 72

Fruitmarket

45 Market St 71

Ingleby Gallery

33 Barony St 72

Jupiter Artland

Bonnington House, Wilkieston 72

National Galleries of Scotland

The Mound 4, 72 ��

Palestine Museum

13A Dundas St 11

Royal Botanic Garden

Inverleith Row 72

Stills

23 Cockburn St 71

Talbot Rice Gallery

University of Edinburgh, South Bridge 71

Green Spaces & Attractions

Alpine Coaster Hillend Ski Centre, Pentland Hills 10

Arthur's Seat

Holyrood Park 8, 65

Bird Gardens Scotland

Lauder 11

Cables Wynd House

Kirkgate, Leith 43

Calton Hill

Calton Hill 65

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

549 Castlehill 68

Central Library

7-9 George IV Bridge 4 4

Colinton Tunnel

Colinton Dell, Lanark Rd 67

Craiglockhart Hill

Colinton Rd 67

Cramond

Cramond 8

Dean Village Dean Path 67

Dynamic Earth

Holyrood Rd 68

Edinburgh Castle Castlehill 65

Edinburgh Zoo

134 Corstorphine Rd 65

Greyfriar's Kirkyard

Greyfriar's Pl 67

Jupiter Artland

Bonnington House, Wilkieston 68

Mary King's Close

2 Warriston Cl 67

The Meadows

Melville Dr 67

Miss Jean Brodie Steps 17, 4 Grassmarket 43

National Museum of Scotland

Chamber St 10, 67

Pentland Hills

Pentland Hills Regional Park 68

Portobello Beach

Portobello 68

Princes Street Gardens ��

Princes St 65

Royal Botanic Garden

20a Inverleith Row 67

Royal Mile ��

Royal Mile 4

Saughton Gardens ��

Balgreen Rd 4, 67

Scottish Poetry Library

5 Crichton's Cl 4 4

Scott Monument

E. Princes St Gardens 67

Sherlock Holmes

Picardy Pl 43

St Cuthbert's Kirkyard

5 Lothian Rd 65

Surgeons' Hall

Nicolson St 68

Union Canal

Edinburgh Quay 114

The Water of Leith

Walkway various 67

The Writer's Museum

Lawnmaket 44

Indie Shops

An Independent Zebra

88-92 Raeburn Pl 35

Argonaut Books

15-17 Leith Walk 47

Armchair Books

72-74 West Port 47

Assai Records

1 Grindlay St 81

Avalanche Records

Waverley Mall 81

Backbeat Records

31 E Crosscauseway 81

Beat Generation Records

5 Lochrin Pl 81

The Beer Cave

43 Dalry Rd 36

The Beerhive

24 Rodney St 36

Black Moon Botanica

50 Candlemaker Row 35

Book Lovers Bookshop

6 Melville Ter 47

Broughton Street Flowers

87 Broughton St 35

Cork and Cask

136 Marchmont Rd 36

Cornelius

18 Easter Rd |

128 Leith Walk 36

Curiouser & Curiouser

106 Bruntsfield Pl | 93

Broughton St 35

Flamingosaurus Rex

31 Bruntsfield Pl 35

George Mewes

3 Dean Park St 36

Ginger and Pickles

51 St Stephen St 47

Golden Hare Books

68 St Stephen St 47

Good Vibes Neighbour-

hood Store & Studios ��

151-153 Constitution St 5, 81

Great Grog

2 Dalkeith Rd 36

Green Meadows

137 Buccleuch St 35

Grow Urban

8B St Vincent St 35

Handsel

336 Leith Walk 35

I.J. Mellis

30 Victoria St |

6 Bakers Pl |

330 Morningside Rd 36

Lighthouse Bookshop

43-45 W Nicolson St 47

Logan Malloch

13 Leith Walk 35

Lupe Pintos

24 Leven St 36

The Portobello Bookshop

46 Portobello High St 47

Rare Bird Books

13 Raeburn Pl 47

Red Door Gallery

42 Victoria St 36

Rose and Ammi Flowers

81-85 Portland St 36

Salt Horse

57 Blackfriars St 36

Slow Progress

52 Blackfriars St 81

Thorne Records

125 Bruntsfield Pl 81

Tills Bookshop

1 Hope Park Cres 47

Topping & Company

2 Blenheim Pl 47

Typewronger Books

22 Bruntsfield Pl 47

Umbrella Vinyl 20 Valleyfield St 81

Underground Solution

9 Cockburn St 81, 83

Vinyl Villains

5 Elm Row 83

VoxBox Music

21 St Stephen St 81

Winekraft 20 William St |

44 Ashley Ter 36

Venues

Assembly George Square Gardens

George Sq 97, 102

Assembly Hall

Mound Pl 102

Assembly Roxy

2 Roxburgh Pl 88

The Banshee Labyrinth

29-35 Niddry St 82

The Bongo Club

66 Cowgate 82, 84

Cabaret Voltaire

36-38 Blair St 82, 84

Cameo Cinema

38 Home St 54

The Caves

8-10 Niddry St S 82

Cineworld Fountain Park 54

Corn Exchange

11 New Market Rd 82

Dance Base 14-16 Grassmarket 88

Dominion

18 Newbattle Ter 54

Edinburgh Castle Castlehill 60, 82

Edinburgh Futures Institute

1 Lauriston Pl 43, 44

Everyman Cinema ��

St James Quarter 5, 54

Filmhouse ��

88 Lothian Rd 4, 9, 54

Gilded Balloon Teviot 102

Gilded Balloon Patter House

3 Chambers St 98

The Hive 15-17 Niddry St 84

The Hub Castlehill 105

The Jazz Bar

1a Chambers St 82

La Belle Angele

11 Hastie's Cl 82

Leith Depot ��

138-142 Leith Walk 5, 82

Leith FAB Cricket Club

1 Leith Links 82

The Liquid Room

9C Victoria St 82

The Lyceum ��

30b Grindlay St 4, 88

King's Theatre ��

2 Leven St 4, 104

The Mash House

37 Guthrie St 82

McEwan Hall Teviot Pl 101

Monkey Barrel Comedy 9-12 Blair St 97, 98, 101

Murrayfield Stadium ��

Roseburn St 4, 82

National Library of Scotland

George IV Bridge 4 4, 61

Paradise Palms

41 Lothian St 82

People's Leisure Club

45 Lothian St 82, 85

Pleasance Courtyard

60 Pleasance 97, 98, 101

Pleasance Dome 5/2 Bristo Pl 98

The Queen's Hall 85-59 Clerk St 82, 98

The Royal Highland Centre �� Ingliston 82

The Safari Lounge 21 Cadzow Pl 82

The Scotsman Picturehouse 20 North Bridge 54

Sneaky Pete's

73 Cowgate 82, 84, 85

The Stand Comedy Club 5 York Pl 88

The Storytelling Centre 43-45 High St 88

Subway 69 Cowgate 84

Summerhall 1 Summerhall 85

Traverse Theatre �� 10 Cambridge St 4, 88

Udderbelly (the big purple cow)

Underbelly

George Square 102

Underbelly George Square

George Sq Gardens 97

The Usher Hall �� Lothian Rd 4, 82

The Voodoo Rooms �� 19a W Register St 5, 82

Vue

Omni Centre & Ocean Terminal 54

Wee Red Bar

74 Laurieston Pl 82

West Port Oracle

27 West Port 82

Across

3. Highland ox (3)

6. Procession (6)

7. Smells/aromas (6)

9. Classic tourist activity: to look at landmarks (8)

11. Where you can watch films on the big screen (6)

12. Penniless; damaged (5)

14. Without flavour (5)

17. Stars/legends (5)

20. Adorned in gold; in Edinburgh we have this in balloon and saloon varieties (6)

21. Someone who lets property out for profit (8)

22. The biggest arts festival in the world (6)

23. Motto (6)

24. Segment of a stand-up routine, perhaps (3)

Compiled by Ema Smekalová

Down

1. Exhaustion (7)

2. Total chaos (6)

4. Decorative water spurter (eg. the one in Princes St Gardens) (8)

5. Edinburgh island you can walk to during low tide (7)

8. Sunshine on ___ by The Proclaimers (5)

10. Posh Edinburgh neighbourhood with weekend markets and bakery queues (11)

11. Man-made waterway (Edinburgh’s starts in Fountainbridge) (5)

13. Legal dweller (8)

15. Edinburgh famously has seven of these (5)

16. Fancy word for a beehive (6)

18. Fish that swim upstream (6)

19. Scottish patterned fabric (6)

Turn to page 113 for the solutions