Free Admission at the National Gallery of Scotland

The National Gallery of Scotland (11 May – 8 Sept 2013) hosts a selection of landscape paintings from Fredric Church.  The American landscape artist (1826 -1900) is known as one of the greatest landscape artists.  Perhaps not as well known as he is in America, his landscapes of nature are not to be missed. His oil landscapes are a reflection of his travels throughout the world, including the Arctic and South America.  The art exhibition at the National Gallery is a collection of 25 landscapes collected from the United States.  Admission is free.

The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour from Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour on Vimeo.

One of Edinburgh’s must-see cultural attractions is the original Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour. Original because it was the first literary tour launched in Edinburgh back in 1996. It’s performed by professional actors what makes the tour not only very interesting but also quite entertaining.

Join the intrepid duo, Clart (as in muck!) and the clean-hankied intellectual McBrain, who will lead you on a brilliant and witty dramatic romp through the wynds, courtyards and pubs of Edinburgh’s Old and New Town. A hilarious duel of wits across three hundred years of great writing and colourful characters!

According to the two main protagonists of  The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour, the pubs of the Old Town, reeking of good beer and lively banter, were once the favourites of Scotland’s most famous writers. So if you thought that the great Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and the like spent their evenings in the posh drawing rooms of Edinburgh high society, think again! These towering literary figures seem to be happier mixing with the common people (and the prostitutes) who filled the dark closes and pubs of the Old town.

It is no exaggeration to presume that tippling a dram or pint of ale helped to inject a touch of verve, invention and verbal magic to Scottish writing over the centuries! But there seems to be more to this lively dialogue… Are you a bohemian or an academic? Clart and McBrain will help you decide.

If you booked or are going to book a flat with www.Edinburgh-flats.com you will receive a special discount for this tour. Please enquire and we will provide you with a special discount code.

If you are travelling in a group of family or friends and would like to book a Private Tour you are also entitled to a special discount! Please enquire.

Following is a list of some of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions. If you have committed to any of them (or most of them) Edinburgh is the perfect place for you!

1. Spend more Time with Family and Friends 

Edinburgh is one of the best places to spend time with your family and friends. The city offers plenty of great attractions for all age groups. If you are coming with young children you can visit the Edinburgh Zoo which is one of the most popular attractions in town with its famous pandas and penguins. The National Museum is also an excellent option with hands-on activities and interactive expositions for children. The Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, the Dynamic Earth and the Scottish Storytelling Centre are also great options. Not to mention the city’s parks and green areas that children always love.
If you are coming with friends, the city boasts an incredible number of bars and nightclubs for its size. From sophisticated nights out on George Street to relaxed and friendly dancing clubs in Old Town, there is a place for every taste and disposition.
If the purpose of your trip is to spend more time together staying in a self-catering apartment is the best option of accommodation. With prices as low as £400 per week (for 5 people!) it means you don’t need to spend too much on accommodation and can spend more having fun.

2. Loose Weight and Get Fit 

Exercising outdoors amidst beautiful views and fresh air can be much more rewarding than attending gym classes. Holyrood Park, Inverleith Park and Meadows Park are some examples of great places to go for a walk, cycling or run. You can rent a bike for the day at The Tri Centre in the southeast end of the Meadows Park. If you are visiting Holyrood Park , climbing its famous Arthur’s is not as difficult as it looks and the views from there are stunning. 

3. Quit Smoking

Hopefully you will be busy enough so you won’t even think about it!

4. Learn Something New 

Edinburgh offers a wide range of great short courses. Why not try to improve your cooking skills with one of the best chefs in Scotland? Cook School by Martin Wishart offers courses and workshops that will help you impress your guests back home. If you want to learn more about Wines, why not take part in their Wine Tasting Evening which is led by the best suppliers to Restaurant Martin Wishart. The Cook School Chefs will provide tasting food to match the wine.
Photography courses are also quite popular as Edinburgh is just the perfect city to capture on camera. Red Cloud has one to two days courses that will give you all you need to get the perfect shot. ClearCourses also offers short courses and even a mini 2-hour course (so time should not be an excuse).  

5. Eat Healthier 

Edinburgh is also famous for its excellent restaurants, bistros and cafés. Scotland ’s most prominent chefs have restaurants here and are very committed in serving only the best and the freshest of the local produce. There are also restaurants dedicated to serve great healthy menus. Grain Store Restaurant, Hendersons Bistro and Iglu are some good examples. Also visit the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market for some fresh and healthy food. Most of the stallholders are the producers and take pride in what they do. There you will find organic produce, free range eggs and even organic beer!

Gary Mullen and The Works Perform One Night of Queen
20 November 2012
At 7.30pm
Edinburgh Playhouse
With 9 years on the road this worldwide renowned tribute band will be playing Queen’s classics inEdinburghfor the delight of rock ‘n roll fans! 

Gary Barlow
21 November 2012
At 7.30pm
EdinburghPlayhouse
 
Bellowhead
21 November 2012
At 7pm
Queens Hall
Very energetic and enthusiastic folk band that has been voted ‘Best Live Act’ (not less than 4 times) at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
 
The Overtones
22 November 2012
At 7pm
Usher Hall
This British pop band whose music is a blend of classic and present day British pop.
 
The Proclaimers in Concert
22-23 November 2012
At 7.30pm
Edinburgh Playhouse
 
RSNO – Also Sprach Zarathustra
23 November 2012
At 7.30pm
Usher Hall
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra will present this concert playing selections from Cinderella from Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No23 from Mozart and Also sprach Zarathustra from R Strauss.
 
Cinderella
Various dates from 29 November to 29 December
Royal Lyceum Theatre
It’s the world premiére of Cinderella. A classic tale taking placing in modern-dayParis. Production will be grand as its artistic director and designer were set to impress the audience with the best of French glamour.
 
Dirty Dancing
04 December – 12 January
At various times
Edinburgh Playhouse

Origin Scotland 15th Anniversary Christmas Concert
01 December 2012
At 7.30pm
Usher Hall
 
Bootleg Beatles - Tribute Band
10 December 2012
At 8pm
Usher Hall
 
Christmas with the Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas
22 December 2012
At 8pm
Usher Hall
A tribute show to Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin and The Rat Pack.

This is their second edition after an unexpected very successful launch in 2011 which attracted over 5,000 people to 236 events. The organizers are of course history lovers, academics, journalists and authors of the subject. Their main aim is to bring history from the universities, libraries and museums into cafes, bars and streets. A series of talks, debates and tours will make you up to date with the history of Edinburgh and Scotland.

This year’s programme includes over 200 events. It’s quite exciting to see the wide range of events available and to have the opportunity of learn more about Scotland’s history which is not only fascinating but also remarkable. Famous Scottish archaeologist, historian, author and broadcaster Neil Oliver will explore the details and truth about the infamous Vikings. The Scottish actor and comedian John Sessions together with English actor, comedian, novelist and playwright Nigel Planer will talk about their fascination with Robert Louis Stevenson and also about Stevenson’s life and works. There will be also two interesting debates that will explore the topic of Scotland’s identity as a nation: The Scot’s and the British Empire and A Sense of Place – Scottish Cultural Identity.

Another interesting seminar should be History Write Enough: Tracing your Scottish Ancestors, a free event that will give guidance on how to trace your Scottish accentors. For those interested in learning more about what the Scots call the ‘water of life’, join the History of Scotch Whisky for an insight of the evolution of the drink that was once considered a cure for many illnesses.

If you want to get to know the city better and of course, learn about its history, there will be also lots of tours such as A Walk Through History, Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour and Dean Village Guided Tour. Don’t miss them!

These are only some examples of what’s on during the festival. For the full programme, have a look at the History Fest website.

One of the biggest New Year’s celebrations in Europe is coming: The Edinburgh Hogmanay! Every year, thousands of people from all over the world gather in Edinburgh to welcome the new year together with the Scots.

On December 30th, the event that kick-starts the 3 days of celebration is the Torchlight Procession.  That evening, the public take part by carrying torches all the way from the Royal Mile to the Carlton Hill where there is a beautiful concert with fireworks display. In order to join the procession from the very beginning it’s recommended to arrive at Parliament Square by at least 6pm. It’s free to participate but the torch costs £6.00 (in advance) and £7.00 on the night (subject to availability).

On New Year’s Eve there’s a lot going on and most events sell out pretty fast.

On Monday 31 December 2012…

At 7.30pm there is the Candlelit Concert in St Giles’ Cathedral. Music is performed by St Giles’ Cathedral Choir, directed by Michael Harris, with the St Giles’ Camerata, leader Angus Ramsay and talented young soloists. Tickets are £16.00 (plus booking fee). Please note that this event is not suitable for babies or young children.

From 9pm until the early hours of 2013, there’s a big street party on Princes St while a concert takes place in the Princes Street Gardens (with the Castle as the background where the stunning midnight fireworks display takes place). The Concert in the Gardens is the first event to sell out so it’s highly recommended to buy your tickets now… Ticket prices vary from £35 and £40.00 (plus a booking fee) depending on the area you choose to be. Tickets to the Concert in the Gardens grant full access to the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party but if you leave the arena to join the street party you will not be allowed re-entry in the Gardens. There will be pay bar and food outlets within the Concert in the Gardens arena.  The Street Party has also live music and entertainment, DJ’s, big screens, outdoor bars and there you will be able to enjoy the midnight fireworks too. Both parties are not recommended for under 16s.

Another great party starting at 9pm is the Keilidh, an outdoor event within an exclusive area of the street party. Here you will have the chance to enjoy the very best in traditional Scottish music. A Ceilidh Caller will be there to teach you the moves. From this area you will also have views to the midnight fireworks. Ticket price is £35.00 (plus booking fee) which also grant access to the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party but if you leave the arena you will not be allowed to return.

Alcohol can be brought to the street party only in plastic containers and cans but alcohol cannot be brought to the concert in the gardens or the Keilidh. All these events are outdoors (apart from the Candlelit concert) so dress for the weather.

The closing event of the Hogmanay/New Year’s celebrations is the Loony Dook. It happens on January 1st by the River Forth. Thousands of people go for a quick splash in the cold water of the river; some do it to raise money for charities, some to have fun… lots of people join to watch and support this brave bunch of swimmers most of them with fancy dresses or costumes. The registration fee is £6.00 and includes donation to RNLI. Participants must register in advance to take part on the day.

With so much going on, it’s not surprising that Edinburgh is very busy during the Hogmanay celebrations. Hogmanay is so popular that our guests start booking their accommodation as early as a year in advance!

“We love receiving enquiries for Hogmanay in the first days of January because for me it’s a proof that this is an event not to be missed and that our guests have had a great time.”  Daniela from Edinburgh-flats.com.

If you have never experienced New Year’s in Edinburgh , don’t wait too long to start planning your trip!

*All photos are courtesy of www.edinburghshogmanay.com.

The orchestra will be conducted by Garry Walker. The music will celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a touch of Shakespeare. The repertoire includes Walton’s Orb and Sceptre (written for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953) and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet (excerpts).
You can watch it from one of the official viewing points. Just don’t forget to buy your tickets online in advance.  Prices start from £12.50.

There are also free viewing points on Princes Street and Waverley Bridge.  Both will be closed to traffic so the public can gather safely to watch the fireworks. You may not be able to see the orchestra from these free viewing points but you will definitely hear it while watching the fireworks.
Other viewing points include Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat.

If you are in town, don’t miss the opportunity of seeing one of the most loved events of the year!

In order to celebrate and promote this incredible tradition, storytellers and audiences from all over the world will gather in Edinburgh to take part in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. This year’s edition will take place from October 19 to 28.

Folk and fairy tales of Ireland , Scotland , Italy , Russia , Poland and Germany are all part of the programme which also includes workshops, conferences, family storytelling spectaculars, music and film. This year’s tours of Edinburgh are going to be part of the programme. In these tours, organized in association with the famous Mercat Tours, storytellers will give you an insight into the stories behind the city’s historical sites.

Let yourself be engaged by a story! Take a journey guided by experts in storytelling; learn about tales from other cultures and get to know their folk side.

We don’t need to mention that this is a festival for the whole family, but some of the events in its programme are not suitable for children. If you have any queries, contact the Scottish Storytelling Centre, the team there is always helpful and kind.

If you can’t come to Edinburgh during the festival you will still have the chance to take part in other events organised by The Scottish Storytelling Centre which is opened the whole year round and has a busy programme of events taking place from April to end of September.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre
43-45 High Street, Edinburgh , EH1 1SR
Phone: +44 (0)131 556 9579
The Scottish Storytelling Centre aims to promote storytelling as a vibrant contemporary form of art and to provide opportunities for everyone to celebrate Scotland ’s rich storytelling heritage.

*All photos are courtesy of The Scottish Storytelling Centre.

It’s the largest book festival in the world! Acclaimed writers such as Ian McEwan, James Kelman, Will Self, Pankaj Mishra, Pat Barker, Gavin Esler and Louise Welsh will launch their new books here. The Festival will gather 800 authors from 44 different countries. Here you will find books that you wouldn’t find in a regular bookshop!

The programme includes a series of interesting debates about subjects that affect our daily lives such as the role of Europe, how democracy works, the way we view food and some issues around Scotland’s independence. It’s a good opportunity to appreciate other people’s opinion and have your say.

Of course, there is a dedicated programme for children and young readers with today’s best seller children’s authors including Jacqueline Wilson, Andrew Motion and Frank Cottrell Boyce.

If you aspire to be a successful writer, take part in a one-day creative writing class that takes place on the weekends. The focus will be on writing and creating books. There you will also have the chance to receive advice from expert publishers, bookmakers and authors. Join the Unbound from 9pm every night, a free and very entertaining event considered a literary experience. Expect storytelling, stand-up, music and/or performances, in other words: anything can happen!

It’s an important event for the industry with some of its most prestigious prizes being announced during the festival including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Edwin Morgan Poetry Prize and the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book of the Year award.

The World Writer’s Conference, an event that lasts 12 months and visits other 15 cities across the world, will be also held in Edinburgh for 5 days during the Book Festival. Around 50 world renowned authors will be here discussing topics that influence writing and the world.

For the full programme, visit their website.

*All photos are courtesy of www.edbookfest.co.uk

It can be very hard to choose what to see, especially with so many different names you might have never heard of. The beauty of the Fringe is to adventure of immersing yourself into the world of art without having a clue of what you are going to see or if you are going to enjoy it.

The first week of the Festival should certainly be about experimenting. Now, coming to the second week, you can go for those performances that have got the best reviews.

There are so many options out there that it’s good to hear from others what they think is worth watching. Following is a short list of reviews that will help you choose what to watch next.  

5-Star Review by The Guardian

Mies Julie 
9-27 August
At 2pm
Venue: Assembly Mound
Theatre. Drama. Group Baxter Theatre Centre, South African State Theatre and Assembly. South Africa.
Read the Review

4-Star Reviews by The Guardian

The Pajama Men
9-12 August
At 9pm
Venue: Assembly George Square
Comedy. Improvised. England.
Read the Review

Marek Larwood – Typecast
9-26 August
At 6.20pm
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Comedy. Solo show. Big Potato Productions. England
Read the Review

Morning
9-19 August
Times Vary
Venue: Traverse Theatre
Theatre. Drama. Lyric Hammersmith. England.
Read the Review

4-Star Reviews by The Telegraph

Hal Cruttenden
9-26 August
At 9.45pm
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Comedy. Group CKP. England.
Read the Review

Nick Helm – This Means War
9-27 August
At 5.30pm
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Comedy. Group Bound and Gagged Comedy by arrangement with Glorious Management. England.
Read the Review

Rubies in the Attic
9-27 August
At 6.30pm
Venue: Assembly Roxy
Theatre. Cabaret, storytelling. Group The Ruby Dolls and Assembly. England.
Read the Review

After the Rainfall
9-27 August
At 3.40pm
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Theatre. Multimedia. Group curious directive / Watford Palace Theatre / Escalator East to Edinburgh. England.
Read the Review

5-Star Review by Festmag

Boris and Sergey’s Vaudevillian Adventure
9-27 August
At 11pm
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
Theatre. Comedy, puppetry. Adult themes and explicit language. Group Flabbergast Theatre. England
Read the Review

4-Star Reviews by Festmag

Bongo Club Cabaret
10-26 August
At 10pm
Venue: The Bongo Club
Cabaret. Satire. Nudity, adult themes, strong language, strobe lighting and controversial material. Group Bongo Club and The Kitten Has Claws. Scotland.
Read the Review

Best in the World
9-25 August
At 12.45pm
Venue: Northern Stage at St Stephen’s
Theatre. Contemporary, devised. Group Unfolding Theatre in association with Northern Stage. England.
Read the Review

Felicity Ward: The Hedgehog Dilemma
9-27 August
At 10pm
Venue: Underbelly, Bristo Square
Comedy. Stand-up. Group Get Comedy by arrangement with Buxstock Comedy Management. Australia.
Read the Review

Jessica Fostekew: Brave New Word
9-26 August
At 6.30pm
Venue: Gilded Balloon Teviot
Comedy. Stand-up. Group CKP. England
Read the Review