Edinburgh
If you know me you know I love Harry Potter. And if you know Harry Potter, you'll know that most of it was written by JK Rowling while she stayed in Edinburgh! And let me tell you, I can definitely see how this beautiful, fairy tale of a town inspired such magical novels.With great stone buildings rising above cobblestoned streets, Edinburgh is the type of city that inspires stories of adventure, fantasy, horror, and love.
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| Castles and Ice Cream |
Now I will say this before I begin: If you're planning on visiting Edinburgh any other month than August, your trip is likely to be WAAY different than mine. But chances are you are planning your trip for August (or at least you should be) seeing as that is the month when the Festival Fringe is going on. And no, it's not the Fringe Festival as I kept calling it, it is the Festival Fringe. This is because the festival, often referred to as simply, The Fringe, was established in 1947 as an hipster artsy alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival when eight theater companies turned up uninvited to the festival, using alternative venues in place of proper theaters. The Fringe takes over the entire city with blocks of pop up shops and bars, schools and buildings being taken over to host theater, comedy shows, dance, circuses, caberet, opera, music shows, and other exhibitions and events.
Everywhere you look during the entire month of August you are bound to see advertisements for shows, street performers, open bars filled to the brim with partiers, and art unfolding itself right before your very eyes. It's impossible not to feel as if you are a part of something huge and exciting!
My sister is very into all things comedy, so we elected to see a professional show of comedy skits and a smaller one woman stand up show. If only we could have stayed longer and had an infinite pocket book, I would have liked to watch every show there!!
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| You'll only find these attractions during the Festival! |
Now, straying away from the festival, you can't forget to enjoy the rest of the city! As I may have mentioned, my sister and I are massive dorky fans of Harry Potter, so we of course had to take a "free" Harry Potter tour around the city. Our guide was fabulous, and she definitely earned our tips (hence the quotations around free) she took us to graveyard locations where J.K. Rowling found inspiration for names, Cafes in which she wrote her book, and several other locations significant to the Harry Potter franchise. Afterwards, my sister and I were sure to visit the famed Elephant Cafe to indulge in some delicious Scottish food and imagine ourselves writing best selling novels within the cozy confines of the cafe. If you do happen to stop by the Elephant Cafe, make sure you peek in the bathrooms! They are COVERED in Harry Potter themed graffiti.
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| A cozy meal on a cold summer day |
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| J.K. Rowling... was hERE!!! |
Now, that of course wasn't the only guided tour we took around the city. One thing I would definitely recommend to any traveler, solo or not, would be downloading the Rick Steves app. This guy is my best friend, even if I've never met him. He provides full, free, audio guides complete with maps and extra podcasts. My sister and I were able to walk around historic Edinburgh, one ear bud in her ear and one in mine, while good old Rick pointed out landmarks and told us all about their history.
Lastly, I was very interested in the more spooky side of Edinburgh a la witches, ghosts, Dooney & Burke, and fabled creatures living among the human remains from the castle moat, so I talked my sister into doing a paid guided tour that would dabble in that area. Unfortunately, with the craziness of the festival our tour company got a bit mixed up and our guide was replaced with a young girl who took us on more of a...folkloric tour of Edinburgh. She did a great job, it just wasn't what we paid for.
I know I've already written a lot, but I could write about this amazing city forever. Even though it's soaring hills had me wheezing all day, this city contains a culture and spirit entirely unique to itself. If it's not already on your bucket list, it should be!
Advice:
What my sister and I got right were seeing a mixture of smaller shows and professional shows. Don't be afraid to try new things and go to shows you normally wouldn't! The Fringe is all about experimentation and the alternative. To further involve yourself in the hubub, try out a mixture of long standing local bars, and temporary popup bars. And eat EVERYTHING that comes from a food truck. You won't regret it.What we didn't get right was our accommodation. If you are planning on visiting Edinburgh during The Fringe make sure to plan ahead!! The entire city was either booked out or over priced. My sister and I ended up staying in a hostel across the Fourth Bridge, which it turns out has a bus toll of ten pounds every time you cross it. That ended up severely hurting our pocket books.
Lastly, as fun as The Fringe is, don't get too caught up in it and forget to enjoy the city! Try taking a couple of free tours and skip the paid ones, that way the guides will have to be good in order to work for your tip. Like I said, this city is genuinely one of the most beautiful in the world, and probably my top 3 favorite destinations. I can 100% see myself living there someday.
